Othius hebes, Assing & Solodovnikov, 1998

Assing, Volker, 2018, A revision of Othiini. XX. Two new species of Othius, the first record of the genus from Myanmar, and additional records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1), pp. 25-40 : 29

Othius hebes ASSING & SOLODOVNIKOV, 1998 ( Map 2 )

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Georgia: R a t c h a: 2♂♂, 1♀, 4 km N Nakerala , 42°24'N, 43°02'E, 1150 m, 18. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 3♂♂, 1♀, Nakerala pass, 42°23'N, 43°02'E, 1260 m, 18. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 1♂, Nakerala pass, 42°22'N, 43°03'E, 1320 m, 22. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 2♂♂, Nakerala pass, 42°23'N, 43°02'E, 1220 m, 22. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 1♂, 1♀, 4 km NW Nikortsminda , 42°29'N, 43°06'E, 1395 m, 23. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 1♂, south slope of Letchkhumskiy mountain range , Khideshlebi env., 42°40'N, 43°24'E, 1235 m, 5. VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt) ; 1♀, south slopes of Ratchinskiy mountains , SE Bokva, 42°32'N, 43°24'E, 1250 m, 5. VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt) ; 5♂♂, 3♀♀, Ratchinskiy mountains , 5 km NW Nakerala pass, Tkibili env., 42°23'N, 42°59'E, 1440 m, 6. VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt, cAss). S a m t s k h e - J a v a k h e t i: 1♂, 7 km NW Bakuriani, 41°47'N, 43°29'E, 1450 m, 13. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 1♂, 6♀♀, N Abastumani , 41°46'N, 42°50'E, 1370 m, 15. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss). S h i d a K a r t l i: 2♀♀, 8 km SW Surami, 42°02'N, 43°30'E, 960 m, 14. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 2♂♂, Kvishkheti , 41°57'N, 43°29'E, 1300 m, 24. VII.2016, leg. Meybohm (cAss). I m e r e t i: 3♂♂, 3♀♀, 6 km W Nakerala, 42°23'N, 42°57'E, 1450 m, 17. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) .

C o m m e n t: The original description is based on type material, with the labels indicating more or less extensive regions rather than specified localities (ASSING & SOLODOVNIKOV 1998). One of the specified localities, "Helenendorf" (= Göygöl) in Azerbaijan, must be considered doubtful, not only because other records from Azerbaijan or from the adjacent Armenia are unknown, but also because material labelled "Helenendorf" has been shown to most likely be mislabelled (ASSING & SCHÜLKE 2017). Subsequent records, again most of them old and without specified localities, were reported by ASSING (1999b, 2005). Records of more recently collected material with detailed localities were published by ASSING (2015). As a result of significantly greater collecting activity in the Caucasus region, numerous additional specimens are now available (see material listed above), making a first assessment of the distribution of O. hebes possible ( Map 2 ). The altitudes range from 960 to 2280 m.

Figures

Map 2: Distribution of Othius hebes (black circles) in the Caucasus region, based on examined records. White star: doubtful locality "Helenendorf".