On the Aleocharini of Turkey, with notes on some species from adjacent regions

Types and additional material o f Aleocharini from Turkey and adjacent regions are revised. 6 species are (re-)described and illustrated: M egalogastria alata sp. n. (Bitlis, Erzurum), Aleochara caloderoides sp. n. (Mersin), A. (Ceranota) m embranosa sp. n. (Antalya), A. (C.) bodem eyeri Bernhauer, 1914, A. (C.) bitu bercu lata Bernhauer, 1900, and A. (C.) erythroptera G ravenhorst, 1806. External and sexual characters of A. (C.) caucasica Eppelsheim, 1889, A. (Rheochara) leptocera Eppelsheim, 1889, and A. (R.) spalacis Scheerpeltz, 1969 are figured. The following synonymy is proposed: Aleochara moesta G ravenhorst, 1802 = A. ebneri Scheerpeltz, 1929, syn. n. A lectotype is designated for A. spalacis Scheerpeltz. Additional records of Aleocharini from Turkey are reported, among them 7 first records. A checklist o f the Aleocharini known from Turkish territory is compiled.


Introduction
In a recent catalogue (Smetana, 2004), 32 species of Aleocharini are listed for Turkey, 2 species of Pseudocalea Luze and 30 species of Aleochara Gravenhorst. In the meantime, one additional species of Pseudocalea and eight species of Aleochara have been reported or described from Turkish territory (Assing 2006b(Assing , 2007. The present paper is based on a revision of type material of several species, as well as on an ex amination of additional material, most of which was collected during several recent field trips or found in the Schubert collection at the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien. Several undescribed species were discovered; some of them, however, are represented only by females and consequently not described. The identities of several additional species are still uncertain and will have to be clarified in future studies. Pronotum strongly transverse and large in relation to head (see ratios PW/PL and PW/HW); maximal width a short distance behind middle; posterior angles weakly marked, almost complete ly rounded (Fig. 2); pronotal hypomera not visible in lateral view; puncturation similar to that of head; pubescence directed caudad along midline and predominantly diagonally latero-caudad in lateral areas; microsculpture absent. Elytra approximately 1.3 times as wide as and at suture somewhat shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL), slightly widened posteriorly; posterior margin weakly sinuate near posterior angles; puncturation coarse and well-defined, more distinct than that of head and pro notum; microsculpture absent ( Fig. 2). Hind wings fully developed. Legs slender; metatarsus al most as long as metatibia (see ratio TiL/TaL); metatarsomere I conspicuously long, approximately as long as the combined length of II-IV or even longer.
Abdomen widest at segments III-IV, gradually tapering caudad; tergites III-V without distinct anterior impressions, only with anterior ridge; tergites III-VI and anterior 1/3 of tergite VII with conspicuously coarse and rather dense puncturation; posterior 2/3 of tergite VII with finer and sparse puncturation; microsculpture absent; posterior margin of tergite VII with distinct palisade fringe (Fig. 7).
? : posterior margin of tergite VIII concave in the middle ( ? : unknown. Etymology: The name (Lat., adj.) alludes to the fact that, in contrast to M . cingulata (Eppelsheim), the hind wings are fully developed.
