Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) marina Asenjo & Ribeiro-Costa 2013, sp. nov.

(Figures 2B, 3B, 4G–L, 5)

Type material. Holotype (male): “ Bogotà [Santa Fé de Bogotá]” “8” “ Bernhauer / vidit” “ proteus Fvl. / sec. Bernh.” “ HOLOTYPUS / Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) / marina Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa / Desig. Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa, 2013” (ZMHB). Paratypes (3): “Columb.[Colombia] / Bug.[Santa Fé de Bogotá]” “75094” “ proteus Fauv. ” (ZMHB, female); “ Leptochirus / Proteus Fvl. / Venezuela.” “ ♀ ” (ZMHB, female); “554” “Coll. L. W. / Schaufu β ” (DZUP, male). All paratypes with label “ PARATYPUS / Leptochirus (Tropiochirus) / marina Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa / Desig. Asenjo and Ribeiro-Costa, 2013”.

Leptochirus (T.) marina sp. nov. and L. (T.) zischkaianus have the superior marginal line of the hypomeron almost reaching the posterior margin, but L. (T.) marina sp. nov. can be distinguished by the sparse fine punctures in middle region of the metaventrite.

BL: 10.61, BW: 2.19

Body strongly depressed. Body all black except tarsi red-brown. Head. Transverse (Figure 2B). Inner lateral teeth separated by a depression extending to base. Inner and outer lateral teeth fused and resembling a septum; median sulcus deep, sides of median sulcus parallel; laterofrontal depressions oval. Labrum with outer edge strongly angled and lateral-apical edge concave. Mandibles (Figures 2B, 3B) with lateral longitudinal ridge occupying less than two-thirds of apical region; external margin strongly developed, attenuated anteriorly. Left mandible (Figure 3B) with first dorsal tooth developed, sinuate and bifurcate, accessory tooth near lateral longitudinal ridge; second dorsal tooth little developed and resembling a small hill; first ventral tooth with tooth accessory, third ventral tooth consisting of two structures with the bases fused. Submentum with setae arranged in row on anterolateral margin.

Thorax. Pronotum (Figure 2B) a little wider than long (PL: 2.2, PW: 2.50); superior marginal line of hypomeron not interrupted, not bent to dorsal region at anterior margin and almost reaching posterior margin; without pair of small depressions near basal constriction. Inferior marginal line of hypomeron reaching anterior margin. Apex of prosternal process strongly expanded and resembling a circular plate, extending considerably beyond the lateral process of hypomeron. Metaventrite with sparse fine punctures in middle region and without small longitudinal median depression near posterior edge. Mesoscutellum with apex rounded. Elytra longer than broad and with pair of small depressions on posterolateral edge (EL: 2.85, EW: 2.44).

Abdomen. Cylindrical. Sternite III with keel of apex rounded. Tergite IX (Figure 4J) sclerotized with left and right plates separated, each with five or six setae of various length. Tergite X (Figure 4J) membraneous except for sclerotized apical part, with two pairs of long apical setae.

Male. Sternite IX (Figure 4K) composed of two plates, distal plate sclerotized except for membranous apex, anterior margin rounded, posterior margin sinuate and with two long setae; proximal plate less sclerotized, greater than apical, broadened in middle and with a projecting angle at posterior border. Aedeagus (Figure 4G–I) with median lobe slightly bulbous at base, rounded at apex, weakly sclerotized on dorsal side and a small plate sclerotized on ventral side that is joined with the sclerotized region on dorsal side; parameres short, pointed and fused dorsally.

Female. Similar to male, except for the gonocoxites divided longitudinally (Figure 4L). The distal plate with apex membranous and long seta; proximal plate with the posterior region pointed.

Leptochirus (T.) marina sp. nov. is currently known from Colombia and Venezuela (Figure 5).

The specific name “marina” is in honour of my mother Marina Flores. This is a noun in apposition, gender feminine.