Astenus (Astenus) uniformis ( JACQUELIN DU VAL 1853)

Assing, V., 2008, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Paederinae and Xantholinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1237-1294 : 1243-1244

Astenus (Astenus) uniformis ( JACQUELIN DU VAL 1853) ( Figs 78-80 )

Sunius uniformis JACQUELIN DU VAL 1853: 700 f.

Sunius vestitus MULSANT & REY 1878: 273 ff.; synonymy confirmed.

Astenus maghrebinus COIFFAIT 1960: 87 ; nov.syn.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d:

S. uniformis : Neotype, present designation: "Banyuls, 1-4.28 / Neotypus Sunius uniformis Jacquelin du Val , desig. V. Assing 2008 / Astenus uniformis (Jacquelin du Val) , det. V. Assing 2008" ( MNHNP).

S. vestitus : Syntype [remounted prior to present study]: " [with original labels mounted on same label] / Lectotypus Sunius vestitus Mulsant & Rey, V. Gusarov des. 1995 / Astenus uniformis (JacqDuv.) , Gusarov det. 1995 / Syntypus Sunius vestitus Mulsant & Rey , rev. V. Assing 2008 / Astenus uniformis (Jacquelin du Val) , det. V. Assing 2008" ( MNHNP). A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: France:1, Nice , leg. Grouvelle ( MNHNP) ; 1, Banyuls, V.1902, leg. Fagniez ( MNHNP) ; 1, Banyuls, 17.VII.1951, leg. Coiffait ( MNHNP). Morocco: 1, Tanger, leg. Quedenfeldt (cAss) ; 1, locality not specified ( NHMW). Algeria: 1, Chebli, leg. Otto ( NHMW) ; 1 ex., Oran, leg. Bedel ( NHMW) ; 2 exs., " Algerien ", leg. Otto ( NHMW) .

C o m m e n t: The original description of Sunius uniformis is based on an unspecified number of syntypes collected by Jacquelin du Val "aux environs de Montpellier" and by Philippe Lareynie "aux environs de Bordeaux" ( JACQUELIN DU VAL 1853). Despite a careful and repeated search conducted by the curator in charge, the type material was not found in the collections of the MNHNP, where the collection of Jacquelin du Val is deposited (TAGHAVIAN pers. comm). Therefore, the type material may be considered as lost. The designated neotype belongs to the only Astenus species matching the original description and distributed both in the southwest and the southeast of France, based on the current knowledge of the distributions of the species of the A. procerus group. The aedeagus of the neotype ( Figs 78-80 ) is identical to that of the holotype of A. maghrebinus COIFFAIT , as can be inferred from the illustrations provided by COIFFAIT (1960), so that A. maghrebinus is placed in the synonymy of A. uniformis .

Sunius vestitus was originally described from few syntypes ("très-rare") from "les environs de Marseille" (MULSANT & REY 1978). The authors describe the characters of both sexes, so the type series was composed of at least two syntypes. However, only a single female was located in the Rey collection at the MHNL (CLARY pers. comm.), suggesting that the male is either lost or deposited in an unknown collection. The female syntype from the Rey collection has a lectotype label attached to it, but the designation was never published, so that the specimen has syntype status. In external characters, particularly the shape of the pronotum (the setae are broken off), it is identical to the neotype designated above.

The species is evidently widespread in the western Mediterranean region. It has been recorded from northwestern Africa ( Algeria, Morocco) and from both southwestern and southeastern France, suggesting that it is also present in the Iberian peninsula. For additional Moroccan and Algerian localities see COIFFAIT (1960). Records from other regions such as Central Europe and Italy require confirmation; so far, all the examined specimens from there have proved to refer to other species. Records from the eastern Mediterranean are likely to be based on misidentifications.

Figures

Figs 74-80: Xantholinus ciliciae BORDONI (74-75: males from Turkey; 76-77: males from Cyprus) and Astenus uniformis (JACQUELIN DU VAL), neotype (78-80): aedeagus in dorsal view (74, 76); internal structures of aedeagus in squeeze preparation (75, 77); aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (78-79); apex of aedeagus in lateral view (80). Scale bars: 74-77: 0.5 mm; 78-79: 0.2 mm; 80: 0.1 mm.