Leptandria ecitophila, Rodney, 2003

Rodney, 2003, Leptandria gen. n., a monophyletic group of Neotropical aleocharine Staphylinidae (Coleoptera), Journal of Natural History 37, pp. 2615-2626 : 2623-2625

Leptandria ecitophila , sp. n.

(Figures 4–5)

Material. H   male, [‘ ECUADOR: Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuni Res. Stn., 0 ° 40.5 ∞ S 76 ° 24 ∞ W; 18 July 1999. AKT #083’/‘ Eciton buchelli colony EC #21. Statary bivouac site just after emigration. A. Tishechkin’/‘ HOLOTYPE, Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , desig. R. S. Hanley, 2001’ (red)] ( SEMC). P    , one male, two females ( SEMC), one male ( LSUC) with same label data as holotype; one specimen ( SEMC), [‘ ECUADOR: Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuni Res. Stn., 0 ° 40.5 ∞ S 76 ° 24 ∞ W; 18 June 1999. AKT #006’/‘ Eciton buchelli colony EC #3. In/along emigration colony; A. Tishechkin’/‘ PARATYPE, Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , desig. R. S. Hanley, 2001’ (yellow)]; two males, two females ( SMEC), six males, five females ( LSUC), [‘ ECUADOR: Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuni Res. Stn., 0 ° 40.5 ∞ S 76 ° 24 ∞ W; 22 July 1999. AKT #091’/‘ Eciton buchelli colony EC #21. Nomadic bivouac site just after emigration; A. Tishechkin’/‘ PARATYPE, Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , desig. R. S. Hanley, 2001’ (yellow)]; one male ( SEMC), [‘ ECUADOR: Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuni Res. Stn., 0 ° 40.5 ∞ S 76 ° 24 ∞ W; 26 June 1999. AKT #021’/‘ Eciton buchelli colony EC #10. Nomadic bivouac site just after emigration; A. Tishechkin’/‘ PARATYPE, Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , desig. R. S. Hanley, 2001’ (yellow)]; one male ( SEMC), [‘ ECUADOR: Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuni Res. Stn., 0 ° 40.5 ∞ S 76 ° 24 ∞ W; 27 July 1999. AKT #103’/‘ Eciton hamatum colony EC #25. Ex. emigration column. A. Tishechkin’/‘ PARATYPE, Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , desig. R. S. Hanley, 2001’ (yellow)]; one female ( SEMC), [‘ ECUADOR: Napo, mid. Rio Tiputini, Yasuni Res. Stn., 0 ° 40.5 ∞ S 76 ° 24 ∞ W; 31 July 1999. AKT #111’/‘ Eciton buchelli colony EC #28. Total bivouac

sampling; A. Tishechkin’ /‘ PARATYPE, Leptandria ecitophila Hanley , desig. R. S. Hanley, 2001’ (yellow) ].

Diagnosis. This species differs from L. ashei by having very large eyes, overall length about 0.6–0.7 times the length of the temples (in L. ashei , the eyes are small, length about 0.3–0.4 times the length of the temples), by having a more or less quadrate pronotum with the area along the midline distinctly extended posteriorly (in L. ashei , the pronotum is more or less oval with area along the midline only slightly extended posteriorly), and by having abdominal sternum VIII with a rounded, semilunate duct opening with apical hairs arranged into a mostly pointed process (in L. ashei , abdominal sternum VIII does not possess a modified duct opening). Leptandria ecitophila differs from L. tishechkini by having moderately long antennae, typically reaching the middle of the elytra when extended posteriorly (in L. tishechkini , the antennae are short, generally only reaching the apex of the pronotum when extended posteriorly), by possessing various secondary sexual features in the males (in L. tishechkini , males lack distinctive secondary sexual features), and by possessing lobe-like structures in the genitalic tract of the females (in L. tishechkini , females lacking any distinctive modifications to the females genitalic tract).

Description. Body length 3.2–4.4 mm. Head piceous to black, pronotum, elytra, and abdomen brown to dark brown, lateral margins of pronotum and abdominal terga often tan to light brown. Head, pronotum, and elytra covered throughout with short pile of yellow microsetae; abdomen sparsely covered with piceous to black microsetae; integument distinctly punctured, moderately glossy. Head with eyes very large, length about 0.6–0.7 times length of temples, sparse pubescence primarily directed anteriorly towards midline. Antennae (figure 4G) moderate in length, reaching to middle of elytra when extended posteriorly, widest part at segments 8–11, apical segment acute. Pronotum (figure 4H) more or less quadrate with outer apical angles distinctly sinuate, area along midline extended posteriorly with rounded or sharp corners, pubescence more or less sparse, evenly distributed, primarily directed posteriorly, each lateral margin of disc with six large macrosetae. Elytra (figure 4I) with each elytron slightly longer than wide, outer apical margin distinctly sinuate, surface with setiferous punctures, evenly pubescent, with pubescence directed toward apico-lateral angles. Tarsi (figure 4J) with single, long empodial bristle, length about 1.5 times as long as tarsal claws. Mesosternum (figure 5A) without medial carina. Abdominal sternum VIII with rounded, semilunate duct opening with apical hairs typically arranged into moderately pointed process (figure 5B). Males often with secondary sexual features of extended area along midline of pronotum with sharp corners (figure 4H), small, medioapical denticle on each elytron (figure 5F), conical, longitudinal carina on abdominal tergum VII (figure 5G). Females with lobe-like structure in genitalic tract of abdomen with apical setae (figure 5H). Aedeagus (figure 5C), paramere (figure 5D) spermatheca (figure 5E) as depicted.

Remarks. This species was referred to as ‘undescribed species 3’ in the phylogeny portion in Hanley (2002). Adults of L. ecitophila were collected from the statary and nomadic bivouac sites of the army ant, Eciton burchelli , just after emigration of the ants.