Hydraena lucernae Zwick, 1977

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 : 79

Hydraena lucernae Zwick, 1977

(Figs. 123, 129, 131, 251)

Hydraena lucernae Zwick, 1977: 175 .

Type Material. Holotype (male): Northern Territory, Nabarlek Dam , 15 km S by W of Nimbuwah Rock [ca. 12° 12' S, 133° 21' E] [labels: 12.20S 133.19E Nabarlek Dam, N. T. 15 km S. by W. of Nimbuwah Rock, 2.vi.73, at light, E.G. Matthews // [pink label] // Holotype // Aedeagus drawn by P. D. Perkins // DIGITAL IMAGE captured 2004 P. D. Perkins // Hydraena lucernae Zwick Holo-Typus des. P. Zwick 1977]. Deposited in the ANIC.

Differential Diagnosis. Among species of the parva subgroup , similar in plaque configuration to H. parva and H. ambiosina ; differing therefrom by the less densely punctate pronotum, the slightly smaller body size, the less distinctively depressed sublateral area of the elytra, and the weaker sublateral ridge (Figs. 122, 123, 133). Examination of the quite distinct male genitalia will sometimes be necessary for reliable determinations (Figs. 126, 129, 132).

Description. Size: holotype (length/width, mm): body (length to elytral apices) 1.20/0.52; head 0.20/ 0.30; pronotum 0.31/0.41, PA 0.35, PB 0.37; elytra 0.68/0.52. Dorsum brown, except head and disc of pronotum piceous, legs and palpi testaceous, distal 1/2 of last palpomere darker.

Frons punctures ca. 1xef; interstices shining, 1–2xpd. Clypeus microreticulate laterally, finely sparsely punctate medially. Mentum shining, very finely sparsely punctate; postmentum microreticulate. Genae weakly raised, lacking posterior ridge. Pronotal punctures on disc ca. 1–2xpd those of frons, interstices shining, 0.5–2xpd, punctures denser at anterior; PF1 and PF4 absent; PF2 very shallow, almost absent; PF3 shallow, broad.

Elytral punctures ca. 1xpd of smallest pronotal punctures. Intervals not raised, shining, width about 2xpd, as are interstices between punctures of a row. Each elytron with very faint sublateral depression, bordered laterally by very low rounded ridge. Apices in dorsal aspect conjointly rounded, in posterior aspect margins form shallow angle with one another.

Ratios of P2 width and plaque shape (P2/w/l/s) ca. 2/2/5/3. P1 laminate; median carina weakly angulate in profile. P2 l/w ca. 2/1, sides parallel, apex blunt. Plaques located in posterior 7/10 of metaventrite on sides of moderately deep median subtriangular depression, plaques straight, tapering anteriorly. AIS flat, width at arcuate posterior margin 2–3x P2. Legs simple. Last sternite symmetrical; last tergite with apicomedian notch.

Aedeagus (Figs. 129, 131) main-piece wide, angular on left side distally, with small, sharp process distally on right side; basal orifice very asymmetrical; distal piece with one large rounded lobe and several smaller lobes, two of which form U-shaped process in lateral view, gonopore bearing flagellum short, median or nearly so in ventral view; parameres inserting at same level, right paramere inserting on ventral surface; left paramere slender, setae apical; right paramere very slender, widest near base, arcuate over distal 2/ 3 in lateral view, with about four setae clustered on ventral margin near midlength. Female last tergite with three incisions, delimiting four lobes, setae slender, tapering.

Distribution. Currently known from Queensland and northern Northern Territory (Fig. 251).

Remarks. The very disjunct locality record from Albert River, southeastern Queensland, is based on a single specimen, a dissected male.

