Ocalea italica, Terlutter & P, 2025

Terlutter, Heinrich & P, West, 2025, Two new species of Ocalea ERICHSON from Austria, Slovenia and Italy (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 57 (1), pp. 375-383 : 377-378

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16956037
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/131F0655-0945-F120-FF26-A555FDB3FB87
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Ocalea italica
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ocalea italica nov.sp.

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype:J, " Montecchio, (Negrar VR), 14.1.1973, leg. A. Zanetti, Detriti di Quercus / Holotypus Ocalea italica nov. spec. det. H. Terlutter 2025 ", (cZan) . Paratypes: AUSTRIA: " Karnische Alpen, Obergail , 1100 m, leg. K. Renner, 2.VIII 86 ", 2JJ, 3♀♀ (cRen) ; " Waidisch ob. Ferlach , Kärnten 3.X.59 ", 1J., leg. G.A.Lohse, ( MHNG) ; " Austria, Kärnten, Koschuta 1000-1700, 26.6- 4.7.1987, Siede & Wunderle ", 2JJ, 1♀ (cWun) ; " Austria, Kärnten Hochobir, Jahnwiese , 26.6.- 4.7.1987, Siede & Wunderle " 1♀ (cWun) ; " Au Kärnten, Hochobir 1000m, Gesiebe/Schneerest 11.05.90 Wunderle ", 2♀♀ (cWun) ; " Austria, Kärnten, Trögern, Potokgrab. , 26.6.- 4.7.1987, Siede & Wunderle ", 6♀♀ (cWun) ; " Kärnten, Austria, Karawanken, Jovanberg , 1300-1500m, 12.7.86, Wunderle ", 1J (cWun) ; " Kärnten, Austria, Karawanken, Eisenk. Uschowa , 1800m, 14.7.1986 Wunderle ", 3JJ (cWun) . ITALY: 1J, 2♀♀ same data as holotype (cZan) ; " Ligur. Appenin , 31.V.1960, Italien, nördl. Chiavari ", 1J, leg. G.A.Lohse ( MHNG) ; " Vallone di S. Spirito ( Maiella ), m 1100, 18.VII.1974 / leg. A. Zanetti ", 1J, 4♀♀ (cZan) ; " Val. Squaranto ( VR) dint. Valdiporro, m 900, 9.IX.79 Zanetti ", 1J. (cZan) ; " M. Cucco (Sigillo-PG), 20.VII.1975 W. Rossi ", 2JJ, 2♀♀ (cZan) ; " Mte Penna, Italia, 1.VI.60, Ligurischer Appenin ", 1J, leg. G.A.Lohse ( MNHG) ; " I-Liguria, NW Finale Ligure, Colle de Lelogno Bach , N-Seite, 1010 m Laub geschwemmt, 12.09.2001 P. Wunderle ", 3JJ, 1♀ (cWun, cTer) ; " Piana Verteglia, Monti Picentini, It.m. Campania " 1J ( NHMW). SLOVENIA: " SLO Kamniško- Savinjske Alpe, Raduha, Sedlo , 46°24’38 " N, 14°46’52 " E, 29.V.2023, 1250 m, brook, sifted, leg. B. Feldmann " 3JJ, 2♀♀ (cFel, cTer) GoogleMaps ; " SL Goriska, Bovec-Trenta, Soca-Ufer , geschwemmt, 560 m, 46.361565, 13.710572, leg. J. Köhler, 20.VII.2014 ", 2JJ, 1♀ (cFel) GoogleMaps .

O t h e r m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d " 29.6.2013 Cardoso (400m) – Coll. Mezano (800m), It, Alpi Apuane, Provin Lucca, 44°1'14.94 " N, 10°19'24.72 " E, leg. T. Wolsch ", 1J, 1♀ (cSchülke) GoogleMaps ; " 18.5.2016 Bocca di Trat , Italy, Prov. Trentino, 1470-1650m, N vom Ledrosee, 45°55'16.44 " N, 10°46'2.86 " E, leg. T. Wolsch ", 1J (cSchülke) GoogleMaps .

D e s c r i p t i o n: Body length 4.5-5.75 mm, reduced length 2.05-2.5 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 10 View Figs 10-17 . Body colour dark brown, head and pronotum almost black, elytra and posterior part of abdominal segments slightly paler, antennae brown, legs yellowish brown.

Head slightly wider than long; punctures rather dense and distinct, distinct punctures reaching to front of vertex, spaces as wide as diameter of punctures, with pronounced microsculpture; eyes as long as postocular region in lateral view. Antennae slender, antennomeres I-III elongate and of subequal length, III 1.64 as long as IV; IX and X about as long as wide.

Pronotum 1.08 times as wide as long and 1.18 times as wide as head; posterior angles distinct; lateral margins in posterior third weakly sinuate, pubescence directed cephalad along midline, caudad just in front of posterior margin, laterally in lateral parts of pronotum disc; a small transverse depression just before base of pronotum; punctures and microsculpture similar to those on the head, but punctures more dense.

Elytra about 1.06 times as long and 1.42 times as wide as pronotum; posterior margins distinctly sinuate near posterior angles; punctation and microsculpture similar to those of pronotum. Pubescence directed towards outer angle of posterior margin. Hind wings fully developed.

Abdomen slightly smaller than elytra; tergites III-V with rather deep anterior impression, tergite VI with shallow anterior impression; punctation fine and rather sparse; posterior margin of tergite VII with distinct palisade fringe; tergites III-VIII shiny, with very shallow microsculpture composed of extremely fine transverse striae (visible only at high magnification).

J: posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex, truncate in the middle; sternite VIII longer than tergite VIII, posterior margin distinctly produced in the middle ( Fig. 13 View Figs 10-17 ); aedeagus with distinct morphology, with weakly sinuate upper margin of ventral process in lateral view, and rather thick transverse ridges of bulb ( Figs 16, 17 View Figs 10-17 ), visible as a small hook in lateral view; parameres not distinct.

♀: posterior margin of tergite VIII weakly convex, truncate in the middle; sternite VIII longer than tergite VIII, posterior margin broadly rounded ( Fig. 14 View Figs 10-17 ); spermatheca rather simple, without distinctive characters ( Fig. 15 View Figs 10-17 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name refers to the main distribution area of this species in Italy.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: While O. rivularis shows great morphological variability in length, proportions and punctation, O. italica is very similar to O. rivularis . Normally O. italica has a more dense punctation than O. rivularis , the edges of the punctures appear sharper. In O. rivularis the punctation of the vertex is weak or absent near the clypeus, whereas in O. italica the distinct punctation reaches the anterior part of the vertex. However, the two species are best distinguished by the shape of the ventral process of the aedeagus and the internal structure of the aedeagus ( Figs 16 View Figs 10-17 , 21 View Figs 18-23 ).