Aleochara ( Xenochara ) puberula Klug, 1832

Aleochara ( Xenochara) puberula Klug, 1832 View in CoL

( Figures 1 View FIGURES 1–8 , 15 View FIGURES 15–22 , 23 View FIGURES 23–25 , 26 View FIGURES 26–28 , 29 View FIGURES 29–31 , 32–38 View FIGURES 32–38 , 93 View FIGURE 93 )

Aleochara puberula Klug, 1833: 139 View in CoL (original description). Ganglbauer 1895: 32 (as subgenus Xenochara ). Klimaszewski 1984: 46 ( lectotype designation). Park & Ahn 2010: 29 View Cited Treatment (redescription). Newton 2022 (as valid name).

Type locality “Madagaskar” = Madagascar ( Klimaszewski 1984) .

Aleochara deserta Erichson, 1839: 173 View in CoL (original description). Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz 1926: 782 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Klimaszewski 1984: 47 ( lectotype designation). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “Arabian desert” ( Klimaszewski 1984).

Aleochara vaga Erichson, 1839: 172 View in CoL (original description). Ganglbauer 1895: 32 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Klimaszewski 1984: 47 ( lectotype designation). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “Promont. bon. Spei” ( Klimaszewski 1984).

Aleochara decorata Aubé, 1850: 311 View in CoL (original description). Ganglbauer 1895: 32 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Klimaszewski 1984: 46 ( lectotype designation, type locality “ France, probably near Paris”). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “ France, probably near Paris ” ( Klimaszewski 1984) .

Aleochara armitagei Wollaston, 1854: 559 View in CoL (original description). Ganglbauer 1895: 32 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “Madeiram” = Madeira island ( Wollaston 1854) .

Oxypoda sanguinolenta Motschulsky, 1858: 241 View in CoL (original description). Ganglbauer 1895: 32 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “ Alexandrie en Egypte ” ( Motschulsky 1858) .

Oxypoda brunescens Motschulsky, 1858: 243 (original description with question mark “?”). Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz 1926: 782 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL , misspelling as “brunnescens”).

Type locality “Indes orientales” (Motschulsky 1858).

Aleochara badia Motschulsky, 1858: 237 View in CoL (original description). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “Indes orientales” (Motschulsky 1858).

Aleochara dubia Fauvel, 1863: 428 View in CoL (original description in Chevrolat & Fauvel 1863). Bernhauer 1901: 29 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL , and an ambiguous species). Note: Chevrolat & Fauvel (1863: 445) mentioned the name as a new species.

Type locality “ Cuba ” ( Chevrolat & Fauvel 1863) .

Oxypoda analis MacLeay, 1871: 135 View in CoL (original description). Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz 1926: 782 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “ Gayndah , a town on the Burnett River ”, in Australia ( MacLeay 1871) .

Baryodma bipartita Casey, 1894: 287 View in CoL (original description). Klimaszewski 1984: 47 ( lectotype designation, as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ).

Type locality “ USA, Texas, Galveston ” ( Klimaszewski 1984) .

Aleochara puberula major Eichelbaum, 1912: 176 View in CoL (original description). Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz 1926: 782 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL ). Newton 2022 (as junior synonym of A. puberula Klug, 1833 View in CoL , and an ambiguous species). Note: Eichelbaum, 1912 named as Aleochara puberula View in CoL “forma” major, then major is determinated as a subspecific name (ICZN, art. 45.6.4). Furthermore, Eichelbaum (1912) reported that he was in doubt and preferred to maintain it as A. puberula View in CoL .

Type locality “Parehberge, 1600 m.”, Africa ( Eichelbaum 1912).

Type material. Not seen. The lectotype of the valid name is deposited in the Museum f̧r Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany ( ZMHB) ( Klimaszewski 1984) .

Additional material. Thirteen specimens at the total. Three specimens, MZUSP, Brazil, S„o Paulo, “Ypiranga”, without information about date and collector; 10 specimens, CESP, Brazil, Paraná, Ipor „, dates: 23.IV.2017 and 06.V.2017, collected in pig droppings, B. Navarro, col.

