Eccoptoglossa amischoides, Assing, 2014

Assing, V., 2014, Two new species of Eccoptoglossa from Iran and Kyrgyzstan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 46 (2), pp. 1103-1109 : 1104-1107

Eccoptoglossa amischoides nov.sp. ( Figs 1-3 , 7-13 , Map 1 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " IRAN, Ardabil Province, E Abi Beyglu: Saha Dam , 1470 m, N 38°14'18'' E 048°39'43'', [date not specified; according to FRISCH (pers. comm.), 11.X.2011], leg. Frisch / Holotypus Eccoptoglossa amischoides sp.n. det. V. Assing 2014" ( MNHUB) . Paratypes: 82 exs.: same data as holotype ( MNHUB, cAss, cFel) ; 1: " IRAN, Ardabil Province, Aradabil - Astara: Namin - Abi Beyglu , 1360 m, N 38°23'26'' E 048°29'08'', 11.10.2011, leg. Frisch " ( MNHUB) ; 1: " IRAN, Lorestan Province, 20 km SW Borujerd , 1740 m, N 33°46'23'' E 049°39'06'', 15.10.2011, leg. Frisch " ( MNHUB) ; 1: " IRAN, Lorestan Province, 35 km E Kuhdasht: Kashkan , 1010 m, N 33°35'20'' E 047°52'52'', 17.10.2011, leg. Frisch " (cAss) .

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet (adjective) alludes to the external resemblance to species of the athetine genus Amischa THOMSON, 1858 .

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 2.2-3.0 mm; length of forebody 1.2-1.4 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 1 . Coloration: body black; legs blackish-brown with paler tarsi; antennae blackish.

Head ( Fig. 2 ) distinctly transverse, 1.10-1.22 times as broad as long and wedge-shaped, i.e., distinctly dilated posteriorly; punctation fine and moderately dense; interstices with distinct microreticulation ( Fig. 3 ). Eyes usually slightly longer than postocular region in dorsal view. Antenna 0.8-0.9 mm long, moderately and gradually incrassate apically; antennomeres IV-X distinctly transverse, gradually increasing in width ( Fig. 2 ).

Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ) 1.04-1.12 times as broad as long and approximately 1.08 times as broad as head, with very indistinct and ill-defined median impression posteriorly; punctation dense, more distinct than that of head ( Fig. 7 ).

Elytra ( Fig. 2 ) approximately as long as pronotum; punctation fine and dense; microsculpture composed of fine network of striae connecting the punctures ( Fig. 8 ). Hind wings fully developed. Metatarsomere I elongated, longer than combined length of II-IV.

Abdomen approximately 0.9 times as broad as elytra; tergites III-V with moderately pronounced anterior impressions; punctation dense and moderately fine, slightly less dense on posterior than on anterior tergites; interstices without microsculpture, except for rudiments near anterior tergal margins; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

: sternite VIII ( Fig. 9 ) approximately as long as broad, somewhat longer than tergite VIII, and with concave posterior margin; median lobe of aedeagus approximately 0.25 mm long and shaped as in Figs 10-11 .

: sternite VIII distinctly transverse, posterior margin weakly convex; spermatheca shaped as in Figs 12-13.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: This species is characterized particularly by the amischoid habitus, the pronounced microsculpture and dense punctation of the forebody, the dark coloration, and the sexual characters. From the externally similar E. reticuliceps ASSING, 1999 (male unknown) from Mongolia, it is distinguished above all by the longer proximal portion and the shorter apical portion of the spermathecal capsule. From E. obscura LUZE, 1904 ( Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan), it differs by the wedgeshaped head, the distinctly transverse antennomeres I-IV, the presence of microsculpture on the elytra, the posteriorly concave male sternite VIII, the longer crista apicalis of the aedeagus, as well as by the apically not dilated distal portion and the longer proximal portion of the spermathecal capsule. For characters separating E. amischoides from E. kirgisica see the comparative notes in the following section.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The known distribution is confined to two localities in Ardabil Province, northwestern Iran, and two in Lorestan Province, western Iran ( Map 1 ). The altitudes range from 1010 to 1740 m. The specimens were sifted from Salix leaf litter and hand-collected from moist soil on banks of streams and rivers (FRISCH pers. comm.)

Figures

Map 1: Distribution of Eccoptoglossa: E. amischoides (black circles); E. turanica (white circle); E. obscura (black diamonds); E. kirgisica (white diamond); E. reticuliceps (triangle).

Figs 1-6: Eccoptoglossa amischoides nov.sp. (1-3) and E. kirgisica nov.sp. (4-6): (1, 4) habitus; (2, 5) forebody; (3, 6) median dorsal portion of head. Scale bars: 1, 4: 1.0 mm; 2, 5: 0.5 mm; 3, 6: 0.1 mm.

Figs 7-17: Eccoptoglossa amischoides nov.sp. (7-13) and E. kirgisica nov.sp. (14-17): (7, 14) posterior median portion of the pronotum; (8, 15) sutural portion of elytra; (9) male sternite VIII; (10, 16) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (11) median lobe of aedeagus in ventral view; (12-13, 17) spermatheca. Scale bars: 9: 0.2 mm; 7-8, 10-17: 0.1 mm.