Paromalus (Paromalus) flavicornis (Herbst)

Penati, Fabio, 2009, An updated catalogue of the Histeridae (Coleoptera) of Sardinia, with faunistic, zoogeographical, ecological and conservation remarks *, Zootaxa 2318, pp. 197-280 : 229

29. Paromalus (Paromalus) flavicornis (Herbst)

Micromalus flavicornis Herbst : Luigioni 1929: 364; Strassen 1954: 269; Barajon 1966

Paromalus (Microlomalus) flavicornis Herbst : Müller 1955: 4

Literature data. “All of Italy ” ( Bertolini 1904; Porta 1926). “ Sardinia ” ( Bargagli 1871; Luigioni 1929; Barajon 1966; Vienna 1980; Audisio et al. 1995; Yélamos & Lackner 2004); idem, s.d, UL, 20 ex (19 CUL, 1 MSNG). Cagliari prov.: Monti dei Sette Fratelli, sd, UL, 7 ex (CGB). Nuoro prov.: Aritzo, 10.VI.1910, FS, 2 ex ( Müller 1955; 1 CGB, 1 CGMü). Desulo, 14–16.IV. 1952, 900 m, under oak bark invaded by fungi ( Strassen 1954). Orune, sd, LDe, 6 ex (CGB). Sorgono, 3 ex ( Vienna 1971). Sassari prov.: Monte Limbara, 1996 (CEM). Ozieri, sd, UL, 1 ex (CGB).

Unpublished records. Nuoro prov. : Benetutti, 4.XII.2006, LF, 1 ♀ ( MSNG). Oristano prov.: Monte Arci, VI .1936, UL, 1 ex ( CUL). Monte Ferru , X.1936, UL , 1 ex ( CUL); idem, sd, UL , 2 ex (CUL).

Chorotype. 1.03 WPA (W-Palearctic). In Penati and Vienna (2005, 2006a) the chorotype was erroneously given as “2.04 SEU (S-European)”.

Italian distribution. All regions except Aosta Valley.

Ecology. Lives under the bark of dead or dying trees, mainly broadleafs such as Populus spp. , Salix spp. , Quercus spp. , Fagus sylvatica , Castanea sativa and Juglans regia ; also recorded from various conifers, namely Picea abies , Pinus pinaster , Pinus laricio and Pinus halepensis (cf. Saalas 1917; Vienna 1980), as well as in birds’ nests and in association with ants ( Vienna 1980). According to Saalas (1917) it is predacious on some species of Scolytinae ( Coleoptera : Curculionidae ), particularly Ips typographus (Linnaeus) and to a lesser extent Orthotomicus suturalis (Gyllenhal) , in the tunnels of which it is often found, also in association with Platysoma (Cylister) lineare Erichson (a species never collected in Sardinia). According to the literature it is more frequent in spring and late summer, in humid weather.

Notes. In Penati and Vienna (2005, 2006a) the data referring to the two specimens from Monte Ferru without a date (CUL) are erroneously given as “Monti dei Sette Fratelli, 1937, coll. Museo Genova”, whereas the two specimens from Monte Arci and Monte Ferru collected in 1936 (CUL) are attributed to Teretrius (Neotepetrius) parasita Marseul and their data are wrongly indicated as “Flumini, 1936, coll. Museo Genova” (see “Data collection”).