Alevonota (Alevonota) kiesenwetteri ( KRAATZ , 1856)

Wunderle, Volker Assing Paul, 2008, On the Alevonota species of the Western Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Athetini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 58 (5), pp. 145-189 : 168-171

Alevonota (Alevonota) kiesenwetteri ( KRAATZ, 1856) ( Figs 52-56 , Map 4 )

Homalota kiesenwetteri KRAATZ, 1856: 245 f.

Aleuonota krausei SAINTE-CLAIRE DEVILLE : 517 f.; syn. n.

Type material examined:

H. kiesenwetteri : Lectotype  [macropterous], here designated: "coll. Kraatz / Syntypus / Kiesenwetteri mihi, Graecia, v. Ksw. / Lectotypus  Homalota kiesenwetteri Kraatz desig. V. Assing 2007 / Alevonota kiesenwetteri (Kraatz) det. V. Assing 2007 " ( DEI).

Comments:

The original description of H. kiesenwetteri is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from " Griechenland von Herrn v. Kiesenwetter aufgefunden" ( KRAATZ 1856). The single syntype in the Kraatz collection at the DEI is here designated as the lectotype.

Aleuonota krausei was described from four syntypes from Corsica ( SAINTE-CLAIRE DEVILLE 1914). The types were not examined, but the material seen from Corsica is in good agreement with the details indicated in the original description, especially regarding the conspicuous male secondary sexual characters. There are some differences in coloration and size between the material from Corsica, Sardinia, and other regions, but since convincing differences were found neither in the male primary and especially in the conspicuous secondary sexual characters nor in the shape of the spermatheca, these differences are attributed to intra- rather than interspecific variation. Consequently, A. krausei is here placed in the synonymy of the senior name A. kiesenwetteri .

Additional material examined:

France: Corsica: 1 , 3  [macropterous], Col de Sorba [42°08'N, 09°11'E], 1300 m, pine litter, 10.IV.1990, leg. Wunderle (cWun, cAss) .

Italy: Toscana: 1  [macropterous], Alberese ( GR), 1.IV.1988, leg. Cenzi (cZan); 1 , same data, but 1.V.1988 (cZan); 6 exs. [2 brachypterous], Monte Argentario , 400 m, sifted from leaves and roots, 22.III.1921, leg. Moczarski & Scheerpeltz ( NHMW, cAss) . Lazio: 1  [brachypterous], Mte. Circeo, ca. 50 m, Quercus ilex forest, 29.XII.1994, leg. Assing (cAss) . Sardinia: 1 , Monti del Gennargentu, Brunco Spina , 40°01'N, 09°18'E, 1650 m, bank of stream, Alnus viridis , 12.V.2005, leg. Hetzel (cFel); 1  [brachypterous], Sorgono, leg. Krause ( NHMW) .

Greece: Kefallinia: A  [nanistic], Sámi , 2.IV.1971, leg. Löbl ( MHNG) .

Diagnosis:

2.5-3.3 mm; RL: 1.0- 1.5 mm. Wing-dimorphic species. Coloration variable, in brachypterous morph usually paler than in macropterous morph: head and abdominal segments VI-VII/VIII dark brown to blackish; pronotum, elytra, and base of abdomen (segments III-V) usually distinctly paler, yellowish to brown, but occasionally as dark as head; legs with tibiae and tarsi yellowish to yellowish brown, femora usually slightly darker; antennae brown to blackish.

Head weakly transverse (HW/HL: 1.05-1.15); puncturation rather coarse and sparse; interstices with shallow microsculpture and rather shiny. Eyes moderately large and moderately prominent, approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view, occasionally shorter. Postgenal carina fine and short, visible only posteriorly in lateral view. Antenna with antennomere III approximately twice as long as wide; IV weakly transverse, approximately 1.5 times as wide as long; V-IX increasingly transverse and of gradually increasing width; IX and X approximately twice as wide as long or nearly so.

