Leptotyphlus villacidrinus, Fancello & Hernando & Leo, 2009

Fancello, Luca, Hernando, Carles & Leo, Piero, 2009, The endogean beetle fauna of the Marganai-Oridda-Valle del Leni area (SW Sardinia), with description of seven new species of Staphylinidae Leptotyphlinae (Coleoptera) *, Zootaxa 2318, pp. 317-338 : 325-327

Leptotyphlus villacidrinus sp. nov.

( Figs 15, 21–23)

Diagnosis. A Leptotyphlus of medium size, with weakly punctuated integuments and superficial microreticulation. Clearly differentiated from all Italian species known so far but undoubtedly related to the North-African species L. tuniseus Normand, 1910 , from which it differs essentially in the genital structures.

Type locality. SW Sardinia, Medio Campidano prov., Villacidro , historical city centre .

Type series. Holotype ♂: “SW Sardinia, Villacidro ( Medio Campidano ), paese [= in town], 260 m, 10.XI.1985, leg. P. Leo ” ( MSNG) . Paratypes: Villacidro ( Medio Campidano prov. ), paese, 260 m, 10.XI.1985, leg. P. Leo, 2 ♂♂ and 5 ♀ ( CLF-PL); 1.I.1986, leg. P. Leo, 5 ♂♂ and 12 ♀ (1 ♀ CCH, 5 ♂♂ and 9 ♀ CLF- PL, 1 ♀ CNBFVR, 1 ♀ MSNG) ; 16.III.1986, leg. P. Leo, 2 ♂♂ and 7 ♀ ( CLF-PL); 27.IV.1986, leg. P. Leo, 3 ♀ ( CLF-PL). Villacidro (Medio Campidano prov.), Sa Spendula, 220 m, 9.XII.1989, leg. P. Leo, 1 ♀ (CLF- PL) . Villacidro (Medio Campidano prov.), San Sisinnio, 250 m, 8.V.1986, 2.I.1987, leg. P. Leo, 3 ♀ (CLF- PL).

Description. Total length 1.10–1.20 mm. Body of pale testaceous colour, rather shiny, with sparse microsculpture on all of its surface. Head just wider than pronotum, not markedly rounded at sides, with only slight frontal carinas; punctuation not strong; labrum ( Fig. 21) with two symmetrical median teeth; mandibles ( Fig. 22) bifid with robust retinaculum and premolar tooth; antennae relatively short, just longer than head. Pronotum about as long as wide, with two superficial longitudinal grooves, slightly converging anteriorly; punctuation even more minute and sparse than on head. Elytral punctuation almost imperceptible. Abdomen with regularly convex tergites. Aedeagus as in Fig. 15, lying to the left side of the abdomen, with a robust and arched dorsal copulatory piece; sternal lamina distally divided into two branches: ventral branch, in lateral view, simple, short and not markedly sinuous; upper branch long, very thin and upturned. Female genital armature asymmetrical, structured as in Fig. 23.

Observations. As already mentioned in the diagnosis, the only species close to Leptotyphlus villacidrinus sp. nov. is L. tuniseus from northern Tunisia, which was ascribed by Coiffait (1972) to subgenus Stigmotyphlus . In particular, similarities can be found in the large and strongly arched dorsal copulatory piece, and in the shape and chaetotaxy of the left paramere. Differences between these two species lie in the shape and chaetotaxy of the right paramere and the structure of the other copulatory pieces (cf. Coiffait 1972, fig. 197).

Ecological notes. Most specimens of the type series were collected in an abandoned orchard garden of the historical city centre of Villacidro, in soil samples taken at the base of a Ficus carica tree; other specimens were found in woody areas dominated by Quercus ilex . The collecting localities are situated on granitic (Villacidro city centre and Sa Spendula) and argilloschist (San Sisinnio) Palaeozoic soils. The following endogean beetles were found in association with the new species: Bathysciola damryi (Leiodidae) , Eudesis aglena , Trimium amplipenne Reitter, 1908 , Entomoculia shardana sp. nov., Leptotyphlus minator sp. nov. ( Staphylinidae ), Torneuma sp. (Curculionidae) , Alaocyba carinulata , Raymondiellus sardous sardous (Raymondionymidae) .

Etymology. This new species is named after the type locality.