Leptacinus riza, Bordoni, 2019

Bordoni, Arnaldo, 2019, New data on the Afrotropical Xantholinini. 3. New species from Ethiopia of the Naturkundemuseum, Erfurt (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 69 (1), pp. 79-85 : 80

Leptacinus riza spec. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CAEFF2A7-4E7E-435E-A27B-6A1B7DECB5C7

( Figs 1–11 )

Examined material: Holotype: Ethiopia, Oromia prov., S slope Bale Mts, below Riza , 2380 m, 08°43'17"N, 39°43'14"E, J. Schmidt 16.XII.2016 ( NME); paratypes: same data, 1 (NM), 1 (cB).

Description: Length of body 5.2 mm from anterior margin of head to posterior margin of elytra: 2.9 mm. Body ( Fig. 1 ) narrow, charatcerized by dark color, fine and relatively dense punctation on pronotum, apart a medium stripe, and by long elytra. Body reddish brown very dark; antennae and legs brown. Head sub-rectangular, narrowed anteriad, with very moderately rounded sides and narrowly rounded posterior angles. Eyes small and flat. Surface of head shiny, with traces of transverse micro-striation and deep, moderately sparse punctation, apart a narrow median stripe. Pronotum sub-rectangular, a little dilated anteriad, longer and narrower than head, with oblique anterior margins, rounded anterior angles and scarcely sinuate sides. Surface shiny, without micro-sculpture, with dorsal series of 10-11 deep punctures and lateral series of 6-7 irregular punctures; other punctures between these series and near the anterior angles. Elytra large, dilated posteriad, longer and wider than pronotum, with sub-rectilinear sides and rounded humeral angles. Surface with deep, moderately dense punctation, arranged in numerous series. Abdomen with transverse micro-striation and fine punctation on the sides.

Tergite and sternite of the male genital segment as in Figs 9-10 . Aedeagus ( Fig. 2 ) 1 mm long, ovoid, with long median lobe; inner sac broad, covered with regular scales; parameres long and narrow.

Etymology: The specific epithet refers to the type locality,

as a noun in apposition.

Distribution: The species is known only from the type locality.

Remarks: The genus Leptacinus ERICHSON, 1839 occurs in Europe but also in North Africa, Middle East, Turkey, Caucasus and to Yemen ( BORDONI, 2010). The new species is attributed to this genus, but I think it is appropriate to underline some just divergent characters partially also highlighted in the proposed figures ( Figs 1–11 ): in particular structure of mandible, maxillary and labial palpi, shape of mesosternum, male genitalia and female genital segment.

The genus Leptacinus is related to Balchis BORDONI, 2016 from Ethiopia by the external characters but differs however by the following characters: different maxillary and labial palpi; 2 nd antennomere a little longer than 3 rd; ocular and frontal grooves present; different sternum; gular sutures not V-shaped and not separated for almost their entire length; different upper epipleural line; aedeagus.

This is the first Leptacinus known from Ethiopia.

Figures

Figs 1–2:Leptacinus riza spec. nov.: habitus (1) (total length 5.2 mm) and aedeagus (2) (total length 1 mm) (photo S. Cuoco).

Figs 3–11: Leptacinus riza spec. nov.: maxillary palpi (3), labial palpi (4), labrum (5), mandible (6), gular sutures (7), mesosternum (8), tergite (9) and sternite (10) of the male genital segment, female genital segment (11).