Sunius brachypterus (GEMMINGER & HAROLD 1868)

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 : 73-75

4.38. Sunius brachypterus (GEMMINGER & HAROLD 1868) (Map 15)

Lithocharis brevipennis W. SCRIBA 1868: 156 ; primary homonym.

Lithocharis brachypterus GEMMINGER & HAROLD 1868: 620 ; replacement name.

Hypomedon pyrenaeus COIFFAIT 1961: 36; nov.syn.

Hypomedon franzi COIFFAIT 1970: 722 ff.; nov.syn.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d:

L. brevipennis /brachypterus: Neotype 3, present designation: " France Pyrénées orientales, Campôme, Lieudit Fournouls Alt. 750 m, M. Tronquet 30/01/97 / Neotypus 3 Lithocharis brachypterus Gemminger & Harold desig. V. Assing 2007 / Sunius brachypterus (Gemminger & Har.) det. V. Assing 2007" ( MNHNP).

H. pyrenaeus: Holotype 3 [aedeagus missing]: "Pyr. or., Ria / 3 / 444 / Collection H. Coiffait / Holotype / Hypomedon pyrenaeus Coiff., det. H. Coiffait 1969 [sic] / Museum Paris 1985, Coll. H. Coiffait / Sunius brachypterus (Gemminger & Har.) det. V. Assing 2007" ( MNHNP).

H. franzi : Holotype 3: " Zw. Argèles u. Collioure / Holotype / Hypomedon franzi Coiff. , det. H. Coiffait 1969 / Museum Paris 1985, Coll. H. Coiffait " ( MNHNP).

A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: France, Pyrénées-Orientales : 1 ex., Campôme, 900-1200 m, 13.V.1996, leg. Tronquet (cAss) ; 1 ex., Campôme , 800 m, 5.V.2001, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Campôme , 750 m, 2.IV.1999, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Campôme , Fournouls, 750 m, 30.I.1997, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 8 exs., Campôme , Fournouls, 700 m, 4.V.1996, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Campôme , Roc des Creus, 900-1100 m, 26.II.1999, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 4 exs., Campôme , 800 m, under stones, 23.I.1998, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 12 exs., Campôme , 900-1100 m, under stones, 9.II.1998, leg. Tronquet (cTro, cAss) ; 5 exs., Campôme , Serrat d'Estrade, 900-1200 m, 13.V.1996, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 2 exs., Col de Banyuls , 350-500 m, under stones, leg. Tronquet (cTro, cAss) ; 8 exs., Sirach , Corneilla de Conflent, Plateau d'Ambouilla, 750 m, 2.V.1996, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 5 exs., Conat , l'Arête, 1400-1450 m, under stones, 7.III.2000, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 11 exs., Molitg-les-Bains , Les Planes, 700-750 m, under stones, 4.III.1997, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Molitg-les-Bains , oak litter, 22.II.2002, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Jujols , 1100-1300 m, under stone, 13.IV.2004, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 2 exs., Port-Vendres [" Port Vendus "] ( HNHM) ; 2 exs., Ria [42°37'N, 2°24'E] ( MHNG). Locality not specified: 4 exs., "Pyrénées", leg. Guillebeau ( NHMW) ; 1 ex., "Pyr. or." ( MHNG) .

C o m m e n t s: Lithocharis brevipennis SCRIBA, 1868 , a primary junior homonym of L. brevipennis WOLLASTON, 1864 , was described from the "Pyrenäen" and in the same year replaced with Lithocharis brachypterus by GEMMINGER & HAROLD (1868). According to HORN et al. (1990), the Scriba collection is deposited in the Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt, where the type material of L. brevipennis was looked for, but not found by the curator in charge (HASTENPFLUG- VESMANIS pers. comm. 2007). Nor was it found in any other major collection, where Scriba material may be deposited, suggesting that the type material in question is lost. In view of the fact that Lithocharis brachypterus was made available as early as 1868 and is thus one of the oldest Sunius names in the Western Mediterranean, a neotype designation seems advisable in order to ensure nomenclatural stability. The only species matching the original description and distributed in the Pyrénées is the species previously referred to as S. franzi or S. pyrenaeus (see below). A recently collected male of this species from the Eastern Pyrénées is here designated as the neotype and deposited in the MNHNP.

The original description of H. pyrenaeus is based on a holotype male from "Pyrénées-Orientales, Ria" and an unspecified number of paratypes of both sexes from "Pyrénées-Orientales: Forêt de la Massane, région de Port-Ventres, Collioures et Banyuls" ( COIFFAIT 1961). The aedeagus of the holotype is missing. Hypomedon franzi was described from a holotype male and a female paratype from "Argéles-sur-Mer, Pyrénées orientales" ( COIFFAIT 1970).

Although the aedeagus of the holotype of S. pyrenaeus is missing, the available evidence leaves little doubt that the type material of S. pyrenaeus and S. franzi is conspecific. First, the external characters, as well as the secondary sexual characters of the types of both species are identical. Second, according to TRONQUET (2006), Sunius franzi is common and rather widespread in the Pyrénées Orientales, even at and near the type locality of S. pyrenaeus, and there is no evidence whatsoever of the presence of two species in the area. Third, there is not a single example of sympatry among species of the S. seminiger group; they are all strictly para- or allopatric. Fourth, the aedeagus illustrated by COIFFAIT for S. pyrenaeus is of rather unusual morphology for a species that, based on the male secondary sexual characters (presence of a tubercle on sternite VIII), is evidently closely related to S. tuniseus and allied species. Finally, the identification label attached to the holotype of S. pyrenaeus is dated 1969, although the species was described eight years earlier, suggesting some serious confusion of labels and/or specimens. Consequently, S. franzi is here placed in the synonymy of S. pyrenaeus.

D i a g n o s i s: External morphology similar to that of other small micropterous congeners. Forebody yellowish; abdomen blackish. For a high-quality photograph of the habitus see the illustration of S. franzi in TRONQUET (2006).

3: sternite VIII with pronounced keel-like median elevation; aedeagus with apical part of ventral process long; internal sac with 3-4 slender spines. For illustrations of the aedeagus see the figures in COIFFAIT (1970, 1984) (as S. franzi ).

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 distribution of this species is confined to the French part of the eastern Pyrénées (Map 15). SMETANA (2004) also indicates it for Spain (as S. franzi ), but this record is not confirmed and should be considered doubtful; it is not listed for Spanish territory by GAMARRA & OUTERELO (2007). For a list of localities see TRONQUET (2006). The material examined was collected at altitudes between 350 and 1450 m in winter and spring (January-May).