Studies on the Stenothemusharmandi species-group (Coleoptera, Cantharidae), with descriptions of two new species from China

BACKGROUND: The Stenothemusharmandi species-group has 10 species at present. They are S.harmandi (Bourgeois, 1902) (located in N. India, Nepal); S.holosericus Švihla, 2005, S.orbiculatus Švihla, 2005 and S.subnitidus Švihla, 2005 (N. India); S.distortirudis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014, S.laticollis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014, S.parallelus Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014 and S.septimus Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014 (China: Xizang); S.fugongensis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014 (China: Yunnan) and S.leishanensis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014 (China: Guizhou). In the present study, two previously-known species are classified into this species-group, S.dentatus Wittmer, 1974 and S.alexandrae Švihla, 2004, of which the latter as a subspecies of the former is upgraded to the specific level and another two new species are discovered and described. NEW INFORMATION: Two new species of the Stenothemusharmandi species-group are described, S.acuticollis sp. n. (China: Yunnan) and S.nigricolor sp. n. (China: Xizang), which are illustrated with habitus photos and aedeagi of males, abdominal sternites VIII and internal genitalia of females. S.alexandrae Švihla, 2004 stat. n. is upgraded from a subspecies of S.dentatus Wittmer, 1974 and the two species are classified into this species-group. Characters of the female reproductive system are described for the first time for the following species: S.distortirudis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014; S.laticollis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014; S.leishanensis Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014; S.orbiculatus Švihla, 2005; S.septimus Y. Yang & X. Yang, 2014 and S.subnitidus Švihla, 2005. Meanwhile, some additional distribution information is added for previously-described species. A key for the identification of all species is updated.