S. Mahunka szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 50. (Budapest, 1989)

ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK L 1989 p. CUM Notes on the genus Brachyleptus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Kateretidae), I * By P. A. AUDISIO (Received April 25, 1988) Abstract: Notes on the genus Brachyleptus Motschulsky fColeoptera: Kateretidae) - In the present paper female genitalia of all species of the genus Brachyleptus Motschulsky are described and shown for the first time. Brachy leptus auripubens Reitter, 1896 Is shown to be a valid species (sp. prop. ), not a synonym of B. aurosus Reitter. 1885. The following new synonyms are proposed: Brachyleptus tomentlventris Reitter, 1896 = B. aurosus Reitter, 1885 isyn.n.); Brachyleptus notativentris Reitter, 1902 = B. auripubens Reitter, 1896 (syn. n. ) J. Jelinek (1980) performed a valuable contribution by his studies on the genus Bra chyleptus Motschulsky. Nowadays less than ten species are included in the genus, but before Jelinek's excellent revision the resemblance of some species and high intraspecific variability had resulted in welter of names and in confusion (Reitter 1885, 1896, 1919; Ganglbauer 1899; Grouvelle 1912, 1913). I'

m indebted to Dr. Jelinek for bringing order out of this chaos. Nevertheless, as regards the female ovipositors of Brachyleptus species, scarcity of female specimens certainly associated to their males and necessity of relatively high and unusual magnifications to investigate this character {see below) unfortunately induced Dr. Jelinek to underestimate the taxonomic value of female ovipositors. The purpose of these notes is just to describe the ovipositors of all species of Bra chyleptus and the notes intended to be used in conjunction with Jelinek's (1980) revision. The paper also includes two new synonyms and the revaluation of another species, as inferred from morphological evidences by the examination of female ovipositors. The present paper is mainly based on material recently collected by the author in Algeria, Jordan and Turkey (in 1984 and 1987) and it is my pleasant duty to express my thanks to Dr. O. Merkl (Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest* and to my friends Dr. J. Jelinek (National Natural History Museum, Praha), and Dr. A. Kirejtshuk (Zoological Institute, Academy of Sciences, Leningrad) for the loan of type-specimens and comparative material of some species. ^Research was carried out by the financial support of C.N. R. Researches of the Zoological Institute of Rome University in the Near East: paper no. 117.