Leiodes multipunctata species group Species included. Leiodes araii sp. nov., L. haradai sp. nov., L. hijikatai sp. nov., L. indigesta Park & Ahn, 2007, L. kiuchii sp. nov., L. multipunctata (Rye, 1873), L. sakaii sp. nov. Diagnosis. Elytra unicolor or bicolored, with dense and irregular punctures and without distinct rows of punctures (Figs. 39A, 42A, 44A, 47A, 50A, 53A); mesoventrite with one distinct excavation between median carina and transverse carina (Figs. 39E, 42E, 44E, 47H, 50H, 53F); protarsi showing sexual dimorphism, tarsomeres 2–4 of male protarsi expanded (Figs. 40A, 43A, 45A, 48C, 51A, 54A); mesotibiae without sexual dimorphism, simply square at interoapical corner; dorsal posteroapical projection of metafemora small and not showing sexual dimorphism (Figs. 40G, 40H, 48I, 48J, 51I, 51J); pubescence of metaventrite with or without sexual dimorphism (Figs. 39F, 39G, 48A, 48B); aedeagus slender without distinct sclerites in inner sac (Figs. 41A, 43F, 46A, 49A, 52A, 54F); male abdominal sternite 8 weakly to strongly curved (Figs. 41D, 43E, 45F, 49D, 52D, 54D); female abdominal sternite 8 with a spiculum ventrale at central point of anterior margin (Figs. 41E, 49E, 52E). Differential diagnosis. The Leiodes multipunctata species group can be separated from other species groups by having elytra with dense and irregular punctures. Note. Two European species, L. punctulata (Gyllenhal, 1810) and L. inordinata (Sahlberg, 1898), have elytra densely and irregularly punctate, slender aedeagi, and the mesoventrite bearing a distinct excavation as do the species of the L. multipunctata group (DAFFNER 1983). It is possible that these European species are also members of this group. However, I refrain from the decision on the species group assignment of both latter species here, because I have not examined specimens of L. inordinata.

Published as part of Hoshina, Hideto, 2012, Review of the tribes Sogdini and Leiodini from Japan and North Chishima Islands. Part II. Genera Hydnobius and Leiodes (Coleoptera: Leiodidae), pp. 1-168 in Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (suppl. 1) (suppl. 1) 52 on pages 65-66, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4272467