New species and records of Leptusa KRAATZ from the Iberian peninsula ( Insecta : Coleóptera : Staphylinidae , Aleocharinae )

Leptusa KRAATZ is one of the most diverse genera of Staphylinidae in the Western Palaearctic region; the vast majority of the species are more or less endemic. In the Iberian peninsula the genus is represented by 30 endemic species (34 species and subspecies), all of them confined to northern Spain and the northern half of Portugal. No endemic Leptusa species have become known from the south of the Iberian peninsula (ASSING, 2002; PACE 1989,1996,1999; PASNIK 1998). One of the species described from northern Spain may be synonymous, but this can be verified only based on a study of types (see remarks below L. cantabrica). In recent years, abundant new material of Staphylinidae has become available from Spain and Portugal, mainly through several field trips organized by various German colleagues. A study of this material has yielded numerous new species especially from the north of the Iberian peninsula (e. g. ASSING, 1996, 2000, 2003; FELDMANN 2000a, 2000b; W UNDERLE 1992; ZERCHE in prep.), even a new genus of Paederinae (ASSING & FELDMANN 2001), and has shown that our knowledge of the staphylinid fauna of the region is far

Leptusa KRAATZ is one of the most diverse genera of Staphylinidae in the Western Palaearctic region; the vast majority of the species are more or less endemic. In the Iberian peninsula the genus is represented by 30 endemic species (34 species and subspecies), all of them confined to northern Spain and the northern half of Portugal. No endemic Leptusa species have become known from the south of the Iberian peninsula (ASSING, 2002;PACE 1989PACE ,1996PACE ,1999PASNIK 1998). One of the species described from northern Spain may be synonymous, but this can be verified only based on a study of types (see remarks below L. cantabrica). In recent years, abundant new material of Staphylinidae has become available from Spain and Portugal, mainly through several field trips organized by various German colleagues. A study of this material has yielded numerous new species especially from the north of the Iberian peninsula (e. g. ASSING, 1996ASSING, , 2000ASSING, , 2003FELDMANN 2000aFELDMANN , 2000bW U N -DERLE 1992;ZERCHE in prep.), even a new genus of Paederinae (ASSING & FELDMANN 2001), and has shown that our knowledge of the staphylinid fauna of the region is far from complete. It is, therefore, not surprising that a more extensive and specialized collecting activity also led to the discover}' of new species of Leptusa, In view of the poor documentation of faunistic data for the Iberian peninsula, I use the opportunity to report additional records of described species. For details pertaining to a second record of L. reinosensis see ASSING (2002).

M aterial and m easurem ents
The material treated in this paper is deposited in the following institutions and private collections: Leptusa leonica is relatively widespread, its distribution ranging from León province (NW-Spain) to northern Portugal (PACE, 1989).

Description:
2.3 -3.1 mm. In general appearance highly similar to L. tricolor and L. leonica (Fig. 1). Forebody ferrugineous to brown, often with the head slightly darker; abdomen blackish, with the apex (posterior margin of segment VII and following segments) ferrugineous and with segments III and IV indistinctly lighter than V -VII; legs and antennae testaceous to light brown. Head and prono turn of similar morphology as in L. tricolor. , but puncturation much denser, shallower, and ill-defined; microsculpture more distinct. Elytra of similar shape and relative length as in L. tricolor, but puncturation much finer, not granulóse. Abdo men, apart from the somewhat finer puncturation, as in L. tricolor. Posterior margin of abdominal tergite VIII in both sexes weakly concave in the middle (Fig. 7). d : posterior margin of sternite VII broadly and deeply excavate; tergite VIII unmodified; posterior margin of sternite VIII pointed, in the middle with longer and stouter setae F igs. 3-9: Leptusa cavata sp. n.: median lobe of aedeagus in lateral and in ventral view (3, 4); process of median lobe of holotype in lateral view (5); spermatheca (6); posterior margin of 3 tergite VIII (7); posterior margin of 3 sternite VIII (8); posterior margin of 9 sternite VIII (9). Scale: 6: 0.08 mm; 3-5: 0.1 mm; 7-9: 0.2 mm. than laterally (Fig. 8); median lobe of aedeagus of distinctive shape, especially in lateral aspect ; apical lobe of paramere of similar shape and chaetotaxy as in other species of the subgenus. 9: sternite VIII posteriorly pointed, marginal setae much shorter and sparser than in d (Fig. 9); spermatheca as in Fig. 6.
E tym ology: The name (Lat., adj.: excavate) refers to the deeply excavate posterior margin of the male sternite VII.

