Ocypus (Pseudocypus) graeseri Eppelsheim, 1887

Smetana, Aleš, 2009, Contributions to the knowledge of the “ Staphylinus-complex ” (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini) of China. Part 21. The genus Ocypus Leach, 1819, subgenus Pseudocypus Mulsant & Rey, 1876. Section 4, Zootaxa 2286, pp. 1-30 : 15-18

Ocypus (Pseudocypus) graeseri Eppelsheim, 1887

( Figs. 36–42 , 63, 65 )

graeseri Eppelsheim, 1887 , 424 ( Ocypus ).

Bernhauer & Schubert, 1914, 386 ( Staphylinus ; Gruppe Ocypus , variety of fuscatus ); J. Müller, 1925, 45 ( Staphylinus ; subg. Pseudocypus ); Scheerpeltz, 1933, 1401 ( Staphylinus , subspecies of rambouseki ); Coiffait, 1974, 503 ( Pseudocypus ); Smetana & Davies, 2000; 44 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus ); Herman, 2001, 3381 ( Ocypus ; subg. Ocypus ); Smetana, 2004, 677 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus ).

rambouseki J. Müller, 1925 , 46 ( Staphylinus ; subg. Pseudocypus ), syn. nov.

Scheerpeltz, 1933, 1401 ( Staphylinus ; subg. Pseudocypus ); Smetana, 1963, 299 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus ); Smetana, 1967b, 209 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus ); Coiffait, 1974, 488 ( Pseudocypus ); Smetana, 1975, 173 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus ); Yuh, Paik, Kwon & Lee, 1985, 246 ( Ocypus , subspecies of nigroaeneus ); Li, 1993, 38 ( Ocypus ); Smetana & Davies, 2000, 44 ( Ocypus , synonym of nigroaeneus ); Smetana, 2004: 678 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus , synonym of nigroaeneus ).

brunneopubens J. Müller, 1926 b, 45 ( Staphylinus ; subg. Pseudocypus , subspecies of graeseri )

Scheerpeltz, 1933, 1401 ( Staphylinus , variety of rambouseki ); Coiffait, 1974, 503 ( Pseudocypus , subspecies of graeseri ); Smetana & Davies, 2000, 44 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus , subspecies of graeseri ); Smetana, 2004, 677 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus , subspecies of graeseri ).

fuscatoides Coiffait, 1964 , 97 ( Pseudocypus ), syn. nov.

Coiffait, 1974, 503 ( Pseudocypus ); Smetana & Davies, 2000, 44 ( Ocypus ); subg. Pseudocypus ); Herman, 2001, 3378 ( Ocypus ); Smetana, 2004, 677 ( Ocypus ; subg. Pseudocypus ).

Type material. Ocypus graeseri . Eppelsheim (1887: 424) described the species from one female from near Vladivostok (“Ein einziges Ψ wurde von Herrn Graeser bei Wladiwostok gefunden...”). The holotype is not in the Eppelsheim collection in Naturhistorisches Museum in Wien and I did not succeed in locating it in any other collection. There were some problems with the concept of this species by subsequent authors, therefore, in the interest of the stability of nomenclature of the group, it is necessary to establish a neotype, especially in view of the new synonymies proposed in this paper. I have selected a male specimen from wider vicinity of Vladivostok as the neotype of O. graeseri . The specimen is in perfect shape, it was dissected and mounted on a plate, with the aedoeagus and genital segment glued to the plate with the beetle. It bears the following labels: “ Russia, or., Primorskij Kraj Lazovskij distr., spring valley Gerasimova, 3 km N Lazo, 06.V.1995, leg. J. Sundukov” / ” NEOTYPE Ocypus graeseri Eppesheim, 1887 A. Smetana des. 2009". The neotype is deposited in Eppelsheim collection in the Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien.

Ocypus rambouseki . Müller (1925, 46) described the species from two male specimens from eastern Siberia (“Nella collezione del dott. Rambousek di Praga si trovano 2 esemplari maschili di un Pseudocypus raccolti da E. v. Bodemeyer presso Chitai-ki Sterana nella Siberia orientale”). The Rambousek collection in the Národní Muzeum, Praha, contains only one of the two specimens of the original series. It is labeled as follows: “E. v. Bodemeyer Sibiria orient. Chitaizki-Sterana” / ” TYPUS ” [red label] / ” Rambouseki det. J. Müller”. The specimen is intact. It was dissected and the aedoeagus and the genital segment were glued to the plate with the beetle. In order to preserve stability of nomenclature the specimen is hereby designated as the lectotype of Ocypus rambouseki ; the label “ Lectotype Staphylinus rambouseki J. Müller, 1925 , des. by A. Smetana 2008” has been attached to it. The lectotype is conspecific with the neotype of O. graeseri ; the name rambouseki is an objective junior synonym of graeseri . The label “ Lectotype Ocypus graeseri Eppelsheim, 1887 A. Smetana det. 2008" was attached to the lectotype.

