Aleochara (Ceranota) plicelytrata Assing 2018, nov.sp.

Aleochara (Ceranota) plicelytrata nov.sp. (Figs 1-10, Map 5)

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype ♂: " ARMENIA [49] – SW Goris, ESE Tatev, 39°21'47''N, 46°16'52''E, 1950 m, forest margin, 13.VII.2017, V. Assing / Holotypus ♂ Aleochara plicelytrata sp.n. det. V. Assing 2018" (cAss). Paralectotypes: 3♂♂, 3♀♀ [partly teneral]: same data as holotype (cAss, MNB); 1♂, 4♀♀ [partly teneral]: same data, but leg. Schülke (MNB); 1♂, 1♀: " ARMENIA [20a] - 35 km NW Sisian, 39°41'01''N, 45°46'46''E, 2080 m, bushes nr. stream sifted, 3.VII.2016, V. Assing" (cAss); 1♀ [teneral]: " ARMENIA [AR16-22] 20 km W Goris, Shurnukh, 39°21'38''N, 46°24'33''E, 1720 m, Quercus and Carpinus forest, litter and dead wood sifted, 5.VII.2016, Schülke" (MNB); 1♀ [teneral]: " ARMENIA [AR16-31] 25 km S Kapan, N Gomarants pass, 39°02'15''N, 46°22'13''E, 2050 m, oak forest with Acer, Carpinus, and fern undergrowth, litter sifted, 7.VII.2016, leg. M. Schülke " (MNB); 5♂♂, 7♀♀ [partly teneral]: " ARMENIA [39] - 25 km SW Kapan, 39°04'01''N, 46°16'10''E, 2150 m, near stream, sifted, 10.VII.2016, V. Assing" (cAss, MNB); 1♂: " ARMENIA [13] – WSW Dilijan, Kalavan, 40°38'40''N, 45°06'04''E, 1700 m, oak forest, 29.VI.2017, V. Assing" (cAss); 1♀ [teneral]: same data, but leg Schülke (MNB); 1♂, 1♀ [teneral]: " ARMENIA [AR17-17] E Dilijan, road Ttujur–Berd, 40°44'04''N, 45°18'10''E, 1930 m, slope with beech and bushes, sifted, 30.VI.2017, leg. M. Schülke " (MNB); 1♀: " ARMENIA [18] – road Berd–Ijevan, 40°52'26''N, 45°18'00''E, 1350 m, beech forest, 30.VI.2017, V. Assing" (cAss); 1♀ [teneral]: " ARMENIA [19] – road Dilijan–Vanadzor, 40°46'15''N, 44°37'02''E, 1790 m, birch forest, 1.VII.2017, V. Assing" (MNB); 1♀: same data, but leg. Schülke (MNB); 1♀: " ARMENIA [35] – SE Spitak, 1840 m, 40°48'07''N, 44°18'11''E, oak forest margin, sifted, 7.VII.2017, V. Assing " (cAss); 3♂♂, 1♀: " ARMENIA [49b] – SW Goris, ESE Tatev, 39°21'47''N, 46°16'52''E, 1950 m, forest margin, 14.VII.2017, V. Assing" (cAss); 1♀: " ARMENIA [AR17-50] SW Goris, ESE Tatev, 39°21'32''N, 46°16'05''E, 1730 m, deciduous forest margin, litter and debris sifted, 13.VII.2017, leg. Schülke " (MNB); 4♂♂, 3♀♀: " ARMENIA [51] – SW Goris, ESE Tatev, 39°21'50''N, 46°16'32''E, 1820 m, forest margin, 14.VII.2017, V. Assing" (cAss); 4♂♂, 4♀♀ [partly teneral]: same data, but leg. Schülke (MNB); 2 exs.: " ARMENIA, Syunik pr., Tandzaver- Aghvani, N39.350°, E46.316°, 1670 m, 5-30.VII.2015, leg. Kalashian " (cAss); 1 ex.: " ARMENIA, Syunik prov., N Verin Khotanan, N39.3284°, E 46.3751°, 1660 m, 5-30.VII.2015, leg. Kalashian " (cAss); 2♂♂: " N42°39'47 E45°09'19 (GG), Zentral-Kaukasus, Schatili 1430 m 14.7.2015, l. Brachat & Meybohm" (cAss); 1♂: " N42°37'47 E45°07'31 (13), Zentral-Kaukasus, Schatili-Kristani 1630 m, Brachat & Meybohm 16.7.2015 " (cAss); 1♂ [teneral]: " N42°46'03 E42'55'05, GG Zemo Svaneti, Kala 1750 m (33), l. Meybohm 29.7.2016 " (cAss).

