Sunius bicolor ( OLIVIER 1795)

Assing, V. & A, North, 2008, A revision of the Sunius species of the Western Palaearctic region and Middle Asia (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (1), pp. 5-135 : 53-57

4.20. Sunius bicolor ( OLIVIER 1795) ( Fig. 41 , Map 11 )

Paederus bicolor OLIVIER 1795: 44 .

Lithocharis ruficollis KRAATZ, 1857: 717 ; synonymy confirmed.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Syntypes: 1♀: "Umgebung Berlin. / Syntypus / ruficollis mihi Berol. / coll. Kraatz / coll. DEI Müncheberg / Sunius bicolor (Olivier) det. V. Assing 2007" ( DEI) ; 4♀♀: " Umgebung Berlin. / Syntypus / coll. Kraatz / coll. DEI Müncheberg / Sunius bicolor (Olivier) det. V. Assing 2007" ( DEI) .

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d Spain: G a l i c i a: 1 ex., Sierra de Ancares, Montes des Travesas , 1280 m, 13.I.2005, leg. Valcarcel (cSch). A s t u r i a s: 1 ex., Picos de Europa, Peña Santa, leg. Franz ( NHMW, cAss) ; 1 ex., locality not specified, leg. Kricheldorff ( MNHUB). L a R i o j a: 1 ex., Zarratón, 18.XI.1988, leg. Colón ( DEI). C a s t i l l a - L e ó n: 1 ex., Caboalles, leg. Paganetti ( DEI). C a t a l u ñ a: 1 ex., Barcelona, San Quinco , 14.VI.1969, leg. Senglet (cAss) ; 1 ex., Lérida, Col de Jou , 42°08'N, 1°33'E, 1550 m, under stone, 20.IV.1999, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Palamos ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., " Les Tunes ", VII.1934, leg. Tabertet ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Gerona, S Ribas de Fresser, 900 m, 21.IX.1989, leg. Trautner ( SMNS). A r a g ó n: 4 exs., Sierra de Albarracín , leg. Franz ( NHMW, cAss) ; 1 ex., Teruel, Rubielos de Mora , 28.IX.1971, leg. Comellini (cAss) ; 2 exs., Aragón ( DEI). C a s t i l l a - L a M a n c h a: 2 exs., Sierra de Segura , 4 km W Nerpio, 38°08'N, 02°22'W, 1150 m, bank of stream, 30.III.2007, leg. Andújar & Assing (cAss) ; 1 ex., Ciudad Real, Ruidera , 7.VIII.1969, leg. Comellini ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Cuenca, NW Valdemeca, 1200 m, 24.IV.1984, leg. Schawaller ( SMNS). V a l e n c i a: 1 ex.., Sierra d'Aitana, Pto. Tudons , 1150 m, 4.VI.2003, leg. Forcke (cAss) ; 1 ex., Castellón, W Morella, 800 m, 19.IV.1984, leg. Schawaller ( SMNS). M u r c i a: 5 exs. [partly teneral], Bullas , 4.VII.1971, leg. Comellini ( MHNG, cAss). A n d a l u c í a: 3 exs., Almeria, Chirivel env., leg. Franz ( NHMW) ; 1 ex. [teneral], Sierra Nevada , 1000 m, VIII.1991, leg. Rauhut (cAss) ; 1 ex., Granada, Paulenca de Guadix , 18.VII.1971, leg. Senglet (cAss) ; 1 ex., Granada, Niguelas near Béznar , 3.V.1985, leg. Siede (cWun) ; 1 ex., Granada, Sierra Nevada, Lanjaron , 600 m, 21.III.1994, leg. Assing (cAss) ; 1 ex. [teneral], Granada, Lanjarón, 27.V.1895 ( MHNG). L o c a l i t y n o t s p e c i f i e d: 2exs.,"Hisp."( DEI). France:L a n g u e d o c - R o u s s i l l o n: 2exs., Mosset , 1175 m, under stones, 21.III.2000, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Camurac, 10.V.1970, leg. Tronquet (cTro). M i d i - P y r é n é e s: 1 ex., Gers, Samatan, leg. Clermont ( MHNG). B a s s e - N o r m a n d i e: 1 ex., Calvados, Forêt de Cinglais ( MHNG). P i c a r d i e: 1 ex., Compiègne , under bark of beech, 5.IV.1969, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 2 exs., Oise, 30 km S Amiens, Mont-Saint-Firmin ["Mesnil St. Firmin"] ( MHNG). Î l e - d e - F r a n c e: 1 ex., Béhoust , mole burrows, 28.IX.1971, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Noisiel, inundation of Marne river , 27.II.1970, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Noisiel, inundation of Marne river , 6.III.1970, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 1 