Pronotum slightly wider than head (PW/HW: 1.08-1.20) and weakly transverse (PW/PL: 1.05-1.10); puncturation as coarse as that of head; interstices on average about as wide as diameter of punctures or narrower; surface with shallow to distinct microsculpture.

Elytra in macropterous morph slightly longer than pronotum (EL/PL: 1.05-1.10), in brachypterous morph shorter ((EL/PL: 0.82-0.90); puncturation much finer than that of head and pronotum; interstices with or without very shallow microsculpture. Hind wings fully developed.

Abdomen subparallel; tergite IV usually without, exceptionally with very shallow anterior impression; puncturation sparse, that of posterior tergites extremely sparse; interstices with distinct transverse microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with narrow palisade fringe; tergites III, IV, and VII with sexual dimorphism.

: tergites III and IV with pronounced smooth median tubercles; tergite VII with pair of oblong tubercles near posterior margin; sternite VIII obtusely pointed in the middle; median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 52-54 (ML: 0.28-0.38 mm).

: posterior margin of sternite VIII weakly concave in the middle; spermatheca with relatively long duct ( Figs 55-56 ).

Intraspecific variation:

The species is subject to pronounced intraspecific variation of size (also of the aedeagus), coloration, wing length, and microsculpture. The male from Kefallinia is distinctly smaller and has a smaller aedeagus than the material from other localities. The two specimens seen from Toscana, on the other hand are somewhat larger ( Figs 52-54 ). However, since no convincing differences were found in the shape of the aedeagus and in the male secondary sexual characters, the above material is regarded as conspecific.

Distribution and bionomics:

The species is apparenty very rare and known from Corsica, Italy (including Sardinia), and Greece (material examined) ( Map 4 ). Owing to the previous confusion (synonymy) with A. ocaloides , most literature records are doubtful. The record from La Massane in the Pyrénées-Orientales by TRONQUET (2006) refers to A. ocaloides , as can be inferred from the photograph on plate 19.

The material examined was collected at altitudes of 50-1650 m in April, May, and December. Based on the data specified on the labels some of the specimens were sifted from litter of pine, Quercus ilex , and Alnus viridis , respectively.

Alevonota (Alevonota) ocaloides ( BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE, 1863) , revalidated ( Figs 57-58 , Map 4 )

Homalota ocaloides BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE, 1863: 27 f.

Type material examined:

Syntype  [damaged]: "Vesinet, type unique" ( MNHNP).

Comment:

The original description is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from "Vésinet près Paris" ( BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE 1863). The name was previously treated as a synonym of A. kiesenwetteri , but refers to a distinct species.

Additional material examined:

Portugal: 1 ex., Serra da Estrela , S Manteigas, 40°21'N, 07°34'W, 1070 m, 19.III.2002, leg. Meybohm (cAss) ; 1 ex., Serra da Estrela ( NHMW) ; 1 ex. Serra de S. Mamede, Marvao, 39°24'N, 07°26'W, 570 m, chestnut litter sifted, 17.III.2002, leg. Meybohm (cAss) .

Spain: Aragón: 16 exs., WNW Teruel, Sierra de Albarracín, Sierra Alta , 40°29'N, 01°35'W, 1850 m, pine forest, pine and Vaccinium litter between stones sifted, 11.IV.2003, leg. Assing, Wunderle (cAss, cWun) ; 1 ex., same data, but 1825 m, leg. Wunderle (cWun) . Castilla-León: 1 ex., Soria, Sierra de Urbion, above Laguna Negra , 1900 m, 21.V.1999, leg. Feldmann (cFel) ; 1 ex., Sierra de Urbion, path from Puerto de St. Ines to Pico de Urbion , 1800 m, nest of Formica pratensis [date not specified], leg. Schülke & Grünberg (cSch) .

France: Locality not specified: 1 ex., "Seine inf.", leg. Fauvel ( NHMW) .

