Neobidessodes mjobergi ( Zimmermann, 1922 ) N WA, NT, N QLD, 2009

HENDRICH, LARS, HAWLITSCHEK, OLIVER & BALKE, MICHAEL, 2009, The epigean Australasian species of Neobidessodes gen. n. diving beetles- a revision integrating morphology, cybertaxonomy, DNA taxonomy and phylogeny (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Bidessini), Zootaxa 2288 (1), pp. 1-41 : 21-24

Neobidessodes mjobergi ( Zimmermann, 1922) comb.n.

( Figs 7 , 16 , 25 , 27 , 28 , 31, 32 , 37 )

Bidessus mjobergi Zimmermann, 1922 : Zimmermann (1922: 3).

Bidessodes mjobergi ( Zimmermann, 1922) : Watts (1978: 30); Watts (1985: 24); Lawrence et al. (1987: 335); Biström (1988: 7); Weir (1998: 311–316); Hendrich (1997: 107); Larson (1993: 50); Larson (1997: 272–274); Nilsson (2001: 112); Watts (2002: 31, 43), Balke & Ribera (2004: 115); Hendrich (2008: 317); Hendrich & Balke (2009: 49).

Type locality. Cape York Peninsula , Queensland, Australia .

Type material. Lectotype (by present designation). Male, “Queensl. Mjöberg”, “Cape York ”, “143 65” [printed red label], “sept.”, “4326 E91 +” [printed blue label], “Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet Stockholm ” [printed green label], “ LECTOTYPE Bidessus mjobergi Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed], “ Neobidessodes mjobergi ( Zimmermann, 1922) Hendrich & Balke det. 2009” [white printed label] ( NHRS). Paralectotypes. 1 male, “Cape York ”, “Queensl. Mjöberg”, “Type”, “Sammlung Zimmermann”, “Typus” [red label, unauthorized designation], “Zool. Staatsslg. München” [printed blue label], “ PARALECTOTYPE Bidessus mjobergi Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed] ( ZSM); 2 exs., “Cap York Penins.”, “Queensl [Queensland] Mjöberg”, “Type”, “Sammlung A. Zimmermann”, “Zool. Staatsslg. München“ [printed blue label], “ PARALECTOTYPE Bidessus mjobergi Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed] ( ZSM); 7 exs. same data as lectotype but “ PARALECTOTYPE Bidessus mjobergi Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed] and “138 65”, “139 65”, “140 65”, “141 65”, “142 65”, “144 65”, “145 65” ( NHRS). All paralectotypes are provided with white and printed identification labels: “ Neobidessodes mjobergi ( Zimmermann, 1922) Hendrich & Balke det. 2009”.

Additional material studied. 928 specimens. Western Australia . 21 exs., East Kimberley, Gibb River Road, Durack River Crossing , 250 m, 13.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./ Loc. 6/106 ( CLH) ; 38 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Gibb Range , Gibb River Road , Russ Creek Crossing, 380 m, 14.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 8/108 ( CLH) ; 134 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Gibb River Road, Drysdale River Crossing , 380 m, 14.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 9/109 ( CLH) ; 210 exs., East Kimberley, Gibb River Road, King Edward River Crossing , 280 m, 15.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 10/110 ( CLH) ; 4 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Mitchell Plateau , Mitchell Falls , 300 m, 15.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 11a/111a ( CLH) ; 1 ex., East Kimberley, Mitchell Plateau, Surveyors Pool , 150 m, 17.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 12/ 112 ( CLH) ; 11 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Mitchell Plateau , Port Warrender Road / Kalumburu Road , Lowya Creek , 290 m, 18.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 13/113 ( CLH) ; 6 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Mitchell Plateau , Kalumburu Road , 25 km NW King Edward Homestead, N.N. Creek, 370 m, 18.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 14/114 ( CLH) ; 75 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Kalumburu Road , Meelarie Creek , 5 km N Drysdale Crossing, 350 m, 18.–19.VI.1999, L. Hendrich leg./loc. 15/115