Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958

Hansen, Aslak Kappel, Brunke, Adam, Simonsen, Thomas & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2022, Revision of Quedius sensu stricto (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1), pp. 225-299 : 257-259

Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958

( Figs 1 , 2C , 4 , 8B , 13F , 20 )

Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958: 365 [Type locality: Slovensko, Kamenný Most, Slanec]

Quedius dalmatinus Korge, 1960b: 68 [Type locality: Dalmatia: Castelnuovo]

References. Cඈංൿൿൺංඍ (1961): 53 (characters); KඈඋGൾ (1962): 153 (synonymy of Q. dalmatinus ); Sආൾඍൺඇൺ (1962): 138 (characters); LඈHඌൾ (1964): 212 (characters); Hඈඋංඈඇ (1965): 277 (distribution); Sආൾඍൺඇൺ (1967): 558 (distribution); Bඈඋൽඈඇං (1976): 99 (characters); Cඈංൿൿൺංඍ (1978): 195 (characters); TඬඍH (1984): 129 (characters); Sආൾඍൺඇൺ (1993): 50 (distribution); Cංർൾඋඈඇං & Zൺඇൾඍඍං (1995): 32 (distribution); Lගඌඓඅඬ (1998): 137 (distribution); Aඇඅൺ෡ (2009): 230 (distribution); Sඈඅඈൽඈඏඇංĸඈඏ (2012): 33 (distribution); Pൾඍඋൾඇĸඈ (2015): 80 (distribution); Sൺඅඇංඍඌĸൺ & Sඈඅඈൽඈඏඇංĸඈඏ (2019): 49 (characters and distribution).

Type material examined. Quedius meridiocarpathicus : Lൾർඍඈඍඒඉൾ J (cSme), designated by Sඈඅඈൽඈඏඇංĸඈඏ (2012), labelled: “ Slovakia mer. Kamen. Most 5.5.1955 Smetana 1955 / Quedius meridiocarpathicus s. Smetana det. 1957 / Lectotype Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana A. Solodovnikov des. 2009 / Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana A. Solodovnikov det. 2009”.

Pൺඋൺඅൾർඍඈඍඒඉൾඌ: 1J, labelled:“ Slovakia mer. Kamen.most 3.5.1955 Smetana / Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana det. 1957 / Quedius meridiocarpathicus A. Solodovnikov det. 2009 / PARALECTOTYPE Quedius meridiocarpathicus SmetanaA.Solodovnikov des.2009 / NHMD 00523118” (NHMD); 1♀, labelled: “ Slovakia mer.Kamen.most 3.5.1955 Smetana / Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana det. 1957 / Quedius meridiocarpathicus A. Solodovnikov det. 2009 / PARALECTOTYPE Quedius meridiocarpathicus Smetana A.Solodovnikov des.2009 / NHMD 00523117”.

