Revision of the Neotropical genus Leptochromus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae)

Abstract

Abstract. The Neotropical genus Leptochromus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scydmaenidae) is revised, and a phylogenetic analysis of Clidicini is presented. Leptochromus includes five species distributed from Veracruz, Mexico to Manaus, Brazil. Leptochromus fulvescens Motschulsky, L. mexicanus (Sharp) and L. agilis (Sharp) are considered valid species. Leptochromus bicolor O'Keefe, sp.n. from Veracruz, Mexico and L. palaeomexicanus O'Keefe, sp.n. from Miocene amber from Chiapas are described. Male genitalia and antennae are illustrated for each of the extant species. Female genitalia, mouthparts and other morphological features are illustrated for the type species L. fulvescens. For the phylogenetic analysis of Clidicini, Palaeoleptochromus O'Keefe was placed as the sister taxon to Leptochromus, and Papusus Casey was placed as the sister taxon to Leptochromus Palaeoleptochromus. Papusus is elevated from synonomy with Leptochromus and the biogeography of Clidicini is discussed.

Comparison of phylogenetic signal between male genitalia and non‐genital characters in insect systematics

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Description ofEuroleptochromusgen.n. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae) from Baltic amber, with discussion of biogeography and mouthpart evolution within Clidicini

“…The extant Mastigitae are currently divided into three poorly defined tribes and show a remarkably disjunct distribution. The Clidicini comprises 17 species of Clidicus Laporte known from Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Laos, the Sunda Islands, the Philippines and Australia (O’Keefe & Monteith, 2000; Jałoszyński et al , 2003; Jałoszyński, 2009), 4 species of Leptochromus Motschulsky distributed from Mexico to Brazil (O’Keefe, 2002), and 9 species of Papusus Casey, inhabiting the SW United States and Mexico (O’Keefe, 2003). The Western Palaearctic Leptomastacini comprises 22 mostly Mediterranean species of Leptomastax Pirazzoli (Castellini, 1996), 3 Carpathian species of Ablepton Frivaldszkyi (Nonveiller & Pavičevič, 1990, 1999), and 3 endemic Turkish species of Taurablepton Franz (Franz, 1988).…”

“…The only adequate descriptions of fossil Mastigitae were given by O’Keefe et al (1997) and O’Keefe (2002), who described two species closely related to extant taxa within Clidicini. The oldest is Palaeoleptochromus schaufussi O’Keefe from Canadian Upper Cretaceous (Campanian) amber, dated 79 Ma, that was found to be a sister taxon to the Neotropical Leptochromus (O’Keefe et al , 1997; O’Keefe, 2002). The other fossil is much younger: Leptochromus palaeomexicanus O’Keefe from Chiapas Miocene amber (22–26 Ma), similar to the extant L. agilis (Sharp) known to occur in central Costa Rica and western Panama (O’Keefe, 2002).…”

A new Eocene genus of ant-like stone beetles sheds new light on the evolution of Mastigini

“…Jałoszyński (2012a) briefly discussed their systematic placement and problems related with unclear diagnoses. Within Mastigitae, the focal taxon of the present study, unambiguously placed taxa were described by O'Keefe et al (1997), O'Keefe (2002 and Jałoszyński (2012a (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) and most recently discovered Euroleptochromus sabathi Jałoszyński, 2012a from the lower to middle Eocene (37-54.5 Ma) Lithuanian amber. These three species were placed in Clidicini, and this placement was strongly supported by results of phylogenetic analyses comprising morphological characters of extant and extinct taxa (O'Keefe, 2002;Jałoszyński, 2012a).…”

“…In all extant Mastigini the elytra bear fine and superficial punctures, mostly randomly distributed, but in some species forming indistinct and shallow longitudinal rows (Leleup, 1968;Bordoni and Castellini, 1973;Jałoszyński, 2012cJałoszyński, , 2012d. In the remaining tribes of Mastigitae deeply punctate longitudinal striae are common (e.g., Castellini, 1996;O'Keefe, 2002;O'Keefe and Monteith, 2000). They are absent in the sister group (Scydmaenini) of Mastigitae and in all remaining Scydmaeninae.…”