Tychus algericus Guillebeau, 1893

Sabella, Giorgio, Besuchet, Claude & Kurbatov, Sergey A., 2011, A review of the Tychus algericus species group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), North Africa, Zootaxa 3065, pp. 38-48 : 40-41

Tychus algericus Guillebeau, 1893

( Figs. 1 , 5–8 , 15 )

Tychus algericus Guillebeau 1893: 293 ; 1894: 47; Peyerimhoff 1904: 174; Normand 1904: 219; 1935: 85; 1941: 176, Fig. 3 b; Jeannel 1956: 135, Fig. 138.

Tychus tuniseus Pic 1901: 2 (synomymized by Peyerimhoff, 1904: 176); Peyerimhoff 1904: 174, 176; Normand 1904: 219; 1935: 85.

Type material. Holotype, 3. NORTHERN ALGERIA: Annaba province: Edough Mount ( MNHN, general collection, ex Abeille de Perrin collection). Holotype of Tychus tuniseus , 3. NORTHERN TUNISIA: Tabarka governorate: Aïn Draham, 1900 (M. Pic) ( MNHN, general collection).

Additional material examined. NORTHERN TUNISIA: Nabeul governorate: 2 ƤƤ, Cap Bon, X.1929 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3 ƤƤ, idem, XI.1930 (H. Normand) ( INAT); Tabarka governorate: 2 3, Aïn Draham, 1900 ( MNHN, general collection); 3, idem, 1906 (M. Pic) ( MNHN, general collection); 3 (sub tuniseus ), idem (H. Normand) ( INAT); Fernana governorate: Ƥ, Fernana, X.1899 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3, 1 km north of Fernana, 10.I.2003 (A. Alicata & G. Sabella) ( DBAC); Teboursouk governorate: 2 ƤƤ, Teboursouk, III.1898 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 2 3, idem, III.1898 (H. Normand) ( MHNG); Jendouba governorate: 2 3, Hammam Mount, 31.XII.1909 (J. Chatanay) ( MNHN, general collection); Le Kef governorate: 3 3, Le Kef (H. Normand) ( INAT); Ƥ, idem ( MHNG); 2 ƤƤ, idem, I.1937 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3 (sub tuniseus ), idem, XII.1939 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3 (sub tuniseus ), idem, I.1940 ( INAT); 3 (sub tuniseus ), idem, II.1940 ( INAT); 3, idem, III.1940 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3, idem, III.1940 (H. Normand) ( MHNG); 2 3, idem, XI.1940 (H. Normand) ( MHNG); 3, idem, III.1941 (H. Normand) ( MHNG); Ƥ, idem, XI.1948 (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3, idem, XII.1951 (H. Normand) ( INAT); Gafsa governorate: 3, Oasis of Gafsa ( MHNG). NORTHERN ALGERIA: 3, Algeria, VI.1897 (P. L e s ne) ( MNHN, general collection); 4 3 and 3 ƤƤ, idem ( MNHN, general collection); El Tarf province: 3, Marais de la Calle, V.1930 (H. Normand) ( INAT); Annaba province: 3 and 3 ƤƤ, Edough Mount, 15.VII.1895 ( MNHN, general collection); 3, idem (L. Bedel) ( MNHN, general collection); 3, idem ( MNHN, general collection); 3 and Ƥ (sub tuniseus ), idem, V.1934 (H. Normand) ( INAT); Ƥ, Annaba (new name of Bône), X.1938 (M. Pic) ( INAT); 3, idem (F. H. C. de Saulcy) ( MNHN, general collection); 3, idem, III. 1888, ( MNHN, general collection); 3, idem, II.1889 ( MNHN, general collection); Ƥ, idem IV.1896 ( MNHN, general collection); 3, idem (C. E. Leprieur) ( MNHN, general collection); 3 and 3 ƤƤ, idem ( MNHN, general collection); 3, Mechroha (new name of Laverdure) ( MHNG); 3 and Ƥ, Aïn Sennour, XI.1933 (H. Normand) ( INAT); Guelma province: 3 ƤƤ, El Kesba, Medjez Amar ( MNHN, general collection); Skikda province: 3, Skikda (new name of Philippeville), V.1934, (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3 and Ƥ, Saint-Charles, near Skikda (new name of Philippeville) (A. Thery) ( MHNG); Tizi Ouzou province: Ƥ, Yakouren (H. Normand) ( INAT); 3, idem ( MNHN, general collection); 3, valley north of Tala Tegzizine, 860 m, V.1953, (H. Fagel) ( MHNG); 3 and Ƥ, Akfadou ( MNHN, general collection); 8 3 and 25 ƤƤ, Akfadou Forest, 22 km east of Yakouren, 1.050 m, 16.V.1988 (C. Besuchet, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt) ( MHNG); 2 ƤƤ, Akfadou Forest, 9 km of road from Adekar, 1.300 m, 17.V.1988 (C. Besuchet, I. Löbl & D. Burckhard) ( MHNG); Ƥ, Azazga, 19.X.1928 (H. Normand) ( INAT).