Additional material examined. ALBANIA: Kolonjë, 3 km ENE Leskovik, 40.1586, 20.6216, flooded pasture, 990 m, 28.V.2010, M. Schülke (1 J cSch). BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Jajce, [44.34, 17.27], 12.-23.VI.1967, leg.Baderle (1 J 3♀♀ NMW); Trebinje, [42.71, 18.35], 1903 O. Leonhard (1 ♀ SDEI). BULGARIA: Burgas, Black Sea coast, [42.50, 27.48], 8.-19.V.1985, leg. D.W. Wrase (1 J 5 ♀♀ ZMHB); Kiten, [42.24, 27.77], 29.V.1982, leg. H. Wendt (1 ♀ ZMHB); Melnik, [41.52, 23.38], 12.-20.V.1981 (2 ♀♀ ZMHB); Nessebar, [42.66, 27.71], 6.-7.VI.1982, leg. H.Wendt (1 J 2♀♀ ZMHB); Pomorie, Black Sea coast, [42.58, 27.62], 9.-18.V.1985, leg. D.W. Wrase (1 J cSch); Primorsko, [42.26, 27.75], VII.1980, leg. I. Pokorný (1 ♀ cSch); Rupite, General Todorov, [41.43, 23.24], 5.V.1984, leg. Hieke (1 ♀ ZMHB); nr. Sandanski, [41.55, 23.23], 28.IV.1985, leg. B. Jaeger (1 J 1 ♀ ZMHB); Slivno, [42.67, 26.32] (1 J NHMD); Veliko Tarnovo, [43.08, 25.63], 25.VII.1984, leg. U. Opitz (2 ♀♀ ZMHB). CROATIA: Castelnuovo [Kaštel Novi], [43.55, 16.31], 1895, leg. F. Müller (1 ♀ SDEI); nr. Plitvice, [44.86, 15.58], 19.VII.1910, leg. Hochetlinger (1 ♀ NHMD); nr. Zagreb, [45.78, 15.98] (1 J NMW). GREECE: Alexandroupolis, [40.85, 25.87], 20.-30.IV.1967, leg. Krätschmer; 4 km NO of Anthili, Thessalia, Lamia, 38.8655, 22.5224, 6.II.2015, leg.T.Wolsch (1J cSch); Essymi [Aesymi], [41.01, 25.95], 700 m, 25.IV.1978, leg. Heinz (1 J 1 ♀ ZMHB); Ioannina, Metsovo, Lago O Pigon, [39.81, 21.11], 18.V.2005, 1500m, leg.Angelini (2 ♀♀ NHMD); Janina [Ioannina], [39.66, 20.85], IV.1927, leg.C. Purkyne (2 JJ NHMD); Keramidi, Thessalia, Palamas, 39.5627, 22.0801, 5.II.2015, leg. T. Wolsch (1 ♀ cSch); Lavrio, 60 km S Athina, [37.71, 24.06], 10.IV.1993, leg. P. Jørum (1 ♀ NHMD); Parnass. [Parnassos], [38.53, 22.62] (3 JJ NHMD); Skarfia, 20 km WSW Lamia, 38.8405, 22.6988, salt meadows, 6.II.2015, leg. T. Mainda (1 J cSch). Cඈඋൿඎ: Val di Ropa, [38.24, 21.73], 1905, leg. O. Leonhard (1 ♀ SDEI). Cඋൾඍൾ: Crete [35.41, 24.75], leg. Paganetti (1 J NMW) [potentially mislabelled or introduced specimen clearly belonging to this species]. Kൾൿൺඅඈඇංൺ: Paranetti, [38.21, 20.58], leg. F. Müller (1 ♀ SDEI). Pൾඅඈඉඈඇඇൾඌ: 3 km E Kalogria, 20 km NW of Varda, [38.19, 21.39], 15.IV.1993, leg. P. Jørum (1 ♀ NHMD); Nomos Lakonias, Near Fokiano, 37.0741, 22.9676, 0 m, sifting, waters edge, stagnant water, salt marsh, 02.IV.2019, leg. M. J. Justesen & A.K.Hansen (1 J NHMD). ZൺKඒඇඍHඈඌ: Kalamaki, [37.74, 20.89], 1909, leg. M. Hilf (1♀ ZMHB). HUNGARY: Hódmezővásárhely, [46.41, 20.34], 16.