Oxypoda (Bessopora) praecisa, Assing, 2006

Assing, V., 2006, New species and records of Staphylinidae from Greece, with two new synonymies (Insecta: Coleoptera), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 333-379 : 363-364

Oxypoda (Bessopora) praecisa sp.n. ( Figs 83 , 91-107 , Map 3 )

Holotype ♀: GR. Pelopónnisos, Panahaiko-Geb., 1500 m, oberh. Ano Kastritsi , 38°14'58N, 21°51'32E, 28.III.1997, V. Assing / Holotypus ♀ Oxypoda praecisa sp. n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss). Paratypes: 1♀: same data as holotype (cAss) ; 233, 1♀, 4 exs.: GR: Ahaïa, Panahaiko, oberh. Ano Kastrizi , N-Seite, 30.III.2000, 1550 m, gefrorenes / Gras , Schneefeld , 38°14'46N, 21°51'37O, leg. Zerche & Behne ( DEI, cAss) ; 433, 1♀, 2 exs.: GR: Peloponnes, Ahaïa, Panahaiko-Geb. , N-Seite, 1610 m / 38°11'00N, 21°51'41E, 26.IV.1998, Schneefelder, leg. Zerche ( DEI, cAss) ; 1♀: GR: Peloponnes, Ahaïa, Panahaiko-Geb. , N-Seite, 1610 m, 38.11.00N, 21.51.41O, 26.IV.1998, Schneefelder, leg. Zerche ( DEI) ; 13, 1♀, 2 exs.: GR: Peloponnes, Ahaïa, Panahaiko-Geb., N Shuli, Schnee auf Wiese , N-Hang / 1450 m, 38°11'03N, 21°51'38E, 29.IV.1999, leg. Behne ( DEI) ; 1♀: GR: Peloponnes, Ahaïa, Panahaiko, oberh. Shuli , N-Seite, 29.III.2000, 1465 m, Igelsträucher / Schneerand , 38°11'00N, 21°51'36E, leg. Zerche & Behne ( DEI) ; 3 exs., GR: Peloponnes, Ahaïa, Panahaiko-Geb., SO Ano Kastritsi, Schnee auf Wiese, NW- Hang , 1575 m, / 38°14'51N, 21°51'32O, 24.IV.1999, leg. Zerche ( DEI) ; 233, 2♀♀: GR: Peloponnes, Ahaïa, 10 km O Kalávrita, Aroánia, Strasse zum Chelmos, 1450 / m, Gesiebe im Tannenwald , 38°01'02N, 22°10'21O, 30.3.1997, leg. L. Zerche ( DEI, cAss) ; 2♀♀: GR: Ahaïa, Chelmos, Strasse von Kalavrita zum Xerokambos (Ski-Center), 1450 m, 3.IV.2000, Abies -Wald / Schneefel- der, 38°01'18N, 22°10'45O, leg. Zerche ( DEI, cAss) ; 2♀♀: GR: Peloponnes, Korinthia, Killini- Geb., S Ano Trikala, Schnee im Rasen , O-Hang / 2010 m, 37°55'53N, 22°24'06O, 1.V.1999, leg. Zerche & Behne (cAss) ; 1♀: GR: Peloponnes, Korinthia, S Ano Trikala, Abies, Juniperus, Schnee, N- / Hang , 1645 m, 37°56'24N, 22°25'31O, 27.IV.1999, leg. Zerche ( DEI) ; 233, 1♀: GR: Peloponnes, Korinthía, Killini-Geb., S Trikala, 1940 m, 37.55.48N, 22.. 24.45O / 24.IV.1998, Schneefeld mit Stachelsträuchern, leg. Zerche ( DEI) ; 13, 2♀♀: GR: Arkadía, Melano (n), N-Hang am Ski-Center , 2.IV.2000, 1670 m, Abies - Wald / Schneefelder , 37°39'06N, 22°15'43O, leg. Zerche ( DEI, cAss) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: 2.5-3.0 mm. Coloration variable: body of almost uniformly dark colour, with the head and pronotum dark brown, the elytra slightly paler brown, and the abdomen blackish with paler tergal margins and paler apex, or bicoloured, with the pronotum and elytra reddish, the head slightly darker, and the abdomen reddish with tergite VI and anterior half of tergite VII infuscated; legs yellowish to yellowish brown; antennae brown, with antennomeres I-II yellowish to reddish yellow. Habitus as in Fig. 91 .

Head approximately 1.1 times as wide as long; puncturation dense, but usually very shallow, ill-defined, and indistinct; microsculpture shallow ( Fig. 92 ); eyes relatively small ( Fig. 93 ), not projecting from lateral outline of head, distinctly shorter than postocular region in dorsal view. Antenna as in Fig. 94 , antennomere X approximately 1.5 times as wide as long. Preapical joint of maxillary palpus approximately twice as long as wide.