Comparative notes: The morphologically remarkable genus M egalogastria, whose phylogenetic affiliations are still somewhat uncertain, previously included only the type species M . cingulata from western and northwestern Turkey (Assing, 2007). From this species, M . a la ta is distinguished by numerous characters, i. e. the distinctly larger size, the larger eyes, the more slender antennae (antennomeres VI-X in M . cin gulata more than 1.5 times as wide as long), the stouter maxillary palpus with a less slender apical palpomere, the larger and more transverse pronotum, the longer and larger elytra, the fully developed hind wings, the much longer and more slender tarsi, the denser and coarser puncturation of the abdomen, the dark coloration of the anterior abdominal segments (in M . cingulata reddish), the posteriorly concave male tergite VIII (in M . cin gulata convex), as well as by the morphology of the median lobe of the aedeagus. For illustrations of M . cingulata see figures 125-135 in Assing (2007).
Distribution and bionomics: The species was found in two localities in Bitlis (20 km ESE Bitlis) and Erzurum provinces, east ern Anatolia, at altitudes of 1400 and 2300 m. The specimens from Bitlis were collected near a stream, possibly associated with ants.  Coloration: body bicoloured: head black; pronotum blackish brown; elytra dark yellowish, with the scutellar and the postero-lateral area more or less distinctly infuscate; abdomen black, with the narrow posterior margins of segments III-VI and the posterior 1/3-1/2 of segments VII-VIII paler; legs and palpi yellowish; antenna bicoloured, with antennomeres I-III yellowish and IV-XI dark brown.
Head oblong and of oval shape, posterior angles obsolete (Fig. 15); puncturation rather sparse and well-defined; interstices distinctly wider than diameter of punctures; pubescence long, grey ish, and suberect; microsculpture almost absent (very shallow traces visible in places). Eyes large (Fig. 16), but weakly bulging, slightly longer than postocular region in dorsal view. Antennae of distinctive morphology: antennomeres I-III distinctly oblong and of subequal length; IV weakly transverse and distinctly smaller than V; V-X moderately transverse and of subequal width, ap proximately 1.5 times as wide as long; XI approximately as long as the combined length of IX-X (Fig. 17). Labium as in Fig. 18.
Pronotum distinctly transverse and moderately large in relation to head (see ratios PW/PL and PW/HW); maximal width approximately in the middle; posterior angles weakly marked, almost obsolete (Fig. 15); pronotal hypomera very narrowly visible in lateral view; puncturation fine, distinctly finer than that of head, and moderately dense; interstices wider than diameter of punc tures; pubescence directed caudad along midline and almost transversely laterad in lateral areas; microsculpture absent. Elytra approximately 1.3 times as wide and at suture about as long as pronotum; posterior margin moderately sinuate near posterior angles; puncturation distinctly coarser than that of head and pronotum; microsculpture absent ( Fig. 15). Hind wings fully developed. Mesosternum without median carina, at most with very short rudiment anteriorly. Metatarsomere I longer than the combined length of II-III, but shorter than the combined length of II-IV.
Abdomen widest at base, gradually tapering posteriad; tergites III-V with moderately deep and almost impunctate anterior impressions, puncturation fine and sparse; tergites III-VI without mi crosculpture and very glossy; tergite VII with shallow microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with distinct palisade fringe (Fig. 19).
Etymology: The name (Lat., adj.) refers to the morphology of the antennae, which somewhat resembles that of species of Calodera M annerheim.

