Anaulacaspis pseudonigra, Assing, 2016

Assing, Volker, 2016, Revision of the Anaulacaspis species of the Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 66 (2), pp. 201-255 : 226

Anaulacaspis pseudonigra spec. nov.

( Figs 35–41 , Map 2 )

Type material: Holotype ♂: “TR [18] – Amasya, 4 km SW Taşova, 300 m, 40°44'47"N, 36°17’41", bank of Yeşilırmak river , 17.VII.2008, V. Assing / Holotypus ♂ Anaulacaspis pseudonigra sp. n., det. V. Assing 2016” ( cAss) . Paratypes: 1 ♂: same data as holotype (cAss); 2 ♀♀ : same data, but leg. Schülke ( MNB, cAss) .

Etymology: The specific epithet (adjective) alludes to remarkable similarity of this species to A. nigra .

Description: External characters, including the modifications of the male pronotum, as in A. nigra , except as follows:

Elytra slightly longer than pronotum. Tergite VIII ( Fig. 35 ) with convex posterior margin.

♂: head without depression or impression in posteromedian portion; sternite VIII ( Fig. 36 ) of similar shape and chaetotaxy as in A. nigra ; median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 37–40 ) 0.24–0.26 mm long; ventral process longer and apically more acute than in A. nigra , at base without semi-transparent projection in lateral view, laterally with a pronounced projection on either side; crista apicalis longer.

♀: sternite VIII ( Fig. 41 ) strongly transverse and broadly, convexly produced posteriorly.

Comparative notes: Anaulacaspis pseudonigra is best distinguished from the highly similar A. nigra by the different shapes of the abdominal tergite VIII and of the aedeagus. The similar shape of tergite VIII and particularly the similar modifications of the ventral process of the aedeagus (laterally with distinct projections in ventral view) suggest that A. pseudonigra is most closely allied to A. caucasica , from which it differs only by the morphology of the median lobe of the aedeagus (smaller; shape of ventral process in lateral view; lateral projections of ventral process of different shape and closer to base of ventral process).

Distribution and natural history: The type locality is situated in Amasya province, northern Anatolia ( Map 2 ). The specimens were hand-collected from mud and sand on a river bank at an altitude of 300 m.

Figures

Map 2: Distributions of Anaulacaspis nigra (black circles), A. pseudonigra (white circle), A. reticulata (white triangle), A. libanotica (black triangles), A. caucasica (white diamonds), A. truncata (black diamonds), and A. sinuata (stars) in the West Palaearctic and Middle Asia, based on revised records.

Figs 31–48: Anaulacaspsis caucasica (31–34), A. pseudonigra (35–41), A. reticulata (42–46), and A. libanotica (47–48): male tergite VIII (31, 35, 43); male sternite VIII (32, 36, 44); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (33–34, 37–39, 45–48); apical portion of median lobe in ventral view (40); female sternite VIII (41); sutural portion of elytra (42). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.