Hydraena fundata, Published, 2007

PERKINS, PHILIP D., 2007, A revision of the Australian species of the water beetle genus Hydraena Kugelann (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 1489 (1), pp. 1-207 : 117-118

Hydraena fundata new species

(Figs. 193, 201, 245)

Type Material. Holotype (male): Queensland, Hann Tableland , 13 km WNW Mareeba, MDPI intercept trap site No. 31, flight intercept trap, 16° 55' S, 145° 15' E, 17 January 1989 – 17 February 1990, Storey & Dickinson. Deposited in the QMBA . Paratypes (4): Northern Territory, Kakadu N. P., Gungurul Lookout , creek, elev. 50 m, 13° 59' S, 132° 19' E, 1 November 1996, L. Hendrich (1 NMW) ; Queensland, 6 km W Dimbulah , 17° 8' S, 145° 6' E, 10 November 1990, D. Larson (1 MCZ) ; Batavia Downs , Flight intercept trap, 12° 41' S, 142° 41' E, 23 August 1992, P. Zborowski & J. Cardale (1 ANIC) ; Bruce Hwy. nr Childers , 10 km N Howard, creeks, 25° 14' S, 152° 16' E, 17 November 1996, L. Hendrich (1 NMW) .

Differential Diagnosis. Similar in some characters to H. ruinosa ; differing therefrom by the more convex body form with less sharply rounded elytral apices, the thinner metatibiae, and the larger size (ca. 1.40 vs 1. 31 mm) (Figs. 192, 193) The aedeagi of the two species differ markedly (Figs. 198, 201).

Description. Size (length/width, mm) holotype: body (length to elytral apices) 1.40/0.63; head 0.22/ 0.35; pronotum 0.36/0.51, PA 0.39, PB 0.51; elytra 0.87/0.63. Head dark brown to piceous; pronotum with large dark brown to piceous diffusely margined, macula surrounded by testaceous; elytra dark brown; maxillary palpi and legs testaceous. Dorsum strongly shining.

Frons punctures near eyes ca. 1xef, much finer and very sparse on disc. Clypeus very finely sparsely punctate on disc, very weakly, effacedly microreticulate laterally. Mentum shining, very finely sparsely punctate; postmentum microreticulate. Genae raised, lacking posterior ridge. Pronotum very finely, very sparsely punctate; PF1 and PF4 absent; PF2 extremely shallow, almost absent; PF3 shallow, broad.

Elytral punctures very fine and very sparse, becoming obsolete over posterior declivity. Intervals not raised, strongly shining. Apices in dorsal aspect conjointly rounded, in posterior aspect margins form moderate angle with one another.

Ratios of P2 width and plaque shape (P2/w/l/s) ca. 3/2/8/4. P1 laminate; median carina weakly sinuate in profile. P2 short, moderately wide, l/w ca. 3/3, sides slightly convergent, apex blunt. Plaques large, tapering anteriorly, convergent and nearly confluent anteriorly, located on sides of deep median triangular depression. AIS flat, width at arcuate posterior margin less than 2x P2. Legs simple; metatibia very slender, straight. Last sternite symmetrical; last tergite with small apicomedian notch.

Aedeagus (Fig. 201) somewhat Y-shaped; main-piece distally extending on right side in process that carries gonopore bearing flagellum, also with short, ventrally projecting process on right side margin; distal piece, in ventral view, with two semicircular lobes, separated from one another, and a pointed lobe on the left most margin; left paramere longer than right, setae sparse, at apex and continuing along ventral margin; right paramere inserting much more distally than left paramere, with setae at acute apex and along ventral margin. Females not yet known.

Etymology. "Establish a basis, foundation"; named in reference to the wide pronotal base.

Distribution. Currently known from northern Queensland and northern Northern Territory (Fig. 245).