A revision of the Western Palaearctic species of Myrmecopora Saulcy, 1864, sensu lato and Eccoptoglossa Luze, 1904 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Falagriini).

Abstract

The systematic position and taxonomic history of the falagriine genera Myrmecopora Saulcy, 1864 sensu lato and Eccoptoglossa Luze, 1904, including the subgenera and species described prior to the present study are outlined and discussed. Both genera are redescribed and redefined with special reference to phylogenetic relationships. Based on phylogenetic arguments, the following taxa are recognized as subgenera of Myrmecopora: Myrmecopora Saulcy s. str., Iliusa Mulsant & Rey, 1874, Xenusa Mulsant & Rey, 1874, Paraxenusa subg. n. and Euphorbiusa subg. n. A revision of the types and further Western Palaearctic material of both genera yielded 22 valid species of Myrmecopora and 2 species of Eccoptoglossa, among them six new taxa: Myrmecopora (s. str.) wunderlei sp. n. from Southern Anatolia, M. (s. str.) convexula sp. n. from Western Anatolia and Southeastern Bulgaria, M. (s. str.) elisa sp. n. from Crete, M. (s. str.) plana sp. n. from Crete, M. (s. str.) fornicata sp. n. from Crete and M. (Xenusa) oweni sp. n. from Southern England, Northern and Western France. Myrmecopora turanica Eppelsheim, 1888, is transferred to Eccoptoglossa. The following new synonymies are established: M. (Iliusa) fugax (Erichson, 1839) = M. uludaghensis Fagel, 1971, syn. n., M. (Xenusa) uvida (Erichson, 1840) = M. meridiogallica Scheerpeltz, 1972, syn. n., M. (Xenusa) boehmi Bernhauer, 1910 = M. sydowi Bernhauer, 1927, syn. n., = Xenusa mediterranea Fagel, 1970, syn. n., M. (Xenusa) sulcata (Kiesenwetter, 1850) = Xenusa carica Fagel, 1970, syn. n., M. (Xenusa) simillima (Wollaston, 1864) = M. lohmanderi Bernhauer, 1927, syn. n., M. (Xenusa) minima Bernhauer, 1900 = M. buresi Rambousek, 1910, syn. n., = Xenusa pamphylica Fagel, 1969, syn. n., Eccoptoglossa obscura Luze, 1904 = Mymecopora afghanica Scheerpeltz, 1972, syn. n. Myrmecopora (s. str.) pygmaea (Sachse, 1852), previously treated as a synonym of M. (s. str.) crassiuscula (Aubé, 1850), is regarded as a valid species. Lectotypes are designated for Myrmecopora publicana Saulcy, Myrmedonia pygmaea Sachse, Tachyusa laesa Erichson, T. uvida Erichson, T. sulcata Kiesenwetter, T. simillima Wollaston, T. maritima Wollaston, Myrmecopora sydowi Bernhauer, M. boehmi Bernhauer, M. minima Bernhauer, M. lohmanderi Bernhauer, M. bernhaueri Koch, M. brevipes Butler, M. gravata Peyerimhoff, M. turanica Eppelsheim and Eccoptoglossa obscura Luze. A neotype is designated for Tachyusa fugax Erichson. In addition to the descriptions of the genera, subgenera and species dealt with in the study, drawings of relevant external characters and the genitalia, detailed diagnostic keys as well as data on distribution and bionomics are provided.

Keywords

Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Falagriini, Myrmecopora, Xenusa, Iliusa, Eccoptoglossa, Palaearctic, Europe, distribution, ecology, taxonomy, revision, new subgenera, new species, lectotype designation, neotype, designation, new synonyms.

Nomenclatural Acts

obscura Luze, 1904 (Eccoptoglossa), Lectotype
turanica (Eppelsheim, 1888) (Eccoptoglossa), Lectotype; comb. n. hitherto Myrmecopora (Ilyusa) turanica
Euphorbiusa Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora), sgen. n.
lohmanderi Bernhauer, 1927 (Myrmecopora), Lectotype; syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) simillima (Wollaston, 1864)
Paraxenusa Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora), sgen. n.
sydowi Bernhauer, 1927 (Myrmecopora), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) boehmi Bernhauer, 1910
uludaghensis Fagel, 1971 (Myrmecopora), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Iliusa) fugax (Erichson, 1839)
gravata Peyerimhoff, 1945 (Myrmecopora (Euphorbiusa)), Lectotype
fugax (Erichson, 1839) (Myrmecopora (Iliusa)), Neotype described as Tachyusa fugax
afghanica Scheerpeltz, 1972 (Myrmecopora (Ilyusa)), syn. n. of Eccoptoglossa obscura Luze, 1904
convexula Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), spec. n.
elisa Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), spec. n.
fornicata Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), spec. n.
plana Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), spec. n.
publicana Saulcy, 1864 (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), Lectotype
pygmaea (Sachse, 1852) (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), Lectotype described as Myrmedonia pygmaea
wunderlei Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora (Myrmecopora)), spec. n.
laesa (Erichson, 1839) (Myrmecopora (Paraxenusa)), Lectotype, comb. n. hitherto Tachyusa laesa
anatolica (Fagel, 1969) (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), comb. n. hitherto Xenusa anatolica
bernhaueri Koch, 1936 (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype
boehmi Bernhauer, 1910 (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype
buresi Rambousek, 1910 (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) minima Bernhauer, 1900
maritima (Wollaston, 1860) (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype described as Tachyusa maritima
meridiogallica Scheerpeltz, 1972 (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) uvida (Erichson, 1840)
minima Bernhauer, 1900 (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype
oweni Assing, 1997 (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), spec. n.
simillima (Wollaston, 1864) (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype described as Tachyusa simillima
sulcata (Kiesenwetter, 1850) (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype described as Tachyusa sulcata
uvida (Erichson, 1840) (Myrmecopora (Xenusa)), Lectotype described as Tachyusa uvida
carica Fagel, 1970 (Xenusa), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) sulcata (Kiesenwetter, 1850)
mediterranea Fagel, 1970 (Xenusa), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) boehmi Bernhauer, 1910
pamphylica Fagel, 1969 (Xenusa), syn. n. of Myrmecopora (Xenusa) minima Bernhauer, 1900