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At present, 45 Somoleptus species are known from the Neotropical region. Among these, 28 species are newly described here, whereas 18 were described in the past. The new species are: S. admirabilis spec. nov., S. andersoni spec. nov., S. ashei spec. nov., S. beniensis spec. nov., S. brevipennis spec. nov., S. breviusculus spec. nov., S. brooksi spec. nov., S. brunneus spec. nov., S. curtipennis spec. nov., S. curtulus spec. nov., S. elongatulus spec. nov., S. gigas spec. nov., S. grandiconus spec. nov., S. humicola spec. nov., S. longiceps spec. nov., S. loretensis spec. nov., S. maximus spec. nov., S. melanarius spec. nov., S. mexicanus spec. nov., S. montanus spec. nov., S. oculatus spec. nov., S. ovatus spec. nov., S. pecki spec. nov., S. peruanus spec. nov., S. recurvatus spec. nov., S. struyvei spec. nov., S. triangulus spec. nov., S. tschirnhausi spec. nov. Four species are transferred from the genus Lithocharodes. These are S. cavicola (Blackwelder, 1943) comb. nov., S. strigulata (Blackwelder 1943) comb. nov., S. longicollis (LeConte, 1863) comb. nov., and S. subtilis (Erichson, 1839) comb. nov. Somoleptus dichiformis Bernhauer, 1910 could not be assigned to either Lithocharodes or Somoleptus. Thus, this species must be treated as species incertae sedis. Two species groups could be differentiated due to the structure of the parameres and the aedeagal cones; one mainly occurs in South America, the second in Central America.

Lithocharodes silvicola spec. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 307A352E-8017-4653-AB6C-530BB6694978 Figs 4 a-d,43 N, 47 E Type material: male, holotype: Ecuador, Pichincha, R.B. Marquipucuna (78��38'W, 0��07'S), montane evergreen forest litter, 1200 m elev., 27.10.1999, leg. R. Anderson, #208b (KNHM). Paratypes: Ecuador: 2 females, with same data as holotype (KNHM); Pichincha, Marquipucuna Biological Station (78��37'37"W, 0��5'34"S), ridgetop montane forest litter, mixed Cecropia cloud forest, 1600 m elev., male, 29.10.1999, leg. R. Anderson, #ECU1A99 214B (KNHM). Diagnosis: Lithocharodes silvicola is similarly small as L. rufula, L. verhaaghi and L. hanagarthi but differs in its darker colour. Regarding size and dark colouration, L. silvicola most closely resembles L. fuscula from Central America. Females of both species can hardly be separate. The impunctate midline on the head in L. silvicola is wider than that in L. fuscula. Unfortunately, males are unknown for L. fuscula. Lithocharodes silvicola belongs to the L. verhaaghi group with a spiraled endophallus. Within this group, L. silvicola can be separated by the lower number of torsions. In L. silvicola only two torsions are present whereas the endophallus of the two other species has at least three torsions. Description: Length: 3.8 mm. Colouration: Dark brown; legs and antennae slightly lighter brown. Head: 0.73 mm long, 0.58 mm wide; eyes slightly prominent; postocular sides slightly divergent; approximately twice as long as eyes; interantennal furrows curved; reaching mid-length of eyes; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures half as wide as diameter of punctures; on anterior vertex, interstices slightly shorter than on posterior vertex; moderately wide midline impunctate; surface with extremely weak microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere as long as half head-length; second and third antennomere conical; second antennomere nearly twice as long as wide; third antennomere 1.5 times as long as wide; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere twice as wide as long; tenth antennomere nearly three times as wide as long; all antennomeres densely pubescent. Pronotum: 0.79 mm long, 0.52 mm wide; widest slightly behind anterior third; anteriad, conically narrowed toward neck; distinctly narrowed in middle third; nearly parallel in posterior third; posterior angles widely rounded; posterior margin convex; setiferous punctation deep and dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; wide midline impunctate; irregular row of punctures adjacent to midline with 15 to 16 punctures; surface with weak microsculpture; less shiny than head. Elytra: 0.67 mm long, 0.62 mm wide; humeral angles obtuse; sides slightly divergent anteriad; posterior angles shortly rounded; posterior margin slightly convex; widely retreated to suture; setiferous punctation dense and deep; partly coriaceous; on average, interstices between punctures half as wide as diameter of punctures; surface with weak microsculpture; as shiny as pronotum. Abdomen with moderately dense and fine setiferous punctation; microsculpture much more distinct than on pronotum and elytra; less shiny; posterior margin of sternite VII and tergite VII of male convex. Meso- and metatibia with two subapical ctenidia each. Aedeagus small; oval; endophallus with two torsions in posterior half and a straight part in anterior half; covered by minute teeth; paramere bilobed; outer lobe thick and nearly semi-circular; inner lobe slender and nearly straight with wide base; inner face with few, thin setae; apex with small spot of minute sensillae. Etymology: The species name is a combination of the Latin words silva and colare meaning living in the forest and refers to the rainforest habitat, where the species was found., Published as part of Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), pp. 29-85 in Beitr��ge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1) on pages 56-57, DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomol.71.1.029-085, http://zenodo.org/record/5742999