Comparative notes and subgeneric affiliations:
Based on the absence of the median carina on the mesosternum, the species would have to be attributed to the subgenera Aleochara, Euryodma, or Heterochara. However, there are no derived characters linking it to any of the species currently attributed to these taxa. Among the Aleochara species of the Western Palaearctic region, A. caloderoides holds a somewhat isolated position with a distinctive character combination: small size, antennae resembling those of Calodera, relatively slender pronotum (similar in shape to that of A. inconspicua), mesosternum without median ca rina, abdomen in shape, shine, and puncturation resembling that of some species of Ocalea, and an aedeagus of similar morphology as that of some species of Ceranota. In view of the uncertain phylogenetic affiliations of this species, it is not attributed to any of the described subgenera.

Distribution and bionomics:
The type locality is situated in Mersin province, southern Anatolia. Apart from the altitude (800 m), bionomic data are not available. This cosmopolite had been recorded from Turkey before (Smetana, 2004). The species is widespread in the Western Palaearctic region and had been recorded from Turkey before (Smetana, 2004). For additional records and comments see Assing (2007).

The Turkish species of C e ra n o ta
The subgenus Ceranota Stephens, 1839 of the genus Aleochara currently includes 26 valid spe cies, all of them confined to the Western Palaearctic region (Assing 2006a, Smetana 2004). Seven of these species have become known from Turkish territory, one of them with unspecified type locality. There is little doubt that the Ceranota fauna of Turkey is much more diverse than currently known, not only because the material examined in the course of the present study in cluded several undescribed species. The total number of specimens that have become available from Turkey so far amounts to some 30 beetles (including types and literature records). The real habitats of Ceranota species are cryptic and largely unknown, so that records by hand-collecting are usually accidental. Moreover, there is some evidence that at least some, if not the majority of species are active especially during the cold season (autumn to early spring), when collecting ac tivity is generally much lower than in late spring and summer. Adult beetles have repeatedly been encountered on or near snow (H orion, 1967). For a study and illustrations of the life histories of three Central European species see Assing (1994).
Species identification is complicated by the fact that not only size-related parameters, but also other characters such as the coloration, the puncturation, and the modifications of the tergites of the male abdomen may be subject to considerable intraspecific variation and interspecific overlap. Moreover, the spermatheca and the shape and chaetotaxy of the paramere are rather uniform and consequently of little taxonomic use. The most reliable diagnostic character is the morphology of the median lobe of the aedeagus. Additional useful characters are the morphology of the clypeus and the antennae, the microsculpture of the forebody, the length of elytra and hind wings, the length of the legs, the puncturation of the abdomen, the modifications of the male abdominal tergites (including the shape and chaetotaxy of tergite VIII), as well as the modifications of the male abdominal sternites IV and V.  Coloration: head blackish; pronotum reddish brown to castaneous with reddish margins; elytra reddish; abdomen dark brown, with the broad posterior and lateral tergal margins and the apex (segments VIII and following) reddish yellow; legs reddish; antennae with antennomeres I-III reddish and IV-XI infuscate.
Habitus as in Fig. 27. Head of distinctive morphology: weakly oblong (see ratio HL/HW); clypeus fully membranous, its anterior margin deeply triangularly incised (Fig. 29); puncturation very fine to moderately fine, shallow, and sparse, sometimes barely noticeable in the distinct microreticulation (Fig. 28); eyes moderately large and prominent, approximately as long as post ocular region in dorsal view; sides of head not vertical, but smoothly sloping downwards, both eyes almost fully visible simultaneously in dorsal view (Fig. 29). Antennae slender; antennomere IV approximately as long as wide; preapical antennomeres weakly transverse, less than 1.5 times as wide as long (Figs 28,30). Maxillary palpus slender, palpomere III approximately 3.5-4 times as long as wide (Fig. 29). Pronotum distinctly wider than head and strongly transverse (see ratios PW/HW and PW/PL), but not very large in relation to head; maximal width in or slightly behind middle; posterior angles weakly marked, almost completely rounded; puncturation slightly more distinct than that of head; surface with distinct microreticulation (Fig. 28).
Elytra not much wider and at suture distinctly shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL); posterior margins weakly sinuate near posterior angles; suture more or less distinctly elevated (at least in d), in paratypes only in posterior half; puncturation moderately dense, welldefined, and somewhat granulose, much more distinct than that of head and pronotum; inter stices with microreticulation similar to that of pronotum (Fig. 28). Hind wings of reduced length, barely reaching anterior margin of tergite V (with abdomen fully extended). Legs slender; metatarsomere I as long as the combined length of II-IV or nearly so.
Abdomen with segments III-VI subparallel; tergites III-V with shallow anterior impressions, ante rior impression of tergite VI barely noticeable; puncturation of tergites III-VI very sparse, central parts of these tergites almost impunctate; tergite VII with sparse and moderately coarse punctura tion, its posterior margin with narrow palisade fringe (Fig. 31); tergites III and VII-VIII modified at least in male. d : tergite III with subcircular or apically longitudinally keeled median tubercle of variable size and elevation near posterior margin (Fig. 33); tergite VII at posterior margin with weakly elevated transverse glossy bulge (Fig. 34), in holotype with coarsely rugose sculpture anterior to this bulge; sternites IV and V without distinct impressions, in anterior halves with transverse tomentose patches with dense long golden pubescence and distinct microsculpture ( ? : unknown.

