A revision of Callicerus Gravenhorst, 1802, Pseudosemiris Machulka, 1935, and Saphocallus Sharp, 1888 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Athetini).

Abstract

The types and additional material of the species of Callicerus Gravenhorst, Pseudosemiris Machulka, and Saphocallus Sharp are revised. The taxonomic history of these taxa is outlined. Based on a comparative morphological study - including species of the presumably closely allied genus group taxa Aloconota Thomson, 1858 and Disopora Thomson, 1859 - Callicerus, Pseudosemiris, and Saphocallus are regarded as distinct genera and redescribed. 7 valid species of Callicerus, 7 of Pseudosemiris, and one of Saphocallus are recognized and (re-)described: C. obscurus Gravenhorst, C. muensteri Bernhauer, C. atricollis (Aubé), C. appenninus sp. n., C. sparsicollis Bernhauer, C. fulvicornis Eppelsheim, C. rigidicornis (Erichson), P. kaufmanni (Eppelsheim), P. breiti Scheerpeltz, P. circassica Fagel, P. fulgida sp. n., P. granulosa Fagel, P. stricticornis Fagel, P. zanettii sp. n., and S. parviceps Sharp. P. velox Jablokow-Khnzorian is regarded as a species dubia. The following synonymies are established: Callicerus Gravenhorst, 1802 = Semiris Heer, 1839, resyn., = Sphaerotaxus Bernhauer, 1915, syn. n.; Callicerus obscurus Gravenhorst, 1802 = Callicerus stolfai Scheerpeltz, 1956, syn. n., = Callicerus ibericus Fagel, 1958, syn. n.; Calodera atricollis Aubé, 1850 = Callicerus clavatus Rottenberg, 1870, syn. n.; Callicerus fulvicornis Eppelsheim, 1883 = Callicerus gagliardii Scheerpeltz, 1956, syn. n.; Homalota rigidicornis Erichson, 1839 = Callicerus mandli Scheerpeltz, 1956, syn. n., = Callicerus beieri Scheerpeltz, 1959, syn. n.; Homalota gregaria Erichson, 1839 (nomen protectum) = Aleochara caliginosa Stephens, 1832, syn. n. (nomen oblitum); Atheta montenegrina Bernhauer, 1899 = Callicerus smetanai Scheerpeltz, 1967, syn. n. Atheta toroenensis Bernhauer, 1943, a species previously attributed to Callicerus, is assigned to the genus Homoiocalea Bernhauer, 1943, stat. n. Both the genus and H. toroenensis (Bernhauer), comb. n. are redescribed. A neotype is designated for Callicerus obscurus Gravenhorst. Lectotypes are designated for Calodera atricollis Aubé, Callicerus muensteri Bernhauer, C. obscurus var. pedemontanus Baudi, C. clavatus Rottenberg, C. sparsicollis Bernhauer, C. fulvicornis Eppelsheim, and C. kaufmanni Eppelsheim. - Distinguishing characters of all the genus group and species group taxa treated as well as the results of the morphometric analyses are figured. The descriptions are complemented by remarks on intraspecific variation, by comparative notes, and by keys to the species of Callicerus and Pseudosemiris. The available data on the distribution and bionomics of the species are compiled. Ecological evidence and collection data suggest that species of Callicerus and Pseudosemiris are univoltine, with reproduction and pre-imaginal development taking place from early spring to early summer, and apparently reproduce and hibernate in an unknown cryptic habitat, which would also explain the the fact that records of practically all species are rare to extremely rare. The phenologies of C. obscurus and C. rigidicornis are figured, and the areas of distribution of the less rare species are mapped.

Keywords

Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Athetini, Callicerus, Pseudosemiris, Saphocallus, Homoiocalea, Aloconota, Palaearctic region, Europe, taxonomy, biogeography, ecology, intraspecific variation, life history, new species, new synonymy, new combination, neotype designation, lectotype designation.

Nomenclatural Acts

gregaria (Erichson, 1839) (Aloconota), nom. protectum described as Homalota gregaria
montenegrina (Bernhauer, 1899) (Aloconota (Disopora)), Lectotype described as Atheta (Disopora) montenegrina
caliginosa Stephens, 1832 (Bolitochara), nom. oblitum; syn. n. of Aloconota gregaria (Erichson, 1839): nom. protectum
appenninus Assing, 2001 (Callicerus), spec. n.
atricollis (Aubé, 1850) (Callicerus), Lectotype described as Calodera atricollis
clavatus Rottenberg, 1870 (Callicerus), Lectotype; syn. n. of Callicerus atricollis (Aubé, 1850)
fulvicornis Eppelsheim, 1883 (Callicerus), Lectotype described as Callicerus atricollis var. fulvicornis
muensteri Bernhauer, 1900 (Callicerus), Lectotype
obscurus Gravenhorst, 1802 (Callicerus), Neotype
sparsicollis Bernhauer, 1915 (Callicerus), Lectotype
stolfai Scheerpeltz, 1956 (Callicerus), syn. n. of Callicerus obscurus Gravenhorst, 1802
smetanai Scheerpeltz, 1967 (Callicerus (Callicerus)), syn. n. of Atheta (Disopora) montenegrina (Bernhauer, 1899)
beieri Scheerpeltz, 1959 (Callicerus (Semiris)), syn. n. of Callicerus rigidicornis (Erichson, 1839)
gagliardii Scheerpeltz, 1956 (Callicerus (Semiris)), syn. n. of Callicerus fulvicornis Eppelsheim, 1883
ibericus Fagel, 1958 (Callicerus (Semiris)), syn. n. of Callicerus obscurus Gravenhorst, 1802
mandli Scheerpeltz, 1956 (Callicerus (Semiris)), syn. n. of Callicerus rigidicornis (Erichson, 1839)
pedemontanus Baudi, 1869 (Callicerus obscurus var.), Lectotype now a synonym of Callicerus atricollis (Aubé, 1850)
toroenensis (Bernauer, 1943) (Homoiocalea), comb. n. hitherto Atheta (Homoiocalea) toroenensis
fulgida Assing, 2001 (Pseudosemiris), spec. n.
kaufmanni (Eppelsheim, 1887) (Pseudosemiris), Lectotype described as Callicerus kaufmanni
zanettii Assing, 2001 (Pseudosemiris), spec. n.
Homoiocalea Bernhauer, 1943 (Staphylinidae), stat. n. hitherto a subgenus of Atheta
Semiris Heer, 1839 (Staphylinidae), syn. n. of Callicerus Gravenhorst, 1802
Sphaerotaxus Bernhauer, 1915 (Staphylinidae), syn. n. of Callicerus Gravenhorst, 1802