-22.VI.1995, leg Probst (2 ♀♀ NMW); Rapnitz [Rábca] river, Neusiedler See, [47.67, 16.81], V.1994 (1J ZMHB); Velencei, Dinnyes, [47.17, 18.54], salt lake with gravel banks, 15.VI.1979, leg. M. Uhlig (1 J 1♀ ZMHB). ITALY: Albareto, Emilia, [44.53, 10.40], 8.II.1994, leg.A. Fiori (2♀♀ ZMHB); NE of Bibione, left bank of Canale di Lugugnana mouth at Bibione, Veneto, 45.6259, 12.9791, sifting flood debris and litter, 29.V.2016, leg. A. Solodovnikov & M. Salnitska (2 JJ 1 ♀ NHMD); Casinalbo, Emilia, [44.53, 10.40] 25.VII.1996, leg.A. Fiori (2 JJ ZMHB); Cascine Del Riccio, Riva Ema [43.73, 11.25], 14.I.1970, leg. Mascagnia (1 J cBor); Comacchio, [44.69, 12.17], 28.III.1974, leg. P. Garaghahi (2 ♀♀ cBor); Firenzuola, [44.12, 11.37], VII.1970, leg. Mascagnia (1 J cBor); Lido di Jesolo, [45.51, 12.62], 10.VIII.1962, leg. Salvato (1 ♀ cBor); Noghera Istria, [45.58, 13.81] (1 J NHMD); Padova, [45.39, 11.90], IX.1969 (1 J ZMHB); Roma, Portonaccio , [41.90, 12.54], IX.1937, leg. G. Sacca (1 J 4 ♀♀ cBor); Tencarola, [45.39, 11.80], 10.XII.1961, leg. Salvato (1 ♀ cBor). NORTH MACEDONIA: Bitola, Jugoslavia, [41.02, 21.32], 1962, leg. J.T. Skovgaard (1 ♀ NHMD); Katlanovo nr. Skopje, [41.89, 21.68], 17.IX.-12.X.1966, leg. Gruber (1J 1♀ ZMHB); Treska River, Sara, [41.97 21.30], 3.VI.1980, leg.F. Hieke (1 J ZMHB); Vardar River, n. Skopje, [41.98, 21.49], 26.V.1980, leg. F. Hieke (1 J 3 ♀♀ ZMHB). ROMANIA: Predeal, [45.49, 25.57], 20.VI.1977 (1 ♀ MZLU). RUSSIA: Kඋൺඌඇඈൽൺඋ Kඋൺං: 15 km S of vill. Taman, [45.21, 36.70], 15.V.1995, sandy sea shore, under logs (2 JJ NHMD); Temruk, mud volcano Gefest, 45.2566, 37.4326, leaf litter in meadows, 12.VI.2017, leg. M. Salnitska (1 NHMD) Karabetova Gryada 5 km SE of vill. Taman, [45.12, 36.76], in litter at the bank of the permanent pond (1 ♀ NHMD); Mt.Tkhab, valley of river Zhene, [44.58, 38.35], in forest litter, 21.VI.1992, leg. M. Savitsky (1 J NHMD). SLOVENIA: 9 km SE Piran, [45.48, 13.59], 26.VI.1981, leg. F. Hieke (1 ♀ ZMHB). TURKEY: Adapazarı, [40.79, 30.40], flooding, 15.VII.1965, leg. Korge & Heinz (1 J ZMHB); SW Arnavutköy and Yassıören, [41.17, 28.65], 60 m, 19.IV.1990, leg. Heinz (1 J ZMHB); Caykasi River, Erfelek, Sinop, [41.89, 34.92], 26.V.1989, leg. Schönmann & Schillhammer (1 J 3 ♀♀ NMW); 6 km E Gebze, Izmit, [40.78, 29.49], IV.1983, leg. Heinz (1 J 2 ♀♀ ZMHB); 20 km W Gebze, [40.87, 29.22], IV.1989, leg. Heinz (2 JJ 1 ♀ ZMHB); Gelibolu, [40.41, 26.67], 10 m, 3.V.1982, leg. Boffa (2 ♀♀ cBor) İnönü, Eskişehir, [39.82, 30.14], 850 m, 3.IV.1986, leg. Heinz (1 ♀ ZMHB); Keşan, [40.85, 26.62], 22.IV.1978, leg. Heinz (2 JJ ZMHB) E Pamucak, Selcuk, [37.96, 27.27], swamp, 28.III.1986, leg. Heinz (1 J ZMHB); 2 km E Sarısaltık, 39.1241, 39.2475, 1594 m, 19.V.2011, leg. Anlaş (1 ♀ NHMD); Saray, 30 km W Ankara, [40.07, 32.61], 23.II.1973, leg. Exp. Nat. Mus. Praha (1 J NHMD); Söğüt, SE of Bilecik, [40.02, 30.18], 1200 m, 4.IV.1992, leg. Heinz (1 J 2 ♀♀ ZMHB); Susuz-Dag, Dokuz-Göl, Elmalı, [36.50, 29.76], 1700-2000 m, 20.VII.1971, leg. Heinz (1 J ZMHB). UKRAINE: Environs Odessa, right bank of Kujalnitskij estuary, [46.57, 30.73], 10.VI.2005, under stones, leg.A. Gontarenko (3 JJ 1 ♀ NHMD); Nikitsky botanical garden, [44.50, 34.23], by the sea, stones, 16.IX.1966 (1 J cRyv).

