Leptusa (Neopisalia) venusta (HOCHHUTH, 1849)

Assing, Volker, 2017, On the Leptusa fauna of the Caucasus region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (2), pp. 1049-1074 : 1055-1056

Leptusa (Neopisalia) venusta (HOCHHUTH, 1849) ( Map 4 )

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Russia:K r a s n o d a r s k i y K r a y: 2exs.,35kmNNE Sochi, Babuk-Aul, 43°53'N, 39°49'E, 560 m, Fagus orientalis & Castanea sativa forest, litter and bark sifted, 11.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 3 exs., 40 km NNE Sochi, S Mt. Fisht , 43°55'N, 39°51'E, 1650 m, beech forest with scattered fir, litter and dead wood sifted, 12.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 5 exs., 4 km NNW Krasnaya Polyana, Atchishkho Mt., 43°42'N, 40°11'E, 1000 m, chestnut forest with beech and maple, leaf litter and bark sifted, 18.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss). K a r a c h a y e v o - C h e r k e s s k a y a R e s p u b l i k a 20 exs., 13 km SW Teberda , 43°20'N, 41°40'E, 1450 m, moist spruce forest with scattered beech, litter, moss, and dead wood sifted, 22.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 1 ex., 20 km SW Teberda, Dombai , 43°17'N, 41°39'E, 2160 m, subalpine birch forest, litter sifted, 23.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 3 exs., 20 km SW Teberda, above Dombai , 43°17'N, 41°38'E, 1950 m, mixed forest (fir, spruce, beech), leaf litter sifted, 25.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 44 exs., 9 km SW Teberda, Teberdinski range, Baduk river valley, 43°23'N, 41°40'E, 2000 m, spruce forest, bark of spruce and maple sifted, 27.VII.2011, leg. Assing (cAss). Georgia: K v e m o K a r t l i: 13, Algeti National Park , Manglisi-Tsalka , 41°40'N, 44°18'E, 1580 m, 12.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss). M t s k h e t a - M t i a n e t i 233, 4 ♀♀, Shatili-Mutso , 42°37'N, 45°12'E, 1510 m, 15.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 13, Gudani , 42°32'N, 44°59'E, 1710 m, 18.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 13, Gudani , 42°32'N, 44°58'E, 1620 m, 18.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 13, 2♀♀, Gudani-Zhinvali , 42°27'N, 44°56'E, 1200 m, 19.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 13, 1♀, Gudani-Zhinvali , 42°19'N, 44°53'E, 980 m, 19.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 1♀, Stepanzminda , 42°40'N, 44°37'E, 2120 m, 20.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm ( MNB) ; 13, 1♀, Kvesheti , 42°26'N, 44°32'E, 1440 m, 22.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 233, 2 ♀♀, SW Pasanauri, 42°22'N, 44°40'E, 1220 m, 23.VII.2015, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB). S v a n e t i: 11 exs., Lechkhumi Mts., Sasashi env., Muashi , 42°47'N, 42°59'E, 1390 m, 1.VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt, cAss) ; 3 exs., north slopes of Svaneti Mts., NW Tsanashi , 42°48'N, 42°40'E, 1360 m, 4.VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt, cAss) ; 13, 8 km S Koruldashi , 42°50'N, 43°10'E, 1430 m, 1.VIII.2016, leg. Meybohm (cAss) ; 933, 8♀♀, 20 km N Jvari , 42°49'N, 42°02'E, 600 m, 25. VI.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 3♀♀, Mazeri , 43°06'N, 42°36'E, 1660 m, 26. VI.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm ( MNB) ; 233, 1 ♀, Ushguli, North slope, 42°55'N, 43°01'E, 2190 m, 30. VI.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 233, Ushguli-Lentekhi , 42°49'N, 42°58'E, 1160 m, 1.VII.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 333, NW Lentekhi, 42°48'N, 42°41'E, 1240 m, 2.VII.