Thoracostrongylus Bernhauer, 1915

SMETANA, ALEŠ & DAVIES, ANTHONY, 2000, Reclassification of the North Temperate Taxa Associated with Staphylinus Sensu Lato, Including Comments on Relevant Subtribes of Staphylinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), American Museum Novitates 3287, pp. 1-1 : 1-

Thoracostrongylus Bernhauer, 1915

TYPE SPECIES: Ontholestes javanus Bernhauer, 1915 .

Parontholestes Coiffait, 1982 (syn. nov.) (type species: Parontholestes nepalicus Coiffait, 1982 ).

COMMENTS: Species of this genus share the synapomorphy of a short, medial carina at base of mesosternum ( fig. 118 ). They also share a submentum with apical margin bead­ ed.

Further character states include: eyes large, prominent, tempora short, evenly rounded toward narrow neck, which is little over one­third total width of head; maxillary and labial palpus both with last segment asetose, fusiform; mandibular prostheca short, copiously ciliate along entire length, with long, dense basal ciliae gradually shortening apicad; mentum with two lateral setae; postmandibular ridge present; postgenal ridge bent toward gula from lateral bend; superior line of pronotal hypomeron rather abruptly deflexed ventrad around middle of pronotum, with anterior portion of superior line there­ fore situated markedly below basal portion in lateral view; deflected portion of pronotal disc visible from distinctly behind epimeron in ventral aspect; proepimeron poorly developed, very membranous; prosternum very long (length about three­fourths width), with distinct, straight carina from behind macrosetae, continuing on furcasternum; serial long setae on mesosternum arranged in broadly U­shaped pattern behind an elevated arcuate ridge behind median carina; mesosternal intercoxal process very narrowly rounded apically; metasternum as in Ontholestes ; dorsal apicolateral lobe of metacoxa with one short, fine spine located distinctly subapically; scutellum very long, almost extending halfway to apex of elytra.

We were able to study the holotype of Parontholestes nepalicus , deposited in the collection of the Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg (SMF C 15051), Frankfurt a. M., Germany. It has all the characters of the genus Thoracostrongylus , including the presence of a fine short carina at the base of mesosternum, despite the statement ‘‘Mésosternum non caréne´’’ in the original description (Coiffait, 1982: 72). The name Parontholestes therefore becomes a junior synonym of Thoracostrongylus .

We also studied the holotype of Thoracostrongylus martensi Coiffait, 1982 , deposited in the same institution (SMF C 15143). The holotype cannot be distinguished from specimens of Abemus olivaceus Cameron, 1928 . The name T. martensi must therefore be transferred to Abemus , where it becomes a junior synonym of A. olivaceus .

Figures

Figs. 117–122. 117. Ontholestes murinus, mesosternum with fully developed medial carina. 118. Thoracostrongylus sp., mesosternum with short medial carina at base. 119. Dinothenarus fossor, labium with emarginate ligula, ventral view. 120. Dinothenarus pubescens, labium and mentum. 121. Dinothenarus pubescens, right mandible and right maxilla, ventral view. 122. Abemus chloropterus, mesosternum, showing sockets of serial setae originating behind small elevations.