Pseudomedon kazakhstanicus, Assing, 2008

Assing, V., 2008, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Paederinae and Xantholinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1237-1294 : 1258-1259

Pseudomedon kazakhstanicus nov.sp. ( Figs 32-34 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " Kazakhstan, Ile riv., Karagach, 20.09.1986, V. Kastcheev / Holotypus Pseudomedon kazakhstanicus sp. n. det. V. Assing 2008 (cAss). Paratypes: 1, 1: same data as holotype (cAss); 1, 4: " Kazakhstan, Ile riv., Aidarly , 16.04.1983, V. Kastcheev " (cAss, cKas); 2: " Kazakhstan, Ile riv., Aidarly, 6.10.1983, V. Kastcheev " (cAss); 1: " Kazakhstan ", Ile river, splav, 9B6, 30.VIII.1982, V. Kastcheev " (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 3.0- 3.6 mm. Coloration: whole body dark-yellowish. Other external characters as in P. afghanicus (see above).

: sternite VIII distinctly oblong, posterior margin shallowly concave in the middle ( Fig.

32); aedeagus 0.33 mm long, ventral process apically of distinctive shape in lateral view ( Figs 33-34 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name (adjective) is derived from Kazakhstan.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: As can be inferred from the similar external characters, as well as from the similar shape of the male sternite VIII and the similar general morphology of the aedeagus, P. kazakhstanicus is closely related to P. afghanicus . From this species, it is reliably separated only by the shape of the ventral process of the aedeagus (distinctly more slender and shorter in P. kazakhstanicus ) and the morphology of the internal membranous structures (longer in P. kazakhstanicus ). The species may differ in the coloration, but more material is needed to verify that this character is constant. For characters separating P. kazakhstanicus from other Pseudomedon species , as well as from the similar and syntopic Luzea caucasica see the comparative notes below P. afghanicus .

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 is known from three localities to the north and northeast of Almaty in southeastern Kazakhstan. On two occasions it was collected together with the externally similar Luzea caucasica .

Figures

Figs 29-36: Pseudomedon afghanicus nov.sp. (29-31), P. kazakhstanicus nov.sp. (32-34), and Luzea caucasica (LUZE) (35-36): (29) forebody; (30) antenna; (31, 33-34, 36) aedeagus in lateral view; (32, 35): male sternite VIII. Scale bars: 29: 0.5 mm; 30, 32, 35: 0.2 mm; 31, 33-34, 36: 0.1 mm.