Bledius Leach 1819

Key to the species of coastal Bledius from Brazil (adapted from Castro et al. 2016).

1. Pronotal lateral marginal bead absent (Fig. 4); pterothorax underdeveloped, shortwinged....................................................................................(forcipatus group) B. hyalinus Bortoluzzi & Caron sp. nov.

- Pronotal lateral marginal bead present [Fig. 14 in Caron & Ribeiro-Costa 2007]; pterothorax not underdeveloped, wings welldeveloped........................................................................................... 2

2. Head with supraantennal ridge extended anteriorly into a broad horn (male longer than female); pronotum with an abrupt constriction near the base....................................................... (bonariensis group) B. bonariensis

- Head with supraantennal ridge not extended anteriorly; pronotum without abrupt constriction near the base.............. 3

3. Procoxal fissure closed, protrochantin concealed...................................... (punctatissimus group, part) 4

- Procoxal fissure open, protrochantin exposed................................................................ 5

4. Elytra with a sclerotized median tip on posterior margin; tergum VIII with posterior margin truncate............ B. borzonei

- Elytra without sclerotized median tip on posterior margin; tergum VIII with posterior margin emarginated..... B. fernandezi

5. Gular sutures fused anteriorly; tergum VIII with posterior margin emarginate............. (emarginatus group) B. externus

- Gular sutures not fused anteriorly; tergum VIII with posterior margin truncate.............. (punctatissimus group, part) 6

6. Elytra pale yellow with basal and usually subapical median brownish spots; body size 1.76–1.84 mm ........... B. hermani

- Elytra entirely dark brown to black; body size 1.7–2.55 mm ........................................... B. depressus