J. Ent. Acar. Res. Ser. II, 42 (3): 117-124 30 December 2010 L. De Marzo A further evaluation of the sperm length in aleocharines (Coleoptera Staphylinidae) Abstract - observations on 8 species allowed to extend the known range: the new  minimum and maximum values are respectively 100 µm for Aleochara intricata  Mannerheim and 3.000 µm for Heterota plumbea (Waterhouse). evaluations for  most species were carried out either on spermatozoa separated from the spermatheca  or on bundles extracted from testes. Sperm length of Atheta inquinula was suppos- edly assumed as corresponding to that of the vasa deferentia. Conclusive diagrams  show sperm length in some species to be disproportionate if compared with the  size of the receptacle. Riassunto - Ulteriore valutazione della lunghezza degli spermatozoi nelle aleocarine (Coleoptera Staphylinidae) Valutata precedentemente su 7 specie, la gamma del carattere in questione era  150-2.300 µm. Una valutazione su altre 8 specie ha fatto registrare un nuovo  valore minimo e un massimo, rispettivamente di 100 µm in Aleochara intricata  Mannerheim e 3.000 µm in Heterota plumbea (Waterhouse). Come in precedenza,  le misurazioni sono state effettuate su singoli spermatozoi estratti dalla spermateca,  oppure su fascetti di spermatozoi estratti dai testicoli. Nel caso di Atheta inquinula  (Gravenhorst), non è stato tecnicamente possibile ottenere una valutazione diretta,  e si suppone che la lunghezza degli spermatozoi sia di circa 1.500 µm, cioè corri- spondente a quella dei dotti deferenti. Come già visto in precedenza, gli spermatozoi  di una parte delle specie esaminate sono smodatamente lunghi in confronto con le  dimensioni del ricettacolo. Key words: new range, exceeding sperm length. INTroDUCTIoN a previous evaluation of the character “sperm length” in 7 species the subf.  aleocharinae allowed to register a range from 150 to 2.300 µm (De Marzo, 2008). an  evaluation on further 8 species of the same subfamily allows to extend this range in both  its minimum and maximum values. Most species have been identified thanks to Dr. adriano zanetti (Verona Natural  History Museum). Journal of entomological and acarological research, Ser. II, 42 (3), 2010118 MaTerIaL aND MeTHoDS Names of the examined species are listed in Tab. a; they agree with the checklists  of Ciceroni et al. (1995) and Smetana (2004), except for Atheta mucronata (Kraatz),  which has been more recently revised by Feldmann (2007). Four specimens at least  were examined for females and males of each species; they were killed with ethyl ac- etate vapours and dissected in physiological salt solution (NaCl 0,9%). Measures were  taken with graduated eye-piece and 40x phase-contrast lens on spermathecae or testes  compressed on slides in the same solution. The first evaluation was attempted on sper- matozoa isolated the mass extracted from compressed spermathecae. Then, evaluation  was attempted on sperm bundles extracted from the testicular follicles. Parts of the spermatheca are designated according to De Marzo (2009a; 2009b). reSULTS Spermathecal anatomy in the species examined here agrees with the rule in the  aleocharines, as spermatheca includes: (a) a receptacle sclerotized to some extent and  provided with a compressor muscle; (b) a long duct, which usually exhibits a lower  sclerotization degree; (c) a gland connected with the receptacle. Usually, duct contains  only a very poor number of spermatozoa, as Aleochara tristis (Fig. 1.a); otherwise, it  is occluded by a spermatophore, as in Aleochara intricata (Fig. 1.B), and is therefore  filled with a dense mass of sperm. Length of spermatozoa was found comparatively low in the nominal genus Aleochara,  where it ranges from 100 to 1.000 µm (Table a), and wasn’t therefore difficult to be  evaluate on female material. The same material was suitable also to measure the very short  spermatozoa of Atheta coriaria (320 µm) and Caloderina hierosolymitana (200 µm). Tab. A - Sperm length (microns) in the examined aleocharines. Evaluations were carried out ei- ther on spermatozoa isolated from the spermatheca (material from females) or on