We propose a new text for the points 62–66 of the key to palaearctic species of the genus
Xyletinus Latreille, 1809, subgenus Xyletinus (“Elytron”, 2006, Vol. 20, p. 55–98):
(1) – Pubescence is directed obliquely from suture on the 1st (near-suture) and the 2nd, sometimes on basal half of the 3rd interstria, rarely (in X. o. sericeus) on basal half of the 1st interstria only 62
62. Every elytron with rufous apex or spot….. 63
– Elytra without rufous apex or spot….. 68
63. Pronotum, antennae, tibiae, tarsi rufous-red. Last segments of maxillary and labial palpi are dolabriform. Antennae: 4–8th segments transverse, 5th segment 1.66, 7th segment 1.6 times as wide as long. Pronotum 1.6 times as wide as long, lateral margins flattened, posterior angles strongly rounded. Elytra 1.67 times as long as wide and 2.7 times as long as pronotum. Inter- striae flat on disc. Pronotum matte. Length 4.0–4.4 mm. Russia: Southern Ural . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X. amphitelus Reichardt, 1965.
– Pronotum, antennae, tibiae, tarsi black or blackish-brown……. 64
- 4–8th antennomeres strongly transverse, with concave upper and lower margins; 6th segment 2.3 times as wide as long. Pronotum looks like a high gibbous cap, 1.47 times as wide as long, with longitudinal wrinkles on disc. Elytra 1.5 times as long as wide and 2.3 times as long as pronotum. Odd interstriae a little wider than the even ones, and slightly convex. Aedeagus: internal penial sac with 5 minute spines in its apical part and 3 large shoe-shaped sclerites in the basal third. Distal projections of the 9th abdominal segment are very short, needle-shaped, turned inside. Apical rufous spot extends to side notch as a narrow stripe along lateral margin. Pubescence dense, grey, appressed. Beetle dull. Length 5.2 mm, width 2.6 mm. Russia: Volgograd Prov . .. . . . . . . . . . . . X. (s.str.?) gibberosus Toskina, 2006.
– Middle antennomeres less than 1.5 times as wide as long….. 65
- Elytral apex with rufous or light yellow spot (male). Sometimes elytra with red-yellow lateral brim and apex (female)……………. 66
– Apical quarter of elytra is wholly rufous………. 67
66. Pronotum 1.4 times as wide as long, without elevation; surface with uniform, fine punc- tation. Last segment of maxillary palpi is elongated, with acuminate top. Antennae: 4–6th seg- ments as wide as long, 7th segment 1.1 times as wide as long, the rest of segments are oblong. Elytra 1.5 times as long as wide, and 2.3 times as long as pronotum; interstriae slightly convex in basal quarter of elytra. Aedeagus: end of the penis with blunt, short prominence. Internal penial sac with 7 minute spines, 2 long and thin and 1 broad sclerites in basal half. Parameres with angular impression in the middle of outside. Distal projections of the 9th abdominal segment are very short, broad, blunt (Kofler, 1969, Fig. 4). Pronotum black wholly (male) or red-brown, often dark in the middle (female); elytra black to reddish-black, every elytron with clear rufous spot on apex (male) or elytron with red-yellow lateral margin and apex and brown suture (female). Tibiae brown, tarsi black-brown. Pubescence light grey, appressed or slightly raised. Beetles shining. Length 4–5 mm. Steppe in north-east Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X. ornatus ornatus Germar, 1822
– Pronotum 1.56 times as wide as long, with 2 elevations and median line on disc; poste- rior angles strongly flattened; surface with dual punctation. Last segment of maxillary palpi is dolabriform (Arnoldi [in Russian], 1965, Fig. 77.5). Antennae: 4–8th segments transverse, 6th segment 1.3 times as wide as long, 5–9th segments with concave lower margin. Elytra 1.6 times as long as wide, and 2.4 times as long as pronotum; interstriae almost flat. Aedeagus: penial end with delicate spines. Internal penial sac with more than ten of small spines and two large spines in basal part. Distal projections of the 9th abdominal segment look like acute angles. Elytra yellow-brown as a whole, with unclear light rufous spot or dark brown to black with clear light rufous spot. Tibiae and tarsi yellow brown. Length 5 mm, width 2.4 mm. Russia: Volgograd Prov. . . . . . . . . .X. o. sericeus Morawitz, 1861.