Com parative notes:
Leptusa cavata is distinguished from all other species of the subgenus by the morphology of the median lobe of the aedeagus, from L. tricolor and the externally similar L. leonica additionally by the deeply concave posterior margin of the male sternite VII and the less distinctly bicoloured abdomen. For more external characters separating the new species from L. tricolor see the description above. In L. deprehendens PACE, whose types (male holotype and two female paratypes in NHMW) were examined, the coloration is slightly lighter, the male sternite VII is highly distinctive (posterior margin with extremely deep and broad excavation, this excavation even deeper, broader, and of more trapezoid shape than in L. expectata, posterior margin as in L. expectata with extremely long marginal setae), and the aedeagus is of different morphology (see fig. 1159inPACE, 1989).

Distribution and bionomics:
The type locality is situated in the region between Ponferrada and Astorga, at the pass between Manjarin and Foncebadón. The types were sifted from the litter layer of an oak forest in northern exposition with Erica undergrowth at an altitude of approximately 1460m.

Leptusa (Fisalia) cantábrica PASNIK
The species was recently described from the surroundings of Abiada (PASNIK, 1998) and erroneously attributed to the subgenus N eopisdia, which mainly includes species from the Caucasus region and which is absent from the Iberian peninsula. Doubtlessly, L. cantábrica is a representative of the L. tricolor species group of the subgenus Fisalia, whose distribution is confined to Spain and Portugal. The aedeagi of L. cantábrica PASNIK, 1998 and of L. tronqueti PACE, 1999 are highly similar, suggesting that the latter name may be a syn onym of the former. However, the illustration of the aedeagus of L. cantábrica is too poor to be certain about this. The species is widespread in the Cordillera Cantábrica and apparendy abundant in montane and subalpine forests. Apart from the nominal subspecies, two additional subspecies have been described based on slight differences in the shape of the aedeagus. The material listed above is not sorted by subspecies, because it was not always possible to attribute the populations to any of them without doubt. More material and more biogeographical knowledge are needed to decide if the differences distingui shing the populations of L. lativentris are an expression of intersubspecific variation or if they are best interpreted as intraspecific, but not intersubspecific variation of a highly variable species. The species was described only recently from Covadonga, to the northwest of the Picos de Europa (PACE, 1996). Leptusa nigerrima was previously known from several localities in the western Cordillera Cantabrica; the species is here recorded from Portugal for the first time (Map 1).

Description:
2.3 -2.6 mm. In general appearance very similar to L. nigerrima (Fig. 2). Body completely blackish, with the elytra only indistinctly lighter and the legs and antennae brown to dark brown. Forebody of similar shape, proportions, puncturation, and microsculpture as in L. nigerrima. Head with extremely fine, barely noticeable puncturation and with very shallow microsculpture. Pronotum with more distinct, but ill-defined puncturation. Elytra with fine, weakly granulose puncturation. Legs, especially hind legs and metatarsi, shorter than in L. nigerrima. Abdomen with very weak transverse microsculpture and extremely fine puncturation. Tergite VIII in both sexes short, strongly transverse, and with truncate posterior margin. Leptusa granulipennis, the only other congener o f Gnopheropisalia occurring in the surroundings o f Ponferrada, has testaceous legs and antennae, a m ore convex pronotum (cross-section), and a highly distinctive aedeagus, w hich is illustrated in PACE (1989). Leptusa (Gnopheropisalia) reinosensis PACE from the surroundings o f Reinosa is o f lighter coloration, larger, has strongly reduced eyes, m odified m ale tergites VII and VIII, and an aedeagus o f com pletely diffe rent shape (see PACE, 1996).

Distribution and bionomics:
The type locality is situated in the Sierra del Teleno, near the peak of El Teleno. The types were sifted from litter of Erica and grass roots in the shade of big rocks at an altitude of 2100m. Previously, only the two type specimens from the vague type locality "Asturias" were known. The species is here recorded from the Sierra de Aneares. The relatively low altitude, at which it was collected, and the distributions of other Leptusa species in the region suggest that L. asturiensis may also occur in adjacent mountain ranges. Previously, only the holotype of this species was known (PACE, 1989). Leptusa cabrerensis is here recorded from the Sierra del Teleno for the first time, where it was collected together with L. fra n gí (see below) and L. cremata sp. n. The material indicated above was sifted from grass roots, moss, and Erica litter in the shade of rocks at altitudes of 1770 and 2100 m. Leptusa franzi was previously known only from the type locality (Monte Teleno). In the Sierra del Teleno it is by far the most abundant Leptusa species in the alpine region. It was collected together with L. cremata, L. cabrerensis, and L. caboallensis in the Sierra del Teleno and with L. wunderlei and L. granulipennis in the Peña Ubiña. The material indicated above was sifted from grass roots, moss, and from litter of Erica and Betula in the shade of rocks at altitudes of 1870 -2100 m. The subspecies was originally described as L. scheerpeltsqi franziana, but for reasons o f priority the nam e had to be changed (ASSING, 2002). Previously, only the types from the Sierra de A neares w ere know n (PACE, 1989).