Aleochara (Tinotus) eoa, Yamamoto, Shuhei & Maruyama, Munetoshi, 2016

Yamamoto, Shuhei & Maruyama, Munetoshi, 2016, Revision of the subgenus Tinotus Sharp, stat. n., of the parasitoid rove-beetle genus Aleochara Gravenhorst (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from Japan, Taiwan, and the Russian Far East, ZooKeys 559, pp. 81-106 : 87-90

Taxon classification Animalia Coleoptera Staphylinidae

Aleochara (Tinotus) eoa nom. n. Figs 2, 20-26, 35

Tinotus japonicus Cameron, 1933: 217 (original description).

Tinotus japonicus : Smetana 2004: 362 (catalogue of Palearctic species of Aleocharinae); Shibata et al. 2013: 106 (catalogue of Japanese species of Staphylinidae ); Schülke and Smetana 2015: 505 (catalogue of Palearctic species of Aleocharinae).

Type locality.

Kobe, Japan.

Type material examined.

Tinotus japonicus : Lectotype (here designated): male, "SYN- / TYPE [BRL] // JAPAN / Kobe // J. E. A. Lewis // M. Cameron / Bequest. / B. M. 1955-147 // Tinotus / japonicus / TYPE Cam [HW] // Tinotus / japonicus / P. M. Hammond / det. 1973 / SYNTYPE // Lectotype / Tinotus japonicus / Cameron, 1933 / des. Maruyama, 2011" (abdominal segments VIII-X and aedeagus were dissected and mounted in Euparal by MM) (PL, 0.42 mm; PW, 0.59 mm; Hind tibial length, 0.40 mm) (BMNH). Paralectoypes: 3 males, 1 female, same original labels as lectotype but without the label " Tinotus / japonicus / TYPE Cam [HW]" (abdominal segments VIII-X and spermatheca were dissected and glued on paper card together with body by MM) (BMNH).

Additional material examined.

JAPAN: Honshû: 1 female, Shigasaka-tôge Pass, Kanna-machi, Gunma-ken, 17-19.vi.2008, Flight Interception Trap, T. Watanabe leg. (KUM); 1 male, 2 females, Sugaya, Ranzan-machi, Saitama-ken, 10.iv.1994, K. Toyoda leg. (KUM). TAIWAN: Nantou: 1 male, 3 females, 5 spec., Songkang, 2000m, 14.iv.1986, M. Ôhara leg. (KUM).

Diagnosis.

This species is distinguished from the other congeneric species of the subgenus by a following combination of character states: body reddish brown to dark brown (Fig. 2); median lobe of aedeagus of male with a coiled flagellum, and with two pairs of characteristic sclerites (Figs 24, 25); spermatheca with a curved spermathecal head, unequally serrated inner walls inside spermathecal head, and with multiple coils at base (Fig. 26). Aleochara eoa is the most similar externally to Aleochara (Tinotus) rougemontiana (Pace, 1999a), comb. n., from mainland China, differing from it additionally by having much less coiled spermatheca in the female ( Pace 1999a: Fig. 183).

Redescription.

Measurements (in mm, n = 13): BL = 2.709 (2.288-3.011); HL = 0.427 (0.358-0.511); HW = 0.439 (0.380-0.486); PL = 0.466 (0.368-0.565); PW = 0.666 (0.514-0.758); EW = 0.780 (0.605-0.948).

Body (Fig. 2): fusiform, compact, and robust; dorsal surface somewhat strongly glossy and pubescent, covered with small and inconspicuous micro-reticulation.

Color (Fig. 2): usually uniformly dark reddish brown to dark brown; antennomeres I–IV much lighter, but segments V to XI darker with numerous minute whitish setae; mouthparts and legs light-yellowish brown to reddish brown; pubescence yellowish brown to brown.

Head (Fig. 2): subquadrate, as long as width (HW/HL = 1.03, n = 13), widest at base of eyes; setae on vertex rather dense, directed anteriomedially. Eyes: small, occupying approximately one third of head length, very slightly protruding laterally.

Antennae (Fig. 2): short, moderately shorter than head and pronotum combined; relatively thick, setaceous, becoming gradually and slightly broaden apically in segments IV to X, with segment V spherical and segments VI to X clearly transverse; segment XI symmetrical, obtusely pointed at apex; approximate relative length of segments from basal to apex: 21: 17: 14: 6: 7: 7: 7: 7: 7: 7: 18.

Pronotum (Fig. 2): strongly convex above dorsally, transverse (PW/PL = 1.43, n = 13), moderately longer than sutural length of elytra, widest around below of basal half, basal margin weakly rounded; pubescence rather long, rather dense but thin, directed laterally and posterolaterally; micro-reticulation inconspicuous.

Elytra (Fig. 2): together, transverse, rather small, widest at middle; pubescence short, finely scattered densely, diverging posterolaterally in each elytron; dorsal surface moderately rough, shallowly impressed; posterolateral corner of each elytron moderately sinuate.

Abdomen (Fig. 2): first three visible tergites rather shallowly impressed transversely at base; dorsal and ventral surface covered with setae densely.

Male. Tergite VIII (Fig. 20): basal suture fully developed; posterior margin very weakly serrate, insignificantly emarginate medially; dorsal surface covered with setae rather sparsely, with six macrosetae. Sternite VIII (Fig. 21): basal suture fully developed; posterior margin rounded to only weakly produced; ventral surface covered with short setae sparsely, with approximately nine macrosetae. Median lobe of aedeagus (Figs 24 & 25): ovular in lateral and limuloid in parameral view; apical lobe rather slender, gently curved paramerally, weakly narrowing apically in parameral but with weakly dilated apex in lateral view; without a protuberance at base of apical lobe; a pair of sclerites S-shaped, longer than half length of apical lobe; flagellum strongly developed, much longer than median lobe, coiled 1.5 times at base.

Female. Tergite VIII (Fig. 21): basal suture fully developed; posterior margin very weakly serrate or almost truncate; dorsal surface covered with setae rather sparsely, with six macrosetae. Sternite VIII (Fig. 23): basal suture fully developed; posterior margin rounded; ventral surface covered with setae rather sparsely, with approximately nine macrosetae. Spermatheca (Fig. 26): deformed M-shaped; spermathecal head curved at middle; attachment of spermathecal duct inconspicuous; basal part of spermathecal stem moderate in size, clearly longer than spermathecal neck, with approximately ten coils attached complicatedly at base; each part of spermatheca entirely and very moderately sclerotized; inner wall of spermathecal head and neck, along border with head, finely and densely striate irregularly.

Etymology.

The replacement name is derived from “Eos” of the Greek mythology which is a Titaness and the goddess of the dawn because “Nippon” (= Japan, type locality) means a country of the dawn.

Distribution.

Japan, Taiwan (new record).

Bionomics.

One individual was caught with a flight interception trap (FIT).

Host records.

No host record is available.

Remarks on type materials.

Five syntypes were found. Among them, a male specimen (Fig. 35) labeled " Tinotus / japonicus / TYPE Cam [HW]" is designated as the lectotype herein.

Comments.

Since the name Aleochara japonica was already preoccupied by Sharp (1874), a new replacement name, Aleochara (Tinotus) eoa nom. n., for Tinotus japonicus Cameron, 1933 [nec. Sharp, 1874: 8 ( Aleochara )], is proposed herein. No record of this species exists since its original description.