Tectusa besucheti (FOCARILE, 1982) Assing, 2016

Assing, Volker, 2016, On Oxypoda besucheti FOCARILE (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae: Oxypodini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 48 (1), pp. 211-220 : 212-219

Tectusa besucheti (FOCARILE, 1982) , nov.comb. ( Figs 1-36 , Map 2 )

Oxypoda (subgen.?) besucheti FOCARILE, 1981: 549 ff.

Tectusa orobiana ASSING, 2012: 988 ff.; nov.syn.

T y p e m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Holotype 3: " Typus / Helvetia / TI (Val Verzasca)

Pizzo Vogorno vers. Nord, 20-2300 Focarile / Oxypoda besucheti Foc. / Leptusina besucheti

(Focarile), det. Zerche 1995 / Holotypus / Tectusa besucheti (Focarile) , det. V. Assing 2016"

(MHNG). Paratype ♀: same data as holotype (MHNG).

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 Switzerland: T i c i n o 1933, 15♀♀, Lavizzara , Monte Zucchero, E Passo di Chènt, 46°21'02''N, 8°41'47''E, 2200 m, 10.VII.2015, leg. Szallies (cAss, cSza) ; 1♀, Prato , Alpe Campolungo, Lago di Leit, 2000-2300 m, 5.VII.2006, leg. Szallies (cSza) ; 833, 11♀♀, Indemini , Monte Tamaro, north slope, 46°06'17''N, 8°52'03''E, 1850- 1962 m, 19. VI.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza, cAss) ; 633, 3♀♀, Cadenazzo , Camoghè , west slope, 46°08'07''N, 9°03°53''E, 2200 m, 22. VI.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza, cAss). G r i s o u s: 1633, 7♀♀, Leggia, Pizzo Paglia, north slope, 46°14'04''N, 9°13'05''E, 2400 m, 16.VII.2015, leg. A. Szallies (cSza, cAss) ; 333, 1♀, Roveredo , Cima di Cugn, north slope, 46°10'18''N, 9°09'35''E, 2150 m, 14.VII.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza, cAss) ; 433, 2♀♀, 1 teneral ex., Calanca , San Vittore, NE Torrone Rosso, 46°17'54''N, 9°04'08''E, 2500 m, 5.VII.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza, cAss) ; 13 [aedeagus damaged], Rosso , Fil de Dragiva, north slope, 46°22'32''N, 9°10'03''E, 2400-2500 m, 4.VIII.2013, leg. Szallies (cAss) ; 1♀ [teneral], Calanca , Arvigo Campedell, 46°19'42''N, 9°04'01''E, 2400-2500 m, 26.VII.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza) ; 1♀, Calanca , Cauco Piz de Groven, 46°19'24''N, 9°09'32''E, 2500-2600 m, 11.7.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza) ; 1♀, Puschlav , Brusio Alp Pescia, 46°13'48''N, 10°03'05''E, 2500-2650 m, 22.VII.2013, leg. Szallies (cSza) ; 233, 1♀, Bernina , Munt Pers, NE-slope, Las Collinas, 2600 m, grass, 27. VI.1992, leg. Kahlen ( TLMFI) .

C o m m e n t: The original description is based on a male holotype and a female allotype from " Suisse - Tessin, Pizzo di Vogorno dans le Val Verzasca... 2260 m " and a male paratype from " Tessin, Forcarella del Lago à l'ouest de Cima di Biasca... 2270 m " (FOCARILE 1982). An examination of the types and of the additional material revealed that O. besucheti belongs to Tectusa , not to Oxypoda MANNERHEIM, 1830 .

A full redescription of external ( Fig. 35 ) and secondary sexual characters is unnecessary. For details see the description of T. orobiana in ASSING (2012).

I n t r a s p e c i f i c v a r i a t i o n: In the material from Pizzo Vogorno, Monte Zucchero, Monte Tamaro, and from Camoghè, the median lobe is characterized by an apically obliquely truncate (lateral view) and medially incised (ventral view) ventral process, weakly pronounced lateral carinae of the ventral process, and a relatively narrow crista apicalis ( Figs 1, 3 , 6-9, 12-16 , 23, 25 ).

The median lobe of the male from the Alpi Orobie (holotype of T. orobiana ) is characterized by a pronounced crista apicalis and the shape of the ventral process (apically not obliquely truncate, but rounded in lateral view; less slender and medio-apically not incised in ventral view) ( Figs 5 , 22, 28 ).

In the material from Pizzo Paglia and Cima di Cugn ( Figs 4 , 17-21, 27 ), the ventral process of the aedeagus has pronounced lateral folds and a slender apex.

The aedeagus of the males from Torrone Rosso is characterized by an apically rounded (not obliquely truncate) ventral process (lateral view) and by the shape of the crista apicalis (larger and of more rhomboid shape) ( Figs 2 , 10-11 , 24 ).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: Tectusa besucheti is remarkably widespread in the south of Ticino and Grisons ( Switzerland), and in the Alpi Orobie ( Italy: Lombardia) ( Maps 1-2 ). The examined material was found at altitudes between 1800 and 2650 m. According to SZALLIES (pers. comm.), T. besucheti is typically collected from under stones or from small hollows in very fine gravel in places without, or with little, humus usually near melting snow ( Fig. 36 ), only exceptionally after the snow has disappeared. The specimens were not observed in completely wet spots, but in damp places that had been free of snow for a while.

Figures

Map 1: Geographic position of the study region.

Map 2: Localities where material of the Tectusa besucheti was collected.

Figs 1-5: Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of males from Monte Zucchero (1), Torrone Rosso (2), Monte Tamaro (3), Pizzo Paglia (4), and of holotype of T. orobiana (5). Abbreviations: va = apex of ventral process; lc = lateral carina; ca = crista apicalis. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figs 6-17: Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view of males from Monte Zucchero (6-9), Torrone Rosso (10-11), Monte Tamaro (12-15), Camoghè (16), and Cima di Cugn (17). Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figs 18-28: Median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view (18-22) and ventral process in ventral view (23-28) of males from Monte Paglia (18-21, 27), Alpi Orobie (T. orobiana) (22, 28), Monte Zuchero (23), Torrone Rosso (24), Monte Tamaro (25), and Cima di Cugn (26). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figs 29-35: Spermatheca of females from Monte Zucchero (29-30), Pizzo Paglia (31-33), and Alpi Orobie (34); habitus (35). Scale bars: 35: 1.0 mm; 29-34: 0.2 mm. Habitus photo: A. Szallies.

Fig. 36: Habitats where numerous specimens of T. besucheti were collected. Above: Monte Zucchero. Below: Pizzo Paglia. Photos: A. Szallies.