E t y m o l o g y: The specific epithet is an adjective composed of the Latin noun plica (fold) and the adjective elytrata. It alludes to the more or less distinctly elevated posterior portion of the elytral suture.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 3.7-6.0 mm; length of forebody 1.8-2.5 mm. Coloration: head blackish; pronotum reddish-brown to blackish-brown; elytra yellowishbrown to brown, with the scutellar and the postero-lateral portion usually more or less distinctly darker; abdomen dark-brown to blackish, with the posterior margins of the segments paler reddish to reddish-brown; legs dark-yellowish; antennae pale-brown to dark-brown, with the basal 2-3 antennomeres yellowish to reddish.

Head (Fig. 1) slender and distinctly oblong; dorsal surface with dense and fine punctation; interstices with distinct microreticulation (Fig. 2). Eyes weakly convex, approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view. Clypeus fully sclerotized. Antenna as in Fig. 3.

Pronotum (Fig. 1) weakly transverse, usually 1.05-1.10 times as broad as long and much broader than head (approximately 1.4 times as broad as head in relatively large specimens). Punctation rather dense and fine, but more distinct than that of head; interstices with more or less pronounced microreticulation (Fig. 4).

Elytra (Fig. 1) 0.8-0.9 times as long as pronotum; posterior portion of suture mostly more or less distinctly elevated in both sexes (Fig. 5); punctation distinct, somewhat asperate, and dense; interstices with shallow microreticulation visible only at high magnification (100 x). Hind wings fully developed. Metatarsomere I longer than the combined length of II-IV.

Abdomen (Fig. 6) with fine and rather sparse punctation; tergites I-VI with extremely fine and extremely shallow, often practically obsolete transverse microsculpture visible only at high magnification (100 x), tergites VII and especially VIII usually with more distinct transverse microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.

♂: anterior abdominal sternites unmodified; tergite III sometimes with weakly pronounced median tubercle; tergite VII in larger males usually with weakly pronounced and weakly defined transverse median elevation posteriorly; posterior margin of sternite VIII acutely produced posteriorly; median lobe of aedeagus 0.55-0.60 mm long and shaped as in Figs 7-9.

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII weakly convex, in the middle weakly concave; spermatheca shaped as in Fig. 10.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Based on the narrow and oblong head and the male secondary sexual characters, particularly the unmodified anterior male abdominal sternites, A. plicelytrata belongs to the A. subtumida group. Among the species of this group, A. plicelytrata is particularly characterized by the presence of distinct microsculpture on the head and pronotum, the usually elevated posterior portion of the elytral suture, and by the morphology of the aedeagus. It is distinguished from the geographically close A. sarica ASSING, 2009 (Iran) by a more slender head, distinctly longer and more slender antennae (A. sarica: antenna massive, antennomere IV distinctly transverse), more pronounced microsculpture on the pronotum, weakly pronounced or absent modifications of the male tergites III and VII, by a larger, more robust aedeagus with a differently shaped ventral process (A. sarica: median lobe of aedeagus approximately 0.5 mm long; ventral process longer and somewhat sinuate in lateral view), and by the shape of the spermatheca (A. sarica: distal portion of different shape; proximal portion less slender and nearly straight). For illustrations of A. sarica and other species of the A. subtumida group see ASSING (2009b).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d n a t u r a l h i s t o r y: The known distribution includes Armenia and Georgia (Map 5). The material was sifted from leaf litter, roots, and debris in various habitats: in mixed forests, oak forests, beech forests, beneath willow near streams, and a wet slope with bushes. The altitudes range from 1350 to 2150 m. Numerous specimens collected in June and July are teneral.