Lithocharodes lescheni spec. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 56C738F3-B7E8-48CD-8D89-549249716A46 Figs 28 a-d, 44 D, 48 A Type material: male, holotype: Peru, Tambopata Prov., Madre de Dios Dpto., 15 km N Puerto Maldonado, Reserva Cuzco Amaz��nica (12��33'S, 69��03'W), 200 m elev., plot #Z1 trail 26, flight intercept trap, 16.7.1989, leg. J.S. Ashe, R. Leschen, #519 (KNHM). Paratypes: Bolivia: Cochabamba, Cochabamba, 67.5 km NE Est. Biol. Valle del Sajita, Univ. de San Simon (64��47'52"W, 17��6'33"S) 300 m elev., flight intercept trap, 1 male, 1 female, 7.- 9.2.1999, leg. F. Genier, #BOL1G99 041 (KNHM); same location but 2 males, 9.- 13.2.1999, leg. R. Hanley, #BOL1H00 078 (KNHM); Cochabamba, 117 km E Yungas, (Cochabamba-Villa Tunari Rd.) (65��41'12"W, 17��6'32"S), 1040 m elev., flight intercept trap, male, 8.- 10.2.1999, leg. R. Hanley, BOL1H99 062 (KNHM); Santa Cruz Dept., 3.7 km SSE Buena Vista Hotel Flora y Fauna (63��33'W, 17��29'S), flight intercept tarp, female, 2.5.2004, leg. A.R. Cline, #BOL1 Cline 04 014.5 (KNHM); Peru: 4 males, 10 females, same data as holotype and 30.6., 13.7., 15.7., 16.7., 28.7., (12 KNHM, 2 UIC); same location and collectors but trail to Z1, flower fall, male, 13.7., 14.6.1989, #058 (KNHM); Madre de Dios, Pentiacolla Lodge, Alto Madre de Dios River (71��13'55"W, 12��39'22"S), 400 m elev., flight intercept trap, male, 23.- 26.10.2000. leg. R. Brooks, # PERU 1 B00099 (KNHM); Ecuador: Zamora-Chinchipe, Rio Bambuscaro (78��59'W, 4��7'S), flight intercept trap, male, 26.6.- 4.7.2001, leg. P. Hibbs, #ECU1H96 001 (KNHM). Diagnosis: Regarding the small size, dark colouration, and dense punctation of the head, L. lescheni most closely resembles L. pampana and L. peruana from the same region. In contrast to L. lescheni, head of L. peruana is more divergent posteriad and sternite VII of males is not emarginate. The aedeagus is long oval with rectangular apex and not nearly circular. Females of L. lescheni and L. pampana can hardly be separated. However, males are easy to identify. Sternite VII of L. lescheni is widely emarginate without central triangular prominence such as in L. pampana. The endophallus of L. lescheni is apically straight with lobes and not with spiral torsions such as in L. pampana and in L. peruana. Description: Length: 4.8 mm. Colouration: Head black, pronotum slightly lighter, brown; elytra even lighter brown; abdomen as brown as pronotum; legs and antennae as light brown as elytra. Head: 0.83 mm long, 0.63 mm wide; eyes large, slightly prominent; postocular space twice as long as eyes; slightly divergent to posterior angles; posterior angles widely rounded; posterior margin nearly convex; only small part close to neck straight; interantennal furrows deep; reaching mid-length of eyes; setiferous punctation moderately deep and irregularly dense; anteriorly denser than close to neck; between eyes, punctation nearly coriaceous; close to neck, interstices between punctures nearly twice as wide as diameter of punctures; space between interocular furrows with few punctures; vertex with moderately wide impunctate midline; surface with irregular weak striae; surface not glossy. Antennae with first antennomere as long as half-length of head; second and third antennomere longer than wide and conical; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere slightly less than twice as wide as long; tenth antennomere slightly more than twice as wide as long; antennomeres four to eleven densely pubescent. Pronotum: 0.92 mm long, 0.60 mm wide; widest in anterior third; shortly convergent to neck; posteriad, slightly convergent to middle; posterior half nearly parallel; posterior angles sub-rectangular; posterior margin slightly convex; setiferous punctation deep and moderately dense; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; wide midline impunctate; adjacent to midline with irregular row of 16-17 punctures; surface without microsculpture; glossy. Elytra: 0.90 mm long, 0.78 mm wide; humeral angles sub-rectangular; sides parallel; posterior angles shortly rounded; posterior margin slightly convex with incision to suture; setiferous punctation moderately deep and dense; on average, interstices slightly shorter than diameter of punctures; punctures partly in irregular rows; surface with weak isodiametric microsculpture; less shiny than pronotum. Abdomen with much weaker but denser setiferous punctation than elytra; surface with distinct isodiametric microsculpture; even less shiny than elytra; posterior margin of tergite VII of male weakly convex; posterior margin of sternite VII of male deeply sinuate; outer angles more prominent than medial prominence. Meso- and metatibia