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New species and records of Staphylinidae from Greece, with two new synonymies (Insecta: Coleoptera) PDF

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Preview New species and records of Staphylinidae from Greece, with two new synonymies (Insecta: Coleoptera)

© Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at Linzer biol. Beitr. 38/1 333-379 21.7.2006 New species and records of Staphylinidae from Greece, with two new synonymies (Insecta: Coleoptera) V. ASSING A bstract: Based on a study of mostly recently collected material from Greece, ten species of Staphylinidae are (re-)described and illustrated: Aphaenostemmus rhodicus sp.n., Xantholinus (Helicophallus) moreanus sp.n., X. (Xantholinus?) creticus sp.n., Tectusa recta sp.n., Cousya dimorpha sp.n., Oxypoda (Bessopora) cretica sp.n., O. (B.) afimbriata sp.n., O. (B.) praecisa sp.n., O. (B.) longicollis BERNHAUER, and Aleochara (Ceranota) mortuisimilis sp.n. In addition, the previously unknown male sexual characters of Lathrobium vitsiense ASSING and those of the holotype of L. anophthalmum FAUVEL are described and illustrated. Gyrohypnus liber ASSING is formally revalidated. More than 150 species are listed, among them at least 82 first records from Greece, in addition to the new species described in this paper. 15 species reported from Greece before 2002, but omitted from the recent Palaearctic catalogue are listed. The following synonymies are established: Oxypoda bimaculata BAUDI DI SELVE 1870 = O. corcyrica SCHEERPELTZ 1958, syn.n.; Haploglossa villosula (STEPHENS 1832) = Aleochara hellenica PACE 2005, syn.n. A lectotype is designated for Oxypoda longicollis BERNHAUER, a species to be deleted from the list of Greek Staphylinidae. The distributions of five species are mapped. K ey w o rd s: Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aphaenostemmus, Xantholinus, Gyrohypnus, Tectusa, Cousya, Lathrobium, Oxypoda, Haploglossa, Palaearctic region, Greece, Ukraine, taxonomy, new species, new records, new synonymy. 1. Introduction In the recent past, the Greek staphylinid fauna has been addressed in several taxonomic and faunistic articles (e. g. ASSING 1999, 2002, 2004a, 2005a, 2005b, 2005g, ASSING & SCHÜLKE 2000, ASSING & WUNDERLE 1999, 2001, ZERCHE 2002). However, the con- tinuous discovery of undescribed species and of species that had previously been un- known from the region indicates that the currently known species inventory is still far from complete. Thus, it was not surprising that material collected during a short-term field trip to several mountain ranges in northern Greece in May 2005 and during several previous field trips yielded various new species and numerous records of zoogeographic interest. The second part of the paper deals with new species and records based on an examination of material collected on previous occasions or seen from other collections. The recently published Palaearctic catalogue (LÖBL & SMETANA 2004), though somewhat incomplete © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 334 regarding faunistic data, nevertheless represents a useful tool for compiling an inventory of Greek Staphylinidae. A comparison of the unpublished results of several field trips to Greece with the respective entries in the catalogue revealed that apparently even some widespread and common species had not been reported from Greek territory before. 2. Material and measurements The material referred to in this study is deposited in the following public institutions and private collections: DEI...................Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Müncheberg (L. Behne, L. Zerche) FMNH..............Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago (J. Boone) MNHNP...........Muséum national d´Histoire naturelle, Paris (A. Taghavian) MNHUB...........Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität Berlin (J. Frisch) NHMW............Naturhistorisches Museum Wien (H. Schillhammer) OÖLL...............Oberösterreichisches Landesmusesum Linz SMNS...............Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde (W. Schawaller, K. Wolf-Schwenninger) cAss..................author´s private collection cFel..................private collection B. Feldmann, Münster cSch..................private collection M. Schülke, Berlin cWun................private collection P. Wunderle, Mönchengladbach Head length and elytral length were measured from the anterior margin of the clypeus to the posterior margin of the head and from the apex of the scutellum to the elytral hind margin, respectively. The maps were generated using the online generic mapping tool (GMT) of the Geomar website at www.aquarius.geomar.de/omc. 3. Results of a field to northern Greece in spring 2005 The Staphylinidae collected by Paul Wunderle and the author at montane and alpine elevations in the Oros Vitsi, Oros Varnous, Oros Timfi, and the Oros Gramos range in spring 2005 altogether amounted to more than 1700 specimens, the vast majority of which were identified at species level (Tab. 1). In some cases, however, a sufficiently reliable identification was not possible, either because the respective genera or species groups are in a state of taxonomic confusion and require revision (e. g. some subgenera and species groups of Atheta), or because only females were available (e. g. Eusphalerum sp., Xantholinus sp.). Surprisingly, more than 20 species – some of them rather common in many parts of Europe – are not listed for Greece by LÖBL & SMETANA (2004) and apparently represent first records from Greek territory (Tab. 1). Those records that deserve special attention are referred to in more detail below. Also, if available, additional material seen from other parts of Greece and collected on other occasions is listed. The description of Geostiba varnousica and a discussion of the records of other Geostiba species have been dealt with elsewhere (ASSING 2005h). © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 335 Eusphalerum limbatum limbatum (ERICHSON 1840) In the Balkans, this subspecies was previously known only from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia (LÖBL & SMETANA 2004); it is here recorded from Greece for the first time. Eusphalerum zerchei ZANETTI 1992 The species was described from Macedonia and is here reported from Greece for the first time. Phyllodrepa melanocephala (FABRICIUS 1787) According to LÖBL & SMETANA (2004), P. melanocephala was previously unknown from Greece. Omalium excavatum STEPHENS 1834 LÖBL & SMETANA (2004) do not list this species for Greece, but it was reported from there by ASSING & WUNDERLE (2001). Coryphium atratum BREIT 1911 According to ZERCHE (1990), the species has a trans-Adriatic distribution. For the Bal- kans, he lists records only from Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Hence, the specimen from the Oros Arénes, which was compared with male type specimens (NHMW), repre- sents the first record from Greece. The locality where the Greek specimen was collected is illustrated in Fig. 32. Scopaeus illyricus FRISCH 1997 Previously, only the three type specimens from Albania and Corfu had become known (FRISCH 1997). Lathrobium vitsiense ASSING 2004 (Figs 1-7) The specimen listed in Tab. 1 was collected at the type locality. When I described this species based on a single female – despite the fact that most Lathrobium species can be separated only by the male sexual characters – I did so, because L. vitsiense can be dis- tinguished from all other subanophthalmous congeners occurring in Greece by the com- pletely reduced eyes alone and because I did not expect additional material to become available in the near future. In contrast to the female holotype, which was found under a stone in a beech forest, the male listed in Tab. 1 was collected by sifting grass roots and moss near rocks. The male primary and secondary sexual characters are as follows: (cid:1): sternite VII with weakly concave posterior margin and with weakly delimited patches of dark modified setae (Fig. 6); sternite VIII as in Fig. 7; median lobe of aedeagus highly distinctive, without large sclerotised spines in internal sac, apex of ventral process almost spear-shaped (Figs 1-5). For comparison, the – completely different – aedeagus of the holotype of Lathrobium © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 336 anophthalmum FAUVEL 1885 from Serbia, another Balkans species with completely reduced eyes, is illustrated in Figs 8-9. Figs 1-9: Lathrobium vitsiense ASSING (1-7) and L. anophthalmum FAUVEL, holotype (8-9). (1, 8) – aedeagus in lateral view; (2) aedeagus in ventral view; (3, 9) aedeagus in dorsal view; (4) internal structures of aedeagus (dorsal view); (5) apical part of ventral process of aedeagus; (6) (cid:1) sternite VII; (7) (cid:1) sternite VIII. Scale bars: 1-4, 6-9: 0.5 mm; 5: 0.2 mm. Gyrohypnus liber ASSING 2003 The species was described only recently (ASSING 2003a) and is currently known only © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 337 