Genus Leptusa Kraatz, 1856

Leptusa Kraatz, 1856: 60; Fenyes, 1920: 120; Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 553; Smetana, 1973: 3; Lohse, 1974: 42; Moore & Legner, 1975: 483; Seevers, 1978: 164; Pace, 1989: 25; Ashe, 2001: 366; Assing, 2002: 971; Gusarov, 2003: 113; Gusarov & Herman, 2003a: 115, 2003b: 191; Klimaszewski et al., 2004: 3; Gouix & Klimaszewski, 2007: 61.

Type species. Bolitochara pulchella Mannerheim, 1830; designated by Gusarov & Herman (2003a).

Diagnosis. The genus Leptusa can be recognized by the following combination of characters: body more or less convex, parallel-sided, pubescent; microsculpture present; hind wings often absent; eye size highly variable but usually small; antennae with 11 antennomeres, thickened toward apex; mandible short, right mandible with internal tooth; distal lobe of galea membranous and pubescent; maxillary palpomere 1 smallest, 2 moderately long, 3 largest, 4 subuliform; ligula narrow and long, not bifid, rounded apically; labial palpi with two apparent articles due to fusion of articles 1 – 2; pronotum usually widest at apical third or anterior half; mesocoxae narrowly separated; mesoventral process longer than metaventral process (approximately 2/3 length of mesocoxae); legs usually short, tarsal formula 4-4-5, first metatarsomere as long as following two articles or slightly longer. Abdominal tergites III – VI with setigerous punctures (Pace 1989, Klimaszewski et al. 2004).

Remarks. All species of Leptusa collected in GSMNP have the following combination of characters: gular sutures widely separated, approximately 1/5 width of head; each side of ventral surface of head with carinae (fading before attaining gular suture or attaining gular suture); labrum bearing 3 pairs of short setae along anterior and lateral margin (Figs. 2 b – 11b); median area of labium distinctly narrow or lateral areas meeting at middle, and a pair of distal setae present in a longitudinal row; mesoventrite carinate or not (if carinate, then not exceeding 1/2 length of mesoventrite). Abdominal sternites VII of males possess many pores occupying anywhere from anterior one-tenth to anterior half.