ex., Yvelines, Les Essarts-le-Roi , at UV-lamp, VII.1989, leg. Fongond (cTro) ; 6 exs., Gagny ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Montreuil, 5.IV.1996 ( MHNG). C e n t r e: 2 exs., Loir-et-Cher, Meslay, leg. Méquignon ( MHNG). P o i t o u - C h a r e n t e s: 1 ex., Vienne ( HNHM). B o u r g o g n e: 1ex., Piffonds , beneath apple tree, 15.III.1969, leg. Tronquet (cTro) ; 3 exs., Arces [48°05'N, 3°36'E], beneath apple tree, 15.III.1969, leg. Tronquet (cTro). A l s a c e: 2exs., Biesheim, 16.VII.1986, leg. Winkelmann-Klöck (cSch). R h ô n e - A l p e s 1 ex., Haute-Savoie, Bellosy near Vulbens , vole nest, VII.1999, leg. Sudre (cTro) ; 2 exs., Haute-Savoie, Frangy , vole nest, III.1996, leg. Sudre (cTro) ; 1 ex., Haute-Savoie, Malagny near Viry , 14.XII.1963, leg. Comellini ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Rhône, Charbonnières-les-Bains , 5.VI.1948, leg. de Gatisse ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Rhône, Irigny [" Château d'Yvours "] ( MHNG) ; 2 exs., Bouches-du-Rhône, Eyguières, leg. Perrot ( MHNG) ; 5 exs., Rhône, Chaponost ( MHNG) ; 2 exs., Lyon, leg. Perrot ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Isère, inundation of Bourgoin river, VI.1959 ( MHNG). P r o v e n c e: 11 exs., Var , Bras , swampy bank of Argens river , IV.1971, leg. Tronquet (cTro, cAss) ; 1 ex., Menton ( MNHUB) ; 2 exs., Vaucluse, La Bonde near La Motte-d'Aigues, VIII., leg. Fagniez ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., La Bonde , 28.II.1909, leg. Fagniez ( MHNG) ; 2 exs., Alpes-Maritimes, inundation of Loup river , leg. Ochs ( MHNG). C o r s e: 1♀, Aleria, 1905 ( DEI) ; 1♀, Castagniccia [ca. 42°24'N, 9°21'E], 1150 m, 7.IV.1990, leg. Wunderle (cWun) ; 13 [teneral], Aleria env., car-net, 4.VII.1991, leg. Zanetti (cZan).L o c a l i t y n o t s p e c i f i e d: 3exs.,"Gallia" ( DEI, HNHM). Switzerland: 1 ex., Genève ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Peney-le-Jorat ( MHNG). Sweden: 1 ex., Stenshuvud (Sk), 19.X.1989, leg. Lundberg (cKöh). Germany: N o r d r h e i n - W e s t f a l e n: 1 ex., Bonn , 23.X.1987, leg. Köhler (cKöh) ; 1 ex., Wesseling, Rheinaue Urfeld , 30.I.1995, leg. Köhler (Köh). B a d e n - W ü r t t e m b e r g: 1 ex., Heilbronn, leg. Hüther ( MHNG) ; 2 exs., Heilbronn , 11.III.1919 ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Gemmrigheim , IV.1987, leg. Wolf ( SMNS) ; 1 ex., Engen / Hegau, Hohenhöwen , 10.V.1980, leg. Hahn ( SMNS). R h e i n l a n d - P f a l z: 8 exs., Landau, Waldrohrbach, arable land, 1993, leg. Köhler & Fritz (cKöh, cRen) ; 2 exs., same data, but VIII.1992 (cKöh) ; 1 ex., Hassloch, 22.IV.1973, leg. Korbel ( SMNS). B a y e r n: 1 ex., München, 9.XI.1908 ( MNHUB) S c h l e s w i g - H o l s t e i n: 1 ex., Eutin, Seeschar, 29.VIII.1919 ( DEI)). N i e d e r s a c h s e n: 1 ex., Helmstedt env., Jerxheim, salty swamp, 10.VIII.1989, leg. Assing (cAss). H e s s e n: 3 exs., Geinsheim, bank of Rhine river, flood debris, III.1997, leg. Hetzel (cFel). M e c k l e n b u r g - V o r p o m m e r n: 1 ex., Ahrenshoop/Darss, 15.V.1983, leg. Hoppe (cSch). S a c h s e n - A n h a l t: 1 ex., Halle , LK Merseburg, Knapendorf , meadow, V.1996, leg. Sprick (cAss) ; 1 ex., S Halle, Dörstewitz, field margin with Typha , 30.V.1996, leg. Sprick (cAss) ; 2 exs., Halle , S Gimritz, pitfall trap, 4.VIII.1993, leg. Teichmann (cFel) ; 2 exs., same data, but 1.IX.1993 (cFel, cAss) ; 1 ex., same data, but 16.XI.1993 (cFel) ; 1 ex., Schönebeck a. E., 22.X.1935, leg. Borchert ( MNHUB) ; 2 exs., Blankenburg , 1.XII.1939 ( MNHUB, cAss) ; 1 ex., Blankenburg , 15.IV.1940 ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex., Harz, Bodetal , 23.V.1932 ( MNHUB) ; 1 ex.,

