Speonemadus breuili ( Jeannel, 1922 ), 2017

Reboleira, Ana Sofa P. S., Fresneda, Javier & Salgado, José Maria, 2017, A new species of Speonemadus from Portugal, with the revision of the escalerai-group (Coleoptera, Leiodidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 261, pp. 1-23 : 13-15

Speonemadus breuili ( Jeannel, 1922)

Anemadus (Speonemadus) breuili Jeannel, 1922: 60 .

Anemadus (Speonemadus) verneri – Jeannel 1922: 61.

Anemadus (Speonemadus) angusticollis breuili – Jeannel 1936: 221.

Anemadus (Speonemadus) angusticollis verneri – Jeannel 1936: 221.

Type locality

“Cueva de las Motillas, Jerez de la Frontera, provincia de Cádiz” ( Jeannel 1922).

Material examined

SPAIN: Cádiz: 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, Villaluenga del Rosario, Cueva Aljíbez (= Cueva del Aljíbe, Jul. 1970, Ribera & Viñas leg. ( CMCN). — Málaga: many ♂♂ and ♀♀, Cortés de la Frontera, Cueva del Berrueco, 12 Sep. 2009 and 6 Jun. 2010, GIEX leg. (CFL, CPB, CJMS, CZULE); 15 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀ Cortés de la Frontera, Peñón del Berrueco, Cueva del Humo, 22 Dec. 2012, GIEX leg. (CFL, CJMS); many ♂♂ and ♀♀, Cortés de la Frontera, Complejo Motillas, Cueva Motilla fósil, 13 Sep. 2009 and 8 Nov. 2009, GIEX leg. (CFL; CPB; CJMS); many ♂♂ and ♀♀, Cortés de la Frontera, Complejo Motillas, Cueva Motilla Parralejo, 13 Sep. 2009, 8 Nov. 2009 and 5 Jun. 2010, GIEX leg. (CFL, CPB, CJMS, CZULE); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, Montejaque, El Pozuelo, Cueva Sima Nueva, 29 Mar. 1986, Escolà leg. (CMCN).

Previous records

SPAIN: Cádiz, Algeciras ( Giachino & Vailati 1993); Algeciras, Los Barrios ( Blas 1989; Giachino & Vailati 1993); Villaluenga del Rosario ( Giachino & Vailati 1993); Villaluenga del Rosario, Cueva Aljíbez (= Cueva del Aljibe) ( Blas 1976, 1977, 1979; Tinaut 1998; Pérez 2015); Vilalluenga del Rosario, Sima Aljibe nº 2, ( Ribera 1970). — Málaga, Cortés de la Frontera, Cueva del Berrueco ( Jeannel 1922, 1936; Ribera 1970; Blas 1976, 1979; Giachino & Vailati 1993; Tinaut 1998); Cortés de la Frontera, Cueva de las Motillas ( Ribera 1970; Blas 1977, 1979, 1989; Giachino & Vailati 1993; Tinaut 1998; Fresneda et al. 2007); Montejaque, El Pozuelo, Cueva Sima Nueva ( Blas 1989); Montejaque, El Pozuelo, Cueva del Requejo ( Blas 1979, 1989; Tinaut 1998; Pérez 2015); Montejaque, El Pozuelo, Cueva Sivieja ( Blas 1989; Tinaut 1998; Pérez 2015).

Redescription

BODY. Length 4.0–4.5 (males) and 3.9–4.7 mm (females), body width 1.4–1.5 (males) and 1.5–1.7 mm (females) ( Fig. 4 ). Body color, pubescence and punctuation similar to that observed in S. angusticollis .

ANTENNAE. Reaching the basal 4th part of elytra; the antennomeres 1 st and 2nd are almost equal in length, also equal in length are the 4th, 5th and 7th ones being the 3rd ones clearly longer than the 2nd one and the 8th nearly twice as long as wide ( Table 1 ).

PRONOTUM. Slightly transverse, maximum width at middle third part; the angles converge, smoothly from the middle area to the base in a straight line; posterior angles obtuse and rounded at vertex; sculpture and granularity well defined ( Fig. 12 ).

