Pseudomedon obscurellus ( ERICHSON 1840)

Assing, V., 2009, On the Pseudomedon species of the Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (2), pp. 1175-1189 : 1176-1179

Pseudomedon obscurellus ( ERICHSON 1840) (Figs 1-2, 18)

Lithocharis obscurella ERICHSON 1840: 624 .

Lithocharis brevipes WOLLASTON 1860: 104 f.; previously a synonym of P. obsoletus .

Scymbalium minimum EPPELSHEIM 1888: 408 f.

Medon apfelbecki BERNHAUER 1899: 25 .

Pseudodomedon mussardi BORDONI 1980: 218 f.; nov.syn.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d L. obscurella : see ASSING (2008b).

S. minimum : see ASSING (2008a).

M. apfelbecki : see ASSING (2008a).

P. mussardi : Holotype Ƌ [considerably damaged prior to present study; remounted]: " Maroc, El Mondgir, 14.I.62, Mussard / Holotypus / Pseudomedon (s. str.) mussardi n. sp., det. Bordoni 1980 / Pseudomedon obscurellus (Erichson) det. V. Assing 2009" ( MHNG).

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: Spain: 3exs.,Murcia, SierradeCarrascoy, 25.III.1959, leg. Besuchet ( MHNG, cAss). Germany: 1 ex., Hessen, Viernheim near Mannheim , 13.III.1927 ( MNHUB) ; 2 exs., Brandenburg, Kremmer Luch , 28.IV.1912, leg. Spaney & Heyn ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Chorin env., Plage-Fenn, sifted from Sphagnum , VI.1912, leg. Spaney ( MNHUB), 1 ex., Sachsen, Leipzig , Ritterwerder , 16.VIII.1950, leg. Dorn ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., same data, but 22.VII.1950 (cAss) ; 1 ex., Sachsen, Eilenburg , 14.II.1946, leg. Linke ( MNHUB). Italy: 1 ex., Liguria, Bordighera ( SDEI) ; 1 ex., Lago Mucsone ( VC), VII.1982, leg. Dacatsa ( MNHUB) ; 2 exs., Sardegna, Cagliari, IV.1898, leg. Lostia ( MNHUB). Hungary: 1 ex., Bugac, Kiskunsag National Park , light, 12.-13.VI.1979, leg. Uhlig ( MNHUB). Bosnia-Herzegovina: 2♀♀ [apfelbecki morph], Zeljeznica Rijeka , 18.XI.1937, leg. Fodor ( HNHM) ; 2 exs. [1 ex. apfelbecki morph], Ilidže, leg. Apfelbeck ( MNHUB). 2 exs., Caplina, dolinje blato ( MNHUB). Macedonia: 4 exs. [3 exs. apfelbecki morph], Skopje env., Matka , bank of Treska river , 2.VI.1980, leg. Hieke ( MNHUB, cAss). Bulgaria: 1 ex., Rupite near General Todorow , 6.V.1984, leg. Hieke ( MNHUB) ; 3 exs., same data, but 3.-4.V.1984 ( MNHUB, cAss). Greece: m a i n l a n d: 1 ex. [apfelbecki morph], Parnassos, Gravia, Kifisos , 300 m, 22.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 5 exs. [apfelbeckimorph], Giona Oros, Lefkaditi, 400 m, 21.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss). P e l o p ó n n i s o s: 8exs. [apfelbecki morph], Killini Oros , Kastanea , 900 m, 18.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 9 exs. [apfelbecki morph], Killini Oros, Stimfalia , 900 m, 17.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex. [apfelbecki morph], Killini Oros, Mosia , 900 m, 18.IV.1995, leg. Frisch (cAss) ; 8 exs. [apfelbecki morph], Erimanthos, Lambia , 850 m, 20.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 1 ex., Erimanthos, Stavrodromi, 23.II.1993, leg. Karner 1 ex. [apfelbecki morph], Levidi , Vitina , 1000 m, 19.IV.1995, leg. Frisch (cAss) ; 2 exs. [apfelbecki morph], Tripotama , 650 m, 20.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 11 exs. [9 exs. apfelbecki morph], Kandilu, Kaskalon, 1000 m, 19.IV.1995, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss). C r e t e: 1 ex., Chania , Samaria gorge, 2.VI.1981, leg. Mühle ( MNHUB). Turkey: K a s t a m o n u: 3exs.,10 kmECiphan, Araç , 900 m, 30.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 1 ex., Ilgaz Geç., 1250 m, 29.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB). T o k a t: 2 exs., 10 km SE Umurca, 650 m, 26.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss). Y o z g a t: 6 exs., 15 km NE Akdağmadeni, 1200 m, 27.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cAss). S i v a s: 1 ex., 5 km S Kurbağalibeli Geç. , 1500 m, 21.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., 5 km N Kurbağalibeli Geç. , 1500 m, 21.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Gürün , 1400 m, 20.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB). G i r e s u n: 1 ex., 5 km E Sebinkarahisar, 1400 m, 22.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Doğankent, 300 m, 25.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB). G ü m ü ş h a n e: 1 ex., Kelkit, 1400 m, 23.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB). E r z u r u m: 1 ex., Azort , 12.V.1967, leg. Besuchet ( MHNG). I z m i r: 1 ex., " Smyrna " ( MHNG). A d a n a: 1 ex., N Feke , Yeşilvaki , 800 m, 19.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB ; 1 ex., 15 km N Kozan, 600 m, 19.V.1997, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB). Georgia: 1 ex., Mzcheta near Tbilisi , flood debris, 12.-13.VI.1987, leg. Wrase & Schülke ( MNHUB). Azerbaijan: 4 exs., Lenkoran , 1897, leg. Korb ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Talysh, 1897, leg. Korb ( MNHUB). Iran: 2 exs., Semnan province, 17 km N Shahmirzad, 5 km S Chashm , 35°51'N, 53°18'E, 2040 m, 22.V.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 1 ex., Tehran province, road Damavand-Firuzkuh , 30 km SW Firuzkuh, 35°41'N, 52°28'E, 2010 m, 21.V.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Mazandaran province, 35 km SW Pol-e Sefid, Sheshrudbar , 36°00'N, 52°52'E, 1540 m, 8.VI.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Golestan province, 11 km S Ramiyan , 36°56'N, 55°08'E, 530 m, 6.VI.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Golestan province, 25 km SSW Fazelabad, Mohammadabad , 36°43'N, 54°48'E, 5.VI.2006, leg. Frisch & Serri (cAss) .

