Zyras (Zyras) geminus ( KRAATZ, 1859 )

Assing, Volker, 2017, On Zyras sensu strictu in the East Palaearctic and Oriental regions, with a focus on the faunas of the Himalaya, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Sulawesi (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Lomechusini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 67 (1), pp. 117-192 : 138-139

Zyras (Zyras) geminus ( KRAATZ, 1859)

( Map 6 )

Myrmedonia gemina KRAATZ, 1859: 27 .

Zyras (Zyras) indicus CAMERON, 1944: 108 ; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) shiva PACE, 1987b: 216 ff.; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) manjushri PACE, 1992: 142 .; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) hongkongensis PACE, 1999: 684 ff.; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) benenensis PACE, 2001: 196 f.; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) parageminus PACE, 2010b: 319 ff.; preocc.; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) neoparageminus HLAVÁČ, NEWTON& MARUYAMA, 2011 ; replacement name; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) subgeminus PACE, 2012b: 339 ; replacement name; syn. n.

Zyras (Zyras) articollis ASSING, 2016a: 172 f.; syn. n.

Type material examined: M. gemina : see ASSING (2016a). Z. indicus : Holotype ♀: “974 / Anantapur, Mysore. E.A. Glennie, 17.X.1933 / At Light / Z. indicus Cam. Type / M. Cameron. Bequest. 1955-147. / Holotype / Holotype Zyras indicus Cameron , det. R.G. Booth 2010 / Zyras geminus (Kraatz) , det. V. Assing 2016” ( BMNH). Z. shiva : Paratype ♀: “LOMBOK, Sesaut [= Sesaot ], 12.IV.1981, Rougemont / Allotypus Zyras shiva det. R. Pace 1983 / Zyras shiva n. sp., det. R. Pace 1983 / Zyras geminus ( Kraatz) , det. V. Assing 2017” (cRou).

Z. manjushri : see comment below.

Z. hongkongensis : see ASSING (2016a).

Z. benenensis : see ASSING (2016a).

Z. articollis : see ASSING (2016a).

Comment: According to the original description of Z. indicus , which is based on a unique specimen from “Mysore: Anantapur”, this species is distinguished from Z. geminus by a slightly more slender pronotum, shorter and stouter antennae, slight differences in the coloration of the antennae, finer and sparse punctation of the pronotum, slightly finer and more asperate punctation of the elytra, and fewer (non-setiferous) punctures on the abdominal tergites VI and VII ( CAMERON 1944). An examination of the holotype, however, revealed that, even regarding the characters pointed out by CAMERON (1944), it is highly similar to the type material of Z. geminus .

Zyras shiva was described based on a male holotype and a female paratype from “Lombok, Sesaut”, and a female paratype from “ Bali, Lake Bratan” ( PACE 1987b). An examination of the paratype from the type locality revealed that it is conspecific with Z. geminus .

According to PACE (1992), the unique female holotype of Z. manjushri from “ Nepal, Prov. Bagmati, Tarang Marang” is deposited in MHNG. A thorough search for this specimen in the collections of the MHNG, however, was unsuccessful (Cuccodoro, e-mail 1 June, 2016). Thus, the whereabouts of the holotype are unknown, it may even be lost. An examination of material of Z. geminus from Nepal (see additional material below and ASSING (2016b)) revealed that it is in complete agreement with the details indicated in the original description of Z. manjushri , suggesting that the holotype, too, is conspecific with Z. geminus . This conclusion is even further confirmed by the following observation: two clearly conspecific specimens collected in the same locality and on the same date in Chitwan National Park, Nepal, had been identified by Pace: one of them as Z. geminus and the other as Z. manjushri (see additional material below).

The unique male holotype of Z. parageminus PACE, 2010 (a junior primary homonym of Z. parageminus PACE, 1988 ), which was collected in Sumatra, was not examined. However, the external characters pointed out in the original description as distinguishing Z. parageminus from Z. geminus fall within the range of intraspecific variation of Z. geminus (see below) and the shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus is identical (compare figures 67–68 in PACE (2010b) with figures 274–281 in ASSING (2016a)). The synonymy of the two replacement names, Z. neoparageminus HLAVÁČ, NEWTON & MARUYAMA, 2011 and Z. subgeminus PACE, 2012 , had already been established earlier (ASSING 2015).

A study of the holotype of Z. indicus initiated a revision and comparison of material previously identified as Z. geminus , Z. hongkongensis , and Z. articollis (see ASSING 2016a). This revision revealed that external characters believed to be species-specific earlier, such as the relative width of the pronotum, the extent of the nonsetiferous punctation of the abdomen, the punctation of the elytra, and the coloration of the body appendages, as well as slight differences in the shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus ( ASSING 2016a: figures 274–281) are connected by intermediate conditions and somewhat variable even in specimens from the same region. Moreover, at least most of the more recent material appears to have been collected at light sources or with Malaise traps, as can be inferred from the labels or from the fact that the wings are fully unfolded, these observations suggesting pronounced flight activity and consequently a vast distribution. Pronounced intraspecific variation is generally observed particularly in widespread species. Based on these observations, it appears significantly more plausible to interpret slight differences of external and sexual characters as intra- rather than as interspecific variation. Hence the synonymies indicated above. Nevertheless, there appears to be a clinal trend for the non-setiferous punctation of the abdomen to be more extensive and more pronounced in populations from the east than in populations from the west of the range of Z. geminus .

For morphological details and illustrations of external and sexual characters see the (re-)descriptions and figures provided for Z. hongkongensis , Z. articollis , and Z. geminus in ASSING (2016a).

Additional material examined: Nepal: 1 ♀, Chitwan National Park, Sauraha, 700 m, at MV light, 3.–6.VI. 1983, leg. Brendell (NHMW); 2 ♀♀ [one identified by Pace as Z. geminus, the other as Z. manjushri ], Chitwan National Park , Sauraha , 27°35'N, 84°29'E, 180 m, bank of Rapti river, at light, 18.IV.2000, leg. Weigel ( NME). India: 1 ♀, Uttar Pradesh, Almora Div., Kumaon, leg. Champion ( BMNH); 1 ♀, Assam, Bhalukpong , 27°02'N, 92°35'E, 150 m, 26.V.–3.VI.2006, leg. Dembický (cAss) . Thailand: 1 ♂, Chiang Mai, Thaton, 20°04'N, 99°22'E, 460 m, riverside, at light, 22.VII.2006, leg. Mendel & Barclay ( BMNH); 1 ♀, Betong, Yala district, Gunung Cang dun vill., 25.III.–22.IV.1993, leg. Horak & Strnad (cAss) . Vietnam: 6 exs., Hoa Binh, leg. de Cooman ( MHNG, cAss) . Japan: Ryukyu Islands: 2 exs., Ishigakijima, Tonoshiro , light trap, 21.V.1999, leg. Shimada (cAss) ; 1 ex., Ishigaki-jima, Shiramizu , light trap, 8.V.1993, leg. Hayashi (cAss).

Distribution and natural history: The currently known, vast distribution ranges from Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka across South China, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam eastwards to South Japan and southeastwards to Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Lombok, Bali) ( Map 6 ); for previous records see ASSING (2016a) (as Z. hongkongensis ). The specimens known at present were collected at low altitudes, primarily at light sources.

Figures

Map 6: Revised distributions of Zyras geminus (black circles) and Z. proximus (white circles) in the southern East Palaearctic and Oriental regions.