Quedionuchus reitterianus (Bernhauer, 1934)

Brunke, A. J., Salnitska, M., Hansen, A. K., Zmudzinska, A., Smetana, A., Buffam, J. & Solodovnikov, A., 2020, Are subcortical rove beetles truly Holarctic? An integrative taxonomic revision of north temperate Quedionuchus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Organisms Diversity & Evolution (New York, N. Y.) 20 (1), pp. 77-116 : 89-92

Quedionuchus reitterianus (Bernhauer, 1934)

Fig. 3b , 5m, p, o , 7b and 8a (map) Quedius (Quedionuchus) reitteri Bernhauer 1933: 39 Quedius (Quedionuchus) reitterianus Bernhauer, 1934: 12 (replacement name for Quedius (Quedionuchus) reitteri Bernhauer, 1933 , a primary homonym of Quedius reitteri Gridelli 1925 )

Quedius (Quedionuchus) reitterianus Bernhauer : Smetana 2011 (in part) (lectotype designation, redescription, distribution in China)

Type locality: China, Sichuan: Tatsienlu Tjiji [=Kangding], Urwald-Rodungen [primary forest ‘Rodungen’] .

Type material. The lectotype of this species ( FMNH) was examined through an online, high resolution image: https://

fm-digital-assets.fieldmuseum.org/591/531/63469_ Quedius_ reitteri _Bernhauer_1933b_LT_d_IN.jpg

The male lectotype agrees in all aspects with the other two, non-type, specimens below in microsculpture, pronotum shape and colouration.

Other material. CHINA: Sichuan: Gongga Shan , above camp 2, 29.57 102.00, 2800–2850 m, A. Smetana, 26.VII.1994 (1, cSmet); same except Gongga Shan, Hailuogou, in front of Glacier 1, 9.VII.1996 (1, cSmet) .

Diagnosis. Easily recognized by the shape of the pronotum, which is subquadrate (as in Fig. 3b ), and the extensive meshed microsculpture of the head and pronotum. It is the only species of the genus in Sichuan, China.

Redescription. Measurements ♂ (n = 1): HW/HL 1.37; PW/ PL 1.06; EW/EL 1.07; ESut/PL 0.85; PW/HW 0.97; forebody length 2.66 mm.

Measurements ♀ (n = 1): HW/HL 1.34; PW/PL 1.04; EW/EL 1.10; ESut/PL 0.90; PW/HW 0.96; forebody length 2.81 mm.

Head, elytra and abdomen dark brown, pronotum slightly but distinctly paler, reddish brown, elytra with distinctive crescent-shaped pale marking from base to midway, legs light brown with inner faces of tibiae markedly darker, both maxillary and labial palpi light brown with apical segment darker, antennomeres 1–3 at least partly reddish, 4–11 brown, apices of abdominal segments distinctly paler.

Head distinctly transverse, disc entirely covered by transverse meshed microsculpture, eyes very large, about 2.5 times the length of temples; antennomeres 1–4 elongate, 5 quadrate and 6–10 increasingly transverse; pronotum subquadrate, very slightly wider than long, distinctly convex at sides, disc entirely covered by transverse meshed microsculpture, with three punctures in the dorsal row; abdominal tergites sparsely and finely punctate, punctures separated by several puncture diameters.

Male. Sternite VII not appreciably emarginate, sternite VIII with slight, broad apical emargination, tergite X elongate triangular, sternite IX with narrow, non-emarginate apex. Median lobe in ventral view evenly narrowing to acute apex, in lateral view with broad, fin-like subapical tooth ( Fig. 5m ). Paramere reaching apex of median lobe or slightly longer ( Fig. 5m ), elongate, subparallel-sided to short apex, peg setae arranged in two short, rows, one peg seta wide ( Fig 5p ). Male hind femora with spines slightly longer and thicker than those of female.

Female. Tergite X as in Fig. 7b .

Distribution. Known from Gongga Shan, Baiyu Shan, Emei Shan, and Xiling Shan, Sichuan, China ( Smetana 2011). Records from Yunnan in Smetana (2011) correspond to Q. yunnanensis Brunke , new species and those from Hunan and Shaanxi may represent additional undescribed species.

Bionomics. This species has been collected from under bark of dead trees including Abies (fir) and Betula (birch) at 2290– 3200 m. One specimen was collected at 500 m but this is probably in error. Other specimens of this species were collected from sifting mushrooms and moss on a dead birch tree ( Smetana 2011).

Comments. Quedionuchus reitterianus in the sense of Smetana (2011, 2017) was broadly distributed in the mountainous regions of mainland China, but an examination of the median lobe in lateral view and several external characters revealed it to be a complex of a least two species. The known populations in Hunan and Shaanxi may be additional undescribed species. It is not yet possible to determine whether the elytral colour pattern is consistent between species of this group. Based on the available material, the elytral markings reach only the basal third in Q. yunnanensis , while they clearly reach the midpoint in Q. reitterianus . Smetana (2011) mentioned some individuals with markings reaching the apex of the elytron and these may represent yet another species.

Figures

Fig. 3 Dorsal habitus of: Quedionuchus armipes (Sharp) (a), Q. reitterianus (Bernhauer) (b), Q. yunnanensis (c), and Q. longipennis (d–f), (three colour morphs). Photo of Q. armipes by K.V. Makarov

Fig. 5 Quedionuchus samuraicus (Bernhauer and Schubert) (a–d), Q. deceptor Brunke (e–h), Q. caucasicus Brunke (i–i), Q. reitterianus (Bernhauer) (m, o, p), and Q. yunnanensis Brunke (N). Aedeagus in

Fig. 7 Female tergite X of: Quedionuchus samuraicus (Bernhauer and Schubert) (a); Q. reitterianus (Bernhauer) (b); Q. longipennis (Mannerheim) (c); Q. plagiatus (Mannerheim) (d); Q. gilaensis Brunke (E); Q. armipes Sharp (F). Scale bars = 0.5 mm

Fig. 8 Distribution of: Quedionuchus glaber (O. Müller) (black circles), Q. caucasicus Brunke (blue square), Q. reitterianus (Bernhauer) (yellow triangle) and Q. yunnanensis Brunke (pink star) (a); Q. deceptor Brunke (black squares) and Q. samuraicus (Bernhauer and Schubert) (pink circles) (b)