Leptusa (Dysleptusa) pusio ( Casey, 1906 )

Gusarov, Vladimir I., 2003, Revision of some types of North American aleocharines (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), with synonymic notes, Zootaxa 353 (1), pp. 1-134 : 115-116

Leptusa (Dysleptusa) pusio ( Casey, 1906)

(Fig. 578 in Pace 1989; Figs. 157–160 , this paper)

Ulitusa pusio Casey, 1906: 348 .

Leptusa (Eucryptusa) pusio: Bernhauer & Scheerpeltz, 1926: 556 (as valid species).

Leptusa (Dysleptusa) pusio: Pace, 1989: 107 (as valid species).

Type material. Lectotype of Leptusa pusio (here designated): ♂, “Cin.[cinnati] O.[hio] 5.19.6 [19.v.1906]”, “ pusio Csy. ”, “TYPE USNM 39595” (red label), “CASEY bequest 1925”, “ vidit R. Pace 1981” ( NMNH) . Paralectotype: “Cin.[cinnati] O.[hio] 4.18.6 [18.iv.1906]”, “ pusio Csy. ”, “ pusio ­ 2 PARATYPE USNM 39595” (red label), “CASEY bequest 1925”, “ vidit R. Pace 1981” ( NMNH) .

Diagnosis. See Pace (1989).

Discussion. In his list of examined type material Pace (1989) listed a single male specimen as the holotype of U. pusio . However, in the Casey collection U. pusio is represented by two specimens from the type locality. One specimen (the lectotype) was dissected by Pace and illustrated in Figs. 579–582 ( Pace 1989). The second specimen (the paralectotype) was dissected by me. My examination of the genitalia preparations of both specimens demonstrated that the illustrations by Pace (1989; Figs. 579, 582) are incorrect. The distal of the two projections on the parameral side of the median lobe illustrated by Pace in Figs. 579 and 582 does not exist. Pace mistook a small piece of dirt encased in the Canada balsam for a projection of the aedeagus. The correct drawing of the median lobe is given in Figs. 157–158 . The basal of the two projections illustrated by Pace (cf. Fig. 579 in Pace 1989 and Fig. 157 in this paper) does exist. This projection is shared by two other Nearctic species of the subgenus Dysleptusa Pace, 1982 (Le. carolinensis Pace, 1989 and Le. smetanaiella Pace, 1989) (see Figs. 1686, 1691) but not by the Palaearctic species included by Pace in Dysleptusa . The type species of Dysleptusa is Leptusa fuliginosa (Aubé, 1850) , a Palaearctic species without a projection. Therefore, the three Nearctic species placed by Pace (1989) in this subgenus may belong to a different lineage of Leptusa .

Distribution. Leptusa pusio is known from Ohio.

Figures

FIGURES 157–160. Details of Leptusa pusio (Casey) (paralectotype of Ulitusa pusio Casey, Cincinnati, Ohio). 157 — median lobe, lateral view; 158 — median lobe, parameral and obliquely proximal view; 159 — apex of male tergum 8; 160 — male tergum 8. Scale bar 0.1 mm (157–159), 0.2 mm (160).