Sunius afghanicus ( COIFFAIT 1973)

Assing, V. & A, North, 2008, A revision of the Sunius species of the Western Palaearctic region and Middle Asia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (1), pp. 5-135 : 67-68

4.29. Sunius afghanicus ( COIFFAIT 1973) ( Figs. 64-68 )

Hypomedon afghanicum [sic] COIFFAIT 1973: 116 f.

Typ e material ex amined:

Paratype 3: "Bala Murghab, 25.5.- 10.6.1964, 470 m (21) / N. Afghanistan, Prov. Herat, coll. O. Jakeš / Paratype / Sunius nigrinus (Eppelsheim) det. V. Assing 2007" ( MNHNP) ; 1♀: " Bala Murghab , 10.6. 1964, 470 m (25) / N. Afghanistan, Prov. Herat, coll. O. Jakeš / Allotype / Hypomedon afghanicus Coiff. H. Coiffait det. 1973 / Sunius nigrinus (Eppelsheim) det. V. Assing 2007" ( MNHNP) .

C o m m e n t s: The original description is based on 31 type specimens from "Bala Burghaz, Province de Herat, Afghanistan septentrional" ( COIFFAIT 1973). The aedeagus of the male paratype is highly similar to that of S. nigrinus , but larger, with more massive and longer basal and subapical internal structures. Since transitional character states are unknown, S. afghanicus is here regarded as a distinct species.

D i a g n o s i s 3.8-4.2 mm. Similar to dark-coloured specimens of S. nigrinus ( Fig. 64 ), but distinguished as follows:

Body larger and head with denser puncturation than in average S. nigrinus ; elytra remarkably long and large, 1.10-1.18 times as long and 1.2-1.3 times as large as pronotum.

3: sternites VII and VIII as in S. nigrinus ; aedeagus larger and with longer and more massive basal spines and subapical structures ( Figs 65-67 ).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: The species has become known only from the type locality [70°08'N, 35°20'E] in northeastern Afghanistan, where it was collected at an altitude of 470 m in late spring. Additional bionomic data are not available.

Figures

Figs 64-67: Sunius afghanicus (COIFFAIT), paratypes: (64) habitus; (65-66) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (67) internal structures of aedeagus. Scale bars: 64: 1.0 mm; 65-66: 0.2 mm; 67: 0.1 mm.

Figs 68-75: Sunius mordicus nov.sp.: (68) habitus; (69) forebody; (70) male sternite VIII; (71-73) aedeagus in lateral view of males from Kazakhstan (71-72) and Kyrgyzstan (73); (74) aedeagus in ventral view; (75) ventral process of aedeagus in ventral view. Scale bars: 68-69: 1.0 mm; 70-74: 0.2 mm; 75: 0.1 mm.