Leptobium bozdagense, Assing, 2006

Assing, V., 2006, A revision of Leptobium CASEY. Supplement I (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 38 (1), pp. 381-384 : 382-384

Leptobium bozdagense sp.n. ( Figs 1-5 )

H o l o t y p e Ƌ: TR - Izmir [3], 900 m, Boz Dağlar,SE Turgutlu, rocky meadow with oak, ca. 38°24N, 27°52E, 24.XII.2005, V. Assing / Holotypus Ƌ Leptobium bozdagense sp.n. det. V. Assing 2005 (cAss).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Measurements (in mm) and ratios (holotype): HL: 0.89; HW: 0.82; PW: 0.82; PL: 0.97; EL: 0.59; TiL: 0.74; TaL: 0.70; AL: 1.07; TL: 7.0; HL/HW: 1.08; HW/PW: 1.00; PL/PW: 1.18; EL/PL: 0.61; TiL/TaL: 1.06.

Species of relatively small size (see measurements); habitus as in Fig. 1 . Coloration: body blackish, with apex of abdomen (segments VIII and following) rufous; legs and antennae yellowish to reddish brown.

Head weakly oblong (see ratio HL/HW); eyes of moderate size, approximately 0.65 times as long as postocular region in dorsal view; puncturation in dorsal area rather coarse and sparse ( Fig. 2 ); antennomeres II and III of subequal length. Pronotum as wide as pronotum; puncturation slightly finer and denser than that of head ( Fig. 2 ). Elytra much shorter than pronotum (see ratio EL/PL); puncturation shallower and more illdefined than that of pronotum. Hind wings reduced. Metatarsus almost as long as metatibia (see ratio TiL/TaL). Abdomen at segment VI slightly wider than elytra; puncturation near anterior margins of tergites III-VI moderately coarse and dense, on remainder of tergal surfaces fine and sparse; microsculpture shallow and transverse; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

Ƌ: sternite VI not distinctly modified; posterior incision of sternite VIII distinctly less than half the length of sternite; dorsal plate of aedeagus with pair of closely set dorsal carinae and with distinctly asymmetrical ventral process ( Figs 3-4 ).

E t y m o l o g y: The name (Lat., adj.) is derived from the Boz Dağlar, where the type locality is situated.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Leptobium bozdagense is readily distinguished from all its congeners of rather small size and with short elytra by its coloration alone. Species of similarly dark colour are absent from Turkey. In addition, it is separated from other Leptobium species by the morphology of the aedeagus, which is most similar to that of L. bicarinatum ASSING (central southern Anatolia, Syria), but has more closely set dorsal carinae, as well as a larger, broader and in lateral view differently shaped ventral process and much more massive internal structures. For comparison see figures 238-239 and 243 in ASSING (2005).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: The type locality is situated in the Boz Dağlar, Izmir province, western Anatolia. The holotype was collected by sifting shrub litter and grass in an apparently regularly grazed clearing with shrubs and big rocks at an altitude of 900 m ( Fig. 5 ).

Figures

Figs 1-4: Leptobium bozdagense sp.n.: (1) habitus; (2) forebody; (3-4) aedeagus in ventral and in lateral view. Scales: 1-2: 1.0 mm; 3-4: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 5: Type locality of Leptobium bozdagense sp.n.