Alevonota species

Wunderle, Volker Assing Paul, 2008, On the Alevonota species of the Western Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Athetini), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 58 (5), pp. 145-189 : 179-182

Key to the Alevonota species of the Western Palaearctic region

The following key does not account for A. lentipes ( PEYERIMHOFF, 1938) , a doubtful species originally described from Algeria, but also recorded from Morocco ( SMETANA 2004). According to the original description, it is similar to A. rufotestacea , but distinguished by more transverse antennomeres VI-X, coarser puncturation of the pronotum, and darker coloration.The details indicated in the description do not rule out the possibility that the species is in fact conspecific with A. rufotestacea .

1. Eyes usually reduced to minute rudiments without ommatidia and pigmentation; only in one species from La Gomera with few (<10) ommatidia without pigmentation. Species from the Canary Islands . ..............................................................................................B

- Eyes sometimes small, but always composed of numerous ommatidia, only in two species from southern Italy and from Malta with approximately 10 ommatidia. Absent from the Canary Islands. .......................................................................................................... 12

2. Eyes strongly reduced, but composed of some (<10) ommatidia without pigmentation. Sexual characters as figured by ASSING (1999b). La Gomera. .......... A. sollemnis ASSING

- Eyes almost completely reduced, only minute rudiments without ommatidia visible. Absent from La Gomera. .........................................................................................................C

3. Species endemic to Tenerife. .........................................................................................D

- Species endemic to La Palma and El Hierro. ................................................................H

4. Larger species; body length in normal preparation> 4.5 mm. Legs and antennae conspicuously elongated. Antennomeres IV-VIII distinctly oblong ............................................E

- Smaller species; body length in normal preparation <3.2 mm. Legs and antennae much shorter. Antennomeres IV-VIII distinctly transverse. ....................................................F

5. Largest species of the genus; length of body 7-9 mm. Body reddish. Antennomere X approximately twice as long as wide. For illustrations see GAMARRA & HERNÁNDEZ (1989). ......................................................................... A. outereloi (GAMARRA & HERNÁNDEZ)

- Smaller species; length of body 4.7-6.0 mm. Body yellowish. Antennomere X approximately as long as wide. For illustrations see OROMÍ & MARTÍN (1984). ...................................... ................................................................................ A. canariensis (OROMÍ & MARTÍN)

6. Very small species; length of body <1.8 mm; width of abdomen approximately 0.25 mm. : median lobe of aedeagus very small (ML: <0.2 mm) and apically bifid; for an illustration see figure 21 in ASSING (2002a). Anaga range. ............................... A. pacei ASSING

- Larger species; length of body> 2.6 mm; width of abdomen approximately 0.5 mm. : median lobe of aedeaagus larger and apically not bifid. Distribution different. .............G

7. Abdomen approximately 1.10 times as wide as elytra. : posterior margin of sternite VIII obtusely produced in the middle; median lobe of aedeagus with relatively longer, more strongly curved, and more slender ventral process in lateral view. : posterior margin of sternite VIII distinctly concave in the middle; spermatheca with shorter duct of distinctive shape. For illustrations of the sexual characters see figures 17-20, 23, 25 in ASSING (2002a). NW-Tenerife: Teno range. .................................................................... A. franzi (PALM)

- Abdomen approximately 1.15 times as wide as elytra. : posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly convex; median lobe of aedeagus with shorter, weakly curved, and less slender process in lateral view. : posterior margin of sternite not concave in the middle; spermatheca with longer, apically more dilated, and more strongly coiled duct. For illustrations of the sexual characters see figures 12-16, 24, 26 in ASSING (2002a). Known from the area from Icod de los Vinos to Orotava valley. .................................................... A. oromii ASSING

8. Larger species; body length in normal preparation> 3.4 mm. Legs and antennae conspicuously elongated; metatibia> 0.6 mm. Antennomeres IV-X oblong. La Palma.. ............ 9

- Smaller species; body length in normal preparation <3.0 mm. Legs and antennae much shorter; metatibia <0.5 mm. Antennomeres V-X transverse. ...................................... 10

