Quedius (s. str.) sundukovi Smetana, 2003

Salnitska, Maria & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2018, Revision of the Quedius fauna of Middle Asia (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 65 (2), pp. 117-159 : 120-122

Quedius (s. str.) sundukovi Smetana, 2003 Fig. 2B

Quedius sundukovi Smetana, 2003, 189

Material examined.

Kazakhstan: 1 ♂, SW Altai, East of Narymskij Mt. Ridge, upper course of Ozernaja River, subalpine zone, 1900-2300 m a.s.l, 18.VII.1997, R.Yu. Dudko and V.K. Zinchenko leg. (NHMD); 3 ♂, 3 ♀, Stanovoe nagorje [highland], S part of Kodar Mt. Ridge, upper course of Chara River, 50 km WSW of village Novaja Chara, 1700-2000 m a.s.l., 26-27,VII.1995, A.Yu. and R.Yu. Dudko, and D.E. Lomakin leg (NHMD, ZIN); 1 ♀, same locality and collectors, but environs of lake Bolshoe Leprindo, 1000 m a.s.l., 23.VII.1995 (ZIN).

Comments on taxonomy, distribution and bionomics.

Quedius sundukovi was known from the Russian Far East (Smetana, 2003) and from Irkutsk Province and Zabaikalsky Territory ( Smetana and Shavrin 2018). From the newly examined material it has become clear that Q. sundukovi is distributed even wider: from the Russian Far East through southern Siberia to Altai Mountains in Northeastern Kazakhstan. In the material examined we here provide only new records for Middle Asia, because the detailed documentation of its entire distribution will be published elsewhere.

Detailed description and illustration of the species is available in Smetana (2003). Quedius sundukovi is one of the smallest species in the nominative subgenus Quedius s. str. and the smallest in this subgenus in the fauna of Middle Asia. Additionally, it stands out from all other Quedius s. str. species in Middle Asia as the only distinctly brachypterous species, with very short elytra and lacking whitish apical seam on abdominal tergite VII.

All hitherto known specimens of Q. sundukovi were collected by pitfall traps ( Smetana 2003). Based on the newly examined material here, Q. sundukovi inhabits talus-associated debris. Also it is found in regular leaf litter and moss on the ground.