Pronomaea spalacis, Assing, 2007

Assing, Volker, 2007, A revision of the species of Pronomaea E of the Western Palaearctic region, including Middle Asia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Pronomaeini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 57 (2), pp. 367-396 : 386-387

Pronomaea spalacis sp. n. ( Figs 41-43 , Map 3 )

Type material:

Holotype ♂: " Palästina, Prof. Dr. O. Theodor / Nest von Spalax, Acre [= Akko] Junctio 545, 19.2.1954 / rostrata, ex. coll. Scheerpeltz / Holotypus ♂ Pronomaea spalacis sp. n. det. V. Assing 2007 " ( NHMW) . Paratypes: 4 exs.: same data as holotype ( NHMW, cAss) ; 1 ♂: " v. picea Heer, Caifa , Syria, ded. Simon / var. picea Heer / c. Epplsh. Steind. d." ( NHMW) ; 1 ♂: " Israel: côte, Maagan Mikhael, 16.IV.82, Besuchet, Löbl" ( MHNG) ; 1 ♀: " Israel ( North District ), Upper Galilee , N. shore of Sea of Galilee , 200 m, Kfar Nakhum (Capernaum), 32°53.011'N, 035°34.707'E, shore with stones and gravel, 22.IV.2006, D. W. Wrase [4]" (cSch) .

Description:

External characters extremely similar to those of P. araxicola ; coloration as in dark-coloured specimens of P. araxicola . Distinguished only by the morphology of the aedeagus.

♂: median lobe of aedeagus of similar size and shape as that of P. araxicola , but base of ventral process bulging, apex of ventral process rounded in lateral view, apical internal structure of different shape, and flagellum longer and more slender ( Figs 41-42 ).

♀: spermatheca similar to those of P. picea , P. araxicola , and allied species ( Fig. 43 ).

Etymology: The name (Latin, noun, genitive) refers to the fact that the holotype and several paratypes were collected in the nest of mole rat Spalax ehrenbergi .

Comparative notes:

From all Western Palaearctic Pronomaea species , except P. araxicola , P. spalacisspalacis is separated by smaller eyes, denser puncturation of the pronotum, the less convex (cross-section) pronotum, the paler average coloration, and the shape of the aedeagus. The latter is similar to that of P. araxicola , but distinguished by the bulging base of the ventral process (lateral view), the rounded apex of the ventral process (lateral view), the longer and more slender flagellum, and the different shape of the apical internal structure.

Distribution and bionomics:

The known distribution is confined to Israel ( Map 3 ). Most of the types were collected in a nest of the mole rat Spalax ehrenbergi , one of the paratypes also on a lake shore with gravel, in February and April .

Figures

Map 3: Distributions of Pronomaea araxicola REITTERREITTER (filled circles) and P. spalacis sp. n. (open circles), based on examined and literature records. The unconfirmed record of P. araxicola from Bolu (Turkey) is omitted.

Figs 35-43: Pronomaea araxicola REITTER (35-40) and P. spalacis sp. n. (41-43): forebody of paratype of P. orientalisorientalis (35); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (36-39, 41-42) of male from "Araxesthal" (36), holotype of P. libanotica (37), holotype of P. orientalis (38), male from Antakya (39), and paratypes of P. spalacisspalacis (41-42); spermatheca (40, 43). Scale bars: 35: 0.5 mm; 36-43: 0.1 mm.