C o m m e n t: The original description of P. mussardi is based on a single holotype male from " Marocco, El Mondgir" ( BORDONI 1980). An examination of the holotype revealed that it is identical to P. obscurellus in external characters, as well as in the shape of the male sternite VIII and in the morphology of the aedeagus; hence the synonymy proposed above. BORDONI (1980) compares P. mussardi with P. obsoletus (NORDMANN) and P. africanus COIFFAIT , but there is no reference whatsoever to P. obscurellus ; the figures of the aedeagus of the holotype of P. mussardi in BORDONI (1980) are rather misleading.

Scymbalium minimum EPPELSHEIM and Medon apfelbecki BERNHAUER were synonymised with P. obscurellus by ASSING (2008a).

Lithocharis brevipes WOLLASTON , which was previously regarded as a junior synonym of P. obsoletus , was originally described from Madeira. However, P. obsoletus is absent from this archipelago (ASSING & SCHÜLKE 2006), so that L. brevipes most likely refers to P. obscurellus .

Pseudomedon obscurellus had a confusing history of taxonomic interpretation. In the second half of the 19th century and into the first half of the 20th century, the name was largely regarded as a junior synonym of P. obsoletus (BERNHAUER & SCHUBERT 1912, FAUVEL 1869, 1873). Subsequently, it was confused with P. obsoletus , even as late as 1964 ( LOHSE 1964). COIFFAIT (1970, 1984) figured the genitalia of both species for the first time. Apparently based on Coiffait´s interpretation, LOHSE (1989) corrected his previous concept, stating that what he had regarded as P. obsoletus was in fact P. obscurellus and vice versa. A recent examination of a female syntype of P. obscurellus revealed that the current interpretation of this name is correct. To my knowledge, the type material of P. obsoletus has not been examined.

According to SMETANA (2004), the distribution of P. obscurellus is confined to the Western Palaearctic region, whereas P. obsoletus has been reported also from both North and South America, as well as from the Australian and Afrotropical regions. However, practically all the records from outside the Western Palaearctic region and many records from the Palaearctic records are based on older literature sources (before 1970), when both names were either confused or confounded. Consequently, the distributions of P. obscurellus and P. obsoletus require revision. The former was recently recorded from Chile ( ASSING 2008b), suggesting that the record of P. obsoletus from Chile by FAUVEL (1867) is based on a misidentification and refers to P. obscurellus . The same may be true of all other records of P. obsoletus from regions other than the Western Palaearctic region and, for that matter, also of numerous records from the Western Palaearctic region. For instance, previous records of P. obsoletus from Madeira were found to be erroneous and to refer to P. obscurellus (ASSING & SCHÜLKE 2006) . At present the confirmed distribution of P. obscurellus includes the Western Palaearctic region (from Madeira, Northwest Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula eastwards to the Turkey and the Caucasus region) and Chile.

For additional records, comments on ecology and intraspecific variation, e.g., the pronounced polymorphism of wings, eyes, and pigmentation, as well as for illustrations of sexual and external characters see ASSING (2008b).

Figs 1-9: Aedeagus in lateral view of Pseudomedon obscurellus (ERICHSON) (1-2), P. obsoletus (NORDMANN) (3), P. huetheri (HUBENTHAL) (4), P. lecoqi COIFFAIT , paratype (5), P. mirei COIFFAIT , holotype (6), P. dido (SAULCY) (7), P. kazakhstanicus ASSING , paratype (8), and P. afghanicus ASSING , holotype (9). Scale bar: 0.2 mm.