Cephennium linguatum, Assing, 2021

Assing, Volker, 2021, On the Cephennium fauna of Greece (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (2), pp. 869-889 : 881-888

Cephennium linguatum nov.sp. ( Figs 45, 48 )

? Cephennium jonicum obscurum BESUCHET i.l.

Type material: Holotype ♂: " GR. Levkas, 100 m, Felswand b. Apolpena , Streugesiebe Nr. 15, 29.IX.1993, Assing leg. / Holotypus ♂ Cephennium linguatum sp. n. det. V. Assing 2020" ( cAss).

Etymology: The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin noun lingua (tongue) and alludes to the tongue-shaped apico-median internal structure of the aedeagus.

Comment: Besuchet (unpubl. notes) examined 10♂♂ and 7♀♀ labelled "Kyparissia, Gr., F. Schubert" (coll. Schubert; now in NHMW). The illustrations of the internal structures of the aedeagus suggest that this material (working name: Cephennium jonicum obscurum i.l.) may be conspecific with the holotype. There are, however, numerous populated places named Kyparissia (or similar) in Greece, so that it is unclear what region this material originated from.

Description: Body length 1.1 mm. Body reddish-brown. Eyes composed of approximately five ommatidia without pigmentation. Other external characters as in C. aciferum .

♂: protibia unmodified; metaventrite with extensive median impression; aedeagus Figs 45, 48 ) 0.38 mm long; ventral process apically truncate, in the middle with a small projection; internal sac with tongue-shaped apico-median structure; paramere thin, apically reaching apex of median lobe and with short apical seta.

Comparative notes: This species is distinguished from other representatives of the C. jonicum group by a larger aedeagus with differently shaped internal structures.

Distribution and natural history: The type locality is situated near Apolpena in the Ionian island Levkas. The holotype was washed from deep soil beneath bushes near a rock wall.

Figures

Figs 42-50: Cephennium jonicum (42, 46), C. aciferum (43, 47)), C. sagittatum (44), C. linguatum (45, 48), C. petraeum (49), and C. sp. from Mljet (50): (42-45) aedeagus in ventral view; (46-50) internal structures of aedeagus. Scale bars: 42-45: 0.1 mm; 46-50: without scale. Figs 46-50 are based on C. Besuchet (unpubl.).