Leptusa (Roubaliusa) delphiniformis, Assing, 2009

Assing, V., 2009, New species, new synonymies, and additional records of Leptusa from Turkey and Iran (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 41 (2), pp. 1285-1305 : 1297-1300

Leptusa (Roubaliusa) delphiniformis nov.sp. ( Figs 31-34 , 41-42 , Map 4 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 3: " Iran, Prov. Mazandaran [IR08-23], Ramsar County, Mohammabad, Elburz Mts., N-Slope, Eshkatechal , small stream, 36°50'53.0"N, 50°34'64.4"E [recte: 36°50.53'N, 50°34.644'E], 1458 m, 06.VI.2008, leg. A. Pütz / Holotypus 3 Leptusa delphiniformis sp. n. det. V. Assing 2009" (cPüt) . Paratypes: 2♀♀: same data as holotype (cAss, cPüt) ; 1♀ [tentatively attributed to this species]: " Iran, Prov. Mazandaran [IR08-24], Ramsar County, Mohammabad, Elburz Mts., N-Slope, Eshkatechal , small stream, sifted, 1055 m, 36°51'14.2"N, 50°33'22.0"E [recte: 36°51.142'N, 50°33.22'E], 06.VI.2008, leg. A. Pütz " (cPüt) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: External characters ( Figs 31-32 ) as in L. soriciformis , distinguished only by the sexual characters.

3: posterior margin of sternite VII very weakly concave in the middle, on either side of middle with conspicuous long setae ( Fig. 33 ); posterior margin of sternite VIII obtusely angled and with dense marginal setae ( Fig. 34 ); median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 41 ) approximately 0.41 mm long, with rather short and almost straight flagellum and apical structures of characteristic shape.

♀: posterior margin of sternite VIII strongly convex; spermatheca as in Fig. 42.

E t y m o l o g y: The name (adjective) alludes to the shape of the apical internal structures of the aedeagus, which somewhat resemble the head of dolphin (Latin: delphinus).

C o m p a r a t i v e n o t e s: Leptusa delphiniformis is reliably distinguished from other Iranian representatives of Roubaliusa by the morphology of the aedeagus, particularly by the shape of the ventral process (ventral process almost angled in lateral view), the relatively short and almost straight flagellum, and the shape of the apical internal structures. The apical internal structures of the aedeagus are somewhat similar to those of the - also externally - similar L. sengleti , from which the new species is distinguished by the shorter and almost straight flagellum ( L. sengleti : distinctly curved) and by the almost angled ventral process in lateral view ( L. sengleti : ventral process straight). From the two following species, it is additionally separated by the weakly concave posterior margin of the male sternite VII. For illustrations of L. sengleti see Figs 53-54 and PACE (1984, 1989).

D i s t r i b u t i o n a n d b i o n o m i c s: ThetypelocalityissituatedinMazandaran province, in the western part of the Elburz range in northern Iran ( Map 4 ). The specimens from the type locality were collected by sifting the leaf litter near a stream at

an altitude of approximately 1460 m. One female paratype was sifted under similar circumstances at an altitude of approximately 1050 m.

Figures

Map 4: Distributions of the Leptusa species of the subgenus Roubaliusa SCHEERPELTZ in northern Iran: L. sengleti PACE (filled square), L. piciformis nov.sp. (open circle), L. flagrifera nov.sp. (open circle), L. delphiniformis nov.sp. (filled circle), and L. soriciformis nov.sp. (open square). Localities where only females were found are omitted.

Figs 31-40: Leptusa delphiniformis nov.sp. (31-34), L. piciformis nov.sp. (35-38), and L. flagrifera nov.sp. (39-40): (31, 35) habitus; (32, 36) forebody; (33, 37, 39) male sternite VII; (34, 38, 40) male sternite VIII. Scale bars: 31, 35: 1.0 mm; 32, 36: 0.5 mm; 33-34, 37-40: 0.2 mm.

Figs 41-48: Leptusa delphiniformis nov.sp. (41-42), L. piciformis nov.sp. (43), L. flagrifera nov.sp. (44-45), and L. soriciformis nov.sp. (46-48): (41, 43-44, 46-48) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (42, 45) spermatheca. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figs 49-54: Leptusa ionopolitana PACE (49-51), L. amisensis PACE (52), and L. sengleti PACE (53- 54): (49, 53) median lobe of aedeagus in lateral view; (50-52) spermatheca; (54) male sternite VII. Scale bars: 54: 0.2 mm; 49-53: 0.1 mm.