Quedius (Raphirus) problematicus, Fagel, 1968

Assing, Volker, 2018, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some West Palaearctic Quedius species, with a focus on the East Mediterranean and the species allied to Quedius umbrinus and Q. nivicola (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1), pp. 149-182 : 174-175

Quedius (Raphirus) problematicus FAGEL, 1968 ( Figs 50-52 , Map 5 )

Quedius problematicus FAGEL, 1968a: 9 ff.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Paratypes: 36 exs.: "Liban: Kartaba, 1200-1400 m, V.1964 - G. Fagel / Quedius problematicus n.sp. G. Fagel det. 1967 / Paratype / Quedius problematicus Fagel , det. V. Assing 2018 " ( IRSNB); 18 exs.: " LIBAN: Nabeh Safa , humus sous cistes [or "bois marécageux" or "mousses gorges d'eau"], 1000 m, V.1966 G. Fagel / Quedius problematicus n.sp. G. Fagel det. 1967 / Paratype / Quedius problematicus Fagel , det. V. Assing 2018 " ( IRSNB) ; 2 exs.: " LIBAN: Ain Dara , Nahr Jesâyer, 900 m, V.1966 G. Fagel / Quedius problematicus n.sp. G. Fagel det. 1967 / Paratype / Quedius problematicus Fagel , det. V. Assing 2018 " ( IRSNB) .

A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Turkey: H a t a y: 1♀, Ziyaret Dağı , N Yaladağı, 35°55'N, 36°03'E, 440 m, 22.IV.2004, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 3♂♂, 1♀, Ziyaret Dağı , 19 km S Antakya, SW ªenköy, 36°02'N, 36°07'E, 910 m, oak and laurel shrubs sifted, 2+ 5.IV.2004, leg. Schülke ( MNB, cAss) ; 4♂♂, Harbiye , 36°08'N, 36°08'E, 200 m, 13.IV.2009, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss). Lebanon: 1♂, Rayfoun, 33°58'N, 35°42'E, 800-900 m, mixed deciduous forest, pitfall trap, 12.XII.2012, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 1♀, same data, but

18.XI.2012 (cFel); 1♂, Rayfoun , 33°58'N, 35°42'E, 990 m, mixed oak forest, pitfall trap, 30.V.2016, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 1♂, same data, but 18.XI.-16.XII.2016 (cAss) ; 1♂, same data, but 22.IV.-10.V.2016 (cAss) ; 1♂, 1♀, same data, but 14-30.IV.2017 (cFel) ; 1♂, same data, but IV.2013 (cFel) ; 2♂♂, same data, but 3-20.XI.2013 (cFel) ; 9 exs., same data, but 9-18.XII.2017 (cFel) ; 1 ex., same data, but 18.XII.-11.I.2018 (cFel) ; 3 exs., same data, but 11-23.I.2018 (cFel) ; 3 exs., same data, but 11-28.II.2018 (cFel) ; 1♂, Rachaya , Tannoura, 33°29'N, 35°48'E, 900 m, oak forest, V.2016, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 1♂, 31 km NE Beirut, above Yahshoush , near source of Nahr Ibrahim, 500 m, 25.III.2016, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 1♂, Ehmej , 34°08'N, 35°47'E, 1300 m, 25.V.- 9.VI.2013, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 2♂♂, 27 km NE Beirut, Kfardebian env., 1100 m, mixed oak forest, pitfall trap, 10-25.V.2016, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 1♂, same data, but 20.XI.-1.XII.2013 (cFel). Israel: 1♂, Upper Galilee , Meron env., 33°01'N, 35°24'E, flight trap, 15.V.-15.VI.2007, leg. Buse (cFel) ; 1♀, Upper Galilee , Harashim, 32°57'N, 35°20'E, 800 m, 21.III.2011, leg. Hetzel (cFel) ; 1♂, Upper Galilee , Ya'ar Baram, 33°02'N, 35°25'E, 670 m, old forest, 21.V.2005 (cFel) ; 1♂, same data, but VI.2005 (cFel) ; 1♂, Upper Galilee , Hurfeish, 33°00'N, 35°22'E, 665 m, old forest, 13.XI.2005 (cAss) .

C o m m e n t: The description of Q. problematicus is based on a male holotype and 17 paratypes from " Liban: Kartaba" and 14 paratypes from " Liban: Nabeh Safa" ( FAGEL 1968a). The specimens from "Ain Dara" in the Fagel collection, which too are labelled as paratypes, are not mentioned in the description. The species was subsequently reported also from Israel by SMETANA (1978) and ASSING (2014).

In general appearance (size, coloration), Q. problematicus is highly similar to the sympatric Q. josue , from which it is distinguished particularly by the differently shaped apex of the median lobe (slightly sinuate in lateral view; subapical tooth of the median lobe separated from the apex by a greater distance) ( Figs 50-52 ) and by a slightly more slender pronotum of paler average coloration and with usually more broadly yellowish to reddish margins ( Q. josue : pronotum either of uniformly dark coloration or with narrowly reddish margins).

The revised distribution of Q. problematicus is confined to the Middle East from the Turkish province Hatay in the north across Lebanon to North Israel in the south.

Unlike Q. nivicola , Q. problematicus is epigeic, as can be inferred from the habitat details reported by FAGEL (1968a), by the fact that most of the examined material was sifted from leaf litter, and by the partly long series of specimens collected on various occasions.

Figures

Map 5: Distributions of Quedius problematicus (black circles: revised records; white circles: literature records) and Q. petraensis (black triangle) in the Middle East.

Figs 43-52: Quedius ortrudae (43-49) from Iraq (43-45), Ordu (46), and Adana (47-49), and Q. problematicus (50-52): (43, 47, 50) aedeagus in lateral view; (44, 48, 51) median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view; (45-46, 49, 52) paramere. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.