Meotica normandi BENICK , 1953

Assing, Volker & Vogel, Jürgen, 2019, The mother of synonyms: on the Meotica species of the Palaearctic Region (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Oxypodini), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 731-772 : 763-764

Meotica normandi BENICK, 1953

( Figs 78-84 )

Meotica normandi BENICK, 1953: 79 f.

Meotica franzi PACE, 1983: 34 f.; nov.syn.

Meotica filaria: PACE (1983) .

Type material examined: Lectotype ♂, present designation: "C. Aïn Senour, Dr. Normand / Meotica Normandi ♂ G. Bck typus [sic] / Coll. G. Benick / Meotica filaria corr. J. Vogel / Lectotypus ♂ Meotica normandi Benick , desig. V. Assing 2018 / Meotica normandi Benick , det. V. Assing 2018" ( MHNG). Paralectotypes: 1♂, 2♀♀ [1♀ on same pin as lectotype; spermathecae of ♀♀ missing]: same data as lectotype ( MHNG).

Additional material examined: MOROCCO: 1♀, Asilah, stream 4 km S Asilah , 35°25'N, 6°02'W, 25 m, 27.III.2008, leg. Andújar et al. (cAss) . SPAIN: 1♂, Cádiz , Tarifa , I.1996, leg. Poot (cAss); 1♀, same data, but XII.1995 (cWun) .

Comment: The original description of M. normandi is based on an unspecified number of syntypes from "C. Ain-Senour" ( BENICK 1953). Two males and two females were found in the Benick collection. One of the males is designated as the lectotype.

PACE (1983) described M. franzi based on a unique male from " Spagna meridionale, dintorni di Algeciras".

A comparison of the illustrations provided by PACE (1083) for M. franzi and M. filaria with the sexual characters of the non-type specimens from the environs of Tarifa and of the type material of M. normandi revealed that M. normandi , M. franzi, and M. filaria sensu PACE (1983) refer to the same species.

Diagnosis: Small species. Body yellowish with segments V-VI and the anterior portion of segment VII more or less distinctly infuscate. Eyes very small. Hind wings reduced. Tergite VIII with truncate posterior margin, without distinct sexual dimorphism.

♂: sternite VIII ( Fig. 78 ) strongly transverse, posterior margin acutely pointed in the middle; median lobe of aedeagus relatively small, 0.20-0.22 mm long, and with short ventral process ( Figs 80-83 ); internal sac with a conspicuously long flagellum; apical lobe of paramere yellowish.

♀: sternite VIII ( Fig. 79 ) noticeably longer than tergite VIII, posterior margin convex, in the middle indistinctly concave; spermatheca rather stout and large in relation to aedeagus, of distinctive shape ( Fig. 84 ).

Confirmed distribution: Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, South Spain.

Figures

Figs 69-79: Meotica andujari (69-73), M. ochsi (74-75), M. wunderlei (76-77), and M. normandi (78-79): (69, 74, 76, 78) male sternite VIII; (70) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (71) apical portion of median lobe in ventral view; (72, 75, 77, 79) female sternite VIII; (73) spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figs 80-90: Meotica normandi (80-84; 80-81: lectotype), M. arasensis (85), M. caucasica (86-89), and M. subnigra (90): (80-83, 87-88) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view; (84- 85, 89) spermatheca; (86, 90) male sternite VIII. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.