Diagnosis:

Rather large species, but size highly variable, 3.5-4.8 mm; RL: 1.4-1.9 mm. For a colour image see the photo of " A. kiesenwetteri " in TRONQUET (2006). Coloration variable: head and most of abdomen dark brown to blackish, in dark specimens only the broad posterior margins of tergites VII and VIII paler brown; pronotum and elytra brown to dark brown; legs yellowish brown to brown; antennae dark brown to black.

Head transverse (HW/HL: 1.10-1.15); puncturation rather coarse and sparse; interstices with shallow to distinct microreticulation. Eyes moderately large and moderately prominent, approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Postgenal carina fine and short, visible only posteriorly in lateral view. Antenna with antennomere III approximately twice as long as wide; IV approximately 1.5 times as wide as long; V-IX increasingly transverse and of gradually increasing width; IX and X approximately twice as wide as long.

Pronotum distinctly wider than head (PW/HW: 1.18-1.27) and moderately transverse (PW/PL: 1.09-1.16), relatively larger and more transverse in larger than in smaller specimens; puncturation

denser and usually even coarser than that of head; interstices on average somewhat narrower than diameter of punctures; surface with shallow to distinct microreticulation.

Elytra with moderately pronounced sexual dimorphism; approximately as long as pronotum (EL/ PL: 0.97-1.05); puncturation much finer than that of head and pronotum, usually more or less ill-defined; interstices with or without very shallow microsculpture composed of micropunctures and/or microstriae. Hind wings fully developed.

Abdomen subparallel; tergite IV with or without shallow anterior impression; puncturation fine and sparse, sparser on posterior than on anterior tergites; interstices with very shallow microsculpture and glossy; microsculpture more distinct on tergites VII-VIII than on tergites III-VI; posterior margin of tergite VII with narrow palisade fringe; tergites VII-VIII with sexual dimorphism.

: elytra on either side of suture with shallow elevation and with rugose granulose puncturation; tergite VII near posterior margin with pronounced oblong smooth median tubercle; posterior margin of tergite VIII strongly convex, in the middle with pair of small tubercles, on either side crenulate (modifications more pronounced in larger than in smaller ); posterior margin of sternite VIII strongly convex; median lobe of aedeagus as in Fig. 57 , of similar shape as in A. laeviceps ; ML: 0.41-0.47 mm.

: elytra on either side of suture at most with very weak elevation, but without modified puncturation; posterior margin of tergite VIII simply convex; posterior margin of sternite VIII weakly convex; spermatheca of similar general morphology as in A. kiesenwetteri ( Fig. 58 ).

Intraspecific variation:

The species is subject to pronounced variation of size (including that of the aedeagus), coloration, size of the pronotum, and the male secondary sexual characters, which are generally more developed in larger than in smaller males.

Distribution and bionomics:

Based on the available data, A. ocaloides has an Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution. The species was previously known only from France and is here recorded from Spain and Portugal for the first time ( Map 4 ). The record of A. kiesenwetteri from the Pyrénées-Orientales by TRONQUET (2006) probably refers to this species.

Most of the specimens listed above were sifted from forest litter (pine, Vaccinium ). One specimen was found in the nest of Formica pratensis . The altitudes range from 570 to 1900 m. The material was collected in early spring (March through May).

Figures

Map 4: Distributions of Alevonota laeviceps (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (squares), A. kiesenwetteri (KRAATZ) (filled circles), and A. ocaloides (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (open circles), based on examined records.

Figs 50-58: Alevonota laeviceps (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (50-51), A. kiesenwetteri (KRAATZ) (52-56), and A. ocaloides (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (57-58): median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of males from Portugal (50), Gibraltar (51), Kefallinia (52), Toscana (53), Corsica (54), and Spain (57); spermathecae of females from Greece (lectotype) (55), Corsica (56), and Spain (58). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.