Sunius viator ( FAUVEL 1886)

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 : 101-102

4.62. Sunius viator ( FAUVEL 1886) ( Figs 160-162 )

Medon peregrinus FAUVEL 1886: 31 f.; homonym.

Medon viator FAUVEL 1886: 99 ; replacement name for M. peregrinus FAUVEL.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Lectotype 3 [aedeagus heavily damaged], here designated: " Guelma [original label glued on following label] / Coll. R. I. Sc. N. B., Algerie, ex coll. Fauvel / peregrinus Fvl / Ex-Typis / R. I. Sc. N. B. 17.479, Medon, Coll. et det. A. Fauvel / H. Coiffait vid. 1959 / Syntypus Medon peregrinus Fauvel , rev. V. Assing 2007 / Lectotypus Medon peregrinus Fauvel , desig. V. Assing 2007 / Sunius viator (Fauvel) , det. V. Assing 2007" ( IRSNB).

C o m m e n t s: FAUVEL (1886) described this species, based on a male from " Guelma " in Algeria and on an unspecified number of specimens from "Turkestan (Taschkent)". The male syntype from Algeria was found in the Fauvel collection at the IRSNB. The specimen was studied by COIFFAIT (1961), who illustrated the aedeagus, but apparently damaged it in the process of preparing this illustration. According to COIFFAIT (1961, 1984), the species is closely allied to S. sinaicus , but I have been unable to identify characters supporting this hypothesis. The syntype material from Tashkent was not found, but it doubtlessly refers to a different species, probably to S. claviceps . Therefore, the male from Guelma is here designated as the lectotype.

R e d e s c r i p t i o n: Species of relatively large size, 4.3 mm, distinguished from other Sunius species by external characters alone. Body of conspicuously slender habitus, with relatively long legs and antennae ( Fig. 160 ). Coloration reddish, with abdominal segments III-VII infuscate.

Head large in relation to pronotum and distinctly oblong, 1.05-1.10 times as long as wide, posterior margin strongly concave; puncturation rather coarse and dense; interstices in lateral areas on average narrower than diameter of punctures, in dorsal median area wider; integument without microsculpture. Eyes distinctly bulging, slightly less than half as long as postocular region in dorsal view ( Fig. 161 ). Antennae slender; antennomere IV approximately twice as long as wide; IV-X of gradually decreasing length and decreasingly oblong.

Pronotum small in relation to head, 0.9 times as wide as head and 1.1 times as long as wide; puncturation coarse and conspicuously dense, interstices very narrow ( Fig. 161 ).

Elytra almost 1.15 times as large as and slightly longer than pronotum; puncturation dense, moderately coarse, and rather ill-defined ( Fig. 161 ).

Abdomen slightly wider than elytra; puncturation fine and dense; interstices with shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VIII with palisade fringe.

3: sternite VII unmodified; sternite VIII with the usual posterior excision, otherwise unmodified; aedeagus of distinctive shape, with long and acute ventral process and with four long rows of sclerotised structures in internal sac ( Fig. 162 ).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: AccordingtoSMETANA (2004), S. viator has been reported from Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan – a highly doubtful distribution pattern. It seems most likely that even the type material refers to different species and some (or all) of the subsequent records refer to similar congeners. At present, the only reliable record is from Algeria. Until records from other countries are confirmed, they should be considered doubtful.

Figures

Figs 160-162: Sunius viator (FAUVEL): (160) habitus; (161) forebody; (162) aedeagus in lateral view. Scale bars: 160-161: 1.0 mm; 162: 0.2 mm.