Three new cave-dwelling leiodid beetles (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Leptodirini) from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

Three new troglobitic leiodid beetle species have been described from several underground habitats in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina: Leonhardia jajcensis sp. n., from the Kapnica Cave, village of Božikovac, near Jajce, Mt. Dnolučka Planina, Katobatizon apfelbecki sp. n., from the Jama Ispod Puta, village of Božikovac, and the Snježara Pits, village of Brvanci, near Jajce, Mt. Dnolučka Planina, and Protobracharthron dusinae sp. n., from the Dusina Cave, village of Dusina, near Fojnica, Mt. Pogorelica. The three leiodid species are easily distinguished from related taxa. All important morphological characteristics of the species have been listed, along with the diagnoses and images of the taxa. The new species are relicts and endemics of Central Bosnia and Herzegovina and probably belong to old phyletic lineages of Tertiary or even pre-Tertiary origin. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173038]

Keywords

• Leiodidae
• Cholevinae
• Leptodirini
• Leonhardia
• Katobatizon
• Protobracharthron
• new species
• cave-dwelling fauna
• Central Bosnia and Herzegovina