Quedius kungeicus, Salnitska & Solodovnikov, 2018

Salnitska, Maria & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2018, Taxonomy of the poorly known Quedius mutilatus group of wingless montane species from Middle Asia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini), European Journal of Taxonomy 401, pp. 1-17 : 13-15

Quedius kungeicus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FAD25BCE-73E2-4BC0-90EC-5D31FB2F8DBD

Figs 1 , 4E–F , 5

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ kungeicus ’ is a latinized adjective derived from the mountain range where this species was collected.

Material examined

Holotype

KAZAKHSTAN: ♂, “ Kazakhstan, Kungei Alatau Mountain Ridge, Kurmety valley, 18 km SW from Saty, 2600–2700 m, Picea forest [ca 42°57′00″ N, 78°16′00″ E], 12.VI.1987, leg. I. Kabak ” ( ZIN).

Description

MEASUREMENTS AND RATIOS. HL: 1.61, HW: 1.48, PL: 1.75, PW: 2.16, EL: 1.64, EW: 2.14, FB: 5.00, HL/ HW: 1.09, PL/PW: 0.81, EL/EW: 0.77.

BODY. Length: 10 mm; dark brown, hind margins of abdominal tergites slightly paler; appendages of the same coloration as body; body flattened dorso-ventrally. Overall external morphology as in Q. mutilatus , but eyes slightly protruding over lateral contour of head ( Fig. 5 A ).

Male

AEDEAGUS ( Figs 4 E–F , 5B–D ). Apical portion of median lobe (in lateral view) with characteristic ‘hump’ (shown by arrow in Fig. 5B ) more pronounced than in other species of the group and with relatively more elongate apical portion that does not have a pronounced ventral sub-apical tooth; paramere (aedeagus in parameral view) as wide as median lobe, apically ovoid and with hardly visible apical emargination; parameral underside with apical groups of ca 7–8 sensory peg setae on each side of emargination and with two lateral groups of 2–3 peg setae each; parameral apical contour with two pairs of apical setae and two pairs of lateral setae. Internal sac without strong and obvious sclerotized structures.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution and bionomics

Quedius kungeicus sp. nov. is known from the holotype only, which was collected in the Kungei Alatau mountain range at an elevation of around 2600–2700 m in spruce forest. According to Ilya Kabak, who collected the holotype of Q. kungeicus sp. nov., it was most likely taken from under stones. This and the habitus of the species suggest an association with talus.

Comparison

Quedius kungeicus sp. nov. can be reliably distinguished from all other species of the Q. mutilatus group by the structure of the aedeagus, namely by the ovoid contour of the apical portion of the paramere without a distinct apical incision (aedeagus in parameral view) and by the characteristically curved and longer apical portion of the median lobe that lacks a distinct sub-apical tooth (aedeagus in lateral view).

Figures

Fig. 4. Aedeagi in the Quedius mutilatus group. A–B. Quedius mutilatus Eppelsheim, 1888. C–D. Quedius kalabi Smetana, 1995. E–F. Quedius kungeicus sp. nov. G–N. Quedius equus Smetana, 2014 (Karkara Valley, Kazakhstan), variability of the structure of the aedeagus.A, C, E, G, I, K, M = median lobe, laterally. B, D, F, H, J, L, N = paramere (dissected from median lobe), underside (side facing median lobe). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 5. Quedius kungeicus sp. nov. A. Habitus. B. Aedeagus, laterally. C. Median lobe, in parameral view (paramere detached). D. Paramere, underside (side facing median lobe). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig.1.DistributionandaedeagusvariabilityoftheQuediusmutilatusgroupintheTien-ShanMountains. Numbers are specified in Table 1. Empty symbols = typespcimens (for Q. kalabi precise locality of the holotype unknown);? = ambiguously labelled or undetermined material. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.