Aleochara (Ceranota) bituberculata BERNHAUER

Assing, Volker, 2007, On the Aleocharini of Turkey, with notes on some species from adjacent regions (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 57 (1), pp. 177-209 : 191-193

Aleochara (Ceranota) bituberculata BERNHAUER ,, 1900 ( Figs 46-56 )

AleocharaAleochara (Ceranota) bodemeyeri BERNHAUER ,, 1900: 48 f.

Type material examined:

Holotype ♂: Asia minor, Sultan Dagh, v. Bodemeyer / bituberculata Brnh. ded. v. Bodemeyer / Type ♂ / Chicago NHMus M.Bernhauer Coll . / Holotypus ♂ Aleochara bituberculata Bernhauer rev. V. Assing 2006 ( FMNH) .

Additional material examined: 1 ♂ [aedeagus lost; identification uncertain], Kayseri, Erciyes Dağı , 20 km N Develi, 30 km S Kayseri, 2500 m, alpine steppe with Artemisia , 1.VI.1993, leg. Schulz (cAss) .

Comments:

The original description is explicitly based on a single specimen ("ein Stück") from the "Sultan Dagh in Kleinasien" (BERNHAUER,, 1900), so that the above type has holotype status.

BERNHAUER (1900) originally described A. bituberculata as a distinct species, but subsequently considered it a variety of A. erythroptera GRAVENHORST (BERNHAUER,, 1901). While FAGEL (1968) attributed it the status of a distinct species again, LIKOVSKÝLIKOVSKÝLIKOVSK (1973) confirmed the identity of A. bituberculatabituberculata with A. erythroptera based on an examination of the aedeagus; however, when examining the aedeagus, he did not even remove the parameres, so that a proper assessment of its morphology was impossible. Although the taxonomic status of A. bituberculata does not seem to have been addressed since then, SMETANASMETANA (2004) again treats it as a valid species.

Redescription:

Measurements (in mm) and ratios (holotype): AL: 1.43; HL: 0.71; HW: 0.71; PW: 1.06; PL: 0.83; EL: 0.68; EW: 1.28; AW: 1.16; TiL: 0.83; TaL: 0.65; ML: 0.76; TL: 5.2; HL/HW: 1.00; PW/HW: 1.49; PW/PL: 1.27; EL/PL: 0.82; EW/PW: 1.21; AW/EW: 0.91; TiL/TaL: 1.28.

Coloration: head blackish brown; pronotum castaneous with reddish margins; elytra reddish yellow; abdomen dark brown, with posterior margins of segments III-VI, posterior 1/3 of segment VII, and segments VIII-X reddish; legs reddish yellow; antennae dark reddish with antennomeres I-III yellowish.

Habitus as in Fig. 46 . Head as wide as long (see ratio HL/HW); clypeus unmodified; puncturation fine and sparse; interstices without distinct microsculpture. Eyes moderately large, approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view ( Fig. 47 ). Antennae weakly incrassate; preapical antennomeres weakly transverse ( Fig. 48 ).

Pronotum rather large and moderately transverse (see ratios PW/HW and PW/PL), widest approximately in the middle; puncturation similar to that of head; interstices without microsculpture ( Fig. 47 ).

Elytra distinctly wider and at suture shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL); posterior margin near posterior angles shallowly sinuate; puncturation dense and rather shallow, not granulose; microsculpture absent ( Fig. 47 ). Metatarsus rather short and stout (see measurements); metatarsomere I approximately as long as the combined length of II-IV.

Abdomen with segments III-VI subparallel; tergites III-V with rather shallow anterior impressions, anterior impression of tergite VI very shallow; puncturation fine and rather sparse, very sparse in anterior impressions of tergite III-V; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe ( Fig. 49 ).

♂: tergite III with subcircular median elevation near posterior margin ( Fig. 47 ); tergite VII in the middle of posterior margin with two tubercles ( Fig. 52 ); tergite VIII in the middle of the subtruncate posterior margin with pair of very indistinct elevations ( Fig. 53 ); sternites IV and V with pronounced semicircular impressions with very dense long golden pubescence (similar to the condition in A. erythroptera ) ( Figs 50-51 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII distinctly pointed in the middle ( Fig. 54 ); median lobe of aedeagus with rather stout ventral process both in lateral and in ventral view ( Figs 55-56 ).

♀: unknown.

Comparative notes:

Among its Turkish consubgeners, the species is characterised especially by the morphology of the aedeagus and by the modified male tergite VIII.

Distribution:

The identity of the type locality (“Sultan Dagh”) probably refers to the Sultan Dağları crossing the border between Afyon and Isparta. FAGEL (1968) reported the species also from the Abant Dağları in Bolu, but his identifications are notoriously unreliable. The male from Kayseri listed above as additional material may refer to this species. Its external characters and especially its tergite VIII are similar to those of the holotype, but since the aedeagus is lost, the identification must be considered tentative .

Aleochara (Ceranota) sp. 1

Material examined: 1 ♀, E Osmaniye, 1200-1700 m, leg. Schubert ( NMW) ; 1 ♀, Kahramanmaraş, 50 km NW Kahramanmaraş, S Göksun, 37°56N, 36°34E, 1380 m, 10.IV.2004, leg. Assing (cAss).

The above specimens probably represent an undescribed close relative of A. membranosa .

Aleochara (Ceranota) sp. 2

Material examined: 1 ♀, Kahramanmaraş, 10 km N Andırın, road to Çokak , 37°39N, 36°21E, 1150 m, 1.-2.V.2005, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 1 ♀, Kahramanmaraş, 30 km W Kahramanmaraş, Başkonuş Yaylası , 37°34N, 36°34E, 1270 m, 27.IV.2005, leg. Besuchet (cAss) .

The above specimens are somewhat similar to A. erythroptera , but distinguished especially by the longer and more massive antennae.

Aleochara (Ceranota) sp. 3

Material examined: A ♀, S Tatvan, 1700-2000 m, 21.V.-18.VI.1973, leg. Schubert ( NMW) .

This species is highly distinctive even based on external characters alone; it is characterised by very dark coloration (body black with the elytra dark reddish brown, antennae blackish brown; legs dark brown; maxillary palpus blackish brown) and by the conspicuously dense puncturation of the whole body.

Figures

Figs 46-56: Aleochara bituberculatabituberculata (holotype): habitus (46); forebody (47); antenna (48); abdomen (49); abdomen in ventral view (50); abdominal sternites IV-V in latero-ventral view (51); tergite VII (52); tergite VIII (53); sternite VIII (54); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (55-56). Scale bars: 46: 1.0 mm; 47-54: 0.5 mm; 55-56: 0.2 mm.