Aleochara (Ceranota) erythroptera GRAVENHORST, 1806 (Map 1)

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Germany: 1♂, Thüringen, Woffleben, pitfall, 10.VI.2006, leg. Sparmberg (NME). Croatia: 1 ex., Istra, Limski kanal, 2.IV.2010, leg. Hlaváč (cAss). Greece: 1♂, 3♀♀, Pelopónnisos, Parnon, NE Agriani, 37°10'N, 22°36'E, 1290 m, fir forest, 20.IV.-6.V.2007, leg. Schnitter & Arndt (NME, cAss). Greece: 1♂, Pelopónnisos, Korinthía, Feneos, 37°56'N, 22°17'E, IV-VI.2006, leg. Miksch (NME). Ukraine: 4 exs., Odessa, right bank of Kuyalnik liman, lower reaches, pitfall, 25.III.-11.IV.2000, leg. Gontarenko (cGon, cAss); 1 ex., Odessa, Kubanka, grass turf, 16.III.2008, leg. Gontarenko (cAss) ; 1 ex., Odessa, right bank of Tiligul liman, Kalinovka env., pitfall, 12.IV..- 13.V.2007, leg. Gontarenko (cGon). Turkey: 1♀, Izmir, Bozdağlar, Sazlı, 15.IV.2014, leg. Örgel (cAnl) ; 1♀, Denizli, Acıpayam, Elmadağ, 37°37'N, 29°27'E, 1660 m, 17.IV.2015, leg. Örgel (cAnl) ; 1♀, Osmaniye, 10 km N Andırın, road to Çokak, 37°39'N, 36°21'E, 1150 m, 1-2.V.2005, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 1♀, Kahramanmaras, Başkonuş Yaylaşı, 37°34'N, 36°34'E, 1270 m, 27.IV.2004, leg. Besuchet (cAss). Russia: 1♂, Rostov region, Razdorovskiy district, Razdorovka, 8.-16.X.2009, leg. Ponomaryov (cAss). Armenia: 1♂, SW Goris, ESE Tatev, 39°22'N, 46°17'E, 1950 m, margin of mixed deciduous forest, sifted from nest of Formica exsecta (det. Seifert), 13.VII.2017, leg. Assing (cAss). Lebanon [all det. Feldmann]: 1 ex., Rayfoun, ca. 33°58'N, 35°42'E, 990 m, mixed oak forest, pitfall trap, 15.III.2013, leg. Reuter (cFel) ; 1 ex., same data, but III.2014 (cFel); 1 ex., same data, but IV.2014 (cFel); 1 ex., same data, but III.2015 (cFel); 6 exs., same data, but 31.III.-9.IV.2016 (cFel); 2 exs., same data, but 9- 12.IV.2016 (cFel); 1 ex., same data, but 30.V.2016 (cFel); 2 exs., ca. 27 km NE Beirut, Kfardebian env., ~ 1100 m, mixed oak forest, pitfall trap, 10-16.V.2016, leg. Reuter (cFel) .

C o m m e n t: Unlike many of its congeners, A. erythroptera is relatively widespread. The distribution is of the expansive Ponto-Mediterranean type (ASSING 2009b). For recent records from Israel see ASSING (2014). The above specimens from Armenia and Lebanon represent new country records. The currently known distribution is illustrated in Map 1. Interestingly, the male from Armenia was found in a nest of Formica exsecta.