Dessau / Elbe, Vockerode , flood plain of Elbe river , car-net, 25.VIII.1999, leg. Renner (cRen) ; 1 ex., Kreis Stassfurt, Hecklingen, Gänsefurter Busch , 7.II.1988, leg. Gruschwitz (cSch) ; 1 ex., Parchau , 2.IV.1988, leg. Geiter (cSch) ; 1 ex., Magdeburg env., NSG "Kreuzhorst", 9.II.1978, leg. Behne (cSch) ; 1 ex., Naumburg, Totental , under stone, 26.IV.1955, leg. Dieckmann ( DEI) ; 1 ex., Eisleben, salt pit, 13.II.1920, leg. Feige ( DEI). T h ü r i n g e n: 1 ex. [teneral], Bad Frankenhausen, Kyffhäuser , 20.IX.1918 ( DEI). B r a n d e n b u r g / B e r l i n: 1ex.,N-Lausitz,openpit Schlabendorf-Nord , 26.VII.2001 (cFel) ; 2 exs., Strausberg env., NSG Annatal - Lange Dammwiesen , 15.VI.1985, leg. Schülke (cSch) ; 1 ex., same locality, 25.IV.1982, leg. Heinig (cSch) ; 2 exs., N Herzfelde , 52°30'N, 13°51'E, clay pit, 12.V.2006, leg. Schülke (cSch, cAss) ; 1 ex., dry slopes WNW Kröchlendorff , sifted under hedges on loamy soil, 23.IV.2005, leg. Wrase (cSch) ; 1 ex., 1 km N Plessa , clay pit, 7.VIII.2004, leg. Schülke (cSch) ; 1 ex., N Kaakstedt , 500 m, loamy field, 23.IV.2005, leg. Wrase (cSch) ; 1 ex., Berlin, Lichtenberg , 24.IV.2000 (cSch) ; 1 ex., Berlin, Lübers , 14.VIII.1991, leg. Wrase (cSch) ; 1 ex., Berlin, Pankow, Tegeler Fliess , 52°39'N, 13°24'E, 3.V.2006, leg. Schülke (cSch) ; 1 ex., same locality, pasture, litter under birch sifted, 14.IX.2006, leg. Schülke (cSch) ; 5 exs., Berlin, Reinickendorf, Tegeler Fliess , moss and grass sifted, 9.III.2007, leg. Schülke (cSch, cAss) ; 1 ex., Berlin ( DEI). S a c h s e n: 1 ex., Leipzig, LSG Lössnig-Dölitz , pitfall, V.-VII.1995, leg. Sprick (cAss) ; 1 ex., Leipzig, Grosse Deponie , V.- VII.1995, leg. Sprick (cAss) ; 1 ex., Leipzig, Probstheida , elm hedge, 14.II.1961, leg. Dieckmann (cAss) ; 1 ex. [teneral], Leipzig, Markkleeberg , flood, 13.VII.1954, leg. Dieckmann ( DEI) ; 3 exs., Landkreis Denitzsch, Gruna, bank of Mulde river , flood debris, 12.III.2000, leg. Schülke (cSch). Italy: 1 ex., Calabria, Sta. Eufemia d'Aspromonte, 1905, leg. Paganetti (cAss). Poland: 2 exs., Szczecin [" Stettin "] ( DEI). Czech Republic: 1 ex., Praha env., Lotouš near Slaný, 8.V.1978 (cBoh) ; 1♀, Plouhi vrch pr. Bělušice , 21.V.1983, leg. Wrase (cSch). Locality not specified or illegible: 2 exs. ( DEI) .

