Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) yunganus Scheerpeltz, 1951

Asenjo, Angelico & Ribeiro-Costa, Cibele S., 2013, Revision of the neotropical subgenus Tropiochirus of the genus Leptochirus Germar 1824 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 47 (19 - 20), pp. 1257-1285 : 1280-1281

Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) yunganus Scheerpeltz, 1951

( Figures 2H, 3H, 7, 8G–K)

Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) yunganus Scheerpeltz, 1951: 11 [original description. Type locality: “Yungas del Palmar, 2000 m ”].

Leptochirus yunganus: Herman, 2001: 1107 [world catalogue].

Type material. Leptochirus (T.) yunganus . Holotype (male): “ Bolivia: Yungas / de palmar 2000 m / 31.III[March].1949 / leg.H.ZISCHKA” “ex. coll. / Scheerpeltz” “Typus / Leptochirus / yunganus / O. Scheerpeltz ” “yunganus / scheerp” ( NMW). Note: In the original description Scheerpeltz (1951) specified that he studied one male specimen. We received from the NMW a male labelled “Typus”, therefore the specimen is the holotype for the species.

Additional specimens

BOLIVIA. Cochabamba: Provincia de Carrasco, Serrania de Siberia, Chua Khoch , 2300 m, 30.viii.1990, cloud forest, under rocks along road, P. Parrillo col. (1 male FMNH) .

Diagnosis

Leptochirus (T.) yunganus and L. (T.) venezuelanus without the accessory tooth of the left mandible ( Figures 3G, H), but L. (T.) yunganus can be distinguished by the first dorsal tooth of the left mandible bifurcate ( Figure 3H).

Redescription

BL: 10.74, BW: 1.69

Body strongly depressed, all black except tarsi red-brown.

Head. Transverse ( Figure 2H). Inner lateral teeth separated by a depression extending to base. Inner and outer lateral teeth fused and resembling a septum; median sulcus deep, gradually narrowing anteriorly; laterofrontal depressions oval. Labrum with outer edge strongly angled and lateral-apical edge concave. Mandibles ( Figures 2H, 3H) with lateral longitudinal ridge occupying less than two-thirds of apical region; external margin developed, attenuated anteriorly. Left mandible ( Figure 3H) with first dorsal tooth developed, straight and not bifurcate, accessory tooth absent; second dorsal tooth little developed and resembling a small hill; first ventral tooth with accessory tooth, third ventral tooth consisting of two structures with the bases not fused. Submentum with setae arranged in row on anterolateral margin.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figure 2H) wider than long (PL: 1.73, PW: 1.91); superior marginal line of hypomeron not interrupted, not bent to dorsal region at anterior margin and slightly bent to dorsal region at posterior margin; without pair of small depressions near basal constriction. Inferior marginal line of hypomeron reaching anterior margin. Apex of prosternal process strongly expanded and resembling a circular plate, considerably beyond the lateral process of hypomeron. Metaventrite with microsculpture longitudinally undulate in median region and without small longitudinal median depression near posterior edge. Mesoscutellum with apex rounded. Elytra longer than broad and without pair of small depressions on posterolateral edge (EL: 2.31, EW: 2.07).

Abdomen. Cylindrical. Sternite III with keel of apex rounded. Tergite IX ( Figure 8J) sclerotized with left and right plates separated, each with five setae of various lengths. Tergite X ( Figure 8J) almost membranous except for sclerotized apical part, with two pairs of long apical setae.

Male. Sternite IX ( Figure 8K) composed of two plates, distal plate sclerotized except for membranous apex, anterior margin rounded and with two long setae; proximal plate less sclerotized, greater than apical, broadened in middle and with an acute projecting angle at posterior border. Aedeagus ( Figure 8G–I) with median lobe slightly bulbous at base, straight at apex, weakly sclerotized on dorsal side and a small plate sclerotized on ventral side; parameres short, pointed and fused dorsally.

Female. Not known.

Distribution

In the current study Leptochirus (T.) yunganus is listed from Bolivia. Herman (2001) also lists for this country ( Figure 7).

Biological notes

This species has been found under rocks at the edge of roads in cloud forest.