ELYTRA. Elliptical and elongated, maximum length/width ratio = 1.92–2.10 (males) and 1.86–2.04 mm (females), with overall shape of the species group and sculpture of “C” type (sensu Giachino & Vailati 1993).

Male ( Fig. 24 )

Features of the genital segment and aedeagus are similar to those described for S. angusticollis .

Female

The antennae are similar to those of the male, but the antennomeres are more transverse; 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th antennomeres having similar length ( Table 1 ). Pronotum less elongated; the overall shape and the ratio of width/ length ratio similar to that described for males ( Fig. 13 ). Elytra elliptical and elongated with apical parts notched and serrated. 7th and 8th uroventrites, and genitalia typical of the species group.

Remarks

Speonemadus breuili is re-established as a valid species due to the clear morphological characters that differentiate it from S. angusticollis , which was synonymized by Blas (1989). This classification was subsequently followed by several authors ( Giachino & Vailati 1993; Perreau 2000; Salgado et al. 2008). The main character used to re-evaluate its specific status is the shape of the male protibial keel, which is shorter and with a more rounded ridge, but also because in S. breuili the 8th antennomere is less transverse, the elytra are proportionally shorter, and the female pronotum is more hexagonal and clearly transverse. In addition, Speonemadus verneri is established as a synonym of S. breuili and not of S. angusticollis ( Blas 1989) , due to the absence of relevant differences compared to S. breuili .

Apart from the morphological differences pointed out, there is an obvious geographical isolation. Speonemadus breuili colonizes the southernmost caves in Spanish Andalusia, the provinces of Cadiz and Málaga, away from the distribution area of S. angusticollis .

Biology and Ecology

Speonemadus breuili is commonly found in the subterranean ecosystem, as are the other species of the group. Inside the caves, it is found mainly in parts rich in organic matter and with a high humidity.

Distribution

Speonemadus breuili is the southernmost species of the escalerai -group in the Iberian Peninsula, found in the provinces of Cadiz and Málaga. The limit of its northern distribution is established by the mountain ridge of Ronda. It is distributed in the Sierra de Grazalema and related foothills, while the distribution of S. bolivari is linked to the Sierra de Nieves and its foothills. Both mountain ranges are separated geographically by a wide valley of sedimentary material ( Fig. 32 ).

Figures

Fig. 32. Distribution of Speonemadus of the escalerai - group: S. algarvensis sp. nov., S. angusticollis (Kraatz, 1870), S. bolivari (Jeannel, 1922), S. breuili (Jeannel, 1922) and S. escalerai (Uhagón, 1898).

Figs 1 – 5. Speonemadus of the escalera i- group habitus. 1. S. algarvensis sp. nov. (Gruta do Vale Telheiro, Portugal). 2. S. angusticollis (Kraatz, 1870) (Rute, Spain). 3. S. bolivari (Jeannel, 1922) (Ardales, Spain). 4. S. breuili (Jeannel, 1922) (Motillas, Spain). 5. S. escalerai (Uhagón, 1898) (Jumilla, Spain). Scale bar = 1 mm.

Figs 6–15. Speonemadus of the escalerai-group pronotum. 6–7. S. algarvensis sp. nov. (Gruta do Vale Telheiro, Portugal), respectively ♂ and ♀. 8–9. S. angusticollis (Kraatz, 1870) (Rute, Spain) respectively ♂ and ♀. 10–11. S. bolivari (Jeannel, 1922) (Ardales, Spain) respectively ♂ and ♀. 12–13. S. breuili (Jeannel, 1922) (Motillas, Spain) respectively ♂ and ♀. 14–15. S. escalerai (Uhagón, 1898) (Jumilla, Spain) respectively ♂ and ♀. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs 21 – 25. Speonemadus of the escalerai - group, aedeagus. 21. Paratype of S. algarvensis sp. nov. (Gruta do Vale Telheiro). 22. S. angusticollis (Kraatz, 1870) (Rute). 23. S. bolivari (Jeannel, 1922) (Ardales). 24. S. breuili (Jeannel, 1922) (Motillas). 25. S. escalerai (Uhagón, 1898) (Jumilla). Scale bar = 0.5 mm.