Xantholinus (Helicophallus) kurdistanicus, Assing, 2008

Assing, V., 2008, On the taxonomy and zoogeography of some Palaearctic Paederinae and Xantholinini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (2), pp. 1237-1294 : 1285-1287

Xantholinus (Helicophallus) kurdistanicus nov.sp. ( Figs 81-85 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " Iraq - SE Rawandoz, 36°30'N, 44°36'E, 1200-1400 m, pitfall, XI.2007 - III.2008, leg. C. Reuter / Holotypus Xantholinus kurdistanicus sp.n. det. V. Assing 2008" (cAss) . Paratypes: 1, 3: same data as holotype (cFel, cAss) ; 2: "N-Irak, near Rawandoz , 14.-22.XI.2007, N36°30'02, E44°36'16, 1400 m, leg. C. Reuter " (cFel) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: 7.5-9.5 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 81 . Coloration: head blackish; pronotum blackish-brown; elytra bright reddish; abdomen blackish-brown, with the apex (posterior margin of segment VII, all of segments VIII-X) reddish; legs reddish; antennae with antennomeres I-III reddish and IV-XI reddish-brown.

Head approximately 1.2 times as long as wide; punctation sparse and rather fine; median dorsal surface without microsculpture; posterior dorsal and lateral surfaces usually at least with shallow traces of microsculpture.

Pronotum approximately 1.45-1.50 times as long as wide and 0.85-0.90 times as wide as head; dorsal rows composed of approximately 10 punctures. Elytra at posterior margin approximately 1.3 times as wide and at suture 0.7 times as long as pronotum.

: aedeagus with subproximal series composed of approximately 25 short and apically acute spines and with two proximal series of spines, one of them composed of 13-15 moderately long, slender, and pale coloured spines and the other of 10-15 short, apically darker spines ( Figs 82-85 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name is derived from the region where the species was discovered.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Among the Eastern Mediterranean consubgeners, the internal structures of the aedeagus most resemble those of X. brevispinosus ASSING 2007 from Antalya, southern Anatolia. From this species, X. kurdistanicus is distinguished by slightly smaller size, shorter antennae, and particularly by the internal structures of the aedeagus: in the new species the sub-proximal spines are distinctly smaller and shorter. For illustrations of the aedeagus of X. brevispinosus and of other Eastern Mediterranean species see ASSING (2007a).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: Thetypelocality is situated in the area to the southeast of Rawandoz, northeastern Iraq. The specimens were collected partly by hand and partly with pitfall traps on a slope along a temporary stream with oak trees and grassland at an altitude of 1200-1400 m.

Figures

Figs 81-85: Xantholinus kurdistanicus nov.sp.: habitus (81); aedeagus (82); internal structures of aedeagus in squeeze preparation (83); proximal internal structures of aedeagus in squeeze preparation (84-85). Scale bars: 81: 1.0 mm; 82-85: 0.5 mm.