Platystethus arenarius ( Geoffroy, 1785 )

Lü, Liang & Zhou, Hong-Zhang, 2015, Review of the Genus Platystethus Mannerheim (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) in China, Zootaxa 3915 (2), pp. 151-205 : 156-159

1. Platystethus arenarius ( Geoffroy, 1785)

( Figs. 1 & 2)

Geoffroy, 1785: 172 ( Staphylinus ; Type locality: Paris); Stephens, 1839: 418 ( Platystethus ); Erichson, 1840: 782 ( Platystethus ; synonym of morsitans ); J. Sahlberg, 1876: 175 ( Pyctocraerus ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 ( Platystethus ; subgenus Pyctocraerus ; Palaearctic region); Bernhauer & Schubert, 1911: 122 ( Platystethus ); Scheerpeltz, 1933: 1106 ( Platystethus ); Herman, 1970: 402 ( Platystethus ); Hammond, 1971: 94, 96 ( Platystethus ); Zheng, 1998: 250 ( Platystethus ; China); Herman, 2001 a: 1470 ( Platystethus ); Smetana, 2004: 519 ( Platystethus , subgenus Platystethus ); Yan, Li & Zheng, 2012: 342 ( Platystethus ; China).

Synonymy.

Staphylinus morsitans Paykull, 1792: 145 (preoccupied by Staphylinus morsitans Rossi, 1790 ; Type locality: Uplandia; Germania); Gravenhorst, 1802: 108 ( Oxytelus ); Latreille, 1804: 364 ( Oxytelus ; synonym of trilobus Olivier ); Fauvel, 1872: 179 [= 1873: 21] ( Platystethus ; synonym of arenarius ); Herman, 2001 a: 1472 ( Platystethus ; synonym of arenarius ); Smetana, 2004: 519 (subgenus Platystethus ; synonym of arenarius ; homonym).

Staphylinus pallidipennis Panzer, 1795: 358 ( Type locality: Germania); Gravenhorst, 1802: 109 ( Oxytelus ; synonym of morsitans Paykull ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 ( Platystethus ; synonym of arenarius ).

Staphylinus trilobus Olivier, 1795 (No. 42): 20 ( Type locality: Paris); Gravenhorst, 1802: 109 ( Oxytelus ; synonym of morsitans Paykull ); Fauvel, 1872: 179 [= 1873: 21] ( Platystethus ; synonym of arenarius ).

Oxytelus mordax C. Sahlberg, 1832: 411 ( Type locality: Helsingforsiae; Yläne); Erichson, 1840: 782 ( Platystethus ; synonym of morsitans ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 ( Platystethus ; synonym of arenarius ).

Platystethus brunnipennis Stephens, 1834: 313 ( Type locality: near London); Hardy & Bold, 1851: 50 (synonym of morsitans ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 (synonym of arenarius ).

Platystethus foveatus Stephens, 1834: 313 ( Type locality: London; Suffolk); Waterhouse, 1858: 29 (synonym of morsitans ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 (synonym of arenarius ).

Platystethus immunis Stephens, 1834: 313 ( Type locality: Suffolk; Norfolk; New Forest); Waterhouse, 1858: 29 (synonym of morsitans ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 (synonym of arenarius ).

Platystethus caliginosus Stephens, 1834: 314 ( Type locality: London); Waterhouse, 1858: 29 (synonym of morsitans ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 (synonym of arenarius ).

Platystethus striolatus Lacordaire, 1835: 460 ( Type locality: Paris); Erichson, 1839: 586 (synonym of morsitans ); Ganglbauer, 1895: 630 (synonym of arenarius ).

