Xantholinus (Xantholinus) linearis (OLIVIER, 1795)

Assing, Volker, 2017, Taxonomic and faunistic notes on some West Palaearctic and Middle Asian Xantholinini, with a revalidation and new synonymies (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (1), pp. 235-252 : 246-249

Xantholinus (Xantholinus) linearis (OLIVIER, 1795)

Xantholinus styriacus GRIMMER, 1841: 33 ; nov.syn.

C o m m e n t: Xantholinus styriacus has been listed as a nomen dubium in all recent catalogues ( HERMAN 2001, SCHÜLKE & SMETANA 2015, SMETANA 2004). The original

description is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from " Steiermark " ( GRIMMER 1841). The depository of the Grimmer collection is unknown and it can be regarded as lost ( SCHÜLKE 2004). Aside from the body size ("3 Linien Länge"), the only characters mentioned in the description are the colour ("Kopf, Brustschild und Leib schwarz; Fühlhörner, Flügeldecken, Füsse braun") and the presence of punctures and setae on the body. The possibility that there is an undiscovered dark-coloured Xantholinus species in what was Steiermark in Grimmer´s days can be ruled out with certainty. If the type material indeed belonged to Xantholinus , the description best fits to the common X. linearis . Hence, in order to dispose of a doubtful name, X. styriacus is placed in synonymy with X. linearis .