Leptusa (Eospisalia) lackneri, Assing, 2011

Assing, V., 2011, The first species of Leptusa from Tsushima, Japan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 43 (1), pp. 267-270 : 268-270

Leptusa (Eospisalia) lackneri nov.sp. ( Figs 1-10 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype: " Japan - Tsushima , Tatera-yama, primary forest, 7.IV.2009, T. Lackner / Holotypus Leptusa lackneri sp.n. det. V. Assing 2010 ".

D e s c r i p t i o n: Small species, body length 2.2 mm. Habitus as in Fig. 1 . Coloration: body dark-reddish, with the abdominal segment VI and the anterior half of segment VII infuscate; legs dark-yellowish; antennae reddish-yellow.

Head ( Fig. 2 ) weakly transverse; punctation dense and rather coarse; interstices with microsculpture ( Fig. 3 ). Eyes approximately as long as postocular portion in dorsal view. Antenna ( Fig. 4 ) gradually incrassate apically; antennomere IV weakly transverse, V-X of gradually increasing width and increasingly transverse; X approximately twice as wide as long.

Pronotum ( Fig. 2 ) 1.3 times as broad as long and 1.2 times as wide as head, widest slightly before middle, distinctly tapering anteriad and posteriad; posterior angles obtusely marked; punctation and microsculpture similar to those of head ( Fig. 3 ).

Elytra short, approximately 0.65 times as long and about as wide as pronotum ( Fig. 2 ); humeral angles weakly marked; punctation more distinct than that of head and pronotum, somewhat granulose; interstices with microsculpture, but more glossy than those of head and pronotum ( Fig. 5 ). Hind wings reduced.

Abdomen somewhat broader than elytra, widest at segment V; punctation moderately dense and fine; interstices with shallow isodiametric microreticulation visible only at high magnification, glossy (more so than elytra); posterior margin of tergite VII with extremely fine, barely visible rudiment of a palisade fringe.

: sternite VII unmodified; tergite VIII without modifications, posterior margin weakly concave in the middle; sternite VIII posteriorly very obtusely angled in the middle ( Fig. 6 ); median lobe of aedeagus ( Figs 7-9 ) small, approximately 0.25 mm long; paramere with short apical lobe ( Fig. 10 ).

: unknown.

E t y m o l o g y: The species is dedicated to Tomáš Lackner, specialist of Histeridae , who collected the holotype, also in gratitude for the continuous supply of Staphylinidae from Japan.

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: The new species is distinguished from other Japanese representatives of the subgenus Eospisalia as follows:

in L. taichii KISHIMOTO 2008 , the ventral process, the base of the capsule, and the apical internal structures of the aedeagus are of different shape, and the basal portion of the crista apicalis is more strongly produced;

the aedeagus of L. kitazawai (SAWADA 1970) is rather similar, but more slender and more broadly curved between crista apicalis and the base of the ventral process (lateral view), the ventral process is relatively longer and more slender, and the base of the capsule is of different shape; moreover, the body is somewhat broader and larger (material of L. kitazawai from several localities in Honshu examined);

in L. ishizuchiensis PACE 1982 , the aedeagus has a long and conspicuous flagellum in the internal sac, the crista apicalis is much more pronounced, and the ventral process and the sclerotized internal structures are of completely different shape.

in L. cornigera ASSING 2002 , the wings are longer than the pronotum, the hind wings are fully developed, the ventral process of the aedeagus is more strongly sinuate in lateral view, and the internal structures are of different shape.

For illustrations of the compared species see PACE (1989), KISHIMOTO (2008), and ASSING (2002).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: The holotype was collected in a primary forest in the Taterayama, a mountain in the south of Tsushima island, Japan.

Figures

Figs 1-10: Leptusa lackneri nov.sp. (holotype): (1) habitus; (2) forebody; (3) posterior median portion of head and median portion of pronotum; (4) antenna; (5) sutural portion of elytra; (6) male sternite VIII; (7) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (8) internal structures of median lobe in ventral view; (9) apical portion of median lobe in ventral view; (10) paramere. Scale bars: 1: 1.0 mm; 2-5: 0.2 mm; 6-10: 0.1 mm.