Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) milton, Asenjo & Ribeiro-Costa, 2013

Asenjo, Angelico & Ribeiro-Costa, Cibele S., 2013, Revision of the neotropical subgenus Tropiochirus of the genus Leptochirus Germar 1824 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Osoriinae), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 47 (19 - 20), pp. 1257-1285 : 1269-1272

Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) milton sp. nov.

( Figures 2D , 3D , 5 , 6A–F)

Type material. Holotype (male): “ ECUADOR, Napo / 24 km [kilometer] N[north from] Baeza / 1000 m III[march].3.1976 / J. M. Campbell ” “ HOLOTYPUS / Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) / milton Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa / Desig. Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa, 2013” ( CNC) . Paratypes (2): “ ECUADOR, Napo / 24 km [kilometer] N[north from] Baeza / 1000 m III[march].3.1976 / J. M. Campbell ” ( DZUP, male). “ ECUADOR, Napo / 24 km [kilometer] N[north from] Baeza / 1000 m III[march].3.1976 / J. M. Campbell ” “ ♀ ” ( CNC, female). All paratypes with label “ PARATYPUS / Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) / milton Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa / Desig. Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa, 2013” .

Diagnosis

Leptochirus (T.) milton sp. nov., L. (T.) venezuelanus and L. (T.) marina sp. nov. have the median sulcus of head deep, sides of the median sulcus parallel ( Figure 2D, G, B , respectively), but L. (T.) milton sp. nov. can be distinguished from these species by the first dorsal tooth of the left mandible not bifurcate ( Figure 3D ).

Description

BL: 12.67, BW: 2.35

Body strongly depressed. Body all black except tarsi red-brown.

Head. Transverse ( Figure 2D ). Inner lateral teeth separated by a depression extending to base. Inner and outer lateral teeth fused and resembling a septum; median sulcus deep, sides of median sulcus parallel; laterofrontal depressions oval. Labrum with outer edge strongly angled and lateral-apical edge concave. Mandibles ( Figures 2D , 3D ) with lateral longitudinal ridge occupying less than two-thirds of apical region; external margin developed, attenuated anteriorly. Left mandible ( Figure 3D ) with first dorsal tooth developed, straight and not bifurcate, accessory tooth near lateral longitudinal ridge; second dorsal tooth little developed and resembling a small hill; first ventral tooth with tooth accessory, third ventral tooth consisting of two structures with the bases fused. Submentum with setae arranged in a row on anterolateral margin.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figure 2D ) a little wider than long (PL: 2.39, PW: 2.78); superior marginal line of hypomeron not interrupted, not bent to dorsal region on anterior margin and slightly bent to dorsal region at posterior margin; without a pair of small depressions near basal constriction. Inferior marginal line of hypomeron reaching anterior margin. Apex of prosternal process strongly expanded and resembling a circular plate, extending considerably beyond the lateral process of hypomeron. Metaventrite with microsculpture longitudinally undulate in the median region and with small longitudinal median depression near posterior edge. Mesoscutellum with apex rounded. Elytra longer than broad and without a pair of small depressions on posterolateral edge (EL: 2.91, EW: 2.69).

Abdomen. Cylindrical. Sternite III with keel of apex rounded. Tergite IX ( Figure 6D) sclerotized with left and right plates separated, each with five or six setae of various lengths. Tergite X ( Figure 6D) membranous except for sclerotized apical part, with two pairs of long apical setae.

Male. Sternite IX ( Figure 6E) composed of two plates, distal plate sclerotized except for membranous apex, anterior margin straight, posterior margin with small acute projection in the middle and with two long setae; proximal plate less sclerotized, greater than apical, broadened in middle and with a projecting angle at posterior bor- der. Aedeagus ( Figure 6A–C) with median lobe slightly bulbous at base, rounded at apex, weakly sclerotized on dorsal side and a small plate sclerotized on ventral side; parameres short, pointed and fused dorsally.

Female. Similar to male, except for the gonocoxites divided longitudinally ( Figure 6F). The distal plate with apex membranous and long seta; proximal plate with the posterior region pointed.

Distribution

Leptochirus (T.) milton sp. nov. is currently known from Ecuador ( Figure 5 ).

Etymology

The specific name “milton” is in honour o my brother Milton Asenjo . This is a noun in apposition, gender masculine.

Figures

Figure 2. Head and protorax of Leptochirus (Tropiochirus). (A) L. (T.) helleri; (B) L. (T.) marina sp. nov. holotype; (C) L. (T.) mery sp. nov. holotype; (D) L. (T.) milton sp. nov. holotype; (E) L. (T.) pachoensis; (F) L. (T.) proteus; (G) L. (T.) venezuelanus; (H) L. (T.) yunganus; (I) L. (T.) zischkaianus. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figure 3. Left and right mandible, dorsal view. (A) Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) helleri; (B) L. (T.) marina sp. nov. holotype; (C) L. (T.) mery sp. nov. holotype; (D) L. (T.) milton sp. nov. holotype; (E) L. (T.) pachoensis; (F) L. (T.) proteus; (G) L. (T.) venezuelanus; (H) L. (T.) yunganus; (I) L. (T.) zischkaianus. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

Figure 5. Distribution map of Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) helleri, L. (T.) marina sp. nov., L. (T.) mery sp. nov., L. (T.) milton sp. nov., and L. (T.) pachoensis.