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This is a nice a nice example how science should work “to question the answers”. In this case, I agree you likely have female varipes. Still, I have a female varipes from a locality where I have never found a male. This slightly bothers me. Even Verbeke is not above questioning. We should have more couples to make more progress. Somehow, copulae varioes seem rare.

I may add a personal feature candidate, not mentioned by Verbeke: in lanigerus, the haltee is black, whereas its knob is light in varipes. Well shown in your last picture.

Thanks

Theo