Meotica ochsi BENICK , 1953

Assing, Volker & Vogel, Jürgen, 2019, The mother of synonyms: on the Meotica species of the Palaearctic Region (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Oxypodini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 731-772 : 761-762

Meotica ochsi BENICK, 1953 ( Figs 60-64 , 74-75)

Meotica ochsi BENICK, 1953: 78 . Meotica punctulata BENICK, 1953: 62 ; nov.syn. T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: M. ochsi : Lectotype ♂, present designation: " Berthemont, A.M. b. Nizza, IV.51 Ochs / Meotica ochsi ♂ ♀ G. Bck, Typus / Coll. G. Benick / Meotica ochsi Benick teste J. Vogel / Lectotypus ♂ Meotica ochsi Benick , desig. V. Assing 2018 / Meotica ochsi Benick , det. V. Assing 2018" ( MHNG). Paralectotype ♀: on same pin as lectotype ( MHNG). M. punctulata: Syntypes: 1♀: " In. Loup b. Nizza, A.M. XI.51 Ochs / Meotica punctulata ♀ G. Bck, Typus / Coll. G. Benick / Meotica ochsi Benick corr. J. Vogel / Meotica ochsi Benick , det. V. Assing 2018" ( MHNG); 1♀: "[without locality label] / Meotica punctulata ♂ [sic] G. Bck Typus / Coll. G. Benick / Meotica ochsi Benick corr. J. Vogel / Meotica ochsi Benick , det. V. Assing 2018" ( MHNG). 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: 1♂, 1♀, Haute-Provence, Annot,

Iscle, in sand of stream bank, VI.1988, leg. Wunderle (cWun, cAss); 1♀, Nice env., Var river,

3.VI.1988, leg. Renner (cRen); 5♀♀, Nice env., Vésubie river, VI.1951, XII.1954, IV.1956,

II.1958, all leg. Ochs (MHNG); 1♂, 2♀♀, same locality data, VI.1975, leg. Curti ( MHNG); 6 exs.,

Nice env., Loup river, XII.1954, leg. Ochs (MHNG, cVog). SWITZERLAND: 1♂, Genf, La

London, 25.III.1965, leg. Comellini (MHNG); 1♀, Vaud, Rossinière , 14.V.1967, leg. Comellini

(cVog); 1♂, Valais, Berisal , 1400 m, 29.VI.1962, leg. Besuchet (cVog) .

C o m m e n t: The original description of M. ochsi is based on three syntypes, two males and one female, from "Berthemont in der Nähe Nizzas", that of M. punctulata on "Ein Pärchen" from "Nizza In. Versubie", two unsexed specimens from "In. Loupe", and one from "In. Rhone" ( BENICK 1953). The examined male syntype of M. ochsi is designated as the lectotype. Based on the shape of the spermatheca, the type material of both names is undoubtedly conspecific. Both names were made available in the same article. Since all the examined syntypes of M. punctulata are females, M. ochsi is designated as the senior synonym.

D i a g n o s i s: ♂: sternite VIII ( Fig. 74 ) moderately transverse, posterior margin concave; median lobe of aedeagus approximately 0.3 mm long and shaped as in Figs 60- 62 ; apical lobe of paramere blackish.

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII convex ( Fig. 75 ); spermatheca short and commashaped ( Figs 63-64 ).

C o n f i r m e d d i s t r i b u t i o n: France, Switzerland.

Figures

Figs 60-68: Meotica ochsi (60-64; 60: lectotype; 63: paralectotype; 61-62, 64: Provence) and M. smetanai (65-68): (60-62, 65-66) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (63-64, 68) spermatheca; (67) female sternite VIII. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figs 69-79: Meotica andujari (69-73), M. ochsi (74-75), M. wunderlei (76-77), and M. normandi (78-79): (69, 74, 76, 78) male sternite VIII; (70) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (71) apical portion of median lobe in ventral view; (72, 75, 77, 79) female sternite VIII; (73) spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.