Meotica arasensis SMETANA, 2004

Assing, Volker & Vogel, Jürgen, 2019, The mother of synonyms: on the Meotica species of the Palaearctic Region (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Oxypodini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 731-772 : 764

Meotica arasensis SMETANA, 2004

( Fig. 85 )

Meotica caucasica SCHEERPELTZ, 1954a: 154 f.; preoccupied.

Meotica arasensis SMETANA, 2004a: 32 ; replacement name.

Type material examined: Syntype ♀: " ♀ / Caucasus. Araxesthal, Leder. Reitter. / Amischa / exilis Er / ex coll. Klima / ex coll. Scheerpeltz / Typus Meotica caucasica O. Scheerpeltz / Syntypus Meotica caucasica Scheerpeltz , rev. V. Assing 2017" ( NHMW).

Additional material examined: ARMENIA: 1♀, reservoir 15 km SW Sisian, 39°28'N, 46°08'E, 1340 m, shore of reservoir, Salix litter, moss, and roots sifted, 16.VII.2018, leg. Schülke (MNB).

Comment: The original description is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from "Kaukasus (Araxestal)" ( SCHEERPELTZ 1954a). Meotica caucasica is a junior primary homonym of M. caucasica BENICK, 1953 and was subsequently replaced with the nomen novum M. arasensis by SMETANA (2004a). The sole syntype in the Scheerpeltz collection is a female and consequently not designated as the lectotype.

Diagnosis: ♂: unknown.

♀: spermatheca of the M. parasita type, but with longer and more slender proximal portion ( Fig. 85 ).

Distribution: Azerbaijan, Armenia.

Figures

Figs 80-90: Meotica normandi (80-84; 80-81: lectotype), M. arasensis (85), M. caucasica (86-89), and M. subnigra (90): (80-83, 87-88) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (84- 85, 89) spermatheca; (86, 90) male sternite VIII. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.