Macrosaldula nivalis (Lindberg, 1935)

(Figs. 23–31, 45, 46)

Material examined. AFGHANISTAN: Badakhshan: Anjuman Mts., Anjuman, 2900 m a.s.l., 30.ix.1952, 1 ♀, J. Klapperich lgt. (NMPC); Minjan Mts., Wulf, 2950 m a.s.l., 1.viii.1952, 1 ♂, J. Klapperich lgt. (NMPC). Baghlan / Parwan: Hindukush Mts., Salang Pass [= pass], 3300 m a.s.l., 30.ix.1952, 1 ♀, J. Klapperich lgt. (NMPC). Kabul: Pagmangebirge [= Paghman Mts.], 4000 m a.s.l., 29.viii.1952, 1 ♀, J. Klapperich lgt. (NMPC). Nuristan: Achmede Dewane [= Ahmad Diwana], Bashgultal [= valley of Landaisin aka Bashgul River], 2700 m, 23.vii.1952, 1 ♀, J. Klapperich lgt. (NMPC). KYRGYZSTAN: Kirghiz (= Aleksandrovskii) Mt. Range, Shamsi Pass, 11550 feet [= 3505 m a.s.l.], 15.vii.1910, 1 ♀,A. N. Kiritshenko lgt. (ZISP); Alai—Archi-Bashi, 19.vi.1908, 1 ♂, A. N. Kiritshenko lgt. (ZISP). TAJIKISTAN: Hissar Mt. Range, Khakimi, 14.vii.1912, 1 ♀, A. N. Kiritshenko lgt. (ZISP); southern slope, Hodzha-obi-garm, 25.ix.1943, 1 ♂, A. N. Kiritshenko lgt. (ZISP); Eastern Pamir: Dzhilandy kishlak, 124 km E of Khorog, 3500 m a.s.l., 4.vii.1971, 1 ♂, N. Medvedeva lgt. (ZISP).

Remarks. In Afghanistan, this species was collected in habitats similar to M. tadzhika. Macrosaldula nivalis differs from M. tadzhika by the short white pubescence on dorsum, absence of long erect black setae on pronotum and hemelytra (setae present only on the sides of the anterior margin of the pronotum). The hemelytra pattern is also different (Figs 23–25), but dark specimens of both species show great similarities (cf. Figs 26 and 32–34). In M. nivalis, the body of the paramere is straight, processus hamatus is thickened (Figs 27, 28), distance between parandria is very narrow (Fig. 29), penisfilum is coiled 1.5 times (Fig. 30), medial endosomal sclerite is as in Figs. 45 and 46, and the male grasping plate is as in Fig. 31.

Distribution. Mountains of Central Asia (East Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan), northern Pakistan and northern India (Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh) (Lindskog 1995; Vinokurov 2014a, b). New record for Afghanistan.