Redescription. Body length 1.30–1.40 mm, colour dark brown with red elytra and black abdomen, some specimens paler; reddish antennae and legs, yellow palpi.

Head distinctly wider (0.260–0.265 mm) than long (0.200– 0.225 mm), frontal rostrum 0.125–0.135 mm wide and 0.060 mm long. Eyes with 16–22 ommatidia. Last segment of maxillary palpi 0.160–0.165 mm long and 0.060 mm wide, with slightly convex lateral margin. Antennae ( Fig. 1 ) 0.570–0.600 mm long, club 0.250 mm long; scape distinctly longer than wide; antennomere II longer than wide, antennomere III wider than long; antennomeres III– VIII distinctly wider than long.

Pronotum distinctly wider (0.325 mm) than long (0.250–0.260 mm).

Elytra wider (0.550–0.570 mm) than long (0.425–0.430 mm).

Abdomen with 1st tergite 0.185–0.190 mm long.

Male. Posterior margin of mesotrochanters extended into short median spine, all femora and tibiae unarmed, all abdominal sternites apparently not modified. Aedeagus ( Figs. 5–8 ) 0.310–0.335 mm long, with sinuate and canaliculate dorsal apophysis of median lobe enlarged at apex, bearing some short bristles at middle of mesal margin. Ventral portion of median lobe very large at base, directed laterally and constricted at apex. Ventral portion of median lobe bearing two long spine-like apophyses on mesal margin. Shape of apex of dorsal apophysis of median lobe shows moderate variability, also slightly variable are two long apophyses of ventral portion of median lobe ( Figs. 5–8 ).

Female. Eyes smaller (16–18 ommatidia) than male (20–22 ommatidia), telisternite as in Fig. 15 .

Comparative notes. T. algericus is very similar to T. similis sp. n., and is easily distinguished from it by the shape of the ventral portion and dorsal apophysis of the median lobe of the aedeagus (cfr. Figs. 5–8 and 13–14 ), and by the features of the female telisternite (cfr. Figs. 15 and 18 ). Also, differences in the antennal morphology can be utilised, although with difficulty. The antennae of T. algericus are shorter (0.560–0.600 mm) than those of T. similis (0.630–0.650 mm), and antennomere III is wider than long (slightly longer than wide in T. similis ) (cfr. Figs. 1 and 4 ).

Distribution. T. algericus is widespread in Northern Tunisia (Cap Bon, Aïn Draham, Fernana, Teboursouk, Jendouba, Gafsa) and Northern Algeria (La Calle, Annaba, Edough Mount, Mechroha, Skikda, Medjez Amar, Aïn Sennour, Yakouren, Akfadou). Peyerimhoff (1904: 177) also mentions T. algericus from El Kerba (correctly El Kesba as we verified by examining the relevant specimens), Tigzirt, but this citation is based on wrong determination and the specimen belong to T. paludivagus paludivagus Normand, 1940 , and Teniet-el-Had, this record need confirmation due to possibility to misidentification with related T. similis sp. n. Jeannel (1956: 136) mentions T. algericus also from Nador but this citation is to report with related T. similis sp. n. as we verified by examining the relevant specimens.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Antennae of Tychus algericus group species. Scale: 0, 1 mm. 1 — Tychus algericus, male from Fernana. 2 — Tychus depexus, male from Mouzaia Mount. 3 — Tychus vaucheri, male from Dardara. 4 — Tychus similis sp. n., holotype, male from Dély Ibrahim.

FIGURES 5 – 8. Tychus algericus. Scale: 0, 1 mm. 5 — Aedeagus, ventral view, male from Laverdure. 6 — Aedeagus, lateral view, male from Laverdure. 7 — Apex of aedeagus, ventral view, male from Akfadou Forest. 8 — Apex of aedeagus, ventral view, male from Saint Charles.

FIGURES 15 – 16. Telisternites of female of Tychus algericus group species, dorsal view. Scale: 0, 1 mm. 15 — T. algericus, female from Akfadou Forest. 16 — T. depexus, female from Mouzaia Mount.

FIGURES 13 – 14. Aedeagus of Tychus similis sp. n., holotype, male from Dély Ibrahim. Scale: 0, 1 mm. 13 — Ventral view. 14 — Lateral view.

FIGURES 17 – 18. Telisternites of female of Tychus algericus group species, dorsal view. Scale: 0, 1 mm. 17 — T. vaucheri, female from Habib Mount. 18 — T. similis sp. n., paratype, female from Dély Ibrahim.