Aleochara (Xenochara) brevilaminata, Assing, 2009

Assing, V., 2009, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Aleochara species of the subgenera Xenochara M & R and Rheochara M & R (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 59 (1), pp. 33-101 : 69-74

Aleochara (Xenochara) brevilaminata nov. sp. ( Figs 135-142, Map 4)

Type material:

Holotype ♂: " Kyrgyzstan / Naryn , Moldo-Too Ch., Suulu-Kurtka river, 30.-31.VII.2006, 41°38'20"N, 75°02'10"E, 2350 m, l. L. Schmidt / Holotypus ♂ Aleochara brevilaminata sp. n., det. V. Assing 2009" (cAss) . Paratypes: 10 exs.: same data as holotype (cAss) ; 1 ♂: " Kyrgyzstan / Talass, Kirgizskij A., Terek-Sai valley , 18.-20.VII.2006, 42°34'17"N, 72°42'49"E, 1850 m, leg. L. Schmidt " (cAss) ; 1 ♂: " Kyrgyzstan / Dshai-Abad, Chatkal-Valley, Chatkal river , 23.VII.2006, 41°39'42"N, 70°44'48"E, 1400 m, leg. L.Schmidt " (cAss) ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀: " Kyrgyzstan / Batken, Kyzyl- Kija , 15.IV.2007, N40°15'46", E72°08'35", 1000 m, leg. L. Schmidt " (cAss) ; 1 ♂: " Kyrgyzstan / Issyk-Kul, Tort-Kul, 11.IV.2007, N42°06'50", E76°55'54", 1760 m, l. L. Schmidt " (cAss); 1 ♀, "Kirghizia - 1830 m, Tschatkalski Chrebet, Tschatkal valley near, Karysch-Kyja , 41°49'58N, 71°11'41E, 28.VII.1998, leg. Müller-Motzfeld " (cAss); 2 ♀♀: " Kyrgyztan [sic], Ferghansky Alatau, Toskool Ata , 1.VIII.2002 " (cSch); 2 ♀♀: " Uzbekistan, E Tashkent, Chatkalskyi range, Shikaftar , 26.VII.2001 " (cSch); 1 ♂, 10 exs.: " Asia centr., Tadhikist. , Pamir Alai , Hissar Mts. , Adshuk Cleft near Warsob , 1200 m, 1.-3.VII.1990, leg. Schülke & Wrase " (cSch, cAss); 2 ♂♂, 1 ex.: "S-Kazakhstan, 1300 m, E Zailyiskyi-Alatau, Belshabdar river, 25.-27.VI.2002, Putchkov " (cAss); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: " Kasachstan (SO), Dzungarskij Alatau, Mt. Toksanbaj , Koksu , Koksu river , 3.07.1993, leg. R. Predel " (cSch, cAss); 1 ♀: " 06.07.1993, 5 km South of Akshij , riv. Kurty, SO- Kazakhstan, leg. R. Predel " (cSch); 1 ♂: " Tajikistan: Kalaykhumbskiy Rayon, Viskharvi [probably near Qal'aikhum, 38°28'N, 70°45'E], Ubaginara cleft, in dung, 1800- 200 m, V. Mikhailov, 13.6.1981 [tansliteration from Cyrillic]" (cSch); 1 ♂, 1 ♀: " Tajikistan: Kalaykhumbskiy Rayon, Viskharvi cleft [probably near Qal'aikhum, 38°28'N, 70°45'E], subalp., Viskharvi-Bolo peak, V. Mikhailov, 12.6.1981 " (cSch, cAss) ; 1 ♂, 1 ex.: " Iran, Razavi-Khorasan Prov., Emam Qoli- Kapkan rd: 17 km O Emam Qoli: Aghmazar , 1850 m ( Koppe Dag ), N 37°19'16" E 058°41'13", 31.05.2006, lg. Frisch & Serri " (cAss) ; 1 ♀: " Iran, Kermanshah Province, Ghara Tappeh , 1950 m, N 34°44'49" E 047°51'12", 23.06.2004, leg. J. Frisch " ( MNHUB) .

Description:

Body length: 3.5-5.2 mm. External characters as in A. laevigata , but distinguished as follows:

Reddish spot on elytra broader, broader than long and occupying more than half of posterior margin, and on average slightly larger. Antennae with antennomeres V-X slightly more transverse, approximately twice as wide as long.

♂: tergite VIII and sternite VIII as in Figs 135-136; median lobe of aedeagus, 0.65-0.80 mm long, with ventral process shorter in relation to basal capsule, apex of ventral process more slender and of different shape in lateral view; apical sclerotised internal structures more slender and longer ( Figs 137-140).

♀: spermatheca somewhat smaller, proximal portion of capsule proximally with less pronounced tooth-like projection; apical cuticular intrusion longer ( Figs 141-142).

Etymology:

The name (Latin, adjective: with short lamen) refers to the relatively short ventral process of the aedeagus.

Distribution and bionomics:

The known distribution includes Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, southern Kazakhstan, and Iran ( Map 4). The type specimens were collected at altitudes of 1000-2350 m, many of them from dung .

