Tectusa recta, Assing, 2006

Assing, V., 2006, New species and records of Staphylinidae from Greece, with two new synonymies (Insecta: Coleoptera), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 333-379 : 341-343

Tectusa recta sp.n. ( Figs 22-32 )

Holotype 3: GR. [12] N-Pindos, ca. 40 km NNE Konitsa, Oros Arénes , 1900 m, 40°17'39N, 20°55'22E, 27.V.2005, V. Assing / Holotypus 3 Tectusa recta sp. n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss). Paratypes: 233, 3♀♀: same data as holotype (cAss) ; 933, 2♀♀: same data, but leg. P. Wunderle (cWun) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: 2.5-3.0 mm (abdomen fully extended); habitus as in Fig. 22 . Coloration: forebody uniformly blackish brown, with the abdominal apex slightly paler; legs reddish brown, with the femora slightly darker; antennae reddish brown, usually gradually darkened towards apex.

Head approximately as wide as long; eyes small, composed of less than 20 ommatidia, and weakly protruding from lateral outline of head, less than half the length of postocular region in dorsal view; microreticulation of integument distinct; puncturation very fine and sparse, barely noticeable ( Fig. 23 ). Antenna with antennomeres I and II of subequal length and about twice as long as wide; III somewhat shorter than II and about 1.5 times as long as wide; IV weakly transverse; IV-X of increasing width; IX almost twice as wide as long; X longer than IX and about 1.5 times as wide as long; XI of ovoid shape and shorter than the combined length of IX and X.

Pronotum distinctly convex in cross-section, transverse, approximately 1.1 times as wide as long, and about 1.15 times as wide as head; maximal width approximately in the middle; posterior angles weakly marked; midline without impression; microsculpture and puncturation similar to those of head; pubescence along midline directed posteriad, in anterior 1/6 of midline sometimes anteriad, and on either side of midline laterad ( Fig. 23 ).

Elytra about as wide and at suture about 0.6 times as long as pronotum; microsculpture pronounced; puncturation fine, but somewhat more distinct than that of head and pronotum; pubescence short and more or less depressed ( Fig. 23 ). Hind wings reduced.

Abdomen slightly wider than elytra, widest at segments V/VI ( Fig. 22 ). Anterior impressions of tergites III-V moderately shallow, that of tergite VI very shallow; microsculpture distinct; puncturation fine and sparse; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe; tergite VIII without appreciable sexual dimorphism.

3: posterior margin of sternite VIII strongly convex and with relatively short thin marginal setae ( Fig. 24 ); median lobe of aedeagus at base of ventral process with pronounced folds (see arrows in Figs 25-27 ), ventral process in lateral view straight, not curved ( Figs 25-28 ).

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly and weakly convex, marginal setae not distinctly modified ( Fig. 29 ); spermatheca as in Figs 30-31.

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Lat., adjective) refers to the straight ventral process of the median lobe of the aedeagus.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Greece is inhabited by numerous endemic species of Tectusa , most of which, however, are undescribed. Among the described species, the geographically closest congeners are T. vrontousensis ASSING & WUNDERLE from the Vrontous range near Séres and T. meschniggi (BERNHAUER) from the Olympos range. From all known species of Tectusa , the new species is separated especially by the distinctive shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus. From T. vrontousensis , it is additionally distinguished by its distinctly smaller eyes (in T. vrontousensis with more than 30 ommatidia), the lighter coloration of the legs and antennae, the much finer and more indistinct puncturation of the forebody, the absence of a median impression on the pronotum, the shallower anterior impression of the abdominal tergite VI, as well as by the much longer duct of the spermatheca. From T. meschniggi , it is also separated by the finer puncturation and the darker coloration of the forebody, by the darker femora, the more convex pronotum, by the posteriorly more strongly convex male sternite VIII, and by the much longer spermathecal duct. For illustrations of the genitalia of T. vrontousensis and T. meschniggi see ASSING & WUNDERLE (2001) and ASSING (2004a), respectively.

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: ThetypelocalityissituatedintheOros Arénes, which is part of the Oros Grámos range, very close to the Albanian border. The specimens were sifted from grass roots, moss, and debris close to the edge of snowfields at an altitude of 1900 m ( Fig. 32 ).

Figures

Figs 22-31: Tectusa recta sp.n.: (22) habitus (holotype); (23) forebody (paratype); (24) 3 sternite VIII; (25-27) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (26-27: holotype); (28) apical part of median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (29) ♀ sternite VIII; (30-31) spermatheca. Scale bars: 22: 1.0 mm; 23: 0.5 mm; 24, 29: 0.2 mm; 25-28, 30-31: 0.1 mm.

Fig. 32: Type locality of Tectusa recta sp.n. (Oros Arénes, N-Pindos, Greece).