Leptusa (Eucryptusa) brevicollis Casey, 1893

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, Revision of some types of North American aleocharines (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), with synonymic notes, Zootaxa 353 (1), pp. 1-134 : 116-117

Leptusa (Eucryptusa) brevicollis Casey, 1893

(Figs. 637–641 in Pace 1989)

Leptusa brevicollis Casey, 1893: 363 .

Leptusa (Ulitusa) laticollis Notman, 1921: 153 , syn. nov.

Leptusa (s. str.) brevicollis: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 554 (as valid species).

Leptusa (Eucryptusa) laticollis: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 556 (as valid species).

Leptusa (Eucryptusa) brevicollis: Pace, 1989: 116 (as valid species).

Leptusa laticollis: Pace, 1989: 11 .

Type material. Holotype of Leptusa brevicollis : ♂, “Pen.[nsylvania]”, “ Leptusa brevicollis Csy. ”, “TYPE USNM 39577” (red label), “CASEY bequest 1925”, “ vidit R. Pace 1981” ( NMNH).

Holotype of Leptusa laticollis : UNITED STATES: New York: Chautauqua Co.: ♂ [only right middle and posterior legs remain of this specimen], Westfield (H.Notman), 19.v.1919 ( SIIS); paratype: UNITED STATES: New York: Chautauqua Co. : ♀ (allotype), Westfield (H.Notman), 19.v.1919 ( SIIS).

Additional material. UNITED STATES: New Hampshire: Grafton Co.: ♂, 12 km E Orford, 43º54.04'N 71º58.96'W, 300m, in forest litter, Acer , Pinus , Betula , moss, ferns, 21.ix.1998 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU); New York: Essex Co.: 2♂♂, Keene Valley, 4.vii.1917 (H.Notman) [although labeled by Notman (?) as paratypes these two males had not been included in the type series ( Notman 1921)] ( SIIS); Orange Co.: 9 specimens, 8 km S New Windsor, Black Rock Forest, 23–25.v.1998 (V.I.Gusarov) ( SPSU).

Diagnosis. See Pace (1989).

Discussion. Pace (1989) designated the lectotype of Le. brevicollis , however from the original description ( Casey 1893) it is clear that Casey had a single male type of this species. This type is the holotype of Le. brevicollis and Pace's lectotype designation is redundant.

Pace (1989) did not have an opportunity to examine the types of Le. laticollis . Unfortunately, the holotype of Le. laticollis , like some other Notman’s staphylinid types deposited at SIIS, is almost completely destroyed. The female paratype and two additional male specimens from New York, identified by Notman as Le. laticollis , are similar to the holotype of Le. brevicollis in external characters and in the shape of the aedeagus.

Distribution. Leptusa brevicollis is known from Pennsylvania, New York and New Hampshire.