Aleochara (Ceranota) erythroptera GRAVENHORST, 1806

Assing, Volker, 2007, On the Aleocharini of Turkey, with notes on some species from adjacent regions (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 57 (1), pp. 177-209 : 194-197

Aleochara (Ceranota) erythroptera GRAVENHORST, 1806 ( Figs 57-73 )

Material examined: Muğla: 2 ♂ ♂, 1 ♀, 70 km NE Fethiye, Seki, above Temel , 36°44N, 29°34E, 2230 m, near snow, 11.VII.2002, leg. Assing (cAss) . Kars: 2 exs., 16 km SW Göle , 1600 m, 16.VI.1986, leg. Besuchet, Löbl & Burckhardt ( MHNG, cAss). Locality not specified : 1 ex., “Turcia”, leg. Merkl ( NMW) .

Redescription:

Measurements (in mm) and ratios (range, arithmetic mean; n=5) of material from Turkey: AL: 1.25-1.71, 1.53; HL: 0.60-0.76, 0.69; HW: 0.59-0.70, 0.79; PW: 0.85-1.25, 1.09; PL: 0.66- 0.94, 0.83; EL: 0.54-0.76, 0.66; EW: 1.07-1.51, 1.33; AW: 1.07-1.36, 1.26; TiL: 0.60-0.94, 0.86; TaL: 0.48-0.72, 0.63; ML: 0.68-0.71, 0.69; TL: 5.0-6.7, 5.9; HL/HW: 0.96-1.03, 0.98; PW/HW: 1.44-1.60, 1.53; PW/PL: 1.27-1.35, 1.31; EL/PL: 0.76-0.82, 0.80; EW/PW: 1.20- 1.27, 1.23; AW/EW: 0.90-1.00, 0.95; TiL/TaL: 1.29-1.44, 1.36

Coloration: head blackish; pronotum dark brown to black, often with the lateral margins of the pronotum reddish to reddish brown; elytra uniformly reddish yellow to dark reddish; abdomen black, with the posterior margins of segments III-VI, the posterior 1/3 of segment VII, and segments VIII-X reddish to reddish brown; legs reddish to reddish yellow; antennae with antennomeres I-III yellowish and antennomeres IV-XI reddish to dark brown.

Head approximately as wide as long (see ratio HL/HW); clypeus unmodified; puncturation variable: dense and well-defined to moderately sparse, shallow and ill-defined; interstices with or without shallow microsculpture. Eyes approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view ( Fig. 57 ). Maxillary palpus slender, palpomere III approximately 3.5 times as long as wide. Antenna slender, apically weakly incrassate; preapical antennomeres weakly transverse ( Fig. 58 ).

Pronotum large, distinctly wider than head and distinctly transverse (see ratios PW/HW and PW/PL); maximal width in or behind middle; posterior angles weakly marked, almost completely rounded; puncturation variable, moderately sparse to very dense, fine to moderately coarse; interstices with or without shallow microreticulation ( Fig. 57 ).

Elytra distinctly wider and at suture somewhat shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL); posterior margins weakly sinuate near posterior angles; puncturation rather dense to very dense, usually well-defined, more distinct than that of head and pronotum; interstices with or without shallow microsculpture ( Fig. 57 ). Hind wings fully developed. Legs moderately slender; metatarsus distinctly shorter than metatibia; metatarsomere I as long as the combined length of II-IV or nearly so.

Abdomen usually almost as wide as elytra; tergites III-V with moderately deep anterior impressions, anterior impression of tergite VI barely noticeable; puncturation relatively dense and distinct, impressions of tergites III-VI densely punctate (more so than remainder of tergal surfaces); integument glossy, with or without indistinct traces of microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe ( Fig. 59 ); tergites III and VII usually with distinct, tergite VIII with weakly pronounced sexual dimorphism.

♂: tergite III with smooth subcircular or oval median elevation near posterior margin ( Fig. 57 ); tergite VII at posterior margin with pair of tubercles or with bituberculate transverse ridge ( Fig. 62 ); sternites IV and V in posterior halves with pronounced semicircular impressions with tomentose patches with dense long golden pubescence ( Fig. 60-61 ); posterior margin of tergite

VIII smooth and weakly convex ( Fig. 68 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII pointed ( Fig. 69 ); median lobe of aedeagus with slender ventral process ( Figs 63-67 ).

♀: tergite and sternite VIII as in Figs 70-71 ; spermatheca of somewhat variable size and shape ( Figs 72-73 ).

Comments: As is usual in Aleochara species , size-related parameters are subject to considerable intraspecific variation. The specimens from Kars are distinguished from those from Muğla by shorter antennae, more distinct puncturation of head and pronotum, a somewhat larger pronotum (in relation to head), relatively larger elytra, and a larger spermatheca with a broader duct ( Figs 72-73 ). However, no significant differences were observed in the male sexual characters. The material from Turkey differs from that seen from Central Europe by less dense puncturation of the pronotum and elytra, as well as by a somewhat more slender ventral process of the median lobe of the aedeagus ( Figs 63-67 ). However, since these differences are only slight and no additional distinguishing characters were observed, they are here attributed to intra- rather than interspecific variation.

Comparative notes:

Among other Ceranota species occurring in Turkey, A. erythropteraerythroptera is identified especially by the slender median lobe of the aedeagus, the modifications of the male sternites IV-V (deep semicircular impressions with conspicuously dense tomentose pubescence), as well as by the combination of the following characters: slender antennae, dense puncturation of the elytra, and dense puncturation of the anterior impressions of the abdominal tergites III-VI.

Distribution and bionomics:

The species is widespread in central and southern Europe and has also been reported from Turkey without specification of the locality (GANGLBAUER,, 1895; HORION, 1967; SMETANA, 2004). BERNHAUER (1901) only reported A. bituberculata , which he regarded as a variety of A. erythroptera , from Turkish territory. Recent records were unknown. The specimens from Muğla were sifted from debris and roots near snowfields at an altitude of more than 2200 m; the material from Kars was collected at an elevation of 1600 m. For more details regarding the life history of this species see ASSING (1994).

Figures

Figs 57-65: Aleochara erythropteraerythroptera (males from Muğla): forebody (57); antenna (58); abdomen (59); abdomen in ventral view (60); abdominal sternites IV-V in latero-ventral view (61); tergite VII (62); median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (63-65). Scale bars: 57, 59-61: 1.0 mm; 58, 62: 0.5 mm; 63-65: 0.2 mm.

Figs 66-73: Aleochara erythroptera (66-67: Germany; 68-71, 73: Muğla; 72: Kars): median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (66-67); male tergite VIII (68); male sternite VIII (69); female tergite VIII (70); female sternite VIII (71); spermatheca (72-73). Scale bars: 68-71: 0.5 mm; 66-67, 72-73: 0.2 mm.