Leptobium iranicum, Assing, 2017

Assing, Volker, 2017, A revision of Leptobium CASEY. VIII. A new species from Iran, a new synonymy, and additional records (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 49 (1), pp. 275-284 : 281-283

Leptobium iranicum nov.sp.

( Figs 1-6 )

Type material: Holotype ♂: " IRAN Ardekan , Passs [sic] Komehe, IV.2014, leg. W. Heinz / Holotypus ♂ Leptobium iranicum sp. n. det. V. Assing 2016" ( NME).

Etymology: The specific epithet (adjective) is derived from Iran.

Description: Measurements (in mm) and ratios: HL: 1.03; HW: 0.97; PW: 0.97; PL: 1.09; EL: 0.82; TiL: 0.87; TaL: 0.82; ML: 1.30; TL: 7.0; HL/HW: 1.06; PW/HW: 1.00; PL/PW: 1.13; EL/PL: 0.75; TiL/TaL: 1.05.

Coloration of the L. melanocephalum type: head black; pronotum and elytra pale-reddish; abdomen black with the apex (posterior portion of segment VII; segments VIII-X) reddish; legs yellowish, except for the slightly darker protibiae and protarsi; antennae dark-reddish.

Head ( Fig. 1 ) moderately oblong (see ratio HL/HW), with sparse macropunctation and interspersed sparse micropunctation; microsculpture absent; eyes slightly more than half as long as postocular region.

Pronotum ( Fig. 1 ) as wide as head (see ratio PW/HW); punctation uniform (not composed of both macro- and micropunctation), moderately dense, and moderately fine, denser and finer than macropunctation of head.

Elytra ( Fig. 1 ) distinctly shorter than pronotum (see ratio EL/PL); punctation similar to that of pronotum; microsculpture absent. Hind wings reduced.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2 ) broadest at segment VI; punctation rather dense and coarse on tergites III-VI, sparser and finer on posterior tergites; integument with shallow transverse microsculpture; posterior margin of tergite VII without palisade fringe.

♂: sternite VII ( Fig. 4 ) in postero-median portion with a pair of clusters of dark setae, posterior margin broadly and distinctly concave; sternite VIII ( Fig. 3 ) with the usual deep and narrow posterior incision, its depth 0.43 times the length of sternite; aedeagus ( Figs 5-6 ) 1.3 mm long; dorsal plate basally broad, apically acute, and dorsally with two median carinae.

Comparative notes: The new species is particularly characterized by the morphology of the aedeagus and distinguished from other congeners known from Iran by the different coloration alone. It differs from the similarly coloured L. arabicum COIFFAIT, 1981 ( Saudi Arabia, Yemen) by slightly smaller size, a male sternite VII with a pair of clusters with shorter and finer modified setae ( L. arabicum : male sternite VII with one extensive cluster of longer and stouter black setae), a relatively deeper posterior excision of the male sternite VIII, and by a smaller aedeagus with a shorter and broader dorsal plate and with a ventral process of completely different shape. From other similarly coloured species of similar size from the Middle East ( L. geminum ASSING, 2005 , L. semirufum (FAUVEL, 1875) , L. drusiacum COIFFAIT, 1969 ), it is not only distinguished by an aedeagus of completely different shape, but also by a male sternite VII of completely different shape and chaetotaxy. For illustrations of these species see ASSING (2005).

Distribution: The type locality is situated near Ardakan [= Ardekan; 32°19'N, 54°01'E] in Yazd province, Central Iran.

Figures

Figs 1-6: Leptobium iranicum nov.sp.: (1) forebody; (2) abdomen; (3) male sternite VIII; (4) male sternite VII; (5-6) aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view. Scale bars: 1-2: 1.0 mm; 3-6: 0.5 mm.