Oxypoda flavocaudata, Assing, 2006

Assing, V., 2006, On some species of Oxypoda MANNERHEIM from Turkey and adjacent regions (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 277-331 : 289-290

Oxypoda flavocaudata sp.n. ( Figs 69-78 , Map 4 )

Holotype 3: TR - Antalya, No. 8, 20 km N Kas, S Karaovabeli pass, Quercus, 830 m, 36°23'12N, 29°42'34E, 26.III.2002, V. Assing / Holotypus 3 Oxypoda flavocaudata sp. n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss). Paratypes: 533, 1♀: same data as holotype (cAss, OÖLL) ; 13, 4♀♀: same data, but leg. Wunderle (cWun, cAss) ; 13: TR - Antalya, No. 26, E Kumluca, 385 m, Laurus , Platanus , 36°21'50N, 30°22'27E, 3.IV.2002, V. Assing (cAss) ; 1♀: same data, but leg. Wunderle (cWun) ; 13, 2♀♀: TR - Muğla, No. 10, 20 km NNE Fethiye , N-exp. oakwood, 970 m, 36°47'28N, 29°11'29E, 27.III.2002, V. Assing (cAss) ; 1♀: TR - Muğla, No. 20, SE Fethiye, Baba Dağ , above Ovacik , 1170 m, 36°32'47N, 29°10'52E, 30.III.2000, V. Assing (cAss) ; 1♀: TR Mersin (33), road to Arslanköy , 5 km SE Aladag, 700 m / 36°54'45N, 34°31'44E (33), 2.5.2004, leg. Brachat & Meybohm (cAss) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: Small species, 2.3-2.9 mm; habitus as in Fig. 69 . Coloration: head blackish; pronotum and elytra brown to dark brown; abdomen dark brown (segments III- V) to blackish (segments VI-VII), with the posterior margins of the anterior segments, the posterior half or third of segment VII, and the following segments distinctly paler, reddish-yellow; legs reddish-yellow; maxillary palpi and antennae brown, with the basal 3-4 antennomeres yellowish to yellowish brown.

Head approximately as wide as long; puncturation very fine, barely noticeable; microsculpture shallow; eyes large, as long as or slightly shorter than postocular region in dorsal view ( Fig. 70 ). Antenna rather short ( Fig. 71 ); antennomere IV weakly transverse; V distinctly transverse; X approximately twice as wide as long; XI not distinctly constricted. Penultimate joint of maxillary palpus rather short, approximately twice as long as wide.

Pronotum about 1.35 times as wide as head and 1.35 times as wide as long ( Fig. 70 ); maximal width behind middle; puncturation somewhat variable, often very fine, occasionally weakly granulose, moderately dense; microsculpture shallow and somewhat variable; surface with variable shine.

Elytra 1.15-1.20 times as wide as pronotum and at suture 1.0-1.1 times as long as pronotum; puncturation rather dense and fine, but more distinct than that of pronotum; surface without distinct microsculpture and with some shine ( Fig. 70 ). Hind wings fully

developed. Legs moderately slender; metatarsomere I short, approximately as long as the combined length of metatarsomeres II-III or slightly longer.

Abdomen slightler narrower than elytra, maximal width at segments IV/ V; puncturation and pubescence extremely fine and dense, barely noticeable; microsculpture distinct, less pronounced on tergite IV than on other tergites ( Fig. 72 ); posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

3: sternite VIII approximately as long as wide, its posterior margin weakly pointed in the middle ( Fig. 73 ); median lobe of aedeagus shaped as in Figs 75-76 , with subapical structures of distinctive shape in internal sac; apical lobe of paramere moderately long, with moderately long apical and three long subapical and basal setae ( Fig. 77 ).

♀: sternite VIII transverse, its posterior margin broadly convex and with moderately stout marginal setae ( Fig. 74 ); spermatheca with short duct ( Fig. 78 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Lat., adj.) refers to the light-coloured apex of the abdomen.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The species is somewhat similar to O. flavicornis KRAATZ , quite possibly its adelphotaxon, as can be inferred from the similar external morphology and the sexual characters, especially the subapical structures of the aedeagus and the shape of the spermatheca. Both species are nevertheless easily distinguished: in O. flavocaudata , the antennae have less transverse preapical antennomeres, the pronotum is less convex in cross-section, more transverse, and less densely punctured, the elytra are less densely punctured, the median lobe of the aedeagus has a much smaller crista apicalis and two longer hook-like structures in the internal sac (in O. flavicornis only one shorter hook-like structure), the apical seta of the apical lobe of the paramere is much longer, and the spermatheca has a distinctly longer duct. According to LÖBL & SMETANA (2004), O. flavicornis has been recorded from Turkey, too, but I have seen no material of that species from there.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: The currently known distribution extends from Muğla to Mersin, southwestern Anatolia ( Map 4 ). Most, if not all the specimens were sifted from leaf litter (oak, sycamore, laurel). The altitudes range from 380 to 1170 m.

Figures

Map 4: Distributions of Oxypoda judaea (square), O. flavocaudata (filled circles), and O. ahirica (open circle) in southern Turkey.

Figs 69-78: Oxypoda flavocaudata sp.n. (73, 75-77: holotype). (69) habitus; (70) forebody; (71) antenna; (72) anterior part of abdomen; (73) 3 sternite VIII; (74) ♀ sternite VIII; (75-76) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (77) apical lobe of paramere; (78) spermatheca. Scale bars: 69: 1.0 mm; 70, 72: 0.5 mm; 71, 73-74: 0.2 mm; 75-78: 0.1 mm.