Intraspecific variation:
The holotype is considerably larger than the paratypes (see measurements) and has more pro nounced secondary sexual characters.
Comparative notes: Aleochara membranosa is separated from its consubgeners especially by the primary and secondary male sexual characters, from most species also by the pronounced microreticulation of the head and pronotum, the position of the eyes (almost fully visible in dorsal view), the membranous clypeus, and by the reduced length of the hind wings. From other Ceranota species recorded from Turkey and adjacent regions it is additionally distinguished as follows: from A. adusta Eppelsheim, 1890 (Caucasus region; type material examined) by a broader head and pronotum, shorter and reddish elytra, sparser and more distinctly granulose elytral puncturation, sparser puncturation of the abdomen, and longer tarsi; from A. bituberculata Bernhauer, 1900 (Turkey) by more slender antennae, larger and more prominent eyes, by more coarsely punctate elytra, and by more sparsely punctate tergites III-VI; from A. bodemeyeri Bernhauer, 1914 (Turkey) by distinctly larger size, longer, more slender and darker antennae, a larger and more transverse pronotum, less dense puncturation of the elytra, and a sparser puncturation of the abdomen; from A. caucasica Eppelsheim, 1889 (Caucasus region; holotype and additional specimen from coll. Bernhauer examined), which, too, has a microsculptured pronotum, by longer and more slender antennae, a differently shaped (less convex, more transverse) pronotum, shorter and uni formly coloured elytra (in A. caucasica with infuscate posterior angles), and by longer metatarsi; for comparison see Figs 87-96; from A erythroptera Gravenhorst, 1806 (West Palaearctic) [several specimens from Central Europe examined] by much finer and sparser puncturation of the head and pronotum, the less dark coloration of the pronotum (in A. erythroptera usually black), shorter and more sparsely punctate elytra, and a much more sparsely punctate abdomen; from A. lib an ica Eppelsheim, 1889 (Lebanon, Syria; type material examined) by less slender head and pronotum, shorter and reddish elytra, sparser and more distinctly granulose elytral punctura tion, sparser puncturation of the abdomen, and longer tarsi; from A. lucid ula H ochhuth, 1860 (Caucasus region, Ukraine; specimens from coll. Bernhauer examined) by more slender antennae, a larger head (in relation to pronotum), a more transverse pronotum, much shorter elytra, and sparser puncturation of the abdomen; from A. lu rid a M otschulsky, 1860 (Caucasus region, Turkey), which is characterised by a con spicuously shiny forebody, by the larger head (in relation to pronotum), and the darker pronotum (in A. lu rid a reddish); from A. ocaleoides (Bernhauer, 1902) (Turkey; type material examined), which was originally placed in Amarochara Thomson, by darker coloration of the pronotum, longer and more slender antennae (in A. ocaleoides apically distinctly incrassate with strongly transverse preapical antennomeres), and shorter elytra; from A. p lic a ta Lokay, 1907 (Turkey: Adana), which is characterised by modifications of the male abdominal tergites III-V and VII-VIII, by a larger head (in relation to pronotum); from A. ruficornis Gravenhorst, 1802 (Europe; numerous specimens examined) by darker an tennae, the sparser and finer puncturation of the head and pronotum, the smaller and more trans verse pronotum, the shorter and more sparsely punctate elytra, and by the sparser puncturation of the abdomen; from A. strasseri Bernhauer, 1901 (Balkans) (specimens from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece examined), with which it shares the membranous clypeus and the similar modifications of the male abdominal tergites III and VII, by much longer and more slender antennae, larger eyes (in A. strasseri distinctly shorter than postocular region in dorsal view), the distinctly microsculptured forebody (in A. strasseri shiny and without microsculpture), a pronotum with more convex lateral margins, distinctly longer tarsi, a longer metatarsomere I (in A. strasseri approximately as long as the combined length of II-III), sparser puncturation of the central areas of the abdominal tergites, and by the concave posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII (in A. strasseri convex); from A. subtum ida (H ochhuth, 1840) (Caucasus region, Turkey; several specimens from Turkey and the Caucasus region examined) by the paler coloration of the pronotum (in A. subtum ida black), the larger (in relation to pronotum) and less slender head; the much finer and sparser puncturation of the head and pronotum, the more transverse pronotum, the distinctly narrower and shorter elytra, the sparser and more well-defined elytral puncturation, the absence of a tu bercle on the male elytra, and by the much sparser puncturation of the abdomen.

