Platyola balcanica SCHEERPELTZ 1958

Assing, V., 2009, On the taxonomy, bionomics, and distribution of Platyola balcanica, a species with a remarkable ophthalmopolymorphism (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (1), pp. 445-451 : 446-450

Platyola balcanica SCHEERPELTZ 1958 ( Figs 1-15 , Map 1)

Platyola balcanica SCHEERPELTZ 1958: 430 ff.

Platyola austriaca SCHEERPELTZ 1959: 11 ff.; nov.syn.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d P. balcanica : Lectotype 3, present designation: "3 / Mittel-Griechenland, Dr. M. Beier, 6. VI.33 / Nisista, Xeravuni, 750-800 m, Gesiebe / Typus Platyola balcanica O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz / Lectotypus 3 Platyola balcanica Scheerpeltz , desig. V. Assing 2008 / Platyola balcanica Scheerpeltz , det. V. Assing 2008" ( NHMW). Paralectotypes: 1♀: same data as lectotype ( NHMW) ; 2 exs.: " Kruja , Alban. , Mader / Platyola nov.sp. / Cotypus Platyola balcanica O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz " ( NHMW) ; 1 ex.: " Mal i Dajtit , Alb. Strupi / Cotypus Platyola balcanica O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz " ( NHMW) ; 1 ex.: " Dalm. Castelnuovo , Hilf 1910, Coll. O. Leonhard / Cotypus Platyola balcanica O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Leonhard " ( NHMW) .

P. austriaca : Lectotype 3, present designation: "3 / Umg. Vöslau, Niederösterreich / Typus Platyola austriaca O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz / Lectotypus 3 Platyola austriaca Scheerpeltz , desig. V. Assing 2008 / Platyola balcanica Scheerpeltz , det. V. Assing 2008" ( NHMW) . Paralectotypes: 13: same data as lectotype ( NHMW) ; 3♀♀: " Bisamberg, Au. i., Schweiger / Coypus Platyola austriaca O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz " ( NHMW) ; 1 ex.: " Vöslau, Austria / Platyola fuscicornis [sic], det. Kaiser / leg. Paganetti / Cotypus Platyola austriaca O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz " ( NHMW) ; 1 ex.: "A. i. Scheerpeltz, Lainzer Tiergarten / an ausfliessendem Eichen-Baumsaft / 13.6.1948 / Cotypus Platyola austriaca O. Scheerpeltz / ex coll. Scheerpeltz " ( NHMW). 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: Hungary: 1 ex., Villanyi mts., Vokány, carnet, 13.V.1999, leg. Ziegler (cAss). Croatia: 1 ex., Istra, Mt. Učka , 900 m, 4.VIII.2001, leg. Schuh (cAss) ; 2 exs., Josipdol-Karlovac, car-net, 9. V.1990, leg. Wunderle (cWun). Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1 ex., Kraljeva-Moštre, car-net, 5. V.1990, leg. Wunderle (cWun). Greece: 1 ex., Evritanía , Oros Kokínias , above Livadáki , 1495 m, endogean pitfall trap, 9. VI.2006 - 12. VI.2007, leg. Giachino & Vailati (cAss) ; 2 exs., Etolia-Arkananía, Oros Oxia, road Mandrini-Levadáki , 780 m, endogean pitfall trap, 9. VI.2006 - 10. VI.2007, leg. Giachino & Vailati (cAss) ; 1 ex., Ahaia, Oros Panahaiko, above Paraskevi , 1150 m, endogean pitfall trap, VI.2005 - VI.2006 leg. Giachino & Vailati (cAss). Turkey: 2 exs., Kahramanmaraş, 14 km SW Türkoğlu, 37°21'N, 36°44'E, 850 m, dry grassland, rotting subterranean parts of dead Asphodelus sp. and the surrounding soil sifted, 19.IV.2005, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) .

C o m m e n t: The original description of P. balcanica is based on two syntypes ("13, 1♀, Typen") from "Nisista, Xerovuni" and an unspecified number of syntypes from "Süddalmatien, Herzegowina, Montenegro, Nordalbanien" ( SCHEERPELTZ 1958). According to SCHEERPELTZ (1959), the syntype series of P. austriaca consists of two specimens ("13, 1♀, Typen") from "Bad-Vöslau" and an unspecified number of specimens from "Perchtholdsdorf bei Wien", "Gebiete des sogenannten 'Lainzer Tiergartens' bei Wien", and "Gebiete des Bisamberges bei Wien". Two males in good condition from the type series of P. balcanica and P. austriaca , respectively, are designated as the lectotypes.

