Heterothops dissimilis (GRAVENHORST, 1802)

Assing, Volker & Schülke, Michael, 2019, The Staphylinidae of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Coleoptera), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 69 (1), pp. 91-173 : 163

Heterothops dissimilis (GRAVENHORST, 1802)

Heterothops armeniacus COIFFAIT, 1977: 142 ; syn. nov.

Type material examined: Holotype: “ Erevan, Kamaker, ASSR – 4.11.48 / Holotype / Heterothops armeniacus Coiff., H. Coiffait det. 1969 / Heterothops dissimilis (Gravenhorst) , det. V. Assing 2018” (cKhn).

Comment: The original description of H. armeniacus is based on a unique female holotype from “ Erevan, Kamaker, Arménie soviétique” ( COIFFAIT 1977). In external characters, this holotype is identical to Armenian material identified as H. dissimilis . A comparison of the internal structures of the aedeagus of material from Germany and Armenia yielded no evidence that these populations should represent different species. These internal structures are slightly longer in the Armenian specimens, but otherwise of identical shape. Consequently, these differences are attributed to intraspecific variation and H. armeniacus is placed in synonymy with H. dissimilis .