Sunius fulgocephalus ( COIFFAIT 1970)

Assing, V. & A, North, 2008, A revision of the Sunius species of the Western Palaearctic region and Middle Asia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (1), pp. 5-135 : 45-48

4.14. Sunius fulgocephalus ( COIFFAIT 1970) ( Figs. 27-36 , Map 8)

Hypomedon fulgocephalum [sic] COIFFAIT 1970: 726.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Holotype 3: "[locality in Cyrillic] 20.7.54 / Holotype / Hypomedon fulgocephalus Coiff. , det. H. Coiffait 1969 / Sunius fulgocephalus (Coiffait) det. V. Assing 2007" (MNHNP). Paratype ♀: "[locality in Cyrillic] 21.7.52 / Paratype / Hypomedon fulgocephalus Coiff. , det. H. Coiffait 1969 / Sunius fulgocephalus (Coiffait) det. V. Assing 2007" (MNHNP).

C o m m e n t: The original description is based on a male holotype from "Mikoian [probably not the locality, but the collector], Arménie soviétique" and a female paratype from "Kafau [recte: Karan], Arménie soviétique" ( COIFFAIT 1970).

A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Georgia: 4 exs., Tbilisi env., Mzcheta , 4.- 23.VI.1987, leg. Wrase & Schülke ( MNHUB, cSch) ; 2 exs., Tbilisi env., Kumisi , 3.-24.VI.1987, leg. Wrase & Schülke (cSch) ; 1 ex., Tbilisi env., Tibliskoye ozero, 19.VII.1985, leg. Wrase (cSch) ; 1 ex., Bolnisi , 28.VI.1986, leg. Schülke & Wrase (cSch). Azerbaijan: 5 exs., Ordubad, leg. Leder & Reitter ( HNHM) ; 2 exs., Lenkoran ( HNHM) ; 1 ex., Talysh mts., road Lenkoran-Lerik , km 14-18, 30.IV.-9.V.2001, leg. Lackner (cAss) ; 2 ex., Talysh, 1897, leg. Korb ( MNHUB, cAss). Iran: M a z a n d a r a n: 11 exs., Marzanabad, Chalus river , 36°23'N, 51°16'E, 760 m, 25.VII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 2 exs., Kuh-e Damavand (N-slope), Nandel , 35°01'N, 52°13'E, 1660 m, 16.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 1 ex., Ramsar, Eshkatechal , 36°54'N, 50°35'E, 300 m, 28.VII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Ramsar: road to Jannatrudbar , 36°59'N, 50°39'E, 29.VII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Tonekabon, Dohezar, 36°40'N, 50°50', 400 m, 27.VII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB). A z a r b a y j a n - e S h a r q i: 1 ex., Komar Oliah , Kiyamaki Dagh , 38°43'N, 46°00'E, 1320 m, 12.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 4 exs., Komar Oliah, Kiyamaki Dagh , 38°44'N, 46°00'E, 1230 m, 11.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 1 ex., Kharvana, Komar , 38°43'N, 46°00'E, 1320 m, 7.VIII.2005, leg. Serri & Frisch ( HMIM) ; 3 exs., Aras Valley at Qara Dagh, Marzabad , 38°52'N, 46°32'E, 400 m, 10.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 9 exs., Aras Valley at Qara Dagh, Mardanghem , 38°50'N, 46°33'WE, 500 m, 10.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 2 exs., Kalaybar, 38°51'N, 47°01'E, 1420 m, 9.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss). T e h r a n: 1 ex., Chalus road, S Gachsar, 36°06'N, 51°19'E, 2220 m, 24.VII.2005, leg. Serri & Frisch ( HMIM, cAss). G i l a n: 4 exs., Rudbar , Barrehsar , 36°47'N, 49°45'E, 1080 m, 30.VII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 2 exs., Rudbar, Barrehsar, Damash road, Sebostaneh , 36°47'N, 49°48'E, 1400 m, 31.VII.2005, leg. Serri & Frisch ( HMIM, cAss) ; 1 ex., Rudbar, Barrehsar, 5 km to Kelishom , 36°47'N, 49°48'E, 1320 m, 30.VII.2005, leg. Serri & Frisch ( HMIM) ; 9 exs., Fuman-Masuleh road, Gilvande Rud, 37°10'N, 49°04'E, 440 m, 1.VIII.2005, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss). S e m n a n: 1♀, 17 km N Shahmirzad, 5 km S Chashm , 35°51'N ; 53°18'E, 2040 m, 22.V.2004, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB). G o l e s t a n: 3 exs., Tang Rah, Golestan National Park, 37°24'N, 55°47'E, 490 m, 4.VI.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB). N o r t h K h o r a s a n: 1♀, Shirvan-Quchan road, 24 km SSW Faruj , Garmab, 37°03'N, 58°07'E, 1710 m, 1.VI.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB). F a r s: 1 ex., ca. 50 km SW Shiraz, 5 km S Richi, Korebas, 29°27'N, 52°10'E, 1520 m, 9.IV.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB). Locality not specified: 3 exs., "Kaukas.", leg. Leder ( HNHM, cAss) ; 1 ex., "Caucasus", leg. Leder & Reitter ( MNHUB) .