Redescription. Measurements JJ (n = 7): HW = 1.73– 1.82 (1.78); HL = 1.47–1.56 (1.51); HL/HW 0.82–0.88 (0.85); PW = 2.27–2.47 (2.36); PL = 2.09–2.31 (2.19); PL/PW 0.89–0.95 (0.93); EW = 2.27–2.47 (2.36); EL = 2.09–2.24 (2.17); EL/EW 0.87–0.99 (0.92); EL/PL 0.92–1.05 (0.99); PW/HW 1.50–1.66 (1.56); forebody length 5.71–6.02 (5.86). ♀♀ (n = 3): HW = 1.64–1.76 (1.71); HL = 1.33–1.51 (1.43); HL/HW 0.81–0.86 (0.83); PW = 2.07–2.36 (2.21); PL = 1.96–2.13 (2.05); PL/PW 0.91–0.95 (0.93); EW = 2.16–2.38 (2.28); EL = 1.98–2.24 (2.12); EL/EW 0.90–0.97 (0.93); EL/PL 1.00–1.09 (1.03); PW/HW 1.52–1.56 (1.54); forebody length 5.27–5.78 (5.60).

Medium sized, robust species; body light to dark brown ( Fig. 8B ).

Head black, distinctly transverse, with eyes medium sized (EyL/TL = 1.50–1.67 (1.56)); microsculpture of transverse waves; no interocular punctures between anterior frontal punctures (cf. Fig. 6F ); antennae pale reddish, antennomeres elongate; palpi pale reddish.

Thorax: pronotum light to dark brown, slightly wider than long, wider than head, with microsculpture of transverse waves; three punctures in dorsal row and one to two in sublateral row with its posteriormost puncture reaching just beyond the level of first puncture of dorsal row; scutellum punctured and pubescent; elytra most often reddish brown rarely fully darkened, uniformly pubescent, slightly wider than long, roughly same length as pronotum; legs reddish brown with inner face of tibia darker.

Abdomen light to dark brown, tergites uniformly punctured, without clear iridescence.

Male. Aedeagus ( Fig. 13F ): paramere spatulate with clear proximal to medial attenuation and extending into paddle-like structure near apex, reaching just beyond apex of median lobe, with sensory peg setae forming a broad horseshoe shaped band of relatively large peg setae; median lobe broad with gentle constriction to a point at apex, on parameral side with two small teeth pointing slightly basad, positioned at level near basal level of peg setae band of paramere; internal sac without a continuation of C-sclerite.

Differential diagnosis. Quedius meridiocarpathicus is very similar to other species in the molochinus -group with red elytra, viz Q. molochinus , Q. balticus , and Q. vicinus . It can be distinguished from Q. balticus by the pale base of the basal three antennomeres. Generally, it has paler middle antennomeres compared to Q. molochinus . Compared to Q. vicinus it is generally slightly darker, elytra brownish red (pale red to yellowish in Q. vicinus ), abdomen dark brown (light brown in Q. vicinus ). For confident discrimination of these species, their genitalia should be checked: the aedeagus of Q. meridiocarpathicus differs from Q. molochinus in the absence of an extension of the C-sclerite in the internal sac, in the spatula-shaped paramere with clear proximal to medial attenuation, and larger peg setae. It can be distinguished most easily from Q. balticus by the shape of the paramere, which is medially broadened in Q. balticus and broadened towards apex in Q. meridiocarpathicus . It differs from Q. vicinus in the absence of a blunt apical hook on the paramere (parameral side). Quedius meridiocarpathicus can be confused with Q. picipes of the subgenus Raphirus , which may occur in similar environments. It can be readily distinguished from the latter by more parallel-sided abdomen and entire labrum.

Synonymic notes. Independent of each other, Sආൾඍൺඇൺ (1958) and KඈඋGൾ (1960b) recognized that a species very similar to Q. molochinus was present in Southeastern Europe. KඈඋGൾ (1962) himself synonymized Q. dalmatinus Korge, 1960 with Q. meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958 . Based on the description and illustration of Q. dalmatinus , it clearly agrees with the concept of Q. meridiocarpathicus herein.

Bionomics. Quedius meridiocarpathicus appears to be found most frequently in wet debris and under rocks near water bodies, both fresh and saline. We (AKH and AS) have collected this species in the flood debris of a salt lagune near Bibione, Italy, in debris around the stagnant salt pond near the beach of Fokiano, Greece ( Fig. 2C ) and on the marsh debris near the Gefest Mud Volcano in the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia. Like many other Quedius s. str., the species is found at lower elevations in the northern part of its range and at much higher elevations (up to 2000 m) towards the southern part of its range.

