31. Leiodes ozakii sp. nov.

Japanese name: Tsugaru-ô-tamakinokomushi (Figs. 91–92)

Type locality. Japan, Honshu, Aomori Pref., Hirakawa City, Ozakishiroiwa.

Type material. JAPAN: HONSHU: HOLOTYPE: ♂, Aomori Pref., Hirakawa City, Ozakishiroiwa, 31.v.1997, T. Ozaki leg. (MNHAH).

Diagnosis. Body 3.4 mm long, ca. 1.9× as long as wide. Dorsum brown. Each elytron with nine distinct rows of punctures,subhumeral row as long as ca. 1/3 of elytral length. Mesoventrite without distinct excavation between median carina and transverse carina. Median carina of mesoventrite low. Metafemora robust. Metatibiae distinctly curved inwards near apex.

Description. Measurements of holotype: Body length 3.4 mm; head 0.53 mm in length and 0.88 mm in width; pronotum 0.91 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width; elytra 2.2 mm in length and 1.8 mm in width.

Coloration. Dorsum almost unicolor, brown; antennomeres 1–6 and 8 brown; antennomeres 7, 9, 10, and basal half of antennomere 11 dark brown; apical half of antennomere 11 light brown; legs brown; mesoventrite, metaventrite, and abdominal ventrites brown.

Head distinctly and densely punctate, bearing some large punctures (Fig. 91A); antennomeres 1–3 each longer than wide; antennomere 4 about as long as wide; remaining antennomeres each wider than long; antennomere 11 robust (Fig. 91C); relative lengths of antennomeres 2 to 11 – 2.6: 3.8: 1.4: 1.0: 1.0: 2.3: 1.0: 2.6: 2.6: 4.3.

Pronotum widest near base, simply and very feebly curved at posterior margin, distinctly punctate, punctation similar to that on head (Fig. 91A).

Scutellum minutely punctate.

Elytra widest ca. at basal 1/3 (Fig. 91A), not transversely strigose; each elytron with nine rows of punctures, bearing small number of large punctures and densely arranged very fine punctures between rows (Fig. 91D); row 9 invisible in dorsal view, subhumeral row as long as ca. 1/3 of elytral length (Fig. 91B); rows composed of punctures larger than those of pronotum (Fig. 91A); sutural stria fine, reaching from apex to ca. apical 2/5 of elytral length.

Metathoracic wings fully developed.

Mesoventrite strongly microreticulate, impunctate, almost glabrous, without distinct excavation between median carina and transverse carina (Fig. 91E); median carina of mesoventrite low (Fig. 91E); metaventrite sparsely and finely pubescent, strongly microreticulate except for almost smooth middle portion.

Protibiae distinctly widening from base towards apex (Fig. 92C); tarsomeres 2–4 of protarsi and mesotarsi expanded (Fig. 92A); metafemur robust (Fig. 92B), with a small dorsal projection posteroapically (Fig. 92D); metatibiae feebly curved inwards near apex (Fig. 92B).

Abdominal sternite 8 weakly curved (Fig. 92E); aedeagus slender (Figs. 92F, 92G); median lobe simply and bluntly pointed at apex in dorsal view (Fig. 92F), sharply curved near base in lateral view (Fig. 92G); each paramere bearing two setae and one transparent small lobe at apex (Fig. 92F).

Female. Unknown.

Differential diagnosis. Leiodes ozakii sp. nov. is similar to L. irregularis in elytral appearance, but can be distinguished from it by having the male protibiae strongly widening basally towards the apex (Fig. 92C), the tarsomeres 2–4 of male protarsi and mesotarsi expanded (Fig. 92A), and the median lobe of the aedeagus sharply curved near the base in the lateral view (Fig. 92G). In contrast, L. irregularis has the male protibiae feebly widening basaly towards the apex (Fig. 94F), tarsomeres 2–4 of male protarsi and mesotarsi a slightly expanded (Fig. 94A), and the median lobe weakly curved (Fig. 95B). Leiodes ozakii sp. nov. is also similar to L. silesiaca (Kraatz, 1852) inhabiting the Russian Far East in elytral shape but can be separated from it by having a relatively slender aedeagus in the dorsal view (Fig. 92F). In contrast, L. silesiaca has the aedeagus relatively robust.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Dr. Toshihiro Ozaki who is the collector of the holotype.

Distribution. Japan: Honshu (Aomori Prefecture).