Sunius hellenicus ( 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 : 34-35

4.7. Sunius hellenicus ( COIFFAIT 1961) (Map 7)

Hypomedon hellenicus COIFFAIT 1961: 32 f.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Greece: C o r f u: 2 exs., Paleokastritsa , 0 m, meadow, 14.X.1987 (cAss) ; 2 exs., laguna, 1905, leg. Leonhard ( DEI) ; 12 exs., locality not specified, leg. Paganetti ( DEI, cAss). P e l o p ó n n i s o s: 26 exs., Erimanthos , above Kalendzi, 37°57'N, 21°47'E, 1500 m, 27.III.1997, leg. Assing, Zerche ( DEI, cAss) ; 2 exs., Erimanthos , 37°56'N, 21°47'E, 1540 m, pasture, 30.IV.1999, leg. Zerche ( DEI) ; 58 exs., same data, but 1490 m, 26.IV.1999, leg. Behne & Zerche ( DEI, cAss) ; 1 ex., Olympia , 27.III.1990, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 8 exs., Meligalas , Derveni, 600 m, 26.III.1992, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB, cBoh, cAss) ; 1 ex., Kalámata , Neodontas river, 400 m, 27.III.1992, leg. Frisch ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Killini , S Ano Trikala, 37°57'N, 22°25'E, 1600 m, 27.IV.1999, leg. Behne ( DEI) ; 1 ex., 6 km W Néa Figalía, Zakháro , 700 m, oak forest, 2.X.2004, leg. Schawaller ( SMNS) .

C o m m e n t s: The original description of S. hellenicus is based on a male holotype and an unspecified number of paratypes from " Grèce (sans autre précision)" ( COIFFAIT 1961).

Map 7: Distributions of the endemic Sunius species of Greece, S. hellenicus (COIFFAIT) (filled circles), S. fokisensis ASSING & WUNDERLE (open circles), and S. menalonicus nov.sp. (square), based on examined records.

Based on the male sexual characters and the morphology of the aedeagus (shape of ventral process, internal structures), the species may be most closely related to S. propinquus .

D i a g n o s i s: Externalmorphology similar to that of S. melanocephalus , but head on average paler, elytra shorter and more slender, and posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe. Distinguished from the closely related S. propinquus by smaller body size, the absence of microsculpture on the head, much shorter elytra and reduced hind wings, and by the absence of a palisade fringe at the posterior margin of tergite VII.

3: sternite VIII with the usual posterior excision, otherwise unmodified; aedeagus with short ventral process, with short flagellum, and with additional internal structure of distinctive shape; for illustrations see COIFFAIT (1961, 1984).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: Confirmed records are known only from Corfu and the Pelopónnisos, Greece (Map 7). COIFFAIT (1968) reported it from the Timphristos Oros (Evritania) near Karpenision, but this record is likely to be based on a misidentification and to refer to S. fokisensis (see section 4.60).

The examined specimens were collected in subalpine grassland, pastures, and oak forests under stones and by sifting litter at altitudes of 0-1600 m in March, April, and October.