A review of the Tychus algericus species group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae), North Africa
Author
Sabella, Giorgio
Author
Besuchet, Claude
Author
Kurbatov, Sergey A.
text
Zootaxa
2011
3065
38
48
journal article
46141
10.5281/zenodo.208104
50a01a5b-63ed-4b65-bdb4-9a346aa88ac3
1175-5326
208104
Tychus depexus
Peyerimhoff, 1905
(
Figs. 2
,
9–10
,
16
)
Tychus depexus
Peyerimhoff, 1905
: 229
;
Jeannel, 1956
: 137
, Fig. 139
Type
material.
Lectotype
,
3, present designation.
NORTHERN
ALGERIA
:
Blida province
: Mouzaia Mount, Bereani river,
19.III.1905
(
P. M. de Peyerimhoff
) (
MNHN
, general collection).
Paralectotypes
: 3, same data of
lectotype
(
MNHN
, general collection); 2 3, same data of
lectotype
(
MHNG
).
Additional material examined. NORTHERN
ALGERIA
:
Blida province
: 3, Mouzaia Peak, (
P. M. de Peyerimhoff
) (
MNHN
, Raffray collection); 2 3, idem,
VII.1905
(
P. M. de Peyerimhoff
) (
MNHN
, general collection); Ƥ, idem (
H. Normand
) (
INAT
); 3, Le Lac,
13.VI.1905
(
MNHN
, general collection); 2 ƤƤ, Mouzaia Mount (
MNHN
, general collection); Ƥ, Mouzaia,
IV.1909
(
MNHN
, general collection); 2 3 and Ƥ, idem,
IV. 1909
(
MHNG
); 6 3 and 4 Ƥ Ƥ, Chiffa Gorges, Singes stream,
280–380 m
,
4.V.1988
(
C. Besuchet, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt
) (
MHNG
); 3 Chiffa Gorges,
III.1909
, (
P. M. de Peyerimhoff
) (
MNHN
, general collection); 3, idem,
III.1909
(
P. M. de Peyerimhoff
) (
MHNG
); 6 ƤƤ, Atlas de Blida, Chréa, Les Glacières,
1.100 m
,
3.V.1988
(
C. Besuchet, I. Löbl & D. Burckhardt
) (
MHNG
).
FIGURES 9–10.
Aedeagus of
Tychus depexus
, male from Mouzaia Mount. Scale: 0,1 mm. 9—Ventral view. 10—Lateral view.
Redescription.
Body length
1.35–1.40 mm
, uniformly brown with yellowish legs and yellow palpi.
Head
slightly longer (
0.250–0.260 mm
) than wide (
0.235–0.245 mm
), frontal rostrum
0.135–0.140 mm
wide and
0.050 mm
long. Eyes with 10–16 ommatidia. Last article of maxillary palpi 0.190–0.200 mm long and
0.080 mm
wide. Antennae (
Fig. 2
) 0.690–0.700 mm long, club
0.275–0.280 mm
long; scape and anteonnomere II distinctly longer than wide; III slightly longer than wide, antennomeres IV–VIII distinctly wider than long.
Pronotum
wider (0.300–
0.310 mm
) than long (
0.280–0.290 mm
).
Elytra
wider (
0.560–0.575 mm
) than long (0.400–
0.425 mm
).
Abdomen
with 1st tergite
0.185–0.190 mm
long.
Male
. Posterior margin of mesotrochanters extended into long median spine, mesotibiae with small subapical spur, metatibiae with apical spur, all abdominal sternites slightly flattened at middle. Aedeagus (
Figs. 9–10
)
0.310– 0.325 mm
long, with sinuate and canaliculate dorsal apophysis of median lobe enlarged at apex and bearing two spine-like apophyses. First apophysis on mesal margin beneath apex, very short and directed medially, second apophysis on distal third of ventral surface is bigger and directed laterally. Ventral portion of median lobe very large at base directed laterally and constricted at the apex. Ventral portion of median lobe bearing long spine-like apophysis on lateral margin.
Female
. Eyes smaller (10–12 ommatidia) than male (14–16 ommatidia), telisternite as in
Fig. 16
.
Comparative notes.
T. depexus
can be distinguished from the other species of the group by the uniformly brown colour of both males and females, the reduced eyes (10–16 ommatidia), the shape of the ventral portion and the dorsal apophysis of median lobe of the aedeagus, and the feature of the female telisternite. Also, only the male of
T. depexus
has all abdominal sternites slightly flattened at the middle (slightly convex in other species of the group).
Distribution.
The species is known only from few localities in the northern
Algeria
in the Blida province (Mouzaia Mount, Chiffa Gorges, Chréa).