9. Larger species; body length approximately 6 mm. : capsule of spermatheca strongly dilated.  unknown. For figures see HERNÁNDEZ & MARTÍN (1990). ......................................... ............................................................................ A. junoniae (HERNÁNDEZ & MARTÍN)

- Smaller species; body length in normal preparation <5.0 mm. : capsule of spermatheca weakly enlarged; duct shorter. For figures see HERNÁNDEZ & MARTÍN (1990). ............... ............................................................................ A. tanausui (HERNÁNDEZ & MARTÍN)

10. Slightly larger species; PW: 0.37-0.41 mm. Antennae more slender; antennomere IV approximately as long as wide and X less than 1.5 times as wide as long ( Fig. 71 ). : posterior margin of tergite VIII concave; median lobe of aedeagus with ventral process curved in lateral view. : spermatheca as in Fig. 73 . El Hierro. ....................... A. hierroensis sp. n.

- Slightly smaller species; PW: 0.31-0.36 mm. Antennae more strongly incrassate apically; antennomere IV transverse, X more than 1.5 times as wide as long. : posterior margin of tergite VIII convex. La Palma. .................................................................................... 11

11. : median lobe of aedeagus with ventral process almost straight in lateral view. : spermathecal capsule strongly dilated, almost disc-shaped. For illustrations see HERNÁNDEZ & GARCÍA (1989). ................................................. A. hephaestos (HERNÁNDEZ & GARCÍA)

- : median lobe of aedeagus with ventral process almost angled in lateral view. : spermathecal capsule weakly dilated, not disc-shaped. .............................. A. palmi (FRANZ)

12. Eyes strongly reduced, distinctly less than half as long postocular region in dorsal view. Species from southern Italy, Malta, and Algeria. ......................................................... 13

- Eyes larger, at least half the length of postocular region in dorsal view. ....................... 15

13. Eyes composed of> 10 ommatidia with pigmentation. Elytra approximately as long as pronotum. Hind wings developed. Abdominal tergite VII with palisade fringe. Algeria.. ........................................................................................... A. fulvastra (PEYERIMHOFF)

- Eyes composed of approximately 10 ommatidia without pigmentation. Elytra distinctly shorter than pronotum. Hind wings completely reduced. Abdominal tergite VII without palisade fringe. ........................................................................................................... 14

14. Abdominal tergite VI with anterior impression approximately as deep as those of tergites III-V. : spermatheca with rather long and slender capsule and duct.  unknown. For illustrations see PACE (1999). Malta. .................................................. A. melitensis PACE

- Abdominal tergite VI without or with much shallower impression. For illustrations of the habitus and the spermatheca see PACE (1977). Italy: Lazio, Basilicata. ............................. ........................................................................................................ A. crypticola (PACE)

15. Postgenal carina pronounced and anteriorly extending to eye or nearly so. Abdominal tergites III-IV and VII-VIII without sexual dimorphism. : median lobe of aedeagus shaped as in Figs 59-60 ; flagellum in internal sac conspicuously long, longer than median lobe. : spermatheca with twisted duct of distinctive shape ( Fig. 61 ). Widespread in Europe, Turkey, Armenia ( Map 5 ). .................................................................. A. gracilenta (ERICHSON)

- Postgenal carina weakly pronounced and visible only in posterior portion of head in lateral view. : median lobe of aedeagus of different shape and without long flagellum. : spermathecal duct not twisted. ......................................................................................... 16

16. Antennae with antennomeres IV-X strongly transverse, at least 2.5 times as wide as long. Pronotum often reddish. : tergite VII unmodified. Group of highly similar and variable species; for a reliable separation, an examination of the aedeagus is usually essential. .................................................................................................................... 17

- Antennae with antennomeres IV-X at most twice as wide as long. Pronotum yellowish brown to black, not reddish. : tergite VII with tubercle or with pair of oblong tubercles. ........................................................................................................................... 21

17. Abdominal tergite VI with anterior impression, this impressions almost as deep as those of tergites III-V. Rather small species. Eyes approximately half as long as postocular region ( Figs 64-65 ). : median lobe of aedeagus with strongly bent and apically acute ventral process ( Fig. 66 ). : spermatheca as in Figs 67-68 . Head and bases of abdominal tergites slightly darkened. Known only from Sicily and Israel. ............... A. vitalei (BERNHAUER)