An examination of the type material of both P. balcanica and P. austriaca , as well as of the additional material listed above revealed a pronounced variation of external characters. The genitalia, however, are identical ( Figs 11-15 ), suggesting that the observed variation of size, body shape, coloration, and eye size is an expression of intra- rather than interspecific variation. Consequently, P. austriaca is placed in synonymy with P. balcanica .

S e x u a l c h a r a c t e r s 3: posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly concave in the middle and with microsetae ( Fig. 7 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII distinctly produced in the middle ( Fig. 8 ); aedeagus as in Figs 11-13 .

♀: posterior margin of tergite VIII broadly convex ( Fig. 9 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII weakly angled in the middle ( Fig. 10 ); spermatheca as in Figs 14-15.

I n t r a s p e c i f i c v a r i a t i o n: External characters such as body size, body shape, coloration, and particularly eye size are subject to enormous variation. For an illustration of the variation of body size and body shape see the illustrations of two specimens collected in one sample in southern Turkey and of the lectotype of P. balcanica ( Figs 1-4 ).

Most of the examined specimens have the following coloration: head dark-brown; pronotum reddish-brown to yellowish-brown; elytra, legs, and antennae yellowish to reddish-yellow; abdomen reddish to reddish-brown. However, the coloration is highly variable and the body may be paler (more or less uniformly yellowish) or darker (darkbrownish).

Remarkably, the species is subject to a pronounced ophthalmo-polymorphism. In microphthalmous specimens the eyes are composed of approximately 15-20 ommatidia and distinctly less than half as long as the postocular region in lateral view ( Fig. 6 ), whereas in macrophthalmous beetles the eyes are composed of more than 100 ommatidia and approximately as long as the postocular region ( Fig. 5 ). These extreme forms are linked by transitional conditions. There is no evidence that the variation of eye size is sex-related. The genitalia of macro- and microphthalmous morphs are identical.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s Platyola balcanica is evidently a Ponto- Mediterranean species, its known distribution ranging from southern Turkey across the Balkans to southeastern Central Europe (Map 1). In addition to the countries listed above, the species has reliably been recorded from the Czech Republic (as P. austriaca ) and Yugoslavia ( LOHSE 1974; SMETANA 2004). Previous records of P. fusicornis from Croatia ( NOVAK 1952; ROUBAL 1913) probably refer to P. balcanica . It has been reported also from Kazakhstan ( KASHCHEEV 1995), but the currently known distribution pattern suggests that this record is probably based on a misidentification.

The specimens from Kahramanmaraş represent the first record from Turkey. For an additional record from the Pelopónnisos, Greece, see PACE (2005).

According to SCHEERPELTZ (1958, 1959), the type material of P. balcanica and P. austriaca was collected from the leaf litter of a mixed sycamore and acorn forest, from subterranean vegetable refuse (placed there as bait for subterranean beetles), compost, and oak sap exudations. Most of the additional material listed above was collected either with subterranean pitfall traps or on the wing with car-nets; the specimens from Turkey were sifted from the rotting subterranean parts of Asphodelus sp., together with the type material of the anophthalmous P. caeca . Flying specimens were collected in May; they are all macrophthalmous.These observations suggest that P. balcanica has a cryptic endogean habitat and macrophthalmous specimens disperse by flight. The altitudes range from approximately 200 m to 1500 m.

Map 1: Distribution of Platyola balcanica SCHEERPELTZ , based on revised records.

Figures

Figs 1-10: Platyola balcanica SCHEERPELTZ: (1-3) habitus (1-2: Turkey; 3: lectotype of P. balcanica); (4) forebody; (5-6) head in lateral view of macropthalmous (5) and microphthalmous specimen (6); (7) posterior margin of male tergite VIII; (8) male sternite VIII; (9) female tergite VIII; (10) female sternite VIII. Scale bars: 1-3: 1.0 mm; 4-6: 0.5 mm; 8-10: 0.2 mm; 7: 0.1 mm.

Figs 11-15: Platyola balcanica SCHEERPELTZ: (11-13) aedeagus of lectotype of P. balcanica (11), and of lectotype (12) and paralectotype (13) of P. austriaca; (14-15) spermatheca of paralectotype of P. austriaca (14) and of female from Turkey (15). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.