Pronotum approximately 1.25 times as wide as head and 1.30 times as wide as long ( Fig. 92 ); maximal width approximately in the middle; puncturation very dense, much coarser than that of head, and somewhat asperate; microsculpture very shallow; surface with subdued shine.

Elytra approximately as wide as pronotum and at suture 0.70 times as long as pronotum ( Fig. 92 ); puncturation coarser than that of pronotum, very dense, and rasp-like; microsculpture indistinct; surface with some shine. Hind wings reduced, not projecting from under elytral hind margins when unfolded ( Fig. 85 ). Legs relatively short; metatarsomere I longer than the combined length of the two following metatarsomeres, but shorter than the combined length of metatarsomeres II-IV.

Abdomen approximately as wide as elytra, widest at segments VI/VII, apically weakly tapering ( Fig. 92 ); puncturation distinct and very dense on tergite III, decreasing in density from tergites IV to VIII; microsculpture absent, interstices with distinct shine; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

3: sternite VIII obtusely angled in the middle ( Fig. 100 ); median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 95-98 , with pronounced crista apicalis, ventral process apically not bifid; apical lobe of paramere relatively short, with one very short apical and three long basal and subapical setae ( Fig. 99 ).

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII weakly convex, similar to that of O. afimbriata (cf. Fig. 81 ); spermatheca of highly distinctive, but somewhat variable shape ( Figs 83 , 101- 107 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Lat., adj.: shortened) refers to the short duct of the spermatheca.

I n t r a s p e c i f i c v a r i a t i o n: A comparison of specimens from different mountain ranges revealed some variability of the spermatheca. In the material from the Panahaiko and the Chelmos, the spermathecal duct tends to be shorter, whereas in females from the Killini and the Melanon it is somewhat longer and proximally more or less smoothly curved ( Figs 83 , 101-107 ). However, since convincing constant differences were found neither in the morphology of the aedeagus nor in external characters and, furthermore, since the shape of the spermatheca is subject to some variation even within populations, these differences are attributed to intra- rather than interspecific variation.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: In external morphology, Oxypoda praecisa somewhat resembles species of the O. brachyptera group. However, the morphology of the apically unincised median lobe of the aedeagus, the shape and chaetotaxy of the apical lobe of the paramere, as well as the shape of the spermatheca suggest that it belongs to a different species group. From O. brachyptera and O. lesbia , the new species is readily distinguished by the coarser puncturation of the pronotum and elytra, the shorter elytra, the more pronounced shine especially of the abdomen, by the absence of a palisade fringe at the posterior margin of tergite VII, as well as by the completely different shape of the spermatheca. From O. afimbriata , it is separated by the darker coloration, the less reduced shine of the pronotum and elytra, the less dense puncturation of the pronotum, the shorter elytra, the more pronounced puncturation of the abdomen, and by the different shape of the spermatheca.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: The species inhabits several mountain ranges (Panahaiko, Chelmos, Killini, Melanon) in the northern Pelopónnisos, Greece ( Map 3 ). The reduced hind wings and palisade fringe at the posterior margin of tergite VII suggest that it has a restricted distribution. The type specimens were sifted from moss, grass, litter of coniferous trees and shrubs, often near snow, and the roots of grass and herbs at altitudes of 1450-2010 m.

Figures

Map 3: Distribution of Oxypoda lesbia ASSING (filled circles), O. praecisa sp.n. (open circles), and O. afimbriata sp.n. (square) in Greece.

Figs 71-83: Oxypoda brachyptera (STEPHENS) (71), O. lesbia ASSING (72-79), O. afimbriata sp.n. (80-82), and O. praecisa sp.n. (83). (71-74) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (72, 74: Timfristos; 73: Kato Olympos); (75) apical lobe of paramere; (77-79, 82-83) spermatheca (77: Timfristos; 78: Oros Giona; 79: Kato Olympos; 83: Panahaiko); (76, 81) ♀ sternite VIII; (80) 3 sternite VIII. Scale bars: 76, 80-81: 0.2 mm; 71-75, 77-79, 82-83: 0.1 mm.

Figs 84-94: Oxypoda afimbriata sp.n. (84-90) and O. praecisa sp.n. (91-94). (84, 91) habitus; (85, 92) forebody; (86, 93) head in lateral view; (87, 94) antenna; (88-89) median lobe of aedagus in lateral and in ventral view; (90) apical lobe of paramere. Scale bars: 84, 91: 1.0 mm; 85, 92: 0.5 mm; 86-87, 93-94: 0.2 mm; 88-90: 0.1 mm.

Figs 95-111: Oxypoda pracisa sp.n. (95-107) and O. longicollis BERNHAUER (108-111). (95-98) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (99, 111) apical lobe of paramere; (100) 3 sternite VIII; (101-107) spermathecae of ♀♀ from Panahaiko (101), Chelmos (102-103), Killini (104-105), and Melanon (106-107); (108) forebody; (109) antenna; (110) head in lateral view. Scale bars: 96-99, 101-107, 111: 0.1 mm; 10, 108-110: 0.2 mm.