Ocypus fuscatoides . Coiffait (1964: 97) described the species from one male and one female from “Selenga, au sud du lac Baikal”. I was able to study both syntypes, deposited in the Coiffait collection at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France. The male specimen, mounted on a plate, was received dissected, with the aedoeagus glued to the plate with the beetle, and the tergite 10 and sternite 9 of the genital segment glued to a smaller plate below. The specimen is labeled as follows: “ MONGOLIE SEPT. SELENGA J.CHAFFANJON 174-96” / ” Pseudocypus fuscatoides Coiff. H. Coiffait det. 1963” / ” HOLOTYPE ”[red label] / ”MUSEUM PARIS COLL. H. COIFFAIT” / ” fuscatoides Coiff. ”[handwritten, framed label]. The female specimen is pinned and bears the following labels: “ MONGOLIE SEPT. SELENGA J.CHAFFANJON 174-96” / ”ALLOTYPE” / ”MUSEUM PARIS COLL. H. COIFFAIT”. Both specimens are conspecific and they cannot be specifically distinguished from the neotype of O. graeseri . The name fuscatoides is a junior objective synonym of graeseri . A corresponding determination label “ Ocypus graeseri Eppelsheim, 1887 A. Smetana det. 2008” has been attached to both specimens.

Additional material studied: CHINA: Beijing: ”Beijing Shi Songshan, 27.4.– 11.6.2005, 40.55[°] N 115.85 [°]E, pitfall traps, leg. J. Turna” (17) ( ASC, NMW); Hebei: ”Hebei / Nei Mongol, pass Chengde– Chifeng, 41.6[°] N 118.2 [°]E, 30– 31.5.2002, leg. J. Turna” (11) ( ASC, NMW); same, but 14–16.VI.2001 (1) (YSC); ”N Hebei, 26.IV. 2005, 25 km N CHENGDE river valley, 41.3[°] N 118.1 [°]E, Jaroslav Turna leg.” (1) ( NMW); Heilongjiang: ”Heilungkiang, Harbin, 24.4.[19]66, P. M. Hammond / N. CHINA: P. M. Hammond. B. M. 1967-215” (1) (NHM); ”HEILONGJIANG: Harbin. Talyang Dao 14.IX. [19]80 / CHINA: B. M. 1980- 491 P. M. Hammond” (1) (NHM); ”Heilungkiang, Harbin, 17-4-[19]66, P. M. Hammond / N. CHINA: P. M. Hammond B. M. 1967-215” (2) ( ASC, NHM); ”Mandschurei, Charbin, 9.6.[19]46” (1) (NHM); Qinghai: ”Amdo, 1886, G. Patanin” (1) ( NMW); ”Amdo” (1) ( ASC); Shanxi: ”W Shanxi, 9.VI.2000, 37.7[°] N 111.6 [°]E, Lüliang Shan, road Fangshan–Liaocheng, HENGJIAN env., 1000 m, Jaroslav Turna leg.” (1) ( ASC); RUSSIA: Primorskiy Kray: ” RUSSIA: South Primorye, Lazovskij district, Gerasimov stream, 3 km N Lazo, 1.05.2002, Yu. Sundukov” (2) ( ASC, AVS); ” Russia or., Primorskij Kraj, Lazovskij nat[ure] park [reserve], env. Lodge Petrova, 9 km SE vill[age]. Kievka, 3–8.VI.1994, leg. J. Sundukov” (1) (APC); same, but 9.–13.VI.1995 (1) (APC); same, but spring valley Kovarinovo, 5 km NE Lazo, 1–5.vi.1995 (2) (APC, ASC); ” Russland: Primorie, (S 18), Lazowski R., Lazo, Tal der Lazowka, 4.–5.IV.1997, leg. J. Sundukov” (2) ( ASC, MSC).

Diagnosis. Medium-sized species, sharing most character states with O. inexspectatus , but distinct by several external characters, and by differently shaped aedoeagus.

Description. In all character states similar to O. inexspectatus , but different as follows: metallic lustre on head and pronotum usually darker, punctation on head and pronotum coarser and sparser, with intermixed fine punctures more apparent; elytra longer, at suture shorter (ratio 0.78), at sides about as long as pronotum at midline (corresponding ratios in O. inexspectatus are 0.69 and 0.87), punctation of elytra slightly coarser; abdomen with fifth visible tergite with fine pale apical seam of palisade setae; tergite 2 (in front of first visible tergite) impunctate and glabrous on basal half.