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Species of intermediate size, 3.5-4.5 mm. Facies as in Fig. 27 . Coloration: Head blackish brown to black; pronotum and elytra reddish to reddish brown; elytra in most specimens with extensive, but ill-delimited dark spot in posterior half; abdomen dark brown to blackish brown, with apex (segments VIII-X) and posterior and lateral tergal margins reddish; legs and antennae dark yellowish to reddish.

Head 1.05-1.10 times as wide as long (length measured from anterior margin of clypeus); lateral margins behind eyes weakly converging or subparallel; puncturation coarse and well-defined, not very dense, interstices on average distinctly wider than diameter of punctures ( Fig. 28 ); microsculpture absent; eyes relatively large ( Fig. 29 ), postocular region in dorsal view approximately 1.5 times as long as eyes or nearly so.

Pronotum slightly (approximately 1.05 x) wider than head and approximately 1.05 times as long as wide; puncturation similar to that of head; microsculpture absent ( Fig. 28 ).

Elytra 1.15-1.20 times as wide and at suture approximately 1.00-1.05 times as long as pronotum; puncturation dense, shallow, and somewhat finer and less well-defined than that of head and pronotum ( Fig. 28 ); microsculpture absent or indistinct. Hind wings present.

Abdomen approximately as wide as elytra, widest at segment V ( Fig. 27 ); puncturation fine and dense; tergites VII-VIII usually with distinct transverse microsculpture, anterior tergites without or only with traces of microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

3: sternite VII posteriorly weakly concave, in middle and near posterior margin with slightly modified dark setae ( Fig. 30 ); sternite VIII posteriorly with comparatively deep excision and in middle with darker setae ( Fig. 31 ); aedeagus of distinctive morphology, ventral process apically slender (lateral view), subapically dentate, and apically truncate (ventral view); internal sac with dark and rather massive rod-like structure ( Figs 32-36 ).

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Among other species occurring in Iran and adjacent regions, S. fulgocephalus is characterised especially by the distinctive shape of the aedeagus and by the following character combination: body distinctly bicoloured (pronotum and elytra reddish, head and abdomen darker), elytra usually with more or less extensive dark patches in posterior half, pronotum slightly wider than head, elytra at suture slightly longer than pronotum. From the evidently closely related S. iranicus , whose aedeagus is of rather similar morphology, it is distinguished especially by larger size, broader body, relatively shorter elytra, the posteriorly more narrowly and deeply incised male sternite VIII, and the more slender and subapically angular ventral process (ventral view).

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 species was previously known from Armenia and Georgia and is here for the first time reported from Azerbaijan and Iran, where it is apparently rather widespread (Map 8). Most (or all) of the Iranian specimens were collected on or near river banks. The altitudes range from 300 to 2220 m. The examined material was found in spring and summer (April-August).

Map 8: Distribution of Sunius fulgocephalus (COIFFAIT) , based on examined records.

Figures

Figs 27-36: Sunius fulgocephalus (COIFFAIT): (27) habitus; (28) forebody; (29) head; (30) male sternite VII; (31) male sternite VIII; (32-35) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (36) apical part of ventral process in ventral view. Scale bars: 27: 1.0 mm; 28-29: 0.5 mm; 30-35: 0.2 mm; 36: 0.1 mm.