from Greece. Without even seeing any material of this species, let alone types, and with- out presenting any further evidence, BORDONI (2005) expresses the opinion that G. liber is conspecific with G. atratus (HEER 1839). This approach does not meet basic requirements in scientific taxonomy (and, unfortunately, also contributes to nomenclatu- ral instability), so that G. liber is here formally revalidated. Philonthus cognatus STEPHENS 1832 Additional material examined: 1 ex.., Thessalia, Ossa Oros, NE Spilia, near refuge, 39°48N, 22°41E, 1450 m, N-slope with scattered Abies, grass and ferns, 22.VII.2004, leg. Assing (cAss); 11 exs., Makhedonía, Olympos, above Refuge A, 40°05N, 22°22E, 2460 m, grassy cirque, under stones, 25.VII.2004, leg. Assing (cAss). Heterothops dissimilis (GRAVENHORST 1802) Additional material examined: 1 ex., Makhedonía, Vermion, above Seli, 1500 m, mixed forest, sifted, 11.IV.1998, leg. Assing (cAss); 8 exs., Makedhonía, Kavála, Pangéo, peak region, 1900 m, 28.V.1999, leg. Assing (cAss). Quedius bernhaueri RAMBOUSEK 1915 This remarkable endogean Quedius species was recently recorded from Greece for the first time (ASSING & WUNDERLE 2001) and again by SOLODOVNIKOV (2005). Some of the specimens listed in Tab. 1 are slightly teneral. Quedius persimilis MULSANT & REY 1876 Additional material examined: 1 ex., Fthiotis, ca. 20 km SSE Lamia, Oros Kallidromo, 38°44N, 22°32E, 1250 m, N-slope, under stones on meadow, 7.IV.2001, leg. Assing (cAss); 1 ex., NW- Evvoia, Oros Lichas, 38°51N, 22°54E, 525 m, 8.IV.2001, leg. Assing (cAss); 3 exs., Evvoia, Oros Dirfys, N Kato Steni, SE peak, 38°37N, 23°52E, 1120 m, 8.IV.2001, leg. Assing (cAss). Quedius pseudopyrenaeus COIFFAIT 1967 LÖBL & SMETANA (2004) do not list the species for Greece, but it was reported from there by ASSING & WUNDERLE (2001). Leptusa jelineki PACE 1983 Leptusa jelineki was only recently recorded from Greece for the first time by ASSING & WUNDERLE (2001), who reported the species from the Oros Vermio and the Oros Vitsi. Subsequently, additional records from northern Greece (Vérno, Smólikas, Piéria) were published by ZERCHE (2002), suggesting that the species is rather common and wide- spread in montane beech forests of the region. Leptusa winneguthiana PACE 1983 The only previous Greek record of this species is from the same mountain range (Var- nous), but from a different locality (ASSING & WUNDERLE 2001). © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 338 Leptusa meschniggi BERNHAUER 1935 The type locality is situated in the "Perister", a synonym of the Oros Varnous, which crosses the border between Macedonia and Greece; so, it is unknown if the types were collected in the Macedonian or the Greek part of the mountain range. The specimens listed in Tab. 1 were compared with the holotype (NHMW) and represent the first con- firmation of the presence of the species in Greece. The holotype has a pronounced me- dian carina on the abdominal tergite VII; this carina, however, is missing in the illustra- tion of the holotype in PACE (1989: fig. 452). The only other published locality of L. meschniggi is "Sandanaki" in western Bulgaria (PACE 1989). Leptusa peristerica PACE 1989 The species was for the first time recorded from Greece by ASSING & WUNDERLE (2001), who collected it in the Oros Varnous. The specimens listed in Tab. 1 were found in the same mountain range, but in a different locality. ZERCHE (2002) reported it from the Vérno, not far from the southernmost parts of the Oros Varnous. Atheta orosana SCHEERPELTZ 1931 The species was previously known only from the Greek island Levkas (SCHEERPELTZ 1931). The specimen listed in Tab. 1 was identified by J. Vogel (Görlitz). Atheta laevicauda SAHLBERG 1876 The species is not uncommon in montane and alpine habitats, especially in the Alps, but according to LÖBL & SMETANA (2004), it had not been recorded from Greek territory. Pella funesta (GRAVENHORST 1806) Additional material examined: 4 exs., Makedhonía, Kavála, Pangéo, road from Akrovouni to ski resort, oak forest, 500 m, with Lasius fuliginosus, 28.V.1999, leg. Assing (cAss). Pella humeralis (GRAVENHORST 1802) Additional material examined: 1 ex., Makedhonía, Sérrai, Vrontous, above Lailias, 1800 m, 25.V.1999, leg. Assing (cAss); 3 exs., same data, but 1750 m, beech forest (cAss). Cousya dimorpha sp.n. (Figs 10-21) Holotype (cid:1): GR. [1] Flórina, 20 km SSW Flórina, Oros Vitsi, N-slope, 1850-1900 m, 40°38'32N, 21°22'46E, 22.V.2005, V. Assing / Holotypus (cid:1) Cousya dimorpha