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB). R a c h a: 4 exs., north slopes of Ratchinskyi Mts., SE Bokva , 42°32'N, 43°24'E, 1245 m, 5.VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt, cAss) ; 4 exs., Ratschinskyi Mts., 5 km NW Nakerala pass, Tkibuli env., 42°23'N, 42°59'E, 1440 m, 6.VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt, cAss) ; 233, 4 ♀♀, 4 km NW Nikortsminda, 42°29'N, 43°06'E, 1395 m, 23. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB). K a k h e t i: 6 exs., Tsiv-Gombori Mts., 5 km W Telavi, 41°54'N, 45°24'E, 1090 m, Fagus orientalis forest, 8.VII.2015, leg. Pütz (cPüt, cAss). S h i d a K a r t l i: 2♀♀, Kvishkheti , 41°58'N, 43°30'E, 810 m, 12. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm ( MNB) ; 13, 2♀♀, SKvishkheti, 41°57'N, 43°30'E, 790 m, 12. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 233, 1♀, 8 km SW Surami , 42°02'N, 43°30'E, 960 m, 14. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 233, 2♀♀, Kvishkheti, 41°57'N, 43°29'E, 1300 m, 24.VII.2016, leg. Meybohm (cAss, MNB). S a m t s k h e - J a v a k h e t i 13, 3♀♀, Bakuriani , 41°44'N, 43°43'E, 1766 m, 13. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 2♀♀, N Abastumani , 41°46'N, 42°50'E, 1370 m, 15. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm ( MNB) ; 13, 1♀, W Abastumani, 41°45'N, 42°49'E, 1345 m, 15. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB). I m e r e t i: 233, 2♀♀, NW Rikoti pass, 42°03'N, 43°29'E, 950 m, 14. V.2016, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB). A d j a r a 13, Goderdzi pass, 41°40'N, 42°37'E, 1430 m, 21. VI.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) ; 233, 5 km NE Batumi , 41°39'N, 41°45'E, 320 m, 23. VI.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss, MNB) ; 13, 7km NE Batumi, 41°39'N, 41°46'E, 500-600 m, 24. VI.2017, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss). Armenia: 2♀♀, N Yerevan, NW Hrazdan , 40°38'N, 44°30'E, 2010 m, mixed deciduous forest, litter and grass roots sifted, 27. VI.2016, leg. Assing (cAss, MNB) ; 4♀♀, N Yerevan, NW Hrazdan , 40°38'N, 44°28'E, 2110 m, stream valley, mixed deciduous forest, litter and grass roots sifted, 28. VI.2016, leg. Assing & Schülke ( MNB) ; 13, SSE Dilijan, NW Semyonovka , 40°40'N, 44°53'E, 1900 m, stream valley, forest margin and bushes, sifted, 29. VI.2017, leg. Schülke ( MNB) ; 2♀♀, ENE Dilijan, Hovk, 1290 m, 40°48'N, 45°01'E, forest (Quercus, Fagus, Acer, etc.) margin, litter and dead wood beneath old Fagus sifted, 3.VII.2017, leg. Assing (cAss, MNB) ; 1♀, WSW Dilijan, Kalavan, 40°38'N, 45°06'E, 1960 m, forest with Quercus, Betula , and Carpinus , bark of dead oak sifted, 5.VII.2017, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 13, 1♀, pass road E Ijevan , 40°52'N, 45°11'E, 1400 m, young beech forest, litter and dead wood sifted, 6.VII.2017, leg. Schülke ( MNB) .

C o m m e n t: Leptusa venusta is by far the most widespread and most common species of the genus in the Caucasus region. For additional recent records see ASSING (2011). Based on revised records, the distribution extends from the northwestern tip of the Greater Caucasus in the northwest and the Turkish province Trabzon eastwards to East Georgia and southeastwards to North Armenia ( Map 4 ). The species was recorded also from Daghestan (without specified locality) by PACE (1989). It is not listed for Armenia in SCHÜLKE & SMETANA (2015), although it was reported from there (without specified locality) by SCHEERPELTZ (1966).

Figures

Map 4: Distribution of Leptusa venusta in the Caucasus region.