Meotica andujari, Assing, 2007

Assing, V., 2007, Four new species and additional records of Staphylinidae from Spain (Insecta: Coleoptera), Linzer biologische Beiträge 39 (2), pp. 761-775 : 769-771

Meotica andujari nov.sp. ( Figs 10 , 24-32 )

H o l o t y p e: E - Murcia [12], Sierra de Espuña, Prado Mayor , pasture, 1100 m, 37°53'18N, 01°34'04E, 29.III.2007, C. Andújar / Holotypus Meotica andujari sp.n. det. V. Assing 2007 (cAss). P a r a t y p e s: 2, 3: same data as holotype (cAnd, cAss) ; 1, 4: E - Castilla-La Mancha [16], Sierra de Segura , 20 km WSW Nerpio, 1490 m, 38°04'02N, 02°30'14W, 30.III.2007, C. Andújar ( OÖLL, cAss) ; 1, same data, but leg. Assing (cAss) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: 2.1-2.5 mm (abdomen extended). Coloration: whole body uniformly dark yellowish to pale brown.

Head approximately as wide as long; puncturation extremely fine, barely noticeable; surface with fine, but distinct microreticulation, almost matt ( Fig. 24 ). Eyes small and not projecting from lateral contours of head, of similar size as antennomere V in crosssection. Antennae distinctly incrassate apically, preapical antennomeres almost 3 times as wide as long ( Fig. 25 ).

Pronotum small in relation to head, approximately as wide as head and 1.1 times as wide as long; puncturation and microsculpture similar to those of head ( Fig. 12 ).

Elytra approximately 1.15 times as wide and at suture 0.80-0.85 times as long as pronotum ( Fig. 25 ); puncturation fine and dense, somewhat more distinct than that of head and pronotum; surface with shallower microsculpture and more shine than head and pronotum. Hind wings completely reduced.

Abdomen subparallel, widest at segments VI-VII, approximately as wide as elytra; puncturation moderately dense and extremely fine, barely noticeable; microsculpture shallow, but distinct; tergal surfaces slightly more shiny than head and pronotum; posterior margin of tergite VII with narrow rudiment of a palisade fringe; tergite VIII without

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appreciable sexual dimorphism, posterior margin more or less truncate ( Fig. 29 ).

: posterior margin of sternite VIII weakly convex; median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs

26-27; apical lobe of paramere distinctly sclerotised, blackish ( Fig. 28 ).

: posterior margin of sternite VIII in the middle weakly concave ( Fig. 30 ); spermatheca as in Fig. 31.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: According to PACE (1983) and SMETANA (2004), four Meotica species have been recorded from Spain: the widespread M. exilis (GRAVENHORST 1806) , the Western Mediterranean M. filaria (FAUVEL 1898) , M. franzi PACE 1983 , and M. hispanica SCHEERPELTZ 1954 (both only known from Spain). From all its congeners, M. andujari is reliably distinguished only by the shape of the aedeagus. Based on the morphology of the primary sexual characters (shape and internal structures of median lobe of aedeagus, shape of spermatheca), it belongs to the group of species allied to M. marchica BENICK 1953 , from which it is separated especially by the long and slender ventral process of the aedeagus. For illustrations of the aedeagi of the types of several Western Mediterranean congeners see PACE (1983).

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E t y m o l o g y: The species is dedicated to my friend Carmelo Andújar, Murcia, an enthusiastic student of endogean beetles in southern Spain, who collected most of the type specimens of three of the new species described in this paper.

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 new species has become known from two localities in the Sierra de Espuña and the Sierra de Segura, southeastern Spain. The type specimens were collected by soil-washing in a pasture and near the bank of a stream at altitudes of 1100 and 1450 m. The type locality is identical to that of Paratyphlus espunae ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Fig. 10: Type locality of Paratyphlus espunae nov.sp.

Figs 24-32: Meotica andujari nov.sp. (24-31) and lectotype of Bolitochara schusteri BERNHAUER (32): (24) forebody; (25) antenna; (26, 32) aedeagus in lateral view; (27) ventral process of aedeagus in ventral view; (28) paramere; (29) female tergite VIII; (30) female sternite VIII; (31) spermatheca. Scale bars: 24: 0.5 mm; 25, 29-30, 32: 0.2 mm; 26-28, 31: 0.1 mm.

Figs 11-22: Paraleptusa ripicola nov.sp.: (11) habitus; (12) forebody; (13) antenna; (14) male tergite VIII; (15) male sternite VIII; (16-17) aedeagus in lateral view; (18) ventral process of aedeagus in ventral view; (19) female tergite VIII; (20) female sternite VIII; (21-22) spermatheca. Scale bars: 11: 1.0 mm; 12-15, 19-20: 0.2 mm; 16-18, 21-22: 0.1 mm.