Aleochara (Xenochara) cristata, Assing, 2009

Assing, V., 2009, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Aleochara species of the subgenera Xenochara M & R and Rheochara M & R (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 59 (1), pp. 33-101 : 78-80

Aleochara (Xenochara) cristata nov. sp. ( Figs 162-168, Map 6)

Type material:

Holotype ♂: "E - Andalucía [15], Sierra de los Filabres, S. Serón, 1800 m, grassland, 37°15'44N, 02°30'30W, 19.III.2008, V. Assing / Holotypus ♂ Aleochara cristata sp. n., det. V. Assing 2009" (cAss) . Paratypes: 1 ♂: same data as holotype (cAss) ; 1 ♀: "E - Andalucía [13], W Almeria, Sierra de Gádor , 2120 m, 36°53'51N, 02°49'20W, 18.III.2008, C. Andújar & V. Assing " (cAss) ; 1 ♂: "E - No. 25; 60 km E Teruel, Sierra del Rayo, E Valdelineares , 1800 m, 40°23'18N, 00°31'09W, 13.IV.2003, leg. V. Assing " (cAss) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀: same data, but leg. Wunderle (cWun) ; 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀: " Spanien: Burgos, Strasse von Palacio de la Sierra nach S., 1000-1200 m, 27.05.1994, Autok., Schülke & Grünberg" (cSch, cAss) ; 1 ♀: " Spanien: Burgos, Sierra de Neila, Campino , 1500- 1900 m, 25.05.1994, Schülke & Grünberg" (cSch) ; 1 ♂: " Spanien: Burgos, Sierra de Neila, Strasse v. El Collado n. Quintanar , 27.05.1994, Schülke & Grünberg" (cSch) ; 1 ♀: " España (Av), Sierra de Gredos , 1700 m, 123- 22/V-1992, P. Poot" (cWun) ; 1 ♂: "E ( NW) Reinosa, Tres Mares / Cornon , 2000-2150 m, 04.06.91, Wunderle" (cAss) ; 1 ♂: " Espagne, Granada , Sierra de la Sagra, crottin [horse dung], 1400 m, M. Tronquet, 22/04/2000 " (cTro) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀: " Espagne, Granada , Sierra de la Sagra, 2300-2380 m, [snowfield], M. Tronquet, 30-04-91" (cTro, cAss) ; 1 ♂: " Espagne, Granada, Sierra Nevada , Puerto de la Ragua, 2000-2300 m, M. Tronquet, 28-04-91" (cTro) ; 1 ♀: " Espagne, Teruel, Sierra de Javalambre , litière et racines [shrub litter], 2000 m, M. Tronquet, 26/04/2000 " (cTro) ; 1 ♀: "P - Serra da Estrela , 12, S Manteigas, 1073 m, bushes, under stones, 40°21'20N, 7°33'39W, 19.III.2002, Meybohm" (cAss) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀: " France, Pyrénées orientales, Réserve naturelle de Nohèdes, Piégeages bouses [dung trap], 1150/ 1600 m, G. Pinault leg., 5/95" (cTro) ; 1 ♀: " France, Pyrénées-Orientales, Jujols , F. Soldati leg., 15/05/2002 " (cTro) ; 1 ♀: " France, Pyrénées-Orientales, Jujols , piége d'interception [1500-1800 m, window trap], O.N.F. leg., 14 au 21.05.2002 " (cTro) ; 1 ♂: " France, Pyrénées-Orientales, Molitg-les-Bains , latrines blaireau [800 m, badger dung], M. Tronquet, 01.03.02" (cTro) ; 1 ♂: "NG.16025 France Var (83), Pland‘Aups, Saint Pilon , (994 m), 43°19'N 05°46'E / Aspirateur à moteur, 14.X.2008 Gompel N. Leg. " (cGom) ; 1 ♂: "Teniet el Had / Taquin ( Alg. ) / Chellala / Coll. R. I. Sc. N. B" ( IRSNB) ; 1 ♂: " Mazargues près Marseille , 2,3, excréments / cornuta Fvl. / Coll. R. I. Sc. N. B" ( IRSNB) .

Description:

Body length: 4.5-7.5 mm. External and secondary sexual characters as in A. cornuta , distinguished only by the male primary sexual characters:

♂: sternite VIII similar to that of A. cornuta ; median lobe of aedeagus 0.75-0.90 mm long, similar to that of A. cornuta , but ventral process of median lobe subapically more or less distinctly sinuate in lateral view; crista apicalis very large ( Figs 162-165); apical internal structures and apical lobe of paramere of similar shape as in A. cornuta ( Figs 165-167).

♀: spermatheca shaped as in Fig. 168.

Etymology:

The name (Latin, adjective) refers to the narrow crista apicalis of the aedeagus, one of the characters distinguishing this species from the highly similar A. cornuta .

Comparative notes:

Aleochara cristata is distinguished from other species of the A. maculata group by the morphology of the aedeagus and, except for A. cornuta , by the uniformly blackish elytra. It is reliably separated from the highly similar A. cornuta only by the male primary sexual characters, i. e., the much larger crista apicalis and the subapically sinuate ventral process (lateral view).

Distribution and bionomics:

Aleochara cristata is evidently rather widespread in the Western Mediterranean and currently known from Spain, Portugal, and southern France, eastwards to the environs of Marseille ( Map 6). One of the paratypes has three different labels with Algerian localities attached to it, so there is still some doubt as to whether the species is really present in Algeria.

The type specimens were found under stones, sifted from grass roots, tree and shrub litter, repeatedly near snowfields, and collected from dung (badger, horse) at altitudes of mostly 1400- 2400 m, one specimen also at 800 m; five specimens were collected on the wing with car-nets and window traps (1000-1800 m) in May and August. On several occasions, the species was found together with A. maculata .

Notes on the taxonomy and zoogeography of other Xenochara species