Sunius seminiger ( FAIRMAIRE 1860)

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 : 75-77

4.39. Sunius seminiger ( FAIRMAIRE 1860) (Figs 130-131, Map 15)

Lithocharis seminigra FAIRMAIRE 1860: 161 f.

Lithocharis aveyronnensis MATHAN 1862: 244 ; resynonymised.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Lectotype 3, here designated: "Nimes / Lectotypus 3 Lithocharis seminigra Fairmaire desig. V. Assing 2007 / Sunius seminiger (Fairmaire) det. V. Assing 2007 (MSA). Paralectotype 3 [aedeagus missing]: "Type / Lithocharis seminigra, Mers K. / Paralectotypus Lithocharis seminigra Fairmaire desig. V. Assing 2007 / Sunius sp. , det. V. Assing 2007" (MNHNP).

C o m m e n t s: Lithocharis seminigra was described from an unspecified number of syntypes from "Mers-el-Kébir (Coquerel); Algérie (Lalleman)" and "aux environ de Nîmes" ( FAIRMAIRE 1860). Two syntypes were located, one of them in the Fairmaire collection at the MNHNP. It is a dissected male, evidently the specimen from Mers el Kébir, but the aedeagus is missing, so that an interpretation is problematic. The male sternite VIII is characterised by a distinct median projection, but there may be other species with similar male secondary sexual characters in the region. The syntype from Nîmes was collected by Perris, whose collection is deposited at the MSA in Montpellier. It is a male and conspecific with S. aveyronnensis . It is here designated as the lectotype, so that S. aveyronnensis is now as junior synonym of S. seminiger , a synonymy already proposed by FAUVEL (1866). No types were found in the Fauvel collection at the IRSNB (GÉRARD, e-mail 6.VIII.2007). The paralectotype from Mers el Kébir, which is situated some 10 km to the northwest of Oran, northwestern Algeria, doubtlessly refers to a different, apparently undescribed species of approximately 2.6 mm. Its body is bicoloured with the forebody yellowish brown and the abdomen dark brown. The species is similar to S. brachypterus and its allies, but distinguished by the male sexual characters. The male sternite VIII is oblong and has a pronounced pubescent median tubercle distinctly projecting postero-ventrad (lateral view). The posterior excision of the male sternite VIII is moderately deep and V-shaped. From S. baboricus , the only other Algerian species with a tubercle on the male sternite VIII, this species is distinguished by the shape of the male sternite VIII (more oblong, posteriorly more deeply incised, more pronounced tubercle).

According to COIFFAIT (1961, 1984), S. seminiger is distributed in the Djebel Ta Babor. However, this mountain is separated from Mers el Kébir (near Oran), the locality where the paralectotype was found, by some 600 km, so that, for zoogeographic reasons alone, it would be highly unlikely that both populations should be conspecific. Moreover, COIFFAIT (1984) explicitly states that the species he interprets as S. seminiger lacks a tubercle on the male sternite VIII.

Lithocharis aveyronnensis was described from an unspecified number of syntypes from "Millau (Aveyron), sous les pierres" ( MATHAN 1862). They were not examined, but since some of the above specimens are from the vicinity of the type locality of this species, there is little doubt that they are conspecific with the type material.

A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: France: 2 exs. [1 teneral], Aveyron , La Cavalerie [44°00'N, 3°09'E], 29.VII.1925 ( MHNG, cAss) ; 2 exs., Aveyron , La Fabière (near La Cavalerie], 30.VII. ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Aveyron , Causse du Larzac, under stone, 29.V.1975, leg. Barrier (cTro) ; 1 ex., Lozère , Causse Méjean, VI.1973, leg. Tempère (cSch) ; 1 ex., Lozère , Causse Méjean, 11.X.1967, leg. Tempère ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Lozère , Col de Finiels, 1540 m, 8.VI.1967, leg. Tempère (cAss) ; 3♀♀, Gard , Causse, near Lanuéjols, 3.V.1964, leg. Puthz ( MHNG) ; 1 ex., Hérault , Ferrières-les-Verreries, near Grotte de Corniès, 260 m, 18.III.2001, leg. Piry (cTro) .

D i a g n o s i s: Externalmorphology as in S. brachypterus .

3: sternite VII with weakly concave posterior margin, pubescence unmodified; sternite VIII with moderately deep posterior incision, otherwise unmodified (Fig. 131); aedeagus of similar morphology as in S. brachypterus , but with ventral process less slender in lateral view; internal sac with short row of sclerotised slender spines (Fig. 130).

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 is endemic to the southern Massif Central and adjacent areas (Map 15). The material examined was collected at altitudes of 260-1540 m in March, May-July, and October. One specimen collected in July is teneral.