D i a g n o s i s: In external characters similar to S. fallax , reliably distinguished from other bicoloured species with rather long elytra and with a palisade fringe at the posterior margin of the abdominal tergite VII only by the morphology of the aedeagus. For a colour image of the habitus see TRONQUET (2006).

3: aedeagus with conspicuously long, straight, and subapically distinctly dentate ventral process; for illustrations see figures in BOHÁČ (1985) and COIFFAIT (1961, 1984).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: Based on the material examined, the distribution is of the Atlanto-Mediterranean type and ranges from the Iberian peninsula to Central Europe ( Germany, Poland, Czech Republic) and southern Scandinavia ( Map 11 ). In Germany, the species is apparently more common in the east than in the west. Remarkably, no specimens were seen from Austria, from where the species has been recorded repeatedly (e.g. HORION 1965; SMETANA 2004). All the specimens from Austria that had been identified as S. bicolor refer to other species, especially S. fallax . In the British Isles, the species has been recorded as very local only from southern England ( JOY 1932). In Scandinavia, it is known only from southern Sweden and from Denmark ( LUNDBERG 1995). According to SMETANA (2004), the species has been reported also from eastern and southeastern Europe, even from the Caucasus region. However, probably all these records are evidently based on misidentifications, especially confusion with S. fallax , but also with other species ( S. nigrinus , S. fulgocephalus , etc.). This particularly applies to previous records from the Caucasus region ( Azerbaijan, Russia), the Balkans ( Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia), and Ukraine. Previous records from Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia should be considered doubtful and require verification. All the specimens seen from these regions that had been month identified as S. bicolor refer to other species. TÓTH (1982) reports the species from the Bakony mountains in Hungary and figures the aedeagus; however, since the illustrations are not based on Hungarian material, but copied from COIFFAIT (1961), and no material of S. bicolor was found in the HNHM, this record, too, seems most doubtful.

The material examined was collected in a great variety of usually unforested habitats by hand collecting, sifting, and with pitfall traps: on banks of streams and rivers, repeatedly in flood debris (February, March, June), in meadows, pastures, flood plains, in arable land (loamy fields, field margins, orchards, under hedges), in clay pits, salt pits, salty swamps, recultivated coal pits, in urban habitats, in nests of moles (September) and voles (March, July), and on one occasion under bark of beech (April). Most of the records are from lower and intermediate altitudes; the highest elevation indicated on the labels is 1550 m. Flying specimens were caught at a light source (July) and with car-nets (July, August). According to HORION (1965), the species has also been found under beach debris. Remarkably, almost all the records listed above are based on single or very few (2-3) specimens. Only once, as many as 11 specimens were collected in one sample.

The examined specimens were collected throughout the year, with maximal numbers from March through May and from July through September ( Fig. 41 ). Teneral adults were caught in May, July, August, and September, with a maximum in July, these data suggesting pre-imaginal development in spring and summer.

Figures

Map 11: Distributions of Sunius bicolor (OLIVIER) (filled circles), S. mallorcensis (COIFFAIT) (open circles), and S. ibizae nov.sp. (squares), based on examined records.

Fig. 41: Seasonal distribution of Sunius bicolor (OLIVIER), based on examined specimens (black bars) and records (grey bars).