Atheta (Oreostiba) brevitheca, Assing & Vogel, 2017

Assing, Volker & Vogel, Jürgen, 2017, On some Athetini from Armenia and adjacent regions (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (1), pp. 341-368 : 361

Atheta (Oreostiba) brevitheca nov.sp. ( Figs 100-107 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 3: " ARMENIA [9] - S Martuni, Sulema Pass, 39°57'58''N, 45°14'13''E 2340 m, near stream, 29. VI.2016, V. Assing / Holotypus 3 Atheta brevitheca sp. n. det. V. Assing 2017" (cAss) . Paratypes: 6♀♀: same data as holotype (cAss, cVog) ; 433, 1♀: same data, but leg. Schülke ( MNB, cVog) ; 233, 2♀♀: " ARMENIA [AR16-05] N Yerevan, NW Hrazdan, 40°40'07''N, 44°28'22''E, 2100 m, grassy W-slope with bushes, litter and grass roots sifted, 26.VI.2016, Schülke " ( MNB, cAss, cVog); 2♀♀: " ARMENIA [39] - 25 km SW Kapan, 39°04'01''N, 46°16'10''E, 2150 m, near stream, sifted, 10.VII.2016, V. Assing " (cAss); 2♀♀: same data, but leg. Schülke ( MNB); 13: " ARMENIA, above Jermuk, sifting of plant leavings near snow residues, 2400 m, 39.839053N, 45.693496E, 21.V.2015, M. Kocian lgt." (cKoc); 1♀: " ARMENIA - Aragazotn, Mt. Aragats , 40°25'57''N, 44°14'01''E, 2680 m, 26.V.2016, leg. A. & J. Müller " (cAss) .

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition composed of the Latin verb brevis (short) and the Greek noun theca. It alludes to the conspicuously short spermathecal capsule.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Externally indistinguishable from A. altiviva .

3: tergite VIII ( Fig. 100 ) strongly transverse, posterior margin weakly convex, not projecting in the middle; sternite VIII ( Fig. 101 ) with strongly convex posterior margin, much longer than tergite VIII; median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 102-103 ) large in relation to body size, larger than in other Armenian species of the A. altiviva group, approximately 0.5 mm long, with pronounced crista apicalis, and with basally broad and apically very acute ventral process (ventral view); parameres very large, 0.65 mm long, and with strongly developed velum.

♀: tergite VIII ( Fig. 104 ) obtusely pointed posteriorly; sternite VIII ( Fig. 105 ) with broadly convex posterior margin; spermatheca ( Figs 106-107 ) minute, comma-shaped, with very short proximal portion, proximally truncate.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Among the Armenian representatives of the A. altiviva group, A. brevitheca is characterized by the shape of the male tergite VIII, a larger and distinctively shaped median lobe of the aedeagus, conspicuously large parameres, a posteriorly obtusely pointed female tergite VIII, and a short and comma-shaped spermatheca.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: This species was found in five localities in North and South Armenia. The specimens were sifted from debris, litter, and roots in grasslands and bush habitats, near streams and near snowfields, at altitudes of 2100-2680 m, partly together with A. altiviva , A. semialba , and/or A. abscisa .

Figures

Figs 100-107: Atheta brevitheca: (100) male tergite VIII; (101) male sternite VIII; (102-103) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (104) female tergite VIII; (105) female sternite VIII; (106-107) spermatheca. Scale bars: 100-101, 104-105: 0.2 mm; 102-103, 106-107: 0.1 mm.