sperm bundles extracted from testis (material from males). In the case of atheta inquinula sperm length does supposedly correspond to that of the vasa deferenttia. Species Material from females Material from males Aleochara bipustulata (Linnaeus) 1.000 Aleochara intricata Mannerheim 100 Aleochara tristis Gravenhorst 500 Atheta coriaria (Kraatz) 320 Atheta mucronata (Kraatz) 1.100 Atheta inquinula (Gravenhorst) 1.500 (supposed) Caloderina hierosolymitana (Saulcy) 200 Heterota plumbea (G. Waterhouse) 3.000 119L. De Marzo: evaluation of the sperm length in aleocharines Fig. 1 - Spermathecal features suggesting of the two different insemination modalities known in  aleocharinae: a, duct adapted to a very long endophallic filament in Aleochara tristis Gravenhorst;  B, duct occluded by a spermatophore in Aleochara intricata Mannerheim. Journal of entomological and acarological research, Ser. II, 42 (3), 2010120 Fig. 2 - Heterota plumbea (Waterhouse): details of female/male internal genitalia. 121L. De Marzo: evaluation of the sperm length in aleocharines Fig. 3 - Atheta inquinula (Gravenhorst): details of male/female internal genitalia and supposed  sperm length compared at the same magnification with the size of the spermatheca. Journal of entomological and acarological research, Ser. II, 42 (3), 2010122 Fig. 4 - examined species of the genus Aleochara: sperm length compared at the same magnifica- tion with the size of their receptacle. 123L. De Marzo: evaluation of the sperm length in aleocharines Fig. 5 - other examined aleocharines: sperm length compared at the same magnification with the  size of their receptacle. Journal of entomological and acarological research, Ser. II, 42 (3), 2010124 Higher values of sperm length were appreciated on male material, by isolating bun- dles from the testicular follicles of Atheta mucronata (1.100 µm) and Heterota plumbea  (3.000 µm). attempts to obtain separate spermatozoa of these species were unsuccessful,  as their spermathecae contained a very intricate mass of sperm. Both female and male materials were not suitable to evaluate sperm length in the  case of Atheta inquinula, as spermathecae provided only an intricate sperm mass and  testicular follicles didn’t contain clear sperm bundles. Supposedly, the spermatozoa of  this species are 1.500 µm long as the vasa deferentia (Fig. 3).   CoNCLUSIVe reMarKS This new evaluation does extended the known range of the character “sperm length”  in aleocharines at both its minimum and maximum values. These are respectively 100  and 3.000 µm. as elsewhere observed (De Marzo, 2008), sperm length of some species looks  somewhat disproportionate if compared with the size of the receptacle. This is especially  evident for Aleochara bipustulata, Atheta mucronata and Heterota plumbea (Figs. 3-4).  Because spermatozoa of this species do bend two or more times to enter receptacle, the  question “how these very long spermatozoa can go away from the receptacle to fertilise eggs?” comes again. BIBLIoGraFIa CiCeroni A., Puthz V., zAnetti a., 1995 - Coleoptera Polyphaga III. Staphylinidae. - In: Minelli  a., ruffo S., La Posta S. (eds.), Checklist delle specie della fauna italiana, Calderini ed.,  Bologna, fasc. 48, 65 pp. De MArzo L., 2008 - Lunghezza degli spermatozoi rilevata in alcune aleocarine (Coleoptera  Staphylinidae). - Boll. zool. agr. Bachic., Milano, ser. II, 40 (1): 1-8. De MArzo L., 2009a - Biodiversità della spermateca nei Coleotteri. - atti accademia Nazionale  Italiana di entomologia, anno LVI (2008): 69-96. De MArzo L., 2009b - aspetti morfologici della spermateca in Diestota guadalupensis Pace e  altre aleocharinae (Coleoptera Staphylinidae). - entomologica, Bari, 40 (2006-2007): 57-73. FeLDMAnn B., 2007 - on the identity of Atheta mucronata (Kraatz 1859) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae,  aleocharinae). - Linzer biol. Beitr., 39: 57-63. SMetAnA a., 2004 - Staphylinoidea. - In: Löbl I. & Smetana a. (eds), Catalogue of Palaearctic  Coleoptera, vol. 2, apollo Books, 942 pp. Luigi De MArzo, via F. Turati 3, I-70016 Noicàttaro (Ba), e-mail: l.demarzo@alice.it accepted 22 october 2010