Pseudomedon lecoqi COIFFAIT 1980, 1979

Assing, V., 2009, On the Pseudomedon species of the Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (2), pp. 1175-1189 : 1184-1185

Pseudomedon lecoqi COIFFAIT 1980 (Figs 5, 15-17; Map 2)

Pseudomedon (Euphonus) lecoqi COIFFAIT 1980: 45 f.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d Paratype Ƌ: "Paso de Despeñaperros / Province de Jaen, 3.IV.72 / Paratype / Pseudomedon (Euphonus) lecoqi H. Coiffait 1979 / Muséum Paris 1985, Coll. H. Coiffait / Pseudomedon lecoqi Coiffait det. V. Assing 2009" (MNHNP).

C o m m e n t: Pseudomedon lecoqi was described from a male holotype (deposited in the collection of J. C. Lecoq) and three paratypes collected at "Paso de Despeñaperros, Sierra Morena, IV-69" ( COIFFAIT 1980). According to the original description ( COIFFAIT 1980) and the key in COIFFAIT (1984), P. lecoqi is distinguished from P. pallidus only by the much larger eyes ("yeux nettement plus grands") and the slightly shorter antennae. A comparison of the male paratype of P. lecoqi deposited in the Coiffait collection at the MNHNP and the lectotype of P. pallidus revealed that indeed the eyes of P. lecoqi are slightly larger (approximately as large as in P. dido ) and the elytra are shorter (again similar to those of P. dido ), but no difference in antennal length was observed. Since the male of P. pallidus is unknown, it is not certain if the types of P. pallidus and P. lecoqi represent different species. Eye size and elytral length are subject to considerable intraspecific variation also in other Pseudomedon species ( P. obscurellus , P. huetheri ) ( ASSING 2008b).

D i a g n o s i s: Externally similar to the brachypterous morph of P. obscurellus and practically indistinguishable from P. dido . Habitus as in Fig. 15 . Body length: 3.6 mm. Coloration of whole body pale yellowish-brown, with the abdomen slightly darker.

Head not distinctly dilated behind eyes ( Fig. 16 ). Eyes larger than antennomere I in cross-section ( Fig. 17 ), approximately half as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Antenna slender, similar to that of P. dido . Elytra short, 0.85 times as long as pronotum.

Ƌ: posterior margin of sternite VIII with shallow, broadly V-shaped posterior excision (distinctly less deep than in P. dido ); aedeagus as in Fig. 5.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: This species is reliably separated from the similar P. dido only by the less deep posterior excision of the male sternite VIII and the different shape of the aedeagus, from the brachypterous morph of P. obscurellus also by the longer antennae, and from P. pallidus by the larger eyes and the longer elytra.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Like the preceding species, P. lecoqi is apparently extremely rare. To my knowledge, it has become known only from the type locality in southern Spain (Map 2).

Figures

Figs 10-19: Pseudomedon pallidus (FAUVEL), lectotype (10-13), P. mirei COIFFAIT, holotype (14), P. lecoqi COIFFAIT, paratype (15-17), P. obscurellus (ERICHSON) (18), and P. obsoletus (NORDMANN) (19): (10, 15) habitus; (11, 14, 16) forebody; (12) antenna; (13) head in lateral view); (17) head and pronotum in lateral view; (18) male sternite VIII; (19) posterior portion of male sternite VIII. Scale bars: 10, 15: 1.0 mm; 11-14, 16-17: 0.5 mm; 18-19: 0.2 mm.