The species of the Aleochara maculata group

Species of the A. maculata group usually live in mountain habitats, at intermediate to high elevations, and are apparently coprophilous. They are characterised particularly by the derived morphology of the median lobe of the aedeagus, i.e., the conspicuously arched, long, slender, and apically very acute ventral process, as well as the shape of the apical sclerotised structures in the internal sac. In addition, they share the following characters: body of moderate to rather large size; coloration blackish with the elytra often partly or completely reddish; antennae moderately slender, with the preapical antennomeres distinctly less than twice as wide as long; punctation of forebody rather fine, that of abdomen relatively coarse and not very dense (except for the densely punctate anterior impressions of tergites III-V); legs moderately slender, with the metatarsi somewhat shorter than the metatibiae; dimorphism of sternite VIII pronounced; spermatheca of rather uniform shape.

Aleochara (Xenochara) maculata BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE, 1863 ( Figs 143-147, Map 5)

Aleochara maculata BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE, 1863: 18 .

Aleochara maculata weiratheri BERNHAUER, 1940: 1047 .

Material examined:

Spain: 1 ♂, Galicia, Orense, Peña Trevinca , 1800 m, 3.VI.1995, leg. Starke (cAss) ; 4 exs. [det. Tronquet], Cantabria, Santander, Pico de Tres Mares , 2000-2100 m, 31.V.1990, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ♀ [det. Feldmann], Asturias, Picos de Europa, Andara , 1900 m, snowfield, 27.V.1999, leg. Assmann (cFel) ; 1 ♂, Aragón, Huesca, Valle de Astun , 1900 m, 26.VI.2003, leg. Valcárcel (cAss) ; 1 ex. [det. Tronquet], Cataluña, Lérida, Sierra de Port del Comte, Pla de Bassiès , 2000 m, 20.IV.1999, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ♂, Castilla- León, León, Peña Ubiña , above Puerto Ventana , 1950 m, 3.VI.1998, leg. Hetzel (cAss) ; 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, León, Sierra del Cabrera, Viscodillo , 2050 m, 23.V.1999, leg. Feldmann (cAss, cFel) ; 1 ♂, Castilla-León, Burgos, Sierra de Neila, road from El Collado to Quintamar , 27.V.1994, leg. Schülke & Grünberg (cSch) ; 1 ♂, Castilla-León, Ávila, Sierra de Gredos , 1700 m, V.1992, leg. Poot (cWun) .

France: 1 ex., Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Pic d'Orhy, VI.1990, leg. Poot (cWun) ; 1 ♀, Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Col de la Pierre St. Martin, Murlong, 42°57'N, 0°45'W, 1800-2000 m, 8.VI.1998, leg. Lompe (cAss) ; 2 exs. [det. Tronquet], Hautes-Pyrénées , Aragnouet, Val d'Estarragne, 2300-2450 m, 27.VI.1969, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex. [det. Tronquet], Pyrénées-Orientales , Prats-de-Mollo, VII.1975, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex. [det. Tronquet], Pyrénées-Orientales , Canigou mt., Pla Guilhem, 2200 m, snowfield, 1.VI.1998, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex. [det. Tronquet], Canigou mt. , Ras de Prat de Cabrera, 1650 m, 9.V.2001, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex. [det. Tronquet], Ariège , Col de Pailhières, 2000 m, 4.VII.1970, leg. Tronquet (cTro) .

Italy: 1 ex., Piemonte, Monte Saccarello ( CN), 13.VI.1998, leg. Diotti (cAss) ; 1 ♂, Alpi Cozie , valley W Maddalena, 1800 m, 30.VI.1997, leg. Feldmann (cFel) ; 2 ♂♂, Lazio, SE Terni, Monti Reatini, Passo Terminillo , 1900 m, near snow, 3.VI.2000, leg. Wunderle (cWun, cAss) ; 1 ♂, Lazio, M. Terminillo, Campo Forogna (RI), 11.V.1998, leg. Angelini (cAss) .

Austria: 1 ♀, Wien, Strebersdorf ( NHMW) ; 2 exs., Wien env., leg. Breit ( NHMW) ; 1 ♀, Steiermark, Stuhleck , leg. Woerz ( NHMW) ; 1 ex., Steiermark, Schöckl Alpe , leg. Strupi ( NHMW) .

Czech Republic: 1 ex., " Prag ", leg. Skalitzky ( NHMW) .

Romania: 1 ex., Lotrului Mts. , Prejba ["Presbe"], leg. Gassner ( NHMW) .

Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1 ♂, Vlašic planina, 600-1700 m, car-net, 5.V.1990, leg. Wunderle (cAss) ; 1 ♂, Treskavica ( NHMW) .