Material examined. 31 specimens, 15 ♂♂, 16 ♀♀. CHINA: 1 ♀, 1916. V. 3, E. Licent leg. (IZ-CAS); 1 ♀, 1917. VII. 11, Semmer & E. Licent legg. (IZ-CAS). Beijing, Mentougou, Donglingshan [=Mt. Dongling, 40.03 ºN 115.46 ºE]: 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 2300 m, 1998. IX. 21, H.-Z. Zhou leg. (IZ-CAS); 2 ♀♀, same data as previous except: 2000–2300 m, 2000. VI. 23 (IZ-CAS); 1 ♂, same data as previous except: in mixed forest, from dung (cow or horse), by sifting, 2004. V. 24, Y.-J. Zhang leg. (IZ-CAS). Ningxia: 4 ♂♂, Liupanshan [=Mt. Liupan], Heshangpu forestry center [ 35.68 ºN 106.28 ºE], 2100 m, from cow dung, 2008. VII. 4, H.-S. Zhou & Z.- Y. Zhao leg. (IZ-CAS). Qinghai: 1 ♂, Yushu, Dongzhong forestry center [ 32.54 ºN 97.68 ºE], 3450 m, 2001. VII. 28, W.-Z. Li leg. (IZ-CAS); 1 ♀, Yushu to Batang [in Sichuan], 4100 m, 1964. VI. 22, S.- Y. Wang leg. Shanxi: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Zhongtiaoshan [Mt. Zhongtiao, 35.42 ºN 111.47 ºE], on summit, 2300 m, 1996. VII. 23, X.-K. Yang leg. (IZ-CAS). (IZ-CAS). Sichuan: 1 ♀, Litang, Gemuxiang, Tu'ershan [=Rabbit Hill, 29.51 ºN 100.27 ºE], 3656 m, from cow dung, 2009. V. 31, Y.-L. Zhou leg. (IZ-CAS); 2 ♀♀, Luding, Yajiageng mountain pass [ 29.90 ºN 102.00ºE], 3984m, from cow dung, 2009. V. 22, Y.-L. Zhou leg. (IZ-CAS); 1 ♂, Wolong, Wulidun, 2650 m, grass land, pitfall trap, 2004. V. 6–9, X.-D. Yu leg. (IZ-CAS); 1 ♂, same data as previous except: 2600m, from cow dung, 2004. V. 6 (IZ-CAS). Xizang: 1 ♂, Bomi, Zhamu Co. [ 29.86 ºN 95.77 ºE], 2750 m, 1973. IX. 20, Platystethus arenarius (Fourc.) det. P.M.Hammond 1981 ( IZ- CAS). FRANCE: 2 ♀♀, Châteauroux, 1939.VI (IZ-CAS).

Redescription. Body dark; maxillary palpi, antennae, elytra, and legs brownish. Length [average]: ♂, 4.3 mm; ♀, 4.4 mm.

Male. Head ( Figs. 1 A; 2 A) broadest at temples, some cases at eyes. Disc coriaceous, nearly glabrous, with punctures dense. Clypeus transverse, with anterior margin slightly emarginate, in center furnished with tiny process, bordered with membrane. Epistomal suture with middle portion absent, lateral portions short and posteromedially directed. Supra-antennal ridges obviously elevated. Vertex depressed in anterior part, convex at each side of mid-longitudinal suture; mid-longitudinal suture short and deep, posteriorly reaching occipital suture. Eyes slightly convex, shorter than temples, with fine facets; orbital sulcus fine. Temple dilated laterally. Occipital suture deep and arciform, with large setal fovea at each end. Mandible ( Fig. 2 C) long, stout, and incurved at apex; bearing 3 teeth on inner edge: 2 large with 1 tiny in between; with tiny spur situated in fovea at middle of dorsal surface.

Pronotum ( Figs. 1 A; 2 A) a little wider than head, widest at anterior 1 / 3, with mid-longitudinal sulcus throughout, with punctures sparser and smaller than in head, micro-striate between punctures; anterior margin biemarginate, anterior lateral angles produced, no posterior angles; lateral and posterior margins integrated and evenly rounded, without crenulation. Scutellar impression heart-shaped, anterior margins crescent. Elytra with posterior margin truncate, elytral suture dehiscent.

Abdomen coriaceous. Sternite VII ( Figs. 1 C; 2 E) with posterior margin slightly protruding in middle. Sternite VIII ( Figs. 1 D; 2 F) tri-partitioned by 2 curved narrow sutures, middle part evenly rounded in posterior margin and with mid-longitudinal internal ridge at anterior half, lateral parts completely separated by middle part, each at mesial side with long process situated with short seta at apex; basal ridge interrupted in middle, sub-basal ridge with middle portion absent.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 1 G–I; 2 I –K) with median lobe inflated at base; apical orifice large and fissured to middle of ventral surface and embedded with sharp triangular sclerite there, edges of ventral fissure dully protruding, incrassated, and sparsely pubescent near apex; internal sac membranous. Paramere arm-like, basal arm with furrow on ventral surface; apical arm furnished with 3 setae: one at apex, one stout nearing apical 1 / 4 of paramere, and one tiny at notch in between; pits lined on ventral edge of apical arm.

Female. Head ( Figs. 1 B; 2 B) smaller and narrower than male; clypeus with two small teeth neighbored in middle of anterior margin; vertex slightly convex at side of mid-longitudinal suture; eyes convex, nearly equal to temples in length, temples not dilated. Mandibles ( Fig. 2 D) shorter and sharper than in male. Pronotal anterior margin ( Figs. 1 B; 2 B) with bi-emargination weak. Abdominal sternite VII with posterior margin straight. Sternite VIII ( Figs. 1 E; 2 G) not partitioned, without processes, with posterior margin broadly rounded and a little protruding in middle.

Spermatheca ( Figs. 1 F; 2 H) clavate, with basal part inflated into globoid and apical part slender.

Distribution. China (Beijing, Shanghai, Sichuan, Ningxia, Shanxi, Qinghai, Xizang); Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Europe, Russia, Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Uzbekistan. [Note: distribution data here and hereinafter are updated on the basis of Herman ( 2001 a) and Smetana ( 2004).]