Quedius afrofuliginosus Gusarov 1991
Creators: name: Hansen, Aslak Kappel
name: Brunke, Adam
name: Simonsen, Thomas
name: Solodovnikov, Alexey
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Staphylinidae
Quedius
Quedius afrofuliginosus

description: Quedius afrofuliginosus Gusarov, 1991
(Figs 1, 3, 6E, 7A, 11A, 18)
Quedius afrofuliginosus Gusarov, 1991: 9 [Type locality: Algeria]
Type material. Hඈඅඈඍඒඉൾ: “ Algerie, Raffray / [black circle] / c.A.Yakovleva [in Russian] / Holotypus Quedius afrofuliginosus V.Gusarov 1990 [red label] / Zoological Institute St. Petersburg INS_COL_0002505” (J ZIN). Pൺඋൺඍඒඉൾඌ: same as holotype, except “ Allotypus Quedius afrofuliginosus V. Gusarov 1990 [red label] / Zoological Institute St. Petersburg INS_COL_0002506” (1 ♀ ZIN); same as holotype, except “ Paratypus Quedius afrofuliginosus V. Gusarov 1990 [red label] / Zoological Institute St. Petersburg INS_COL_0002507-000250710” (3 JJ 1 ♀ ZIN).
Additional material examined. FRANCE: Cඈඋඌൾ: Col de Bravella, [41.83, 9.26], 490m, 25.VII.1994, leg. Zerche (1 J SDEI). ITALY: Sൺඋൽංඇංൺ: Aritzo, Mte.Gennargentu,[39.94, 9.17], leg.C. Krüger (2JJ NMW); Ottana, [40.23, 9.04], 11.X.1974 (1 ♀ cBor); MOROCCO: Ain Leuh, [33.28, -5.33], 17.V.1925, leg. M. Escalera (1 ♀ MNCN). SPAIN: Cadiz, Laguna de la Janda, [36.24,-5.84], 30.V.1966, leg. Besuchet (1J NMPC).
Redescription. Measurements JJ (n = 6): HW = 1.78– 1.89 (1.84); HL = 1.54–1.58 (1.56); HL/HW 0.82–0.89 (0.85); PW = 2.24–2.44 (2.36); PL = 2.11–2.22 (2.16); PL/PW 0.89–0.96 (0.92); EW = 2.33–2.68 (2.59); EL = 2.40–2.51 (2.47); EL/EW 0.90–1.03 (0.95); EL/PL 1.10–1.19 (1.14); PW/HW 1.44–1.57 (1.51); forebody length 6.10–6.29 (6.19). ♀♀ (n = 3): HW = 1.84–1.89 (1.87); HL = 1.56–1.62 (1.59); HL/HW 0.84–0.86 (0.85); PW = 2.38–2.40 (2.39); PL = 2.04–2.24 (2.17); PL/PW 0.86–0.94 (0.91); EW = 2.69–2.73 (2.72); EL = 2.36–2.58 (2.48); EL/EW 0.88–0.94 (0.91); EL/PL 1.06–1.26 (1.15); PW/HW 1.47–1.53 (1.50); forebody length 6.18–6.36 (6.24).
Large species; body black (Fig. 7A).
Head black, distinctly transverse, with microsculpture of head transverse waves, four punctures between anterior frontal punctures, one additional unique puncture on either side posterior of these (Fig. 6E), eyes very large (EyL/TL = 3.17–3.91 (3.68)) and clearly protruding; antennae and palpi pale reddish, all anntennomeres elongate.
Thorax: pronotum black, slightly wider than long, clearly wider than head, with microsculpture of transverse waves, three punctures in dorsal row, two punctures in sublateral row with posteriormost puncture reaching level of middle puncture of dorsal row; scutellum smooth and glabrous; elytra black, uniformly pubescent, quadrate or slightly wider than long, slightly longer than pronotum; legs dark brown with inner face of tibia darkened and tarsi paler.
Abdomen black, tergites uniformly punctured, slightly iridescent.
Male. Aedeagus (Fig. 11A): paramere broad, rather parallel-sided, reaching apex of median lobe, with sensory peg setae forming two single rows along parameral lateral margins for 2/3 of their length; median lobe on parameral side with clear apical protrusion and two subapical small teeth, the latter positioned near end of peg setae rows of paramere; internal sac with four distal elongate medial sclerites.
Differential diagnosis. Quedius afrofuliginosus can be distinguished from all other Quedius s. str. by the unique head chaetotaxy, with a puncture on either side posterior of the anterior frontal puncture (Fig. 6E). Within the fuliginosus -group it is additionally distinguished from Q. fuliginosus by the pale antennae, from Q. levicollis by the impunctate and glabrous scutellum, and from Q. curtipennis by wider head (HW/HL = 0.74 vs 0.85) and aedeagal median lobe with apical protrusion.
Bionomics. Nothing is known about the biology of Q. afrofuliginosus. Based on collecting sites it is most likely occurring in forested areas of medium elevation (450 to 1400 m).
Distribution. Quedius afrofuliginosus was originally described from an unknown locality in Algeria. The new material studied in this paper brought to light additional specimens from Tunisia and Morocco in Northern Africa, as well as the first records of this species from the Mediterranean region in southern Spain and on the southern European islands of Corse and Sardinia (Fig. 18).
description: Published as part of Hansen, Aslak Kappel, Brunke, Adam, Simonsen, Thomas & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2022, Revision of Quedius sensu stricto (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), pp. 225-299 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 62 (1) on pages 240-241, DOI: 10.37520/aemnp.2022.017, http://zenodo.org/record/7399702