sp. n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss). Paratypes: 7(cid:1)(cid:1), 10(cid:2)(cid:2): same data as holotype (OÖLL, cAss); 4(cid:1)(cid:1), 4(cid:2)(cid:2): same data, but leg. P. Wunderle (cWun). Descr i pt i on: Very small species, 1.9-2.4 mm (abdomen fully extended). Colo- ration: forebody uniformly dark brown to blackish; abdomen blackish with the apex slightly paler; legs brown; antennae dark brown, with the basal two antennomeres often slightly paler. Habitus as in Figs 10-11. Head approximately as wide as long; eyes moderately large and protruding from lateral outline of head, slightly shorter than postocular region in dorsal view; microsculpure distinct; puncturation very fine and sparse, barely noticeable. Mouthparts as in Fig. 12. Antenna with antennomeres I and II of subequal length and about twice as long as wide; © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 339 III much shorter than II and only slightly longer than wide; IV-X of increasing width and increasingly transverse; IV almost 1.5 times as wide as long; X approximately twice as wide as long; XI about 1.5 times as long as wide and slightly longer than the combined length of IX and X. Pronotum transverse, approximately 1.25 times as wide as long and 1.25 times as wide as head; maximal width approximately in the middle; posterior angles weakly marked; microsculpture and puncturation similar to those of head; pubescence along midline directed posteriad. Elytra with microsculpture and puncturation more pronounced than those of head and pronotum, surface matt. Width and length of elytra polymorphic. Macropterous speci- mens (Fig. 10): elytra 1.3-1.4 times as wide and at suture approximately 1.1 times as long as pronotum; hind wings fully developed. Brachypterous specimens (Fig. 11): elytra about 1.2-1.3 times as wide and at suture 1.0-1.1 times as long as pronotum. Hind wing development dimorphic, either fully developed or of reduced length and only slightly longer than elytra. Abdomen subparallel, in macropterous specimens distinctly (0.8-0.9 x) narrower than elytra, in brachypterous specimens approximately as wide as elytra; tergites III-V with shallow anterior transverse impression; tergite VI without such impression; microsculp- ture distinct; puncturation fine and sparse; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe in both morphs; tergite VIII without appreciable sexual dimorphism, its posterior margin weakly convex in both sexes. (cid:1): posterior margin of sternite VIII strongly convex and with long thin marginal setae, especially in the middle (Fig. 13); median lobe of aedeagus and apical lobe of paramere as in Figs 14-17. (cid:2): posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly convex, sometimes with shallow concavity in the middle, and with row of moderately stout modified marginal setae (Fig. 18); sper- matheca as in Figs 19-21. E t y mol ogy : The name (adjective) refers to the dimorphism of the wings. Comp arative notes and sy stematics: Cousya dimorpha is readily distinguished from its Western Palaearctic congeners by its small size, the dis- tinctly transverse pronotum, the wing dimorphism, the relatively short antennae and maxillary palpi, as well as by the morphology of the genitalia. In body shape, as well as in the morphology of the mouthparts, the antennae, and the genitalia, C. dimorpha re- sembles species of the genus Zoosetha MULSANT & REY, from which it is distinguished by the much finer puncturation of head and pronotum. However, the character constella- tion of this species raises the question if Cousya MULSANT & REY and Zoosetha should really be considered distinct genera. Distribution and bionomics: The species is known only from the peak of the Oros Vitsi, a mountain inhabited by several species with restricted distribu- tions or even local endemics: Pareudectus vitsiensis ASSING & WUNDERLE, an unde- scribed species of Coryphiodes BERNHAUER, Lathrobium vitsiense, Quedius bernhaueri, Geostiba torisuturalis, and an undescribed species of Tectusa BERNHAUER. The fact that C. dimorpha was not found on any of the neighbouring mountains suggests that the species may have a restricted distribution, too. The types were collected by sifting grass roots and moss on a north slope at an altitude of approximately 1900 m. Seven type specimens (1(cid:1), 6(cid:2)(cid:2)) are macropterous, 22 (14(cid:1)(cid:1), 8(cid:2)(cid:2)) are brachypterous. © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 340 Figs 10-21: Cousya dimorpha sp.n. (10) forebody