Atheta (Microdota) amicula (Stephens, 1832)

Lee, Seung-Gyu & Ahn, Kee-Jeong, 2015, A taxonomic review of Korean species of the AthetaThomsonsubgenusMicrodota Mulsant & Rey, with descriptions of two new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), ZooKeys 502, pp. 61-97 : 64-65

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Atheta (Microdota) amicula (Stephens, 1832) Fig. 1

Aleochara amicula Stephens, 1832: 132.

Aleochara picipennis Stephens, 1832: 132 (as valid species); Fenyes 1920: 186; Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Homalota sericea Mulsant & Rey, 1852: 41 (as valid species); Fenyes 1920: 186; Brundin 1948: 32; Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Homalota subsericea Wollaston, 1864: 540 (as valid species); Fenyes 1920: 186; Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Homalota jezabel Saulcy, 1865: 438 (as valid species); Fenyes 1920: 186; Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Microdota terricola Mulsant & Rey, 1873b: 351 (as valid species); Fenyes 1920: 186; Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Homalota meludyi Quedenfeldt, 1884: 366 (as valid species); Fenyes 1920: 186; Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Atheta (Microdota) amicula attarum Bernhauer, 1929: 201 (as valid species); Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Atheta (Microdota) nuda G. Benick, 1975: 4 (as valid species); Smetana 2004: 384 (as synonym of Atheta amicula ).

Atheta (Microdota) amicula : Brundin 1948: 32; Palm 1970: 190; G. Benick and Lohse 1974: 163; Sawada 1974: 164; Pace 1990: 906; Paśnik 2001: 207; Smetana 2004: 384 (as valid species).

Material examined.

Syntype, 3 exx., labeled as in Figs 82-83. NORTH KOREA: 3 exx., Corea sept 1987 Hyjćhon & vicin. Exped. ISEZ Cr. [North Korea, Jagang Prov., Huicheon-si, 1987, ISEA]; 3 exx., Corea sept. Kangvon–do 9-14 X 1991 [North Korea, Gangwon Prov., 9-14.x.1991]; 3 exx., Corea sept. 1987 Tanćhon & vic. Exped. ISEZ Cr.; 6 exx., Korea 5-8.6.1974 prov. Kesong-si Exp. Inst.Zool.Cr. [North Korea, Gyeonggi Prov. Gaeseong-si, 5-8.vi.l974, ISEA]; 4 exx., Korea 16-18.6.74. Kymgang-san Mts. Exp. Inst.Zool.Cr. [North Korea, Gangwon Prov., Mt. Geumgangsan, 16-18.vi.1974, ISEA].

Description.

Length 1.6-2.0 mm. Body (Fig. 1) slender and parallel-sided, more or less flattened; surface fairly glossy and densely pubescent, with fine microsculpture. Body usually reddish brown to dark brown; head and abdomen slightly darker than other parts; elytra slightly paler than pronotum; legs yellowish brown. Head. Quadrate, about as wide as long, widest across eyes, slightly narrower than pronotum; eyes moderate in size and slightly prominent, about 1.0-1.2 times longer than tempora; infraorbital carina complete; gular sutures moderately separated, diverged basally. Antennae dilated apically, slightly longer than head and pronotum combined; antennomeres 1-3 elongate, 1 longest, 4-10 distinctly transverse, 11 longer than wide, about as long as preceding two combined. Thorax. Pronotum transverse, approximately 1.3 times wider than long, widest at apical third; pubescence directed anteriorly in midline. Elytra slightly transverse, slightly wider than pronotum, elytron approximately 1.7 times longer than wide, pubescence directed posteriorly and postero-laterally; postero-lateral margin almost straight; hind wings fully developed. Legs. Slender and long, with dense pubescence and setae; tibiae with two spurs at apex; meso- and metatarsomeres 1-4 subequal in length. Abdomen. Parallel-sided, widest at middle; surface distinctly glossy and densely pubescent; male tergite VIII with 4 macrosetae on each side of midline, posterior margin slightly emarginate, with slight crenation; male sternite VIII with 7 macrosetae on each side of midline, posterior margin rounded; posterior margin of female tergite VIII subtruncate; posterior margin of female sternite VIII broadly rounded, with long and short marginal setae. Genitalia. Median lobe elongated oval; apical process convergent at apex in ventral aspect. Spermatheca with relatively large bursa; duct recurved apically.

Distribution.

Korea (North), China (Beijing), Cyprus, Israel, Europe (Austria, Azores, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faeroe Islands, Finland, France, Great Britain, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Macedonia, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine), Russia (North European Territory and West Siberia), Neotropical region and North Africa (Algeria, Canary Islands, Egypt, Morocco, Madeira Archipelago).

Remarks.

This species was recorded by Paśnik (2001) in North Korea and a dissected specimen was unavailable. Accordingly, we could not describe the mouthparts and aedeagus in detail. This species has been known to be often found on mushrooms ( Palm 1970).