Geostiba (Sibiota) convergens, Assing, 2011

Assing, V., 2011, A revision of Geostiba of the West Palaearctic region. XXI. Eight new species from Turkey and the Caucasus, a new synonymy, and additional records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 43 (2), pp. 1135-1158 : 1154-1156

Geostiba (Sibiota) convergens nov.sp. ( Figs 47-56 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: "RU [4], W-Caucasus, 40 km NNE Sochi, S Mt. Fisht, 1650 m, forest litter, 43°55'14''N, 39°51'26''E, 12.VII.2011, V. Assing / Holotypus Geostiba convergens sp.n. det. V. Assing 2011" (cAss). Paratypes: 2: same data as holotype (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 2.4-2.7 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 47 . Coloration: body reddish, with the abdomen occasionally slightly darker and the appendages yellowish to dark-yellowish.

Head weakly oblong ( Figs 48-49 ); punctation extremely fine, barely noticeable; interstices with very shallow microreticulation. Eyes very small, but with pigmentation and composed of about 5-10 ommatidia, approximately 0.20-0.25 times as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Antenna distinctly and gradually incrassate apically, antennomere X almost twice as wide as long.

Pronotum approximately 1.1 times as wide as long and 1.2 times as wide as head ( Fig. 23 ), with weakly pronounced sexual dimorphism; interstices with distinct microreticulation.

Elytra with pronounced sexual dimorphism, 0.60-0.65 times as long as pronotum ( Figs 48-49 ). Hind wings absent.

Abdomen wider than elytra; punctation very fine and sparse, barely noticeable; interstices with distinct microreticulation and only subdued shine; tergite VII with sexual dimorphism; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

: pronotum with moderately coarse, but rather sparse punctation, on either side of midline with shallow oblong impressions; elytra on either side of suture with pronounced, curved, and posteriorly convergent elevations, disc extensively, but shallowly impressed, punctation fine and non-granulose; abdominal tergite VII with posteriorly convergent carinae forming a "V" in posterior half ( Fig. 50 ); posterior margin of tergite VIII distinctly concave in the middle; posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly convex; median lobe of aedeagus approximately 0.3 mm long, with pronounced crista apicalis and crista proximalis ( Figs 51-52 ), and with pair of clusters of approximately five long semi-transparent spines in internal sac ( Figs 53-54 ); paramere with relatively stout apical lobe ( Fig. 55 ).

: pronotum with barely noticeable impressions on either side of midline and with fine punctation; elytra with very shallow impressions, but without elevations on either side of suture ( Fig. 49 ); posterior margins of tergite VIII and sternite VIII convex; spermatheca shaped as in Fig. 56.

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet (Latin, present participle) alludes to the posterior convergent elevations on the male elytra and the posteriorly convergent carinae on the male tergite VII.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: InthekeyinASSING (2009), the species would key out at couplet 120. In order to account for the new species, the key is modified as follows:

120 Species from the Caucasus minor in Georgia.: sexual characters unknown.: spermatheca as in PACE (1996: figure 165) ............................................ G. zerchei PACE

- Species from the main Caucasus range, Russia........................................................120a

120a: pronotum without impressions on either side of midline; elytra with the sutural elevations narrower and contiguous throughout their length ( ASSING 2005: figure 194); carinae in posterior half of tergite VII posteriorly not contiguous, separated by a distance of approximately the width of one carina ( ASSING 2005: figure 196); tergite VIII posteriorly broadly and more deeply concave ( ASSING 2005: figure 197); median lobe of aedeagus and apical lobe of paramere as in ASSING (2005: figures 198-199).: spermatheca with short helicoid duct ( ASSING 2005: figure 201). Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Respublika: environs of Teberda ............................... .................................................................................................... G. krzysztofi (ROUBAL)

-: pronotum with shallow oblong impressions on either side of midline; elytra with massive elevations on either side of suture, these elevations curved, distinctly separated anteriorly and converging posteriorly ( Fig. 48 ); carinae in posterior half of tergite VII strongly converging and contiguous posteriorly, forming a "V" ( Fig. 50 ); posterior margin of tergite VIII less broadly and less deeply concave in the middle; median lobe of aedeagus with less pronounced crista proximalis and differently shaped crista apicalis ( Figs 51-52 ).: spermatheca of completely different shape ( Fig. 56 ). Southern slopes of Mt. Fisht region ..... G. convergens nov.sp.

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: Thetypelocalityissituatedto the south of Mt. Fisht in the border region between Adygea Respublika and Krasnodarskiy Kray, West Caucasus. The specimens were sifted from leaf litter and dead wood in a moist beech forest with scattered fir undergrowth at an altitude of 1650 m.

Figures

Figs 47-56: Geostiba convergens nov.sp. (47-55: holotype): (47) male habitus; (48) male forebody; (49) female forebody; (50) male abdomen in dorsal view; (51-52) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (53) median portion of median lobe in lateral view; (54) median portion of median lobe in ventral view; (55) paramere; (56) spermatheca. Scale bars: 47: 1.0 mm; 48-50: 0.5 mm; 51-52, 55-56: 0.1 mm; 53-54: 0.05 mm.

Figs 21-25: Geostiba aequa nov.sp. (21-24: holotype): (21) male forebody; (22) male abdominal tergite VII in lateral view; (23) posterior portion of male abdominal tergite VII in antero-dorsal view; (24) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (25) spermatheca. Scale bars: 21: 0.5 mm; 22- 25: 0.1 mm.