Microdera Eschscholtz 1831
Creators: name: Bekchanov, Norbek Kh.
name: Nabozhenko, Maxim V.
name: Bekchanov, Khudaybergan U.
name: Bekchanova, Mokhira Kh.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Tenebrionidae
Microdera

description: Key to species of the genus Microdera of Uzbekistan
1. Apex of abdominal ventrite 5 with vertical plate, that can have deep or shallow median notch (Figs 8E, 9G, 11F, 15G, 20C). 2
- Apex of abdominal ventrite 5 without vertical plate (Figs 1I, 3G, 4F, 13F)........................................ 6
2. Disc of pronotum flattened medio- basally (Fig. 19A, B); disc outline in lateral view emarginated in the basal portion (Fig. 19F). Elytra with opaque lateral sides and apical portion, where puncturation disappears. Metatibiae opaque from extensor side, with very coarse and dense merged puncturation; appear rough (Fig. 19G)......................... M. uzbekistanica sp. nov.
- Disc of pronotum evenly convex. Elytra without opaque areas, puncturation fine and sparse, but distinct on all surface. Metatibiae shiny from extensor side, with fine and sparse punctures (Figs 8B, 10D, 12A, 15I)......................... 3
3. Prothoracic hypomera with large and coarse transverse wrinkles (Fig. 15H). Lateral margin of head (dorsal view) protruded and angular at level of eye-temple connection (Fig. 15C)............................................. M. semenoviana
- Prothoracic hypomera not wrinkled (Figs 7F, 10A, 11D). Lateral margin of eye together with temple rounded............ 4
4. Eyes small (Fig. 11C), margins of epistomal prong not emarginated; prong widely rounded with not strongly projected apex (11B). Pronotum slightly convex, more transverse (1.23–1.25 times as wide as long)........................ M. heydeni
- Eyes large (Figs 7E, 9E), margins of epistomal prong widely emarginated; prong projected (Figs 8C, 9D). Pronotum strongly convex, less transverse (1.1–1.17)........................................................................ 5
5. Head basally with coarser and denser elongate puncturation (Fig. 7E). Pronotum with slightly elongate puncturation on lateral sides (Fig. 7A, E). Prothoracic hypomera with sparse and fine, but distinct puncturation at least in basal half (Fig. 7F). Intercoxal process of mesoventrite angularly rounded (lateral view) (Figs 7B, 8A).............................. M. ferghanensis
- Head basally with the same sparse and fine puncturation as remaining parts of dorsum (Fig. 9E). Pronotum entirely with simple round puncturation (Fig. 9E). Prothoracic hypomera not punctured (Fig. 10A). Intercoxal process of mesoventrite, strongly but not angularly rounded (lateral view) (Fig. 10A)................................................. M. globulicollis
6. Antennae long, with two (female) (Fig. 1B) or three (male) (Fig. 1A, C) apical antennomeres exceeding beyond base of pronotum. Prosternal process sharply bends in middle between horizontal and vertical portions (Fig. 1F, G).................................................................................................. M. abdullohi sp. nov.
- Antennae shorter, reaching or not base of pronotum (Figs 3A, 4A, 6B, 13A, 17A, 18H). Prosternal process declivious rounded (Figs 3D, 4D, 13G).................................................................................... 7
7. Prothoracic hypomera smooth, without visible puncturation (Figs 17E, 18E)...................................... 8
- Prothoracic hypomera moderately or coarsely punctured (Figs 3D, 4D, 13G)...................................... 9
8. Epistomal prong sharply separated from epistome, with subparallel sides (Fig. 18B). 1 st metatarsomere shorter than 4 th one (Fig. 18D)................................................................................. M. transversicollis
- Epistome with simple triangular non-separated prong (Fig. 17B). Metatarsomeres 1 and 4 subequal in length (only specimens from Uzbekistan and NE Turkmenistan) (Fig. 17D)................................................ M. shasenema
9. Prothoracic hypomera with very coarse and dense sharp puncturation (Fig. 13G)............................. M. minax
- Prothoracic hypomera with disappearing, fine or moderately coarse and sparse puncturation (Figs 3D, 4D)............. 10
10. Eyes small and slightly convex (Fig. 6C). Epistomal prong almost not expressed, epistome widely rounded in middle (Fig. 6D). Elytra widely longitudinally depressed in middle (Fig. 6A, B)........................................... M. deserta
- Eyes large and moderately convex (Figs 3C, 4C). Epistome with triangle prong in middle (Figs 3B, 4B). Elytra not depressed (Figs 3A, 4A)....................................................................................... 11
11. Pronotum slightly convex (Fig. 3A, C). Elytra not opaque laterally and apically, entirely with distinct moderately dense puncturation (Fig. 3A)....................................................................... M. campestris
- Pronotum strongly convex (Fig. 4A, C). Elytra opaque laterally and apically, with disappearing puncturation on opaque areas (Fig. 4A).................................................................................... M. convexa
description: Published as part of Bekchanov, Norbek Kh., Nabozhenko, Maxim V., Bekchanov, Khudaybergan U. & Bekchanova, Mokhira Kh., 2025, A review of the genus Microdera Eschscholtz, 1831 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Uzbekistan, pp. 451-480 in Zootaxa 5590 (4) on pages 477-478, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5590.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14953401