of macropterous specimen; (11) forebody of brachypterous specimen; (12) mouthparts; (13) (cid:1) sternite VIII; (14-16) median lobe of aedeagus of three (cid:1)(cid:1) in lateral and in ventral view; (17) apical lobe of paramere; (18) (cid:2) sternite VIII; (19-21) spermathecae of three (cid:2)(cid:2). Scale bars: 10-11: 0.5 mm; 12-21: 0.1 mm. © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 341 Tectusa recta sp.n. (Figs 22-32) Holotype (cid:1): GR. [12] N-Pindos, ca. 40 km NNE Konitsa, Oros Arénes, 1900 m, 40°17'39N, 20°55'22E, 27.V.2005, V. Assing / Holotypus (cid:1) Tectusa recta sp. n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss). Paratypes: 2(cid:1)(cid:1), 3(cid:2)(cid:2): same data as holotype (cAss); 9(cid:1)(cid:1), 2(cid:2)(cid:2): same data, but leg. P. Wunderle (cWun). Descr i pt i on: 2.5-3.0 mm (abdomen fully extended); habitus as in Fig. 22. Colo- ration: forebody uniformly blackish brown, with the abdominal apex slightly paler; legs reddish brown, with the femora slightly darker; antennae reddish brown, usually gradu- ally darkened towards apex. Head approximately as wide as long; eyes small, composed of less than 20 ommatidia, and weakly protruding from lateral outline of head, less than half the length of postocular region in dorsal view; microreticulation of integument distinct; puncturation very fine and sparse, barely noticeable (Fig. 23). Antenna with antennomeres I and II of subequal length and about twice as long as wide; III somewhat shorter than II and about 1.5 times as long as wide; IV weakly transverse; IV-X of increasing width; IX almost twice as wide as long; X longer than IX and about 1.5 times as wide as long; XI of ovoid shape and shorter than the combined length of IX and X. Pronotum distinctly convex in cross-section, transverse, approximately 1.1 times as wide as long, and about 1.15 times as wide as head; maximal width approximately in the middle; posterior angles weakly marked; midline without impression; microsculpture and puncturation similar to those of head; pubescence along midline directed posteriad, in anterior 1/6 of midline sometimes anteriad, and on either side of midline laterad (Fig. 23). Elytra about as wide and at suture about 0.6 times as long as pronotum; microsculpture pronounced; puncturation fine, but somewhat more distinct than that of head and pro- notum; pubescence short and more or less depressed (Fig. 23). Hind wings reduced. Abdomen slightly wider than elytra, widest at segments V/VI (Fig. 22). Anterior impres- sions of tergites III-V moderately shallow, that of tergite VI very shallow; microsculpture distinct; puncturation fine and sparse; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VIII without appreciable sexual dimorphism. (cid:1): posterior margin of sternite VIII strongly convex and with relatively short thin mar- ginal setae (Fig. 24); median lobe of aedeagus at base of ventral process with pronounced folds (see arrows in Figs 25-27), ventral process in lateral view straight, not curved (Figs 25-28). (cid:2): posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly and weakly convex, marginal setae not dis- tinctly modified (Fig. 29); spermatheca as in Figs 30-31. E t y mo l o g y : The name (Lat., adjective) refers to the straight ventral process of the median lobe of the aedeagus. Co mp ar at i v e n o t es: Greece is inhabited by numerous endemic species of Tectusa, most of which, however, are undescribed. Among the described species, the geographically closest congeners are T. vrontousensis ASSING & WUNDERLE from the Vrontous range near Séres and T. meschniggi (BERNHAUER) from the Olympos range. From all known species of Tectusa, the new species is separated especially by the dis- tinctive shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus. From T. vrontousensis, it is addition- ally distinguished by its distinctly smaller eyes (in T. vrontousensis with more than 30 ommatidia), the lighter coloration of the legs and antennae, the much finer and more © Biologiezentrum Linz/Austria; download unter www.biologiezentrum.at 342 Figs 22-31: Tectusa recta sp.n.: (22) habitus (holotype); (23) forebody (paratype); (24) (cid:1) sternite VIII; (25-27) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (26-27: holotype); (28) apical part of median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (29) (cid:2) sternite VIII; (30-31) spermatheca. Scale bars: 22: 1.0 mm; 23: 0.5 mm; 24, 29: 0.2 mm; 25-28, 30-31: 0.1 mm.

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