Distribution and bionomics:
The species is known from three localities in Antalya province, southwestern Anatolia. The holotype was sifted from litter and grass beneath scattered old pine trees at an altitude of approxi mately 1600 m at the end of December, one paratype from litter of pine and shrubs at little above sea-level in the beginning of January, and the other paratype from grass near a road margin at an altitude of nearly 900 m at the end of March.

Comments:
The original description is based on two syntypes, both ofwhich are probably females: "Geschlechts auszeichnungen treten an den vorliegenden Stücken nicht hervor" (Bernhauer, 1914). Only one of these syntypes was found in the Bernhauer collection at the FMNH; the depository of the sec ond type specimen is unknown. Since there is a slight chance that the second syntype may eventu ally be found and turn out to be a small male without apparent secondary sexual characters, the above female is not designated as the lectotype. Coloration: head and abdomen, except for the posterior margins of the segments and the apex, blackish; pronotum reddish brown; elytra reddish; legs dark yellowish; antennae reddish.
Elytra distinctly wider and at suture shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL); pos terior margin near posterior angles sinuate; puncturation dense and somewhat granulose; micro sculpture absent. Metatarsus rather short and stout (see measurements); metatarsomere I almost as long as the combined length of II-IV. Abdomen with segments III-VI subparallel; tergites III-V with rather deep anterior impressions, anterior impression of tergite VI practically obsolete; puncturation distinct and moderately sparse, present also in anterior impressions of tergite III-V; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe (Fig. 44). d : unknown. ? : posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly, that of sternite VIII moderately convex; spermatheca as in Fig. 45.

Comparative notes:
Among its Turkish consubgeners, the species is characterised especially by the combination of small size, oblong head, the presence of shallow microsculpture on head and pronotum, incrassate anten nae with distinctly transverse preapical antennomers, the dense and granulosely punctured elytra, as well as the presence of punctures in the anterior impressions of the abdominal tergites III-V.
Distribution and bionomics: So far only the two type specimens from the "Goek Dagh" and one additional specimen from Bolu in northwestern Anatolia have become known. The examined female syntype had two ma ture eggs in the ovaries.

A le o c h a ra (C e r a n o t a ) p lic a t a Lokay, 1907
A leochara (Ceranota) p lica ta Lokay, 1907: 78 ff.

Comments:
The original description is based on two syntypes, a male and a female, from the environs of Adana, central southern Anatolia (Lokay, 1907). The types were looked for, but not found in the collections of the natural history museum in Prague, where Lokay's material is deposited (FikÁcek, pers. comm.). According to the original description, the species is characterised espe cially by the modifications on the male abdominal tergites III-V and VII-VIII, which are illus trated by Lokay (1907).
A le o c h a ra (C e r a n o ta ) b itu b e r c u la ta Bernhauer, 1900 (Figs 46-56) A leochara (Ceranota) bodem eyeri Bernhauer,

Comments:
The original description is explicitly based on a single specimen ("ein Stück") from the "Sultan Dagh in Kleinasien" (Bernhauer, 1900), so that the above type has holotype status. Bernhauer (1900) originally described A. bituberculata as a distinct species, but subsequently considered it a variety of A. erythroptera Gravenhorst (Bernhauer, 1901). While Fagel (1968) attributed it the status of a distinct species again, Likovsky (1973) confirmed the identity of A. bituberculata with A. erythroptera based on an examination of the aedeagus; however, when examining the aedeagus, he did not even remove the parameres, so that a proper assessment of its morphology was impossible. Although the taxonomic status of A. bituberculata does not seem to have been addressed since then, Smetana (2004)  Coloration: head blackish brown; pronotum castaneous with reddish margins; elytra reddish yel low; abdomen dark brown, with posterior margins of segments III-VI, posterior 1/3 of segment VII, and segments VIII-X reddish; legs reddish yellow; antennae dark reddish with antennomeres I-III yellowish.
Habitus as in Fig. 46. Head as wide as long (see ratio HL/HW); clypeus unmodified; puncturation fine and sparse; interstices without distinct microsculpture. Eyes moderately large, approxi mately as long as postocular region in dorsal view (Fig. 47). Antennae weakly incrassate; preapical antennomeres weakly transverse (Fig. 48). Pronotum rather large and moderately transverse (see ratios PW/HW and PW/PL), widest ap proximately in the middle; puncturation similar to that of head; interstices without microsculp ture (Fig. 47). Elytra distinctly wider and at suture shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL); pos terior margin near posterior angles shallowly sinuate; puncturation dense and rather shallow, not granulose; microsculpture absent (Fig. 47). Metatarsus rather short and stout (see measurements); metatarsomere I approximately as long as the combined length of II-IV. Abdomen with segments III-VI subparallel; tergites III-V with rather shallow anterior impres sions, anterior impression of tergite VI very shallow; puncturation fine and rather sparse, very sparse in anterior impressions of tergite III-V; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe (Fig. 49). ? : tergite III w ith subcircular m edian elevation near posterior m argin (Fig. 4 7 ); tergite V II in the m iddle o f posterior m argin w ith two tubercles (Fig. 52)

