Xantholinus creticus, Assing, 2006

Assing, V., 2006, New species and records of Staphylinidae from Greece, with two new synonymies (Insecta: Coleoptera), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 333-379 : 353

Xantholinus ( Xantholinus ?) creticus sp.n. ( Figs 55-59 )

Holotype 3: GR. West-Kreta, Samariatal, 20.III.1973, leg. Meybohm & Fülscher / Holotypus 3 Xantholinus creticus sp. n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Relatively small species, 6.8 mm (abdomen fully extended). Coloration: head blackish; pronotum dark brown, with the anterior and posterior margins diffusely paler; elytra brown; abdomen dark brown with the tergal margins reddish; legs and antennae rufous.

Forebody as in Fig. 55 . Head almost 1.3 times as long as wide, with subparallel lateral margins; eyes less than one third the length of postocular region; puncturation sparse and relatively fine; microsculpture absent. Pronotum 0.9 times as wide as head and approximately 1.45 times as long as wide; dorsal rows of punctures composed of 9-10 punctures; microsculpture absent. Elytra approximately 0.7 times as long as pronotum; puncturation relatively sparse and well-defined; microsculpture absent. Hind wings present, but possibly not fully developed. Abdomen with very fine and sparse puncturation; microsculpture distinct, on tergites III-VII transverse, on tergite VIII predominantly isodiametric; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

3: posterior segments without conspicuous modifications. Aedeagus with membranous tube, two large black spines, and two series of rather long brownish spines ( Figs 56-59 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Lat., adj.) refers to Crete, where the species may be endemic.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Xantholinus creticus is distinguished from all other species of the genus by the internal structures of the aedeagus. In X. linearis (OLIVIER) , which too has two long black spines in the internal sac, these spines are distinctly angled, the additional spines in the aedeagus are much shorter, and the head and pronotum have distinct transverse microsculpture.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: The type locality, the Samaria valley, is located in the south of western Crete. Bionomic data are not available.

Figures

Figs 54-59: Xantholinus moreanus sp.n. (54) and X. creticus sp.n. (55-59). (54) internal tube of aedeagus, anterior part; (55) forebody; (56) aedeagus; (57-58) posterior part of aedeagus; (59) membranous tube of aedeagus. Scale bars: 55: 1.0 mm; 56-57: 0.5 mm; 54, 58-59: 0.25 mm.