Gyrohypnus LEACH 1819

Assing, V., 2008, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Paederinae and Xantholinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1237-1294 : 1274-1275

3.2.2. Gyrohypnus LEACH 1819

In the context of a recent revision of the Western Palaearctic Gyrohypnus species , some new synonymies were introduced and few new species described ( ASSING 2003c). Subsequently, BORDONI (2005) published a - partly rather polemic - note, which is evidently not based on scientific motivation and argumentation. Representative of the line of reasoning is the following statement, which requires no further comment:

"If, on the one hand, examination of the abundant material can help better define distribution of the

species, on the other there is the risk of complicating rather than simplifying the information we already have on the genus..." ( BORDONI 2005: 103).

In this note, BORDONI synonymises all the species described in the preceding revision and revalidates a synonymised name made available by himself, without so much as studying type material or non-type material from the vicinity of the type localities and, consequently, without meeting even basic scientific requirements. The synonymies and revalidation were repeated by BORDONI (2007c), ignoring the fact that one of the names had been revalidated in the meantime ( ASSING 2006b).

As far as the status of G. libanoticus BORDONI 1984 is concerned, the reasoning in ASSING (2003c), which is based on an examination of the type material, is referred to. The characters pointed out by BORDONI (2005) are within the range of intraspecific variation of G. fracticornis , a widespread cosmopolitan species. Remarkably, he maintains that the distribution of G. libanoticus should be confined to high-altitude habitats in Lebanon, although the type material does not show any of the usual adaptations to highaltitude habitats (e. g. reduction of wings and eyes), although there is no other example of a mountain endemic in the whole genus, and although, in his introduction, BORDONI (2005: 103) states that "almost all of them [i. e., the Gyrohypnus species ] have a wide distribution that obviously leads to a high degree of variability". Gyrohypnus fracticornis is common in the Middle East and, based on the evidence available and an examination of the types, there can be no doubt that the type material of G. libanoticus is conspecific with this species.

According to BORDONI (2005), "there is no doubt that" G. wutaishanensis BORDONI 2000 from China and G. schuelkei ASSING 2003 from the Russian Far East "are the same species". However, according to the figures in BORDONI (2000), the parameres of G. wutaishanensis are spinose on the external face and approximately half as long as the aedeagus, whereas in G. schuelkei they are spinose on the internal face and approximately one fourth as long as the aedeagus. Also, there are differences in the chaetotaxy of the parameres (see figures 31 and 36 in BORDONI (2000) and ASSING (2003c), respectively). An important diagnostic character for the separation of Gyrohypnus species is the absolute size of the aedeagus. However, nothing can be said about size differences, because Bordoni neither states the size in the description, nor does he provide a scale with his drawings.

Another synonymy proposed by BORDONI (2005) is that of G. vomer ASSING 2003 with G. sichuanensis ZHENG 1995 . However, based on the figures provided by BORDONI (2000) for G. sichuanensis , the aedeagus is distally of different shape and the parameres are relatively smaller and more slender than in G. vomer ; also, the chaetotaxy of the parameres is different. Again, nothing can be said about absolute size, as BORDONI (2000) provides no scale with the drawings. As regards the taxonomic status of G. liber ASSING 2003 , the line of reasoning in ASSING (2003c, 2006b) is referred to.

In conclusion, the taxonomic changes proposed by BORDONI (2005) are, without an examination of type material, not plausible for the reasons outlined above, so that these changes are formally reversed. Gyrohypnus libanoticus BORDONI is again placed in the synonymy of G. fracticornis (MÜLLER 1776) and G. vomer , G. schuelkei , and G. liber are revalidated.