Material Examined (105): Northern Territory, 10 mi E of Daly River , at light, 13° 45' S, 130° 51' E, 28 June 1972, B. K. Head (1 SAMA) ; 12 km NNW of Mt. Cahill , at light, 12° 46' S, 132° 39' E, 25 October 1972, E. B. Britton (1 ANIC) ; Adelaide River, at Daly River road crossing, 13° 29' S, 131° 6' E, 9 November 1972, E. B. Britton (1 ANIC) ; Canon Hill Kakadu , 12° 16' S, 132° 40' E, 10 October 1998, C. Watts (6 SAMA) ; Cooper Creek , 19 km E by S of Mt. Borradaile , 12° 6' S, 133° 4' E, 5 June 1973, M. S. Upton (1 ANIC) ; Hayes Creek , ca . 70 km S of Adelaide River , 13° 37' S, 131° 32' E, 7 July 1998, W. Ullrich (6 NMW) ; Howard Springs, 24 km S of Darwin , rain forest, at light, 12° 28' S, 131° 3' E, 10 November 1972, E. Britton (1 ANIC) ; Humpty Doo (6 km E), at UV light, 12° 37' S, 131° 15' E, 6–19 October 1990, R. I. Storey (13 QPIM) ; Humpty Doo , ex. Pandanus , on leaves, 12° 37' S, 131° 15' E, 20 April 1991, H. P. Brown (3 ANIC) ; Ja Ja Billabong, 6 km NbyE Mudginberri, Berlesate , open forest litter [billabong], 12° 33', 132° 52' E, 27 November 1992, M. Storrs (12 ANIC) ; Katherine Gorge National Park , 14° 19' S, 132° 34' E, 11–12 April 1960, G. H. Hevel & J. A. Fortin (1 USNM) ; Nabarlek Dam , 15 km S by W of Nimbuwah Rock , at light, 12° 12' S, 133° 21' E, 2 June 1973, E. G. Matthews (1 ANIC) ; Noorlangie Creek , 8 km N of Mt. Cahill , at light, 12° 52' S, 132° 47' E, 27 October 1972, E. B. Britton (1 ANIC) ; Stuart Highway , Livingstone Field , 52 km S of Darwin , 12° 44' S, 132° 5' E, 9 November 1972, E. B. Britton (1 ANIC) ; Queensland, 1 km W of Annan Falls , 15° 31' S, 145° 14' E, 26 May 1976, E. B. Britton (4 ANIC) ; 18 km N Mareeba , intermittent stream, 16° 58' S, 145° 25' E, 20 September 1990, D. Larson (2 MCZ) ; 2 km NW Daintree , small, muddy creek, 16° 15' S, 145° 19' E, 12 October 1990, D. Larson (6 MCZ) ; 40 km N Coen , 13° 41' S, 143° 5' E, 25 July 1982, C. Watts (3 SAMA) ; 7 km S of Batavia Downs , flight intercept trap, 12° 43' S, 142° 42' E, 19 June–22 July 1992, P. Zborowski & E. S. Nielsen (3 ANIC) ; Albert River , S of Wolfdene, 30 km SE Brisbane, River ( Albert River ), ca. 20 m wide, slightly polluted, flowing through cultivated land, elev. 30 m, 27° 46' S, 153° 11' E, 21 August 2004, M. A. Jäch (AU 3) (1 NMW) ; Coen , 13° 48' S, 143° 12' E, 20 July 1983, C. Watts (4 SAMA) ; Dejinghe Ck., 3 mi. SW of Yarrabah , 17° 1' S, 145° 52' E, 26 October 1966, E. Britton & R. Trumble (1 ANIC) ; Granite Gorge, 9.5 km SW of Mareeba, MDPI intercept trap site No. 30, flight intercept trap, 17° 2' S, 145° 20' E, 5– 25 January 1988, Storey & De Faveri (1 QPIM) ; same locality, 17° 2' S, 145° 20' E, 25 January–17 February 1988, Storey & De Faveri (2 QPIM) ; Leichhardt Creek , 8 km N Bluewater , 19° 10' S, 146° 32' E, 18 December 2002, A. J. & C. H. S. Watts (23 SAMA) ; Luster Creek , 15 km SE Mt. Carbine , 16° 41' S, 145° 14' E, 15 November 1990, D. Larson (1 MCZ) ; Massey Ck., BS 3, pitfall traps, elev. 1000 m, 17° 37' S, 145° 34' E, 3 February–6 March 1995, P. Zborowski (3 ANIC) ; Mt. Spec S2, flight intercept traps, elev. 880 m, 18° 55' S, 146° 10' E, 6 April–8 May 1995, M. Cermak (1 ANIC) ; Wenlock R. Xing , on submerged leaf pack, 12° 27' S, 142° 38' E, 22 November 1992, A. Calder & P. Zborowski (1 ANIC) .