- Abdominal tergite VI without - or with very shallow - anterior impression. Eyes usually larger. ......................................................................................................................... 18

18. Head usually approximately as wide a long. Eyes usually weakly prominent and shorter than postocular region in dorsal view ( Figs 1-2 ). Pronotum weakly transverse (PW/PL: 1.00-1.10) ( Fig. 1 ) and usually reddish. : aedeagus on average smaller (ML: 0.30-0.35 mm); ventral process weakly bent in lateral view ( Figs 10-18 ). Widespread in the Western Palaearctic region ( Map 1 ). ..................................................... A. rufotestacea (KRAATZ)

- Head usually weakly transverse. Eyes on average more prominent and approximately as long as or longer than postocular region in dorsal view. Pronotum usually distinctly transverse (PW/PL: 1.07-1.25). : aedeagus larger (ML: 0.33-0.41 mm); ventral process more strongly bent and apically more acute in lateral view. ................................................. 19

19. : aedeagus smaller (ML: 0.33-0.36 mm); ventral process less strongly bent and apically less acute ( Figs 43-44 ). Crete ( Map 1 ). ................................................... A. cretica sp. n.

- : aedeagus larger (ML: 0.36-0.41 mm); ventral process more strongly bent and apically more acute. Absent from Crete. ................................................................................. 20

20. Pronotum mostly (but not always!) bright reddish. Pronotum ( Fig. 31 ) more transverse (PW/PL: 1.13-1.25). : median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 33-36 . Ponto-Mediterranean distribution: Eastern Mediterranean from SE-Bulgaria to the Middle East ( Map 2 ). ....... ...................................................................................................... A. libanotica (FAGEL)

- Pronotum usually pale to dark brown. Pronotum ( Fig. 21 ) on average less transverse (PW/PL: 1.07-1.13). : median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 25-26 . Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution: Iberian Peninsula, Western Europe, Central Europe ( Map 2 ). ..................... ......................................................................... A. elegantula (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE)

21. Pronotum with distinct and rather coarse puncturation, interstices as wide as diameter of punctures or narrower. ............................................................................................... 22

- Pronotum with fine, sometimes barely noticeable puncturation, interstices distinctly wider than diameter of punctures. ....................................................................................... 23

22. Larger species, 3.5-4.8 mm; RL: 1.4-1.9 mm. Macropterous. : abdominal tergites III-IV unmodified; tergite VII posteriorly with pronounced smooth median tubercle; aedeagus distinctly larger (ML: 0.41-0.47 mm), shaped as in Fig. 57 . : spermatheca as in Fig. 58 . Iberian Peninsula and France (unknown from Corsica) ( Map 4 ). .................................... ........................................................................... A. ocaloides (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE)

- Smaller species, 2.5-3.3 mm; RL: 1.0- 1.5 mm. Wing-dimorphic, elytra distinctly shorter than pronotum in brachypterous morph. : abdominal tergites III and IV with distinct smooth median elevation; tergite VII posteriorly with pair of less pronounced oblong tubercles; aedeagus smaller (ML: 0.28-0.38 mm), shaped as in Figs 52-54 . : spermatheca as in Figs 55-56 . Corsica, Italy, Greece ( Map 4 ). .................... A. kiesenwetteri (KRAATZ)

23. Antennae of darker average coloration, usually dark brown to blackish brown. Microsculpture of forebody shallow, less pronounced. Eyes less prominent, approximately as long as or slightly shorter than postocular region in dorsal view. : elytra on either side of suture weakly elevated; tergites III and IV in the middle with weak, ill-defined, almost obsolete elevation; tergite VII at posterior margin with pronounced smooth median tubercle; median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 50-51 . Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution: Iberian Peninsula, France ( Map 4 ). ................................................. A. laeviceps (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE)

- Antennae usually yellowish brown to brown. Microsculpture of forebody usually pronounced. Eyes prominent, usually slightly longer than postocular region in dorsal view. : elytra on either side of suture mostly without elevation; tergites III and IV unmodified; tergite VII at posterior margin with pair of rather small oblong tubercles; median lobe of aedeagus as in Figs 46-47 . Ponto-Mediterranean distribution, from Turkey in the southeast to France in the northwest ( Map 3 ). ...................................................... A. egregia (RYE)

Figures

Map 1: Distributions of Alevonota rufotestacea (KRAATZ) (circles) and A. cretica sp. n. (squares), based on examined records.

