Chelidura Latreille, 1825 is a genus of robust apterous earwigs with a Palaearctic distribution. Thanks to research carried out in Italy, Spain and France, the recent general reassessment of the European alpine species of Chelidura has clarified its distribution across Europe. Only one species, Chelidura aptera (von Charpentier, 1825), has been distinguished in the Alps so far, and we have subjected its populations to detailed morphometric and molecular analyses. The results revealed cryptic diversity and allowed us to define the presence of at least five species in the Alps: C. aptera (von Charpentier, 1825), C. montana (Gené, 1832), stat. nov., C. alpina (Gené, 1832), comb. nov., C. rhaetica sp. nov. and C. osellarum sp. nov. The diagnostic morphological characters of recognized species are described and illustrated, and an identification key for males of Western European Chelidura is provided. The distribution of Chelidura species is patchy, with most occurring in subalpine and alpine zones at altitudes between 1,600 and 2,300 metres in the Alps. The occupied habitat is characterized by rocky landscapes with sparse vegetation. According to current knowledge, all recognized species exhibit allopatric distribution patterns, and their ranges do not overlap. The recent decline in the numbers of Chelidura specimens sighted at many historical localities may suggest possible local extinctions or a shift to higher elevations in response to environmental changes.

Europe, phylogeny, taxonomy, threatened species