Distribution. Quedius meridiocarpathicus is distributed from Italy through Southeastern Europe to the Crimea, Western Caucasus and Anatolia ( Fig. 20 ). There seem to be rather well defined distributional boundaries between this species, and Q. molochinus and Q. vicinus . The northern range of Q. meridiocarpathicus is roughly delimited by the Alps and Carpathians, where it is replaced by Q. molochinus to the North of these mountain chains. The species continues north around the Black Sea to the western foothills of the Caucasus. To the South it extends to northern and western Anatolia, mainly along the coast, but it is also found more inland in some sites. In southern and eastern Anatolia Q. meridiocarpathicus is gradually replaced by Q. vicinus , with which it seems to co-occur to some extent in southern Anatolia.

Figures

Fig. 1. Phylogenetic tree of Quedius s. str. based on preliminary target capture molecular dataset of Bඋඎඇĸൾ et al. (2021) and Hൺඇඌൾඇ et al. (in prep). Species groups shown in color. Q. altanai Hansen & Brunke, sp. nov. of the Q. molochinoides-group was not included in the dataset. Habitus sketch is of Q. fuliginosus (Gravenhorst, 1802). Lettering denotes species distribution within their respective groups.

Fig. 2. Habitats of Quedius s. str. A – Q. fuliginosus (Gravenhorst, 1802) in mossy habitat in a forest on Zealand, Denmark; B – Oak forest habitat of Q. levicollis Brullé, 1832 found in litter in Extremadura, Spain; C – Saline lake habitat of Q. meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958 found in bank litter on Peloponese, Greece; D – River bank habitat of Q. hispanicus Bernhauer, 1898 found in flood debris in Extremadura, Spain; E – Wet mixed forest habitat of Q. fuliginosus found in litter in Southern Ural, Russia; F – Alpine near tree line habitat of Q. subunicolor Korge, 1961 found under stones at 1700 m in Altai Mountains, Russia; G – Alpine mossy creek habitat of Q. unicolor Kiesenwetter, 1847 found in moss in Italian Alps (Photo:A. Zanetti).

Fig. 4. Phylogeny of Quedius s. str. species based on Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) COI barcodes (part 2). BI posterior probabilities (PP), ML ultrafast bootstrap support (UFB) and ML SH-aLRT test are shown. Nodes coloured as: green, PP ≥ 0.90, and either UFB ≥ 95 or SH-aLRT ≥ 80; yellow, one of PP ≥ 0.90, UFB ≥ 95 or SH-aLRT ≥ 80; red, PP <0.90, UFB <95 and SH-aLRT <80.

Fig. 8. Habitus of Quedius s. str. A – Q. vicinus (Ménétriés, 1832); B – Q. meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958; C – Q. molochinus (Gravenhorst, 1806) (red elytra variant); D – Q. molochinus (black elytra variant); E – Q. balticus Korge, 1960; F – Q. sundukovi Smetana, 2003.

Fig. 13. Aedeagus of Quedius s. str. A – Q. vicinus (Ménétriés, 1832); B – Q. sundukovi Smetana, 2003; C – Q. subunicolor Korge, 1961; D – Q. molochinus (Gravenhorst, 1806); E – Q. balticus Korge, 1960; F – Q. meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958. I – parameral view of whole aedeagus; II – apices of paramere in antiparameral view with peg setae; III – lateral view of whole aedeagus; IV – apices of median lobe in parameral view.

Fig. 20. Distribution of Quedius molochinus (Gravenhorst, 1806), Q. meridiocarpathicus Smetana, 1958, and Q. vicinus (Ménétriés, 1832) (top), Q. subunicolor Korge, 1961 (middle), and Q. sundukovi Smetana, 2003 (bottom).

Fig.6. Head and pronotal chaetotaxy of Quedius s. str.A – general scheme; B – Q. curtipennis Bernhauer, 1908, C – Q. fuliginosus (Gravenhorst, 1802); D – Q. levicollis Brullé, 1832; E – Q. afrofuliginosus Gusarov, 1991; F – Q. molochinus- and Q. laticollis-groups; G – Q. molochinoides-group. Abbreviations as follows: anterior frontal puncture (AFP); basal punctures (BP); interocular punctures (IOP); lateral puncture (LP); lateral row (LR); posterior frontal puncture (PFP); parocular punctures (POP); sublateral row (SLR).