Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 101. (Budapest 2009)

Makranczy, Gy.: The genus Thinodromus Kraatz, 1857 in West-Central Africa (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae)

The genus Thinodromus in West-Central Africa ( Coleoptera) 35 critical role in determining the correct application of species-group names. Apart from these, it is only the so-called ringstructure, a peculiar remnant (of possibly the tenth sternite) in the female terminalia (abdominal tip) that is relatively rich in species-specific characters, therefore this provides aim in identification (in not all, but possibly most species). However, proper study of: this latter structure requires a very good quality embedded preparation of the abdominal tip. The ringstructures are illustrated only for a couple of species, so for the present, still the aedeagal characters provide most phylogenetic information. Knowing the importance of the rather tiny, sometimes membraneous, but often well-sclerotized internal structures of the aedeagi, it is necessary to develop a naming system, which should be then standardized for easier reference to the structures. The proposed nomenclature of the structures in the aedeagus (based largely on traditions with the subfamily Aleocharinae) is a first step towards establishing homologies. In naming the different structures, some traditional terminology (mostly for athetine aedeagi) are kept, although it is very difficult to say whether any of the internal structures are homologous to those in the very differently modified aleocharine aedeagi. It would actually be more important to establish homologies between the aedeagal structures of the most closely related oxyteline lineages, but this still is a hopeless task at this point. Fig. 1 shows the following internal sclerites named (in two different inner sacs of species described in this article): AC = apical copulatory sclerite (unpaired); BA = basal sclerites (paired); BM = basomedial sclerites (paired); iMA = medioapical sclerites (paired); ML = medial lamellae (unpaired). Illustrations An effort was made to illustrate the hypothetically homologous structures in a similar way. For any such approach to be successful, it is very necessary to find aedeagi in good condition and with their inner sacs not everted. This is not always easy, especially when the available material is very little and/or very old (like in the present study). Another important factor is (this topic is briefly touched in MAKRANCZY 2006) the way illustrated objects are shown from an aspect/several aspects that maximizes the number of characters the viewer can extract from the drawings. It was found to be practically useless to show aedeagi from "lateral" view - however, this aspect is very necessary to illustrate the shape of the parameres. Most internal structures are lamellar and parallel to the basal orifice, therefore of these little more than a bunch of fine lines can be seen from the side. On the other hand, the "frontal" view should be separated into two drawings, where the silhouette of the median lobe base is shown on both, but one details the outer "shell" with the parameres, while the other focuses on the internal structures. This is necessary because of the extreme overlap of important details. For the same reason it was advisable to tilt the drawn objects by approx. 15 degrees - such tilt allows overlapping structures to move out from the "shadow" enough to show their forms, but still does not significantly distort the general "frontal" aspect (parameral view) of an aedeagus. Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung. 101, 2009