Leptandria, Rodney, 2003

Rodney, 2003, Leptandria gen. n., a monophyletic group of Neotropical aleocharine Staphylinidae (Coleoptera), Journal of Natural History 37, pp. 2615-2626 : 2616-2619

Genus Leptandria gen. n.

Diagnosis. This genus is distinguishable from the other genera of Hoplandriina by the following combination of characters: body small to average in size, 1.7–3.2 mm; eyes medium to large, 0.4–0.7 times length of head; insertion of medial setae of prementum widely separated; pronotum with outer apical angles sinuate, apical area along midline extended posteriorly with rounded angles, pronotum somewhat hexagonal in shape; tarsal formula exclusively 4-5-5; males with secondary sexual features, including each elytron with medioapical region with a prominent denticle, and abdominal tergum VII with a narrow posteromedian longitudinal carina or conical process only.

Type species. Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , by original designation.

Description. Lengths of adults 1.7–3.2 mm. Body more or less fusiform; surface typically glossy with punctation and microsculpturing; pubescence variably dense on head, pronotum, elytra, and abdominal sterna; sparse on abdominal terga.

Head. Generally broader than long. Eyes moderate to large, 0.4 to 0.7 times length of head. Neck absent. Infraorbital carina strongly developed and complete to absent. Antenna (figures 2A; 3A; 4G) with 11 antennomeres; articles 1–3 elongate, 1.5–2.5 times longer than wide; article 4 quadrate; articles 5–10 short, 1.3–2.0 times wider than long; apical segment acute to broadly rounded, coeloconical sensilla present in segment 11.

Mouthparts. Labrum (figure 4A) with epipharyngeal area with medial pores moderate in size, numerous, more or less uniformly distributed in well-delimited, longitudinal sensory field; pores between longitudinal sensory field and lateral sclerotized areas present. Mandibles (figure 4B,C) asymmetrical, right mandible with distinct median tooth; apex more or less acute and curved adorally; condylar molar patch small, width less than 1/5 of basal mandibular width, composed of very small denticles, densely arranged in irregular transverse rows; subcondylar molar patch small, composed of very fine hairs or spinules; dorsobasal ‘velvety patch’ moderate in size, width subequal to slightly shorter than width of mandibular base, composed of numerous, very fine hairs or spinules, often with anterior row of small spines; ventral aspect with outer basal angle with two very small setae. Maxilla (figure 4D) with length of lacinea generally shorter than galea, lacinia more or less acute apically, with teeth of adoral margin short, about three times longer than wide, more or less closely placed, into three more or less distinct regions and two large spinose setae on dorsal surface; galea very narrow, half as narrow as lacinia at widest area, and rounded apically, membranous in apical 1/4 to 1/5, densely covered with rows of more or less short, fine hairs giving mostly stubble appearance; maxillary palpus with four articles and a moderately defined apical pseudosegment, articles 2 and 3 with numerous long setae, articles 1, 4 and pseudosegment without setae. Labium (figure 4E) with ligula elongate, as long as labial palpus 1, slightly broadened apically with shallow to deeply forked apex, with two heavy spines at apex and two smaller subapical spines; two more or less long medial setae of prementum present, longer than ligula, insertion of setae widely separated; real pores and setal pores present; median pseudopore field wide with pores positioned in more or less linear arrangement, lateral pore field with a single setose pore and four large asetose pores; hypoglossal lobes (figure 4F) long, typically reaching to middle of ligula, with long, about five to six times longer than width of lobe, comb-like internally curved setae along entire length of adoral margin. Labial palpi (figure 4E) very long, overall length seven to eight times longer than greatest width, with three distinct articles, with distal pore field composed of two small spines and two large pores; segment 1 about 3.0–4.0 times longer than segment 2, segment 3 about 4.0–5.0 times longer than segment 2; twin pores and two median pores present. Mentum with apical margin more or less concave with antero-lateral angles obtusely rounded and extended anteriorly; relatively few sensory pores typically distributed along each side of midline.

