17. Leiodes sakaii sp. nov.

(Japanese name: Hosomomo-ô-tamakinokomushi) (Figs. 53–54, 114)

Type locality. Japan, Shikoku, Ehime Pref., Mt. Odamiyama.

Type material. JAPAN: SHIKOKU: HOLOTYPE, ♂, Ehime Pref., Mt. Odamiyama, 2.xi.1969, M. Sakai leg. (EUMJ).

Diagnosis. Body 3.2 mm long, ca. 2.1× as long as wide. Head and pronotum brown. Elytra light brown on disc, dark brown near elytral suture.Antennal club dark brown. Elytra densely, irregularly, and coarsely punctate. Mesoventrite with one distinct excavation between median carina and transverse carina. Median carina of mesoventrite low. Metafemur with a distinct ventral rectangular posteroapical projection. Metatibiae moderately curved.

Description. Measurements of holotype: Body length 3.2 mm; head 0.45 mm in length and 0.75 mm in width; pronotum 0.78 mm in length and 1.3 mm in width; elytra 2.0 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width.

Coloration. Dorsum shining; head and pronotum brown; elytral disc light brown, elytra dark brown near suture (Fig. 53C); antennomeres 1–6 brown; antennomere 8 dark reddish brown; apical half of antennomere 11 light brown; remaining antennomeres dark brown; legs brown; mesoventrite and metaventrite brown; abdominal ventrites light brown.

Body almost glabrous.

Head distinctly and densely punctate, bearing some large punctures (Fig. 53A); antennomeres 1–4 each longer than wide; antennomere 5 about as long as wide; remaining antennomeres each wider than long; antennomere 11 robust (Fig. 53D); relative lengths of antennomeres 2 to 11 – 3.5: 3.5: 2.1: 2.1: 1.5: 3.0: 1.0: 4.0: 3.5: 5.1.

Pronotum widest at base, simply and very feebly curved at posterior margin, distinctly and densely punctate, punctation similar to that on head (Fig. 53A).

Scutellum minutely punctate.

Elytra widest ca. at basal 1/4 (Fig. 53A), not transversely strigose, densely, irregularly and coarsely punctate (Figs. 53A, 53B); punctation of elytra consisting of punctures of various sizes (Fig. 53E); sutural stria fine, reaching from apex to ca. apical 2/5 of the elytral length.

Metathotacic wings fully developed.

Mesoventrite strongly microreticulate, impunctate, almost glabrous, and with a distinct excavation between median carina and transverse carina (Fig. 53F); median carina of mesoventrite low (Fig. 53F); metaventrite sparsely pubescent, strongly microreticulate except for almost smooth middle portion.

Protibiae gradually and feebly widening from base towards apex (Fig. 54C); tarsomeres 2–4 of protarsi and mesotarsi expanded (Fig. 54A); metafemur with a distinct ventral rectangular projection (Fig. 54B) and a small dorsal projection posteroapically (Fig. 54D); metatibiae bearing some small robust spines at internal margins, moderately curved inwards (Fig. 54B).

Abdominal sternite 8 moderately curved (Fig. 54E); aedeagus very slender (Figs. 54F, 54G); median lobe very feebly expanded laterally, with lateral margins feebly protuberant at apex (Fig. 54F), moderately curved in lateral view (Fig. 54G); each paramere bearing two apical setae (Fig. 54F); inner sac without distinct sclerites (Fig. 54H).

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Leiodes sakaii sp. nov. is similar to L. multipunctata in elytral punctures but can be distinguished from it by having the metafemur with a distinct ventral rectangular projection posteroapically (Fig. 54B) and the relatively slender median lobe of the aedeagus (Fig. 54F). In contrast, L. multipunctata has metafemora without distinct ventral projections (Figs. 51C, 51D, 51E, 51F) and a relatively robust median lobe (Fig. 52A).

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Dr. Masahiro Sakai, the collector of the holotype.

Distribution. Japan: Shikoku (Ehime Prefecture).