Quedius (Raphirus) scintillans Gravenhorst, 1806

Salnitska, Maria & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2018, Revision of the Quedius fauna of Middle Asia (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 65 (2), pp. 117-159 : 141-142

Quedius (Raphirus) scintillans Gravenhorst, 1806 Fig. 4A

Quedius scintillans : Herman 2001, 3260 (summary of literature); Assing and Schülke 2012, 471, 473 (diagnosis, distribution and bionomics, aedeagus illustration)

Material examined.

Additional material.

Kazakhstan: 3 ♂, Karatau Mts, 660 m a.s.l., 42°53' 41.42N, 70°42' 56.6E, 11.VII.2010, V.A. Kastcheev leg. (ZIN); Uzbekistan: 1 ♂, Chatkal Nature Reserve, bank of small rill, wet ground, Poaceae gen. sp., Equisetum sp., moss, 19.IX.1983, K.Yu. Eskov leg. (cRyv); 1 ♂, Golodnaya Step [Sirdaryo Reg., Guliston], 17.V.1903, G.G. Jacobson (ZIN); 1 ♂, "Trkst. Mnt. Nurata UCHUN Glasunov 1892" (ZIN); 1 ♂, Samarkand Reg., Kattakurgan, 18.V.1932, V.V. Gussakovsky leg. (ZIN); 1 ♂, Aman Kutan, shady wet say, near forestry building, 31.V.1942, K.V. Arnoldi leg. (ZMMU); 2 ♂, Qashqadaryo Reg., Kitab, 30.VII.1933, V.V. Gussakovsky leg. (ZIN); Turkmenistan: 1 ♂, Kov-Ata [Bacharden] 110 km NW Ashchabad, 10.V.1989, D.W. Wrase leg. (cSch); 2 ♂, 5 ♂, N Kopetdag, Firjusa-Cleft, near Ashchabad, 07.V.1989, D.W. Wrase leg. (cSch); 1 ♂, Kugitangtau Mts, near Svintsovyi Rudnik, 1300 m a.s.l., under stones, 11.V.1984, A.V. Tanasevitch leg. (cRyv); Tajikistan: 3 ♂, Warsobob, 03.VI.1988, S.V. Saluk leg. (cRyv); 1 ♂, Dushabe, Kharangon River, 03.VI.1934, V.V. Gussakovsky leg. (ZIN); 2 ♂, 15 km SE Shaahrtuz, Tuyntau Mt., 02-03.VI.1982, G.S. Medvedev leg. (ZIN); 4 ♂, 1 ♀, Pyandj District, in hay, 28.IV.1988, S.V. Saluk leg. (cRyv); Uzbekistan or Tajikistan: 2 ♂, "Uzbekistan Buchara./ Staudinger. 823." (ZMMU).

Comments on taxonomy, distribution and bionomics.

Quedius scintillans is widely distributed in Europe, Western and Middle Asia, and its diagnostic characters, distribution and biology were recently summarized in Assing and Schülke (2012). In Middle Asia, from the newly examined material here, the species is recorded in southern and eastern Turkmenistan and southwestern Tajikistan for the first time.

From all Middle Asian Raphirus species it can be easily distinguished by the presence of two additional punctures between anterior frontal punctures on the head.

Quedius scintillans prefers various wet ground-based debris mostly in lowland forests or open landscapes. In the mountains it can be found up to 1300 m elevation.