Diagnosis. Aleochara ( X.) puberula is similar to A. verberans and differs from it by antennomere 4 slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 15 View FIGURES 15–22 ), and elytra with each posterolateral margin deeply emarginate ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 29–31 ).

Redescription. Male: maximum body length 4.0 mm, maximum elytral width 1.5 mm. Body dark brown with appendages (antenna: three basal antennomeres only), legs and elytra (except lateral, basal and sutural regions) lighter ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1–8 ). Body on dorsal surface glossy; pubescent, appearing yellowish-brown in artificial light; setigerous pores impressed. Head: circular. Pubescence directed anterad. Eyes large and slightly prominent, twice the length of temples. Ventral surface of head with a long carina on each side of midline, attaining the gular suture ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 23–25 ). Neck absent. Antenna reaching base of elytra; antennomere 1 short, slightly longer than 2 and subequal in length to antennomere 3 ( Fig. 15 View FIGURES 15–22 ); antennomeres 4 and 5 slightly longer than wide; 6–10 wider than long, gradually increasing in width towards apex; antennomere 11 almost two times longer than wide, length almost equaling three preceding antennomeres combined; antennomeres 1–4 glossy with some long black setae dispersed; antennomeres 5–11 covered by very short white setae, with some long black setae on apex of each antennomere, particularly antennomere 11 with long black setae on a transverse circular line at the apex of basal one-third of the antennomere. Labrum transverse; anterior margin slightly emarginate, with a-sensilla long and b-sensilla short and sharp apically ( Fig. 26 View FIGURES 26–28 ). Mandibles symmetrical, without internal teeth. Maxillary palpomere 2 and 3 about the same length; palpomere 4 about half length of 3. Gular plate broad. Thorax: pronotum transverse; posterior margin broadly curved; densely pubescent, with pubescence directed posterad and laterad elsewhere. Elytra of the same length and width with pronotum; elytra wider than long, densely pubescent, pubescence directed posterad; each posterolateral margin deeply emarginate ( Fig. 29 View FIGURES 29–31 ). Hind wings developed. Mesoventrite completely carinate; mesoventrite process somewhat sharp and longer than metaventrite process, both joined. Abdomen: distinctly narrowed posteriorly; pubescence sparse directed posterad. Tergum VIII with posterior margin emarginate at the middle, not serrated ( Fig. 32 View FIGURES 32–38 ). Sternum VIII with posterior margin broadly rounded and truncate medially ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 32–38 ). Aedeagus elongate ( Figs. 35–37 View FIGURES 32–38 ); median lobe of the aedeagus with ventral margin curved in apical one-third in lateral view, directed ventrad. Female: Similar to male. Spermatheca somewhat C-shaped, with coiled duct (two to three coils) ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 32–38 ).

Geographical records. New records: Brazil: S„o Paulo (S„o Paulo) and Paraná (Ipor„). Literature records: Brazil: S„o Paulo (Bastos e Pirassununga) ( Almeida & Prado 1999). The species is cosmopolite ( Caron et al. 2008, Newton 2022) ( Fig. 93 View FIGURE 93 ).

Biological notes. Larvae and adults of A. ( X.) puberula were collected from decaying organic matter, such as carcasses, feces (human, pig and cattle), or from decomposing plants ( Peschke & Fuldner 1977, Klimaszewski 1984, Almeida & Prado 1999). According to Almeida & Prado (1999), larvae prefer drier sites around manure piles. This facilitates the larval behavior of spunning their cocoons in the soil after leaving the fly puparia.

Aleochara ( X.) puberula has been recorded attacking three different families of flies: Muscidae , Musca domestica Linnaeus (house fly) and Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus) (stable fly), Ulidiidae , Physiphora aenea (Fabricius) , and Calliphoridae , Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy [cited as C. erythrocephala (Meigen) ] ( Peschke & Fuldner 1977, Almeida & Prado 1999). Finally, Klimaszewski (1984) and Almeida & Prado (1999) mentioned that A. ( X.) puberula can be used for the biological control of house and stable flies.