Leptinus, Muller, 1817

Peck, Stewart B. & Newton, Alfred F., 2017, An Annotated Catalog of the Leiodidae (Coleoptera) of the Nearctic Region (Continental North America North of Mexico), The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (2), pp. 211-258 : 247-248

Genus LEPTINUS Müller, 1817

Leptinus Müller, 1817: 266 . Type species: Leptinus testaceus Müller, 1817 (by monotypy). Notes. Earlier work on the morphology, taxonomy, biology, and larvae of the Palearctic species includes Besuchet (1980), Buckle (1976), Casale (1975), and Ising (1969). Work on the North American species is reviewed by Parks and Barnes (1955), Peck (1982c), and Wood (1965). In the earlier literature on the North American fauna, the use of the name Leptinus testaceus Müller, 1817: 266 (type locality: Germany. Distribution: Europe) for North American records is in error, as is the use of the name Leptinus americanus LeConte for populations east of the Mississippi River or west of the Rocky Mountains; records prior to Peck (1982c) represent one of the three species below.

Immatures. Casale (1975); Ising (1969); Reid (1942).

Taxonomy. Besuchet (1980); Peck (1982c).

Redescription. Agazzi and Decou (1961); Jeannel (1922b).

Biology. Artz (1975); Buckle (1976); Ising (1969); Paulian (1943). The six western Palearctic species of Leptinus are known from several rodent and insectivore hosts in Europe.

Distribution. W Palearctic, Nearctic (9 species).

L. americanus LeConte, 1866: 367 ; Peck 1982c: 1519. Lectotype female in MCZC (designated by Peck 1982c: 1519). Type locality: Keokuk, Iowa. North American distribution: USA: (central states west of the Mississippi River) AR, IA, KS, LA, MO, SD, TX. Biology: Known to occur on five species of small rodent and insectivore hosts (Peck 1982; Connior et al. 2014a).

L. occidentamericanus Peck, 1982c: 1523 ; Hatch 1957: 17 (as L. americanus ). Holotype male in CNCI. Type locality: H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Lane County, Oregon. North American distribution: Canada: BC, YT. USA: AK, CA, OR. Biology: Known to occur on 11 species of small rodent and insectivore mammal hosts (Maser and Hooven 1971; Peck 1982c; Eckerlin and Painter 1993).

L. orientamericanus Peck, 1982c: 1519 . Holotype male in INHS. Type locality: Giant City State Park, Jackson County, Illinois. North American distribution: USA: (eastern states east of the Mississippi River) AL, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV. Biology: Known to occur on seven species of small rodent and insectivore hosts ( Park 1929; Werner and Edwards 1948; Benton and Peck 1980; Peck 1982c). Immatures: Böving and Craighead (1931); Dybas (1976); Parks and Barnes (1955); Peterson (1951).