Sunius italicus ( COIFFAIT 1961)

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 : 57-58

4.21. Sunius italicus ( COIFFAIT 1961) (Map 12)

Hypomedon italicus COIFFAIT 1961: 35 .

C o m m e n t: The original description is based on a holotype male from " Italie, Latium Castelgandolfo" and an unspecified number of paratypes from " Lazio, Albano", "Environ de Naples", and " Lucania, Monte Vulture" ( COIFFAIT 1961). The type material was not examined, but the illustrations of the aedeagus provided with the original description and the material examined from the vicinity of the type locality leave no doubt that the present interpretation is correct.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d Italy: A o s t a: 1 ex., Valpellina , 45°50'N, 7°19'E, 1230 m, 22.IX.2002, leg. Meybohm (cAss). L i g u r i a: 3 exs., Genova , Bavari , Fontanegli [ca. 44°25'N, 09°03'E], IX.1920, leg. Baliani (cZan). T o s c a n a: 3 exs., Grassina (FI), 350 m, 3.V.1991, leg. Wunderle (cWun) ; 1 ex., Padule di Fuccechio , leg. Castellini (cTro) ; 6 exs., Castelnuovo di Garfagnana , leg. Paganetti ( DEI, HNHM, cAss). C a m p a n i a: 1 ex., Salerno , Monti Alburni , W San Rufo, Passo di Sentinella, 900 m, 10.X.2000, leg. Wolf (cSch). L a z i o: 1 ex., Barbarano Romano (VT), 20.IV.1981, leg. Seriani (cZan) ; 1 ex., Lago di Bracciano , Monti Sabatini , Monte Guerrano , 500 m, 7.V.1998, leg. Wolf (cSch). P u g l i a: 1 ex., Prom. del Gargano , 600-800 m, 25.VIII.-6.IX.1986 (cAss). B a s i l i c a t a: 1 ex., Potenza, Bosco Favino, 1500 m, 16.VIII.1997, leg. Magrini (cAss) ; 1 ex., Potenza , Lago di Pantano, Pignola, 29.XI.1992, leg. Angelini (cAss) ; 4 exs., Policoro ( MT), 12.XII.1976, leg. Montemurro (cZan, cAss). C a l a b r i a: 3 exs., Aspromonte, Gerace, 700 m, 9.XI.1991, leg. Montemurro (cZan). L o c a l i t y n o t s p e c i f i e d: 1ex.," Italia "( HNHM) .

D i a g n o s i s: External morphology as in S. bicolor and similar species; reliably distinguished only by the male primary sexual characters.

3: aedeagus with ventral process shorter and of somewhat different shape than in S. bicolor ; internal structures of distinctive shape. For illustrations see ADORNO & ZANETTI (2003).

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 species has become known only from Italy (Map 12), where it is widespread from Aosta and Liguria in the north to Basilicata and Calabria in the south (material examined; see also ADORNO & ZANETTI 2003). The examined specimens were collected at lower to intermediate altitudes (up to 1500 m) in spring (April-May) and during the period from late summer to early winter (August-December) .