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Issue: Vol. 75 No. 1: 23 Dec. 2025
Type: Monograph
Published: 2025-12-23
DOI: 10.12976/jib/2025.75.1.1
Page range: 1-86
Abstract views: 40
PDF downloaded: 1

Revision of the subgenus Falsargutor (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichus), with description of a new species and insights into morphology, phylogeny, and biogeography

Ph. D., (Dr. Sci.), All–Russian Institute of Plant Protection, St. Petersburg, RUSSIA
World Biodiversity Association onlus. Private:Via della Trinità 13, I-10010 San Martino Canavese (TO, Italy).
new species taxonomy Caucasus Turkey Iran distribution zoogeography linear morphometrics geometric morphometrics species distribution models

Abstract

A revision of the subgenus Falsargutor Kryzhanovskij, 1983 of the genus Pterostichus Bonelli, 1810 is presented. Pterostichus (Falsargutor) dacatrai sp. nov. is described from northeastern Turkey. P. (F.) imeretinus Kryzhanovskij, 1989 is restored as a good species, P. (F.) iranianus Straneo, 1983 is raised to the species level. All known species of the subgenus are redescribed, annotated, photographed, mapped, and keyed. Both linear morphometrics and geometric morphometrics were employed to assess interspecific and intraspecific variation in shape and proportions. Both approaches are shown to be reliable techniques for taxonomic analysis with broadly similar resolution power. However, their effectiveness varies across species: Therefore, they can be effectively combined to explore the taxonomic structure of a group and to enhance diagnostic tools. Geometric morphometrics proved to be the most powerful tool for describing and quantifying shape differences. Both analyses revealed no geographic races in P. (F.) pseudopedius Reitter, 1887 and a slight west–east differentiation in P. (F.) ponticus Kirschenhofer, 1987. The geographic distribution of Falsargutor appears unique among Caucasian carabids. Members of the subgenus occur in two disjunct areas: mountains along the eastern Black Sea coast from the western extremity of the Western Caucasus to northeastern Turkey and in Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. The most primitive consubgeners are restricted to most ancient regional terrains: northeastern Pontides and Dzirula massif while the most deviated species occurs in the Western Caucasus. Species distribution models suggest a much broader distribution of Falsargutor in the past. A morphology-based phylogeny of the subgenus and related groups has been proposed, accompanied by a palaeogeographic reconstruction of its evolutionary history.

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