A revision of the Cymindis ehlersi complex (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Lebiinae) with description of a new species and ecological notes

In this article we review the Cymindis ehlersi complex, which is regarded to include two subspecies, C. ehlersi ehlersi Putzeys, 1872 and C. ehlersi lelievrei Jeanne, 1985 from the Cantabrian Mountains (Spain). It was found that show such remarkable differences that the latter should be raised to the specific status Cymindis lelievrei Jeanne, 1985 stat. nov. We also describe a new orophilous species of Cymindis Latreille, 1806 from the Sistema Ibérico, Cymindis distercicus sp. nov., that is closely related to C. ehlersi and C. lelievrei stat. nov. on external morphology and genital anatomy. Furthermore, the systematic position of all these taxa within Cymindis is reviewed. The degree of development of the basal edge of the elytra include C.ehlersi in the subgenus Tarulus Bedel, 1906, is very variable, and we propose to retain these taxa in Cymindis s.str. Finally, the Boreoalpine species Cymindis vaporariorum (Linnaeus, 1758) is firstly cited from the Cantabrian Mountains (north of Palencia), far from the area of the species already known in the Iberian Peninsula (Pyrenees). Some bioecological data about all these species are also given.