Quedius (Raphirus) brevalatus, Assing, 2017

Assing, Volker, 2017, On the micropterous Quedius (Raphirus) species with a punctate scutellum of Turkey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (2), pp. 1029-1039 : 1032-1035

Quedius (Raphirus) brevalatus nov.sp. ( Figs 1-6 , 11-13 , Map 1 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 3: " ARMENIA [48] – NW Goris, W Verishen, 39°31'43''N, 46°18'33''E 1670 m, forest margin, 12.VII.2017, V. Assing / Holotypus 3 Quedius brevalatus sp. n. det. V. Assing 2017 " (cAss) . Paratypes: 533, 6 ♀♀: same data as holotype (cAss) ; 633, 3 ♀♀: same data as holotype, but leg. Schülke ( MNB) ; 233 [1 teneral], 4♀♀: "TR [5a]- Rize , ca. 50 km SSE Rize, Ovitdağı Geç., 2510 m, sifted, 40°37'31N, 40°45'27E, 25.VII.2006, V. Assing" (cAss) .

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is an adjective composed of the Latin adjectives brevis (short) and alatus (winged). It alludes to the reduced length of the elytra and hind wings.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Measurements (in mm) and ratios (range, arithmetic mean) (n = 18): TL: 5.5-7.3, 6.7; HL: 0.70-0.77, 0.74; HW: 0.84-0.90, 0.86; PL: 0.97-1.09, 1.03; PW: 1.00-1.14, 1.06; EL: 0.49-0.56, 0.52; HTiL: 0.70-0.84, 0.77; HTaL: 0.60-0.70, 0.64; ML: 0.90-1.02, 0.95; HW/HL: 1.13-1.23, 1.17; PW/HW: 1.19-1.26, 1.23; PL/PW: 0.94- 0.99, 0.97; EL/PL: 0.48-0.53, 0.51; HTiL/HTaL: 1.14-1.26, 1.20.

Coloration: body black; abdominal segments IX and X anteriorly somewhat paler; legs yellowish-brown, with the metatibiae at least partly infuscate; antennae pale-brown to blackish-brown with the basal antennomeres more or less extensively yellowish-red.

Elytra ( Fig. 1 ) only half as long as pronotum (see ratio EL/PL). Hind wings reduced. Posterior margin of tergite VIII with narrow rudiment of a palisade fringe.

Other external characters as in Quedius boopoides MUNSTER, 1923.

3: protarsomeres I-IV strongly dilated; sternite VIII broadly triangularly excised posteriorly; aedeagus shaped as in Figs 2-6 , 11-15 .

♀: protarsomeres I-IV weakly dilated; posterior abdominal segments shaped as in Fig. 16.

I n t r a s p e c i f i c v a r i a t i o n: The material from Armenia is distinguished from the Turkish specimens by a slightly smaller and more slender paramere ( Figs 13- 15 ). The otherwise similar external and male sexual characters, however, suggest that both populations are conspecific.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Among the West Palaearctic Quedius species, Q. brevalatus is most similar to Q. boopoides both in external and sexual characters. It is distinguished from that species particularly by distinctly shorter elytra (Q. boopoides: elytra 0.65-0.70 times as long as pronotum), reduced hind wings (shorter than elytra), darker abdominal segments IX-X, a less pronounced palisade fringe at the posterior margin of tergite VII, and by the shape of the aedeagus. In Q. boopoides, the median lobe is slightly larger, the apex of the median lobe is larger with the subapical tooth more distant from the apex and apically extended into a distinct carina, and the paramere is apically less acute. For comparison, illustrations of the forebody and of the aedeagus of Q. boopoides are provided in Figs 7-10 . From the similar micropterous and sympatric Q. omissus , Q. brevalatus differs by shorter hind wings ( Q. omissus : hind wing rudiments distinctly projecting beyond posterior margin of the elytra when unfolded) and above all by the shape of the aedeagus. For illustrations of the male primary sexual characters of Q. omissus see Figs 17-21.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The species is currently known from the type locality near Goris, South Armenia, and from one locality in Rize province, northeastern Anatolia. The material from the type locality was sifted from roots and litter beneath Quercus and Rosa at the margin of an oak forest at an altitude of 1670 m, the specimens from Turkey were sifted from grass roots and moss around large rocks at an altitude of 2510 m. One of the paratypes from Turkey is teneral.

Figures

Map 1: Distribution of micropterous Quedius (Raphirus) species with punctate scutellum in Turkey: Quedius reitteri (black circles), Q. omissus (white circle); Q. brevalatus (white triangle); Q. sp. (white star).

Figs 1-10: Quedius brevalatus from Turkey (1-6) and Q. boopoides from Germany (7-10): (1, 7) forebody; (2-3) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (in transparent light); (4, 8) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (dry preparation); (5, 9) median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view; (6, 10) paramere. Scale bars: 1, 7: 1.0 mm; 2-6, 8-10: 0.2 mm.

Figs 11-21: Quedius brevalatus from Armenia (11-14) and Turkey (15-16), and Q. omissus from Turkey (17-21): (11-12, 19-20) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (13-15, 21) paramere; (16) female abdominal segments IX-X; (17-18) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.