Map 2: Distributions of Alevonota elegantula (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (open circles;?: tentative record based on female only) and A. libanotica (FAGEL) (filled circles), based on examined records.

Map 3: Distribution of Alevonota egregia (RYE) based on examined records (filled circles) and selected literature records (open circles).

Map 4: Distributions of Alevonota laeviceps (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (squares), A. kiesenwetteri (KRAATZ) (filled circles), and A. ocaloides (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (open circles), based on examined records.

Map 5: Distribution of Alevonota gracilenta (ERICHSON), based on examined records (filled circles) and selected literature records (open circles).

Figs 64-73: Alevonota vitalei (BERNHAUER) (64-68) and A. hierroensis sp. n. (69-73): forebody of specimen from Israel (64); head of lectotype in lateral view (65); median lobe of aedeagus of lectotype in lateral view (66); spermathecae of females from Israel (67-68); habitus of holotype (69); head and pronotum of holotype (70); antenna of paratype (71); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (teneral and somewhat deformed) (72); spermatheca of holotype (73). Scale bars: 64, 69-70: 0.5 mm; 65, 71: 0.2 mm; 66-68, 72-73: 0.1 mm.

Figs 59-62: Alevonota gracilenta (ERICHSON) (59-61) and Tropimenelytron mirabilis (EPPELSHEIM) (62): median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of male from Turkey (59) and of nanistic male from Italy (60); spermatheca (61); forebody (62). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figs 1-9: Alevonota rufotestacea (KRAATZ): forebody (1); head in lateral view (2); male tergite VIII (3); male sternite VIII (4); spermathecae of females from Germany (5-7) and Turkey (8-9). Scale bars: 1: 1.0 mm; 2-4: 0.2 mm; 5-9: 0.1 mm.

Figs 10-18: Alevonota rufotestacea (KRAATZ): median lobe of aedeagus of males from Germany (10-13), Mallorca (14-15), Istanbul [identification doubtful] (16), Antalya (17), and Antakya (18). Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figs 40-49: Alevonota cretica sp. n. (40-45) and A.egregia (RYE) (46-49): forebody (40); head and pronotum (41); head in lateral view (42); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of paratype (43), holotype (44), and of males from Austria (46) and Germany (47); spermathecae of females from Crete (45), Germany (48), and Greece (49). Scale bars: 40: 1.0 mm; 41-42: 0.5 mm; 43-49: 0.1 mm.

Figs 30-39: Alevonota libanotica (FAGEL): forebody (30); head and pronotum (31); head in lateral view (32); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of males from Antalya (33) Kahramanmaraş (34), Gaziantep (35), and Bitlis (36); spermathecae of females from Bulgaria (37), Lesbos (38), and Antalya (39). Scale bars: 30: 1.0 mm; 31-32: 0.5 mm; 33-39: 0.1 mm.

Figs 20-29: Alevonota elegantula (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE): forebody (20); head and pronotum (21); head in lateral view (22); female tergite VIII (23); female sternite VIII (24); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of males from Germany (25) and southern Spain (26); ventral process of median lobe in ventral view (27); spermathecae of females from Germany (28) and Spain (29). Scale bars: 20: 1.0 mm; 21-24: 0.5 mm; 25-29: 0.1 mm.

Figs 50-58: Alevonota laeviceps (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (50-51), A. kiesenwetteri (KRAATZ) (52-56), and A. ocaloides (BRISOUT DE BARNEVILLE) (57-58): median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of males from Portugal (50), Gibraltar (51), Kefallinia (52), Toscana (53), Corsica (54), and Spain (57); spermathecae of females from Greece (lectotype) (55), Corsica (56), and Spain (58). Scale bars: 0.1 mm.