Thorax. Pronotum (figures 2B; 3B; 4H) subquadrate to transverse, variable in size, outer apical angles slightly to significantly sinuate, with apical area along midline typically extended posteriorly, typically 1.0–1.2 times wider than long, more or less convex to flattened. Setae more or less densely distributed, typically directed posteriorly at midline on disc, with five large macrosetae near lateral margin of each side. Hypomera strongly inflexed, not visible in lateral aspect. Each elytron (figures 2C; 3C; 5C) moderately broad, commonly wider apically than basally; apico-lateral angles sinuate; elytra together about 1.5–1.8 times as wide as long; microsetae numerous, generally uniformly distributed and directly posteriorly. Mesosternum (figures 2E; 3E; 5A) without medial carina. Mesocoxal cavities widely separated by meso- and metasternal processes by about 1/5 length of coxal cavities. Mesosternal process longer than metasternal process, extended to basal 1/3 of coxal cavities; meso- and metasternal processes contiguous to very short isthmus present; mesosternal process generally flattened at apex. Metasternum slightly shorter than width of mesocoxae, without medial carina; metasternal process generally flattened at apex. Macrosetae distinctly present on metasternum; group of small setae on mesosternum at apex of mesosternal process only. Legs with tarsal formula 4-5-5; tarsal claws (figures 2D; 3D; 4J) long and slender, with single empodial bristle, length variable, shorter to longer than tarsal claws; article 1 of hind tarsus about 1.3 times length of article 2; articles 2–4 subequal in length; segment 5 of hind tarsus subequal to shorter in length to combined lengths of articles 2–4.

Abdomen. (figures 2F–H; 3I,J; 5B; 5D,E) fusiform, tapering apically to broadly pointed apex; terga III–V (VI slightly) with moderate to deep transverse basal impressions on anterior portion. Terga and sterna with prominent macrosetae. Anterior corner of sternum III with distinct region of differentiated microsculpturing visible, generally delimited by very fine carina, iridescence not apparent. Tergum IX with distinct crescent-shaped setal pattern.

Secondary sexual characteristics. Males variable, ranging from no secondary sexual features in L. tishechkini to few secondary sexual features in L. ashei and L. ecitophila . Secondary sexual features include morphological modifications on the elytra in the form of humeral carina or bump absent; denticle on the medioapical region (figure 2C); without denticle, carina or bump on the outer apical third. Abdomen: posterior corners of sternum III and IV not produced into a long spines; without carina or raised area on tergum IV; narrow posteromedian longtitudinal carina or distinct conical carina on tergum VII (figures 2G; 3J; 5D); two transverse rows of large macrosetae on near apex of tergum VIII.

Aedeagus. (figures 2J,K; 3F; 5F) With bulb of median lobe more or less elongate, generally subequal in length to tube, often with a distinct curve in tube, base of bulb often with distinct bulge, tube with distinct ventral projection; internal sac typically with large spinules; parameres with apical lobe of parmerite not extended beyond velum, typically with two to four setae at apex, two most commonly; paramerite with anterior margin slightly to distinctly concave; condylite with apex typically heavily sclerotized, generally subequal in length to apex of paramerite.

Spermatheca. (figures 3H; 5H) Generally L-shaped with three primary divisions: basal bulb generally simple and rounded at base; neck significantly bent, generally at 90 ° or greater, often with distinct secondary curves; and tube membranous, more or less straight.

Etymology. Leptandria is a combination of a Greek adjective ‘ leptos,’ meaning small, thin, delicate, and the name ‘ andria,’ meaning manly or manliness.

Habitat. Species of Leptandria were collected from primarily nomadic bivouac sites of the army ant, Eciton burchelli , and from the fallen flowers of various flowering trees. Further analysis is needed to confirm whether all species of Leptandria have an association with Eciton ants, or if feeding modes vary within the genus.

Distribution. Neotropical Region — Ecuador, Peru.