Tetartopeus hamulifer, Feldmann, 2010

Feldmann, B., 2010, A new species of Tetartopeus from Israel (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 42 (1), pp. 617-620 : 617-618

Tetartopeus hamulifer nov.sp. ( Figs 1-8 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " Israel: Ma’agar Bental, 33°08N 35°47’E, 7.v.2007, L. Friedman / Holotypus Tetartopeus hamulifer sp.nov., det. B. Feldmann 2009" ( National Collection of Insects , Zoological Museum, Tel Aviv University) ; Paratype: " Israel (Haifa distr.), Ein Afek Reserve , W Kiryat Motskin (Haifa), (loamy foreshore of brackish ponds), 29.III.2008, D.W. Wrase (37)" (private collection M. Schülke, Berlin) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: Total length 7.5 mm, length from anterior margin of clypeus to posterior apex of suture 3.5 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 1 . Coloration: body blackish, elytra reddish, with the basal and scutellar area more or less infuscate; abdomen black with the posterior half of segment VII and the segments VIII-X reddish; legs pale yellowish; antennae reddish-brown, with antennomeres I, II, and basal part of III reddish.

Head 1.13 times as long as wide; punctation moderately coarse and moderately dense, interstices in lateral and posterior dorsal portions on average approximately as wide as, or slightly wider than diameter of punctures, in median dorsal area distinctly wider than diameter of punctures; microsculpture in central dorsal area absent, in posterior and lateral area very shallow, interstices shiny. Eyes about half the length of postocular region from posterior margin of eye to neck ( Fig. 2 ). Antenna slender; antennomeres IV-X longer than wide ( Fig. 3 ).

Pronotum 1.26 times as long as wide and 1.09 times as wide as head; punctation similar to that of head; impunctate midline relatively narrow; interstices without microsculpture and shiny ( Fig. 2 ).

Elytra 1.23 times as wide as pronotum and as long as pronotum ( Fig. 2 ); punctation similar to that of forebody or sligthly denser; interstices without distinct microsculpture.

Abdomen approximately as wide as elytra; punctation fine and dense; interstices with distinct fine microsculpture and matt; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

: posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex; posterior margin of sternite VII weakly concave ( Fig. 4 ); sternite VIII with extensive cluster of relatively long black setae, posterior margin in the middle and on either side of middle weakly concave ( Fig. 5 ); aedeagus of distinctive shape ( Figs 6-8 ).

: unknown.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: As is suggested by the similar morphology of the male primary and secondary sexual characters, Tetartopeus hamulifer seems to be closely related to the geographically close T. persicus COIFFAIT 1972 and T. tezcani ANLA 2009 (for illustrations see ASSING 2008 and ANLA 2009). From both species, T. hamulifer is readily separated by the morphology of the aedeagus.

From T. persicus ( Iran, Iraq, southeastern Anatolia), T. hamulifer is additionally distinguished by the slightly different punctation of the head and the elytra ( T. persicus : punctation of head also present in central dorsal area; punctation of elytra denser).

From T. tezcani (central southern Anatolia) the new species is also distinguished by its shorter antennae and its relatively longer elytra.

From other geographically close species with reddish elytra ( T. adanensis ASSING 2004 , T. czwalinai (JAKOBSON 1909) , T. inexcisus ASSING 2009 , T. stylifer (REITTER 1909)) , T. hamulifer is distinguished by the distinctive morphology of the aedeagus. For illustrations and information on the distributions of these species see ANLA (2009) and ASSING (2004, 2007, 2008, 2009a, 2009b).

E t y m o l o g y: This specific epithet (Latin, adjective) refers to the hook-like shape of the apical part of the ventral process (lateral view).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: Tetartopeus hamulifer is the first representative of the genus to become known from Israel. The species was collected in two localities in northern Israel (Golan Heights, Haifa district). The paratype was collected on the loamy foreshore of brackish ponds.

Figures

Figs 1-8: Tetartopeus hamulifer nov.sp. (1-2, 5-8: holotype): (1) habitus; (2) forebody; (3) antenna; (4) male sternite VII; (5) male sternite VIII; (6) aedeagus in lateral view; (7) internal sac of aedeagus; (8) apical portion of aedeagus in lateral view. Scale bars: 1-2: 1.0 mm; 3-6: 0.5 mm; 7-8: 0.1 mm.