; tergite V III in the m iddle o f the subtruncate posterior m argin w ith pair o f very indistinct elevations (Fig. 53); sternites IV and V w ith pronounced sem icircular impressions w ith very dense long golden pubescence (similar to the condition in A. ery th ro p tera ) (Figs 5 0 -5 1 ); posterior m argin o f sternite V III distinctly pointed
in the m iddle (Fig. 54); m edian lobe o f aedeagus w ith rather stout ventral process both in lateral and in ventral view (Figs 5 5 -5 6 ).

A m ong its Turkish consubgeners, the species is characterised especially by the m orphology o f the aedeagus and by the m odified male tergite VIII.
Distribution:  In Turkey, the species was previously recorded from Zonguldak, Sinop, and Bitlis provinces (Assing, 2004(Assing, , 2006b. Gravenhorst, 1806 (Figs 57-73) Material examined: Mugla: 2 d d , 1 9 , 7 0 km NE Fethiye, Seki, above Temel, 36°44N, 29°34E, 2230  Coloration: head blackish; pronotum dark brown to black, often with the lateral margins of the pronotum reddish to reddish brown; elytra uniformly reddish yellow to dark reddish; abdomen black, with the posterior margins of segments III-VI, the posterior 1/3 of segment VII, and seg ments VIII-X reddish to reddish brown; legs reddish to reddish yellow; antennae with antennomeres I-III yellowish and antennomeres IV-XI reddish to dark brown.

A le o c h a ra (C e r a n o ta ) e r y th ro p te ra
Head approximately as wide as long (see ratio HL/HW); clypeus unmodified; puncturation variable: dense and well-defined to moderately sparse, shallow and ill-defined; interstices with or without shallow microsculpture. Eyes approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view (Fig. 57). M axillary palpus slender, palpomere III approximately 3.5 times as long as wide. Antenna slender, apically weakly incrassate; preapical antennomeres weakly transverse (Fig. 58).
Pronotum large, distinctly wider than head and distinctly transverse (see ratios PW/HW and PW/PL); maximal width in or behind middle; posterior angles weakly marked, almost completely rounded; puncturation variable, moderately sparse to very dense, fine to moderately coarse; inter stices with or without shallow microreticulation (Fig. 57).
Elytra distinctly wider and at suture somewhat shorter than pronotum (see ratios EW/PW and EL/PL); posterior margins weakly sinuate near posterior angles; puncturation rather dense to very dense, usually well-defined, more distinct than that of head and pronotum; interstices with or without shallow microsculpture (Fig. 57). Hind wings fully developed. Legs moderately slender; metatarsus distinctly shorter than metatibia; metatarsomere I as long as the combined length of II-IV or nearly so.
Abdomen usually almost as wide as elytra; tergites III-V with moderately deep anterior impres sions, anterior impression of tergite VI barely noticeable; puncturation relatively dense and dis tinct, impressions of tergites III-VI densely punctate (more so than remainder of tergal surfaces); integument glossy, with or without indistinct traces of microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe (Fig. 59); tergites III and VII usually with distinct, tergite VIII with weakly pronounced sexual dimorphism. d : tergite III with smooth subcircular or oval median elevation near posterior margin (Fig. 57); tergite VII at posterior margin with pair of tubercles or with bituberculate transverse ridge (Fig. 62); sternites IV and V in posterior halves with pronounced semicircular impressions with tomentose patches with dense long golden pubescence (Fig. 60-61); posterior margin of tergite VIII smooth and weakly convex (Fig. 68); posterior margin of sternite VIII pointed (Fig. 69); median lobe of aedeagus with slender ventral process (Figs 63-67).
? : tergite and sternite VIII as in Figs 70-71; spermatheca of somewhat variable size and shape (Figs 72-73). Comments: As is usual in Aleochara species, size-related parameters are subject to considerable intraspecific variation. The specimens from Kars are distinguished from those from Mugla by shorter antennae, more distinct puncturation of head and pronotum, a somewhat larger pronotum (in relation to head), relatively larger elytra, and a larger spermatheca with a broader duct (Figs 72-73). However, no significant differences were observed in the male sexual characters. The material from Turkey differs from that seen from Central Europe by less dense puncturation of the pronotum and elytra, as well as by a somewhat more slender ventral process of the median lobe of the aedeagus (Figs 63-67). However, since these differences are only slight and no additional distinguishing characters were observed, they are here attributed to intra-rather than interspecific variation.

Comparative notes:
Among other Ceranota species occurring in Turkey, A. erythroptera is identified especially by the slender median lobe of the aedeagus, the modifications of the male sternites IV-V (deep semicir cular impressions with conspicuously dense tomentose pubescence), as well as by the combination of the following characters: slender antennae, dense puncturation of the elytra, and dense puncturation of the anterior impressions of the abdominal tergites III-VI.

Distribution and bionomics:
The species is widespread in central and southern Europe and has also been reported from Turkey without specification of the locality (Ganglbauer, 1895;H orion, 1967;Smetana, 2004). Bernhauer (1901) only reported A. bituberculata, which he regarded as a variety of A. eryth roptera, from Turkish territory. Recent records were unknown. The specimens from Mugla were sifted from debris and roots near snowfields at an altitude of more than 2200 m; the material from Kars was collected at an elevation of 1600 m. For more details regarding the life history of this species see Assing (1994). The specimen is characterised by a relatively large head (in relation to the pronotum) (Figs 74 75), relatively short antennae (Fig. 76), the weakly transverse pronotum (Fig. 75), very sparse puncturation of the abdomen (Fig. 76), and shallow impressions with tomentose pubescence on the male sternites IV and V (Figs 77-78). The aedeagus is somewhat smaller than is usually the case in A. erythroptera seen from Turkey, but otherwise identical (Figs 82-83). Based on the similarity of the male primary sexual characters, the specimen is here tentratively attributed to A. erythroptera, despite the observed differences in the external differences, especially in the puncturation of the abdomen. This cosmopolite had been reported from Turkey before, but without specifications of localities. A le o c h a ra (R h eo ch ara) le p to c e ra Eppelsheim, 1889 (Figs 97-98) A leochara (B aryodm a) leptocera Eppelsheim,

Comments:
The original description of A. leptocera is based on a single holotype specimen "von der türki schen Ausbeute M erkl's" (Eppelsheim, 1889). In a key to the species of Rheochara, Scheerpeltz (1969a) gave a diagnosis of A leptocera. In the same year, Scheerpeltz (1969b) published a short supplement to this paper, which he dedicated entirely to the type of A. leptocera. As stated in the supplement, the holotype had been loaned out to Z. Likovsky, but instead of returning the origi nal specimen, he had mounted a small damaged specimen of A. spadicea on the pin. According to Scheerpeltz (1969b), all subsequent attempts at retrieving the original specimen failed, so that a neotype was designated. Unfortunately, this neotype is a female. In external appearance, it resembles a large dark specimen of A. spadicea, but the pronotum is more finely punctate than is usually the case in A. spadicea (Fig. 97). In addition, the spermathecal duct is of slightly different shape (Fig. 98).
There is little chance that it will ever become clear if the neotype is really conspecific with the original holotype of A. leptocera. Consequently, the presence of this species in Turkey is currently doubtful.