Review of the primitive blister beetle genus Iselma, with a description ofthe first instar larva (Coleoptera : Tenebrionoidea : Meloidae)

The genus Iselma, a primitive group of blister beetles from southern Africa , is reviewed. Included are the first description of its first instar larva based on two Namaqualand species (I. flavipennis and I. pallidipennis), pa rtial information on behaviour (sexual and asexual), and a summary of biono mics, with records of host plants, habitat preference, and elevational dist ribution. Two new species from Namibia (I. piscatrix and I. deserticola) ar e described, and remarks on the taxonomy of various other species are provi ded. Two new synonymies are proposed: I. longispina Kaszab, 1952 = I. okiep ana Peringuey, 1909, syn. n.; I. namaqua Peringuey, 1909 = I. flavipennis H aag-Rutenberg, 1879, syn. n. A species catalogue, with complete distributio n records, is provided.