Pronomaea araxicola REITTER

Assing, Volker, 2007, A revision of the species of Pronomaea E of the Western Palaearctic region, including Middle Asia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Pronomaeini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 57 (2), pp. 367-396 : 383-386

Pronomaea araxicola REITTER ,, 1898 ( Figs 35-40 , Map 3 )

Pronomaea araxicola REITTER ,, 1898: 114 f.

Pronomaea subterranea IABLOKOFF-KHNZORIAN, 1957: 292 ; synonymy by SEMENOV (2003).

Pronomaea libanotica FAGEL, 1969: 29 f.; syn. n.

Pronomaea orientalis FAGEL, 1969: 30 f.; syn. n.

Type material examined:

P. araxicola : Lectotype ♂, here designated: " Caucasus, Araxesthal, Leder. Reitter / araxicola m. [remainder illegible] / c. Epplsh. Steind. d. / Typus / Lectotypus ♂ Pronomaea araxicola Reitter , desig. V. Assing 2007 / Pronomaea araxicola Reitter det. V. Assing 2007 " ( NHMW). Paralectotype ♀: same data as lectotype ( NHMW).

P. libanotica : Holotype ♂: " Liban: Nabeh Safa , bois marécageux, 1000 m, V.1966, G. Fagel / G. Fagel det. libanotica n. sp. / Type / Pronomaea libanotica Fagel det. V. Assing 2007 " ( IRSNB) . Paratypes: 1 ♂: same data as holotype ( IRSNB) ; 1 ♂: " Liban: Laklouk [34°10 'N, 35°53 'E], 1500-1800 m, V.1964, G. Fagel / G. Fagel det. libanotica n. sp. / Paratype / Pronomaea libanotica Fagel det. V. Assing 2007 " ( IRSNB) .

P. orientalis : Holotype ♂: " Anatolie mér., Antalya, V.1968, G. Fagel / G. Fagel det. orientalis n. sp. / Type / Pronomaea libanotica Fagel det. V. Assing 2007 " ( IRSNB) . Paratypes: 3 ♂ ♂: same data as holotype ( IRSNB) .

Comments:

Pronomaea araxicola was described from an unspecified number of syntypes from "Araxesthal bei Ordubad" and one specimen from " Syrien " ( REITTER 1898). Two of these syntypes were located in the collections of the NHMW; the male is here designated as the lectotype. According to SEMENOV (2003) two additional syntypes, now paralectotypes, are housed in the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest.

The original description of P. libanoticalibanotica is based on a holotype male and a male paratype from " Liban: Nabeh Safa, 1000 m, dans l’humus en bois marécageux", as well as a paratype from " Liban: Laklouk, 1500-1800 m, sous pierre sur sol détrempé par neige fondue". Pronomaea orientalis was described from a holotype male and three male paratypes from "Anatolie méridionale: Antalya, parmi les racines de plantes, au pied d’un peuplier au sommet des falaises du bord de mer" ( FAGEL 1969). According to FAGEL (1969), P. orientalisorientalis is distinguished from P. libanotica by paler coloration, more transverse preapical antennomeres, and a differently shaped pronotum; there is no reference to P. araxicolaaraxicola in either of the original descriptions. A comparison of the type specimens of both Fagel names and of P. araxicola revealed that they are conspecific; their genitalia are identical ( Figs 36-38 ). Therefore, both P. libanoticalibanotica and P. orientalis are here placed in the synonymy of the senior name P. araxicola .

Additional material examined: Turkey: Kahramanmaraş: 1 ex., 34 km SW Kahramanmaraş , 37°23 'N, 36°41 'E, 1070 m, litter of oak and shrubs and grass roots sifted, 12.IV.2004, leg. Assing (cAss) . Antakya: 4 exs., 7 km E Yeşilkent , 350-400 m, 4.V.1978, leg. Besuchet & Löbl ( MHNG, cAss) .

Cyprus: 1 ex., Agios Dhimitrios , 600 m, 9.VII.1977, leg. Besuchet ( MHNG) .

Georgia: 1 ex., W-Caucasus, " Landschaft Letschgum ", leg. Leder ( NHMW) .

Azerbaijan: 3 exs., Ordubad [" Araxesthal "], leg. Leder & Reitter ( DEI, NHMW, cAss) .

Iran: 1 ex., Fars province, ca. 50 km SW Shiraz, Richi , 29°30 'N, 52°11 'E, 1650 m, 9.IV.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) .

Diagnosis:

In external appearance similar to P. picea , but distinguished as follows:

Coloration paler: body rufous to brown, with most of abdominal tergite VI, anterior half of tergite VII, and often also the anterior median parts of tergites III-V darker.

Eyes smaller and less prominent; shorter than postocular region in dorsal view. Pronotum less convex in cross-section. Puncturation of head and pronotum on average finer, that of the pronotum on average denser. Elytra slightly shorter ( Fig. 35 ).

♂: median lobe of aedeagus smaller, 0.35-0.38 mm long, without projection at base of ventral process; apex of ventral process obliquely truncate ( Figs 36-39 ).

♀: spermatheca of similar shape as in P. piceapicea ( Fig. 40 ).

Comparative notes:

From all its Western Palaearctic congeners, P. araxicola is distinguished by the paler average coloration, the smaller eyes, the less convex (cross-section) pronotum, and by the morphology of the aedeagus. The latter is most similar to that of P. spalacis ; for distinguishing characters see the following section.

Distribution and bionomics:

Pronomaea araxicolaaraxicola had previously been reported only from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the Russian South European territory (SEMENOVSEMENOV 2003; SMETANA 2004). KORGE (1964) reported it from Bolu in northern Turkey, a record omitted in SMETANA (2004) and requiring confirmation. The above first records from Georgia, Cyprus, Lebanon, and Iran expand the known distribution considerably; it now ranges from the Caucasus region to Cyprus, the Lebanon, and Iran ( Map 3 ).

As far as can be inferred from the labels of the examined specimens, they were collected in damp forests, in litter of oak and shrubs, on river banks, in poplar litter near the coast, and under stones, with the altitudes ranging from near sea-level to at least 1650 m. On one occasion (types of P. orientialis )), it was found together with P. anatolica . Those specimens with labels specifying the dates of collection were taken in April, May, and July.

Figures

Map 3: Distributions of Pronomaea araxicola REITTERREITTER (filled circles) and P. spalacis sp. n. (open circles), based on examined and literature records. The unconfirmed record of P. araxicola from Bolu (Turkey) is omitted.

Figs 35-43: Pronomaea araxicola REITTER (35-40) and P. spalacis sp. n. (41-43): forebody of paratype of P. orientalisorientalis (35); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (36-39, 41-42) of male from "Araxesthal" (36), holotype of P. libanotica (37), holotype of P. orientalis (38), male from Antakya (39), and paratypes of P. spalacisspalacis (41-42); spermatheca (40, 43). Scale bars: 35: 0.5 mm; 36-43: 0.1 mm.