Geostiba (Sipalotricha) jaenica, Assing, 2006

Assing, V., 2006, Three new species of Staphylinidae from Spain, with a new synonymy (Insecta: Coleoptera), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (2), pp. 1129-1137 : 1129-1137

Geostiba (Sipalotricha) jaenica nov.sp. ( Figs 8-21 ; Map 1 )

Holotype 3: E - No. 7, Andalucía, E Jaén, SE Mancha Real, Sierra Almadén, 1850 m, 37°44N, 03°31W, 26.XII.2003, V. Assing / Holotypus 3 Geostiba jaenica sp.n. det. V. Assing 2006 (cAss). Paratypes: 733, 13♀♀: same data as holotype (cAss, OÖLL) ; 1033, 6♀♀: E - No. 8, Andalucía, E Jaén, Sierra Almadén , 1450-1850 m, 37°45N, 03°33W, 26.XII.2003, V. Assing (cAss) ; 13, 2♀♀: E - No. 9, Andalucía, E Jaén, Sierra Almadén , 1300 m, ca. 37°45N, 03°35W, 26.XII.2003, V. Assing (cAss) ; 233, 2♀♀: E - No. 16, Andalucía, SE Jaén, 1500 m, Sierra de la Pandera, Puerto Alto , 37°40N, 03°40W, 29.XII.2003, V. Assing (cAss) ; 13, 1♀: E - Jaén, Mancha Real, Pico Almadén , 16.IV.2005, leg. M. Baena (cAss) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: Small species, 1.9-2.5 mm; facies as in Fig. 8 . Coloration uniformly yellowish to reddish yellow, usually with the middle of abdominal tergite VI and sometimes also the middle of tergite V indistinctly darkened.

Head approximately as wide as long to weakly oblong; eyes very small, composed of only approximately 5 ommatidia ( Fig. 10 ), in dorsal view 1/6-1/5 the length of postocu-

1133

lar region, not projecting from lateral outline of head ( Fig. 9 ); integument with very shallow microreticulation and some shine; puncturation extremely fine and sparse, barely noticeable. Antenna with antennomere IV strongly transverse, IV-X of increasing width and increasingly transverse ( Fig. 11 ).

Pronotum 1.05-1.10 times as wide as head and 1.05-1.10 times as wide as long; maximal width in anterior half; puncturation and microreticulation similar to those of head ( Fig. 9 ).

Elytra without sexual dimorphism, at suture 0.55-0.60 times as long as pronotum; microsculpture more distinct than that of pronotum; puncturation extremely fine, barely noticeable in the microsculpture ( Fig. 9 ). Hind wings reduced.

Abdomen slightly (approximately 1.1 ✕) wider than elytra, widest at segments V / VI; puncturation sparse and very fine, barely noticeable; microsculpture shallow; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VII and VIII without sexual dimorphism; posterior margin of tergite VIII in the middle more or less distinctly concave ( Figs 12-13 ).

3: posterior margin of sternite VIII convex ( Fig. 14 ); median lobe of aedeagus and apical lobe of paramere as in Figs 15-18 .

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII in the middle distinctly concave and with long stout marginal setae ( Figs 19-20 ); spermatheca as in Fig. 21.

E t y m o l o g y: The name (adj.) is derived from Jaén, the province where the species was discovered.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s a n d s y s t e m a t i c s: Basedontheabsenceofa sexual dimorphism of the pronotum, elytra, and of the abdominal tergites VII and VIII, as well as on the morphology of the primary sexual characters, G. jaenica is attributed to the subgenus Sipalotricha SCHEERPELTZ. From other species of this subgenus occurring in southern Spain, it is distinguished by the sexual characters and additionally as follows:

from the widespread G. plicatella (FAUVEL) by paler coloration, smaller size, relatively shorter elytra, much smaller eyes, and more strongly transverse antennomeres IV-X;

from the similarly small and microphthalmous G. cazorlensis (FAGEL) by the infuscated preapical abdominal segments and by the indistinctly punctured elytra;

from G. besucheti (FAGEL) by much paler coloration and by the indistinctly punctured elytra;

from G. tarifensis PACE by smaller size, paler coloration, smaller eyes, and the more strongly transverse antennomere IV-X;

from G. jarasteparensis PACE by the infuscated preapical abdominal segments, the more transverse antennomeres IV-X, and the less distinct elytral puncturation;

from G. fretoria (FAGEL) by the infuscated preapical abdominal segments, the more transverse antennomeres IV-X, and smaller eyes;

and from G. araneaensis PACE by less pronounced microsculpture on the forebody and by less distinctly infuscate preapical abdominal segments.

1134

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 absence of records from other localities, as well as the adaptive reductions of the eyes, pigmentation, and wings suggest that Geostiba jaenica has a restricted distribution; it seems very likely that it is an endemic of the Sierra Almadén and the Sierra de la Pandera near Jaén ( Map 1 ). The type specimens were collected by sifting grass roots, moss, and leaf litter in Quercus ilex forests at altitudes of 1300-1850 m.

1135

Figures

Map 1: Distributions of Phloeocharis baenai nov.sp. (open circle), Geostiba jaenica nov.sp. (filled circles), and Atheta tenebrarum nov.sp. (square) in southern Spain.

Figs 8-21: Geostiba jaenica nov.sp.: (8) habitus; (9) forebody; (10) head in lateral view; (11) antenna; (12) 3 tergite VIII; (13) posterior margin of 3 tergite VIII; (14) 3 sternite VIII; (15-17) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (18) apical lobe of paramere; (19) ♀ sternite VIII; (20) posterior margin of ♀ sternite VIII; (21) spermatheca. Scales: 8-9: 0.5 mm; 10-21: 0.1 mm.