Morphology of the immature stages of Platycholeus Horn, 1880 (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae: Leptodirini)

The first description of a larva and pupa of Platycholeus Horn, 1880; the only American representative of the otherwise Palaearctic tribe Leptodirini, is provided, illustrated and discussed in a systematic context. A combination of larval characters is consistent with the conclusion of recent molecular phylogenetic studies that have placed Platycholeus as the sister group of the rest of Leptodirini. Platycholeus represents most of the characters of the least specialised, classic type of Leptodirini larvae and pupae, according to the classification of Deleurance-Glaçon (1963).