Greece: 8 ♂♂, 6 ♀♀, Pella, 40 km NE Flórina, Oros Voras , 40°54'N, 21°50'E, 1950 m, 22.IV.2000, leg. Assing & Wunderle (cAss, cWun) ; 3 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, Flórina, 20 km SSW Flórina, Oros Vitsi , 40°39'N, 21°24'E, 1870 m, snowfield, 22.V.2005, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 1 ex. [det. Feldmann], Ipiros, Peristeri, Anthohori , 39°41'N, 21°07'E, 1700-2200 m, 4.VI.2000, leg. Marggi (cFel) ; 3 ♂♂, Makedhonía, Dráma, Falakró , above ski resort, ca. 1800 m, near snow, 26.V.1999, leg. Assing & Wunderle (cAss, cWun) ; 2 ♀♀, Fokis, 45 km SSW Lamia, Oros Giona , 38°40'N; 22°20'E, 1700 m, 17.IV.2000, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 1 ex. [det. Feldmann], Korakas (Korax), Stavros , 38°42'N, 22°08'E, 1800 m, 28.V.2001, leg. Marggi (cFel) ; 1 ♀, Pelopónnisos, Aroania ( Chelmos ), 2000 m, snow field, 6.VI.1996, leg. Wunderle (cWun) ; 2 exs. [det. Feldmann], Pelopónnisos, Taygetos, Profitis Ilias , 36°57'N, 22°21'E, 2250 m, 16.V.2007, leg. Starke (cFel) .

Turkey: 1 ♂, Gümüşhane, ca. 50 km SW Trabzon, 10 km S Dikkaya , ca. 40°36'N, 39°29'E, 2000 m, 9.VI.1998, leg. Solodovnikov (cAss) ; 1 ♂, Rize, ca. 30 km SW Hopa, Çağlayan D. river valley, ca. 41°09'N, 41°22'E, 1800-1900 m, 26.VI.1998, leg. Solodovnikov (cAss) ; 2 ♂♂, Erzurum, 35-40 km NW Tortum, Mescit Dağları , ca. 40°30'N, 41°17'E, 2600 m, 19.VI.1998, leg. Solodovnikov (cAss) .

Comment:

The original description of A. maculata is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from "Paris. Vernet. (Pyrénées-orientales.)" ( BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE 1863). The localities suggest that the type series may not be conspecific; the species, as interpreted today, is most unlikely to occur in the environs of Paris, since higher mountains are absent in this region. A loan of the type material was requested, but, according to the curator in charge, it is currently inaccessible (TAGHAVIAN, pers. comm.). However, specimens from the vicinity of one of the type localities (Vernet) were seen, so that there is little doubt that the present interpretation is correct. BERNHAUER (1940) described A. weiratheri from an unknown number of syntypes collected in " Bosnien: Vitorog Planina im Osten von Glamoc", originally as a variety of A. maculata . The name is currently listed as a synonym of that species ( SMETANA 2004). The illustrations of the aedeagus figured by LIKOVSKÝ (1974), PALM (1972), and WELCH (1997) are somewhat misleading.

Redescription:

Body length: 5.0-8.0 mm. Coloration: body blackish; elytra posteriorly with a rather small, dark reddish spot of more or less triangular shape near sutural angle; occasionally, this spot may be more or less reduced, sometimes leaving only the posterior margin of the elytra dark reddish; tarsi reddish to reddish-brown.

Head approximately as wide as long or weakly transverse; punctation rather fine and sparse; interstices with very fine micropunctation, otherwise without distinct microsculpture; eyes rather large, at least slightly longer than postocular region in dorsal view. Antenna with antennomeres IV-X gradually increasing in width and approximately 1.2-1.5 times as wide as long.

Pronotum approximately 1.35 times as wide as long and 1.7 times as wide as head, widest behind the middle; posterior angles weakly marked; punctation fine and rather sparse; interstices with fine micropunctation, otherwise without microsculpture.

Elytra 0.75-0.80 times as long as pronotum; punctation coarser and denser than that of pronotum. Metatarsus approximately 0.8 times as long as metatibia; metatarsomere I elongated, approximately as long as the combined length of II-IV or even longer.

Abdomen with segments III-V of subequal width, segments VI-VIII weakly tapering; tergites III-V with moderately deep anterior impressions; punctation moderately coarse, dense in anterior impressions of tergites III-V and somewhat less dense on remainder of tergal surfaces; posterior margin of tergite concave in the middle.

♂: posterior margin of sternite VIII almost acutely produced in the middle; median lobe of aedeagus with strongly arched, apically lamellate (lateral view) and very acute (ventral view) ventral process, with narrow crista apicalis, and with characteristic internal structures ( Figs 143-145); apical lobe of paramere slender, approximately 4-5 times as long as wide.

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly convex; spermatheca shaped as in Figs 146-147.

Distribution and bionomics:

Aleochara maculata has a distribution of the ponto-Mediterranean type, ranging from northeastern Anatolia and the Caucasus region across the Balkans, Italy (north and south) to Great Britain, France, and northwestern Spain ( Map 5). PALM (1972) reports a record from Finland. According to SMETANA (2004), the species was previously unknown from Spain and Romania. There is considerable doubt that the above specimens with the labels "Strebersdorf" and "Prag" are labelled accurately, since there are no mountain ranges in these localities.

The species is apparently confined to high-altitude habitats. The above material with labels giving reliable data was collected at elevations of 1650-2600 m by turning stones and by sifting grass roots and litter, often near snow. In Spain and France, it was occasionally found together with A. cristata . One of the above specimens was caught on the wing with a car-net in May.