Male. Area behind anterior angles of pronotum more or less densely punctate on ground with some microsculpture. Sternite 7 with medioapical emargination similar to that of O. inexspectatus . Genital segment with tergite 10 shorter and wider than that of O. inexspectatus ( Fig. 36 ); sternite 9 shorter and wider, with apex markedly emarginate ( Fig. 37 ). Aedoeagus ( Figs. 38–41 ) quite different from that of O. inexspectatus , median lobe in ventral view with apex wide, obliquely subtruncate, with right lateral portion dilated posteriad in almost straight line ( Fig. 38 ). Paramere situated on median lobe quite asymmetrically, shaped as in Figs. 40, 41 , with acute apex not reaching apex of median lobe and without fine longitudinal carina on face away from median lobe; underside of paramere lacking sensory peg setae, but with minute sensory setae situated as in Fig. 41 .

Female. Area behind anterior angles of pronotum more or less sparingly punctate on ground with more distinct microsculpture, but see Comments. Tergite 10 of genital segment large, evenly narrowed toward narrowly arcuate apex ( Fig. 42 ).

Body length 12.0–15.0 mm.

Geographical distribution. Ocypus graeseri is distributed from Mongolia through the southern portions of eastern Siberia to the Russian Far East and to Beijing, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Qinghai and Shanxi provinces of mainland China.

Bionomics. Little is known about the habitat requirements of this species. Most specimens collected on the territory of mainland China were taken from pitfall traps, but nothing is known about the habitats the traps were set in. The specimens from Mongolia were taken from under the rocks on a dry rocky steppe, or on the bank of a creek ( Kaszab 1965a: 10; 1965b: 619), and in ethylene glycol pitfall traps set in a steppe-meadow, and in a Betula -forest ( Kaszab 1968: 403–405).

Recognition and comments. Ocypus graeseri may be at once distinguished from O. inexspectatus by the abdominal tergite 2 impunctate and glabrous on basal half, by the presence of the fine pale apical seam of palisade setae on the fifth visible abdominal tergite, as well as by the different shape of the aedoeagus. The same set of characters distinguishes O. graeseri from O. aenescens .

The difference in the sculpture on the area behind the anterior angles of pronotum in males and females of this species is less distinctly developed than in the specimens of O. inexspectatus , or O. fuscatus .

Müller (1926b: 45) described O. brunneopubens as a subspecies of O. graeseri , based on three specimens taken at “Lago di Baikal” that agreed in all respects, including the shape of the aedoeagus, with the regular specimens of O. graeseri , except for pale brunneous pubescence of the body. I have not seen the specimens of the original series, or any other specimens of O. graeseri with pubescence described by Müller. The status of this subspecies needs verification.

The locality “Chitaizki-Sterana” (the type locality of O. rambouseki ) caused problems for the authors dealing subsequently with the material collected by Bodemeyer during his 1912 Siberian collecting trip. The problems included both the spelling and geographical location. Various spellings include “Chitaizki-Sterena” ( Bernhauer 1913: 223; Reitter 1913: 651), “Chitai-ki-Sterana” ( Rambousek 1917: 96), “Kitaisk-Storona” (Zolotareff, teste Bodemeyer, 1915). Bodemeyer himself in his publication describing his 1912 Siberian trip ( Bodemeyer 1928) used the “Chitaizki-Sterana” (p. 72), or “Chitaizki.-Sterana” (p.79) versions. The origin of this name was obviously Bodemeyer’s interpretation of the Russian words “kitaysk[aya]” (Chinese) and “storona” (side). This was correctly recognized by some authors, who introduced the term “Kitajskaja storona” (e.g., Obenberger 1927: 15). The geographical location of “Chitaizki-Sterana” was not always properly recognized, it was believed to be somewhere near Blagoveshchensk (personal communication), or even quite recently declared to be in “Chita Region” ( Sikes & Trumbo 2000). All this despite the fact that already Bodemeyer (1915: 438) explained that “Chitaizki-Sterana, chinesische Seite” referred to “das rechte Amurufer auf der Strecke gegenüber Radde-Pompiewka-Chabarow”. The same is apparent from Bodemeyer’s statements on pages 72 and 79 in his 1928 publication. All species described in the past as new with the type locality Chitaizki-Sterana (including all variants) were declared to occur in eastern Siberia (“Ost-Sibiren, Ostsibirien, Siberia orientalis”), while they in fact were taken in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang.

Figures

FIGURES 36 – 42. Details of Ocypus graeseri. 36 — tergite 10 of male genital segment; 37 — sternite 9 of male genital segment (1.5 mm, somewhat unnaturally flattened); 38 aedoeagus, ventral view (1.7 mm); 39 — aedoeagus, lateral view (1.8 mm); 40 — underside of paramere (1.2 mm); 41 — apical portion of underside of paramere; 42 — tergite 10 of female genital segment (1.35).

FIGURES 62 – 67. Abdominal tergite 2 of O. aenescens (62), O. graeseri (63), O. nigroaeneus (64). Apical portion of fifth visible abdominal tergite of O. aenescens (65), O. graeseri (66), O. nigroaeneus (67).