with three subapical ctenidia each. Aedeagus large; in posterior half oval; in central part slightly constricted; anterior angles sub-rectangular; endophallus anteriorly with two strings; one string densely covered by large lobes; second string with several large teeth; posterior part sack-like and heart-shaped covered by numerous minute teeth; paramere short; curved; with long setae at inner face. Etymology: The species is named in honour of Richard Leschen, who extensively collected staphylinids in the Neotropical region., Published as part of Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), pp. 29-85 in Beitr��ge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1) on pages 50-51, DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomol.71.1.029-085, http://zenodo.org/record/5742999

Lithocharodes boliviana spec. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 352DDE6B-383B-45B8-90B1-1D1689422F37 Figs 8 a-d,44 I, 48 D Type material: male, holotype: Bolivia, Cochabamba Prov., Cochabamba, 109 km E Yungas (Cochabamba ��� Villa Tunari Rd.) (65��42'29"W, 17��8'50"S), 1480 m elev., flight intercept trap, 1.- 6.2.1999, leg. G��nier #BOL1 G99027 (KNHM). Paratypes: Bolivia, female with same data as holotype (KNHM); 1 male with same data as holotype, but 8.- 12.2.1999, #BOL1 G99060 (UIC); same region, but 105 km E Yungas, nr. Rio Carmen Mayu (Cochabamba ��� Villa Tunari Rd.) (65��43'50", 17��8'51"S), 1750 m elev., flight intercept trap, 5 females, 1.- 6.2.1999, 6.- 8.2.1999, 8.- 12.2.1999, leg. R. Hanley, # BOL1 H99071 (KNHM). Diagnosis: Lithocharodes boliviana is one of the medium sized (between 5 mm and 6 mm), dark coloured species with dense punctation on the head. Females can be hardly differentiated from the similar L. ecuadoriensis and L. katharinae. The aedeagus of L. boliviana is more oval than those of the other two species and, in particular, the paramere is extremely slender and elongate, whereas parameres of L. ecuadoriensis and L. katharinae are more curved or broader and straight. In addition, males can be separated from L. ecuadoriensis by the straight posterior margin of sternite VII. Description: Length: 5.2 mm. Colouration: Black; pronotum slightly lighter; dark brown; posterior angles of elytra with light yellow spot; legs and antennae brown. Head: 0.88 mm long, 0.71 mm wide; eyes large, slightly prominent; postocular sides twice as long as eyes; slightly divergent; posterior angles widely rounded to neck; posterior margin convex; interantennal furrows deep; reaching mid-length of eyes; setiferous punctation deep and dense; anteriorly nearly coriaceous; at neck, interstices between punctures half as wide as diameter of punctures; narrow midline impunctate; space between interantennal furrows impunctate; forming oval shiny spot; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Antennae with first antennomere slightly longer than half-length of head; second and third antennomere longer than wide, conical; subsequent antennomeres wider than long and increasing in width; fourth antennomere 1.5 times as wide as long; tenth antennomere twice as wide as long; antennomeres four to eleven densely pubescent. Pronotum: 0.97 mm long, 0.63 mm wide; widest in anterior third; anteriorly, distinctly convergent toward neck; posteriorly, slightly convergent toward middle; posterior half approximately parallel; posterior angles shortly rounded; posterior margin slightly convex; setiferous punctation as deep, but less dense than on head; on average, interstices between punctures half as wide to as wide as diameter of punctures; wide midline impunctate; impunctate midline distinctly wider than on head; adjacent to midline with row of 17-18 punctures; surface without microsculpture; shiny. Elytra: 1.00 mm long, 0.81 mm wide; humeral angles sub-rectangular; sides distinctly divergent to posterior angles; posterior angles nearly rectangular; posterior margin nearly straight with short incision at suture; setiferous punctation distinctly weaker than on head and pronotum, but as dense as on pronotum; surface with weak isodiametric microsculpture; less shiny than pronotum. Abdomen with weaker but as dense setiferous punctation as on elytra; isodiametric microsculpture distinctly deeper than on elytra; surface less shiny than elytra; posterior margin of sternite VII of male straight; posterior margin of tergite VII of male with central pair of short triangular prominences. Meso- and metatiba with 3 subapical ctenidia each. Aedeagus small; oval; sack-like endophallus short; covered by small teeth; with one torsion; at apex triangularly narrowed; paramere slender; elongate; slightly curved; with two to three irregular rows of setae in longitudinal direction. Etymology: The species is named after the country where it was found., Published as part of Irmler, Ulrich, 2021, The Neotropical species of the genus Lithocharodes SHARP, 1876 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae: Xantholinini), pp. 29-85 in Beitr��ge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 71 (1) on pages 36-37, DOI: 10.21248/contrib.entomol.71.1.029-085, http://zenodo.org/record/5742999