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Simple Summary: The genus Malacogaster Bassi, 1834 belongs to the soft-bodied click-beetle tribe Drilini which contain species with a strong sexual dimorphism—while males are fully winged and able to fly, females are wingless and remain larviform. Malacogaster is known from the Mediterranean region, ranging from the Canary Islands and Iberian Peninsula on the west to Sicily and Libya on the east. In this study, we collated for the first time all information on this enigmatic click-beetle genus and all its species. We provide figures for all available name-bearing type specimens, redescribe species, and discuss their morphology, variability, and distribution. Although several species are readily recognizable based on the morphology and coloration, limits of some other species need further investigation including the DNA-based approach. The soft-bodied click-beetle genus Malacogaster Bassi, 1834 from the Mediterranean region has never been taxonomically revised to date. Information on its morphology, intra- and interspecific variability, systematics and distribution is fragmented and most species have not been properly studied since their description. Therefore, in this study we summarize all available information on the genus Malacogaster. Altogether, we recognize 10 valid species from the area including the Canary Islands, Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, northern coast of Africa, Sardinia, and Sicily. Malacogaster ruficollis Dodero, 1925, stat. nov., which was originally described as a variety of M. bassii Lucas, 1870 and later synonymized with it, is considered a separate species. Malacogaster parallelocollis Reitter, 1894, syn. nov. and M. olcesei var. reductus Pic, 1951, syn. nov. are synonymized with M. maculiventris Reitter, 1894. Malacogaster notativentris Pic, 1951, syn. nov. and M. olcesei Pic, 1951, syn. nov. are synonymized with M. passerinii Bassi, 1834. Lectotypes are designated for M. maculiventris Reitter, 1894, M. nigripes heydeni Reitter, 1894, M. parallelocollis Reitter, 1894, M. thoracica Redtenbacher, 1858, M. olcesei Pic, 1951, and M. rubripes Peyerimhoff, 1949 to fix their identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the occurrence of facultative paedomorphosis in the three species of newts (Pleurodeles waltl, Lissotriton boscai and Triturus pygmaeus) from dry and seasonal Mediterranean areas from southern Spain. These are the first records of paedomorphosis for P. waltl and L. boscai, and the second for T. pygmaeus. Other than the previous T. pygmaeus record, these are the first observations of paedomorphosis in the southern half of the Iberian Peninsula. Most of specimens demonstrating paedomorphosis live in artificially permanent aquatic environments. Nevertheless, a paedomorphic individual of L. boscai was found in a natural yearly temporary brook that held water during the previous two years. Paedomorphs are at low frequency in most cases. However, a single isolated population of P. waltl is probably composed entirely of paedomorphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]