Two new species and additional records of " small "-eyed Quedius from the Eastern Mediterranean ( Coleoptera : Staphylinidae : Staphylininae ) With

Zusammenfassung Drei Quedius-Arten aus dem östlichen Mittelmeerraum werden beschrieben bzw. redeskribiert und abgebildet: Quedius (Raphirus) endogeus sp. n. (Griechenland), Q. (Microsaurus) atricapillus REITTER, 1900 (Türkei) und Q. (M.) apfeli sp. n. (Zypern). Weitere Nachweise von Arten der Untergattung Microsaurus DEJEAN, 1833 werden gemeldet, darunter Erstnachweise aus der Türkei, dem Libanon und Israel.


Introduction
According to HERMAN (2001), the speciose genus Quedius STEPHENS, 1829 includes almost 800 species worldwide.However, there is evidence that the genus is not monophyletic and that at least some of the lineages from regions other than the Holarctic may refer to separate genera (SOLODOVNIKOV 2006).In the Palaearctic region, SOLODOVNIKOV 2006).In the Palaearctic region, SOLODOVNIKOV Quedius is represented by more than 530 Quedius is represented by more than 530 Quedius species (SMETANA 2004, SMETANA 2004, SMETANA SCHÜLKE unpubl.).One of the most prominent characters shared by almost all the species of the genus, except for those of the subgenus Microsaurus DEJEAN, 1833, is the large and bulging eyes, which occupy practically the whole side of the head.Reduced eye size is exceptional in subgenera other than Microsaurus, a subgenus whose species are often associated with subterranean or other dark habitats such as nests of mammals, birds, and social insects, hollow trees, caves, and the like.
Material collected with subterranean traps in Greece and recently communicated to me by Pier Mauro Giachino (Torino) included a remarkable undescribed species of the subgenus Raphirus STEPHENS, 1829 with conspicuous adaptations to an endogean habitat.I use the opportunity to (re-)describe two species of Microsaurus from Cyprus and Turkey based on material made available Microsaurus from Cyprus and Turkey based on material made available Microsaurus to me by Wolfgang Apfel (Eisenach), Peter Sprick (Hannover), and Michael Schülke (Berlin), and to report additional records of some Microsaurus species from the Eastern Mediterranean, a region Microsaurus species from the Eastern Mediterranean, a region Microsaurus whose staphylinid fauna is still poorly known.

Material and methods
The material referred to below is deposited in the following collections:

Description:
Measurements (in mm) and ratios (range, arithmetic mean; n=8): HL: 0.98-1.12,1.04; HW: 1. 1.16;1.36;1.41;0.99;1.36;1.10;1.46;8.0;HW/HL: 1.07-1.13,1.11; PW/HW: 1.14-1.21,1.18; PL/PW: 1.02-1.04,1.04; EL/PL: 0.67-0.73,0.70; TiL/TaL: 1.19-1.29,1.23.Habitus distinctive (Fig. 1).Coloration: Head blackish; pronotum dark brown to blackish brown, with the lateral margins and sometimes also the anterior and posterior margins more or less narrowly reddish; elytra reddish to reddish brown; abdomen dark brown, with the posterior margins of tergites III-VI, the posterior third of tergite VII, and the posterior half of tergite VIII reddish; legs reddish; antennae dark brown, with the basal 3-4 antennomeres reddish.Head (Fig. 2) slightly wider than long (see ratio HW/HL); dorsal surface with fine and very shallow transverse microsculpture.Dorsal puncturation (one side only, all punctures setiferous): 1 puncture at anterior margin of frons near antennal pit, 1 puncture at posterior margin of antennal pit; 1 puncture at dorsal margin of eye (approximately in the middle of length of eye); 1 temporal puncture at about 2/5 the distance from posterior margin of eye to posterior margin of head; 1 puncture at about 4/5 the distance from posterior margin eye to posterior margin of head.Eyes of reduced size (Fig. 3), slightly longer than postocular region in dorsal view.Antenna as in Fig. 4. Pronotum of conspicuous shape (Fig. 2): slender, slightly wider than head and weakly oblong (see ratios PW/HW and PL/PW); maximal width in anterior half, lateral margins in posterior 3/4 almost straight and weakly converging in dorsal view.Dorsal rows composed of 1+2 punctures.Microsculpture absent in dorsal median area, finely transverse in lateral areas.Elytra distinctly shorter than pronotum (see ratio EL/PL); puncturation moderately dense, interstices on average as wide as or slightly wider than diameter of punctures; microsculpture absent.Scutellum impunctate and with distinct transverse microstriae.Legs slender (see measurements and ratio TiL/TaL).Abdomen with very fine and shallow, almost obsolete transverse microsculpture and slightly iridescent; puncturation moderately dense, somewhat denser on anterior than on posterior tergites; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.: posterior margin of sternite VIII with deep and rather broad posterior excision of triangular shape; aedeagus long and slender, paramere reaching apex of median lobe or extending slightly beyond it .

Comparative notes:
Based on the morphology of the aedeagus, this species refers to the group of Quedius limbatus (HEER 1839) and allied species of the the subgenus HEER 1839) and allied species of the the subgenus HEER Raphirus.From all its Western Palaearctic consubgeners, Q. endogeus is readily distinguished by its conspicuous external appearance alone, Q. endogeus is readily distinguished by its conspicuous external appearance alone, Q. endogeus especially the reduced eye size (somewhat resembling that of species of the subgenus Microsaurus) Microsaurus) Microsaurus and the shape of the pronotum, which is more similar to that of species of Philonthus STEPHENS, 1829 than to that of other Quedius species.The only other endogean Quedius species.The only other endogean Quedius Quedius known from Quedius known from Quedius Greece is Q. bernhaueri RAMBOUSEK, 1915, whose distribution is confined to Macedonia and northern Greece and which, according to SOLODOVNIKOV (2005), is doubtfully attributed to SOLODOVNIKOV (2005), is doubtfully attributed to SOLODOVNIKOV Microsaurus.From this species, Q. endogeus is at once separated by smaller body size, the more Q.endogeus is at once separated by smaller body size, the more Q.endogeus convex body (Q.bernhaueri: pronotum, elytra, and abdomen conspicuously flattened), the more slender head and pronotum, the slightly larger eyes (Q.bernhaueri: eyes approximately as long as postocular region in dorsal view), the absence of microsculpture in the median dorsal area of the pronotum and on the elytra (in Q. bernhaueri with fine microreticulation), the distinctly longer bernhaueri with fine microreticulation), the distinctly longer bernhaueri and relatively broader elytra (Q.bernaueri less than 0.6 times as long as, and slightly narrower bernaueri less than 0.6 times as long as, and slightly narrower bernaueri than pronotum), and the much more slender aedeagus.For illustrations of the habitus and the genitalia of Q. bernhaueri see bernhaueri see bernhaueri ASSING & WUNDERLE (2001).

Etymology:
The name (adjective) refers to the evidently endogean habitat of this species.

Distribution and bionomics:
This remarkable species was discovered in two localities near the border between Evritanía and Etolia-Akarnanía, where the types were collected with subterranean pitfall traps baited with cheese at a depth of approximately 50 cm below the soil surface (GIACHINO pers. comm.).The locality at 1495 m, a calcareous roadside slope, is illustrated in Fig. 29.The circumstances of collection, the absence of previous records, as well as the conspicuous morphological adaptations -i.e. the reduced eye size, the derived shape of the pronotum, the short wings, and the long legs -leave little doubt that the species is confined to an endogean habitat.: posterior margin of sternite VIII broadly and weakly convex, row of submarginal setae black, but shorter than in .

Comparative notes:
Among other Microsaurus species, Microsaurus species, Microsaurus Q. atricapillus is characterised especially by the distinctively atricapillus is characterised especially by the distinctively atricapillus bicoloured body and by the morphology of the aedeagus.The latter somewhat resembles that
According to COIFFAIT (1978), HERMAN (2001), andSMETANA (2004), the species is widespread SMETANA ( 2004), the species is widespread SMETANA in the Mediterranean, from Spain and Morocco in the west to Turkey in the east.Quedius cruentus is one of the most widespread and common Quedius cruentus is one of the most widespread and common Quedius cruentus Microsaurus species in the Western Palae-Microsaurus species in the Western Palae-Microsaurus arc tic region and has also been introduced in North America (HERMAN 2001, SMETANA 2004).SMETANA 2004).SMETANA
Pronotum transverse and distinctly wider than head (see ratios PW/HW and PL/PW); maximal width approximately in the middle; lateral and posterior margins smoothly rounded.Dorsal rows composed of 1+2 punctures; dorso-laterally without puncture behind long lateral seta.Microsculpture similar to that of head; whole surface with fine transverse microstriae.Elytra wider and at suture somewhat shorter than pronotum (see ratio EL/PL); puncturation moderately dense, interstices on average wider than diameter of punctures; microsculpture absent.Scutellum impunctate and with distinct transverse microstriae.Hind wings fully developed.Legs of moderate length (see measurements and ratio TiL/TaL).Abdomen only with traces of barely noticeable microsculpture; puncturation distinct and not very dense; posterior margin of tergite VII with palisade fringe.
EL/PL: 0.72-0.76;TiL/TaL:1.08-1.23.Habitus as in Fig.11.Conspicuously colourful species: Head black; pronotum and prosternum bright reddish; elytra reddish yellow; scutellum, mesosternum, and metasternum black; abdomen with segments III-VII and anterior third of segment VIII bright reddish and posterior two thirds segment VIII blackish; legs reddish; antennae blackish brown, with the basal 4 antennomeres reddish.Head transverse, more so in  than in  (see ratio HW/HL and Figs 12-13); anterior margin of frons broadly concave; dorsal surface with fine transverse microsculpture and rather sparse micropuncturation.Dorsal puncturation (one side only; all punctures setiferous): 1 puncture at anterior margin frons of near antennal pit, 1 puncture at posterior margin of antennal pit; dorsal margin of eye with 3 punctures, 2 of them near anterior margin of eye and one approximately in the middle of dorsal margin; 1 temporal puncture at about 1/3 the distance from posterior margin of eye to posterior margin of head; 2 punctures near posterior margin of head.Eyes (Fig.14) slightly longer than postocular region in dorsal view.Antenna as in Fig.15.: posterior margin of sternite VIII with broad, rather shallow, and in the middle not distinctly acute posterior excision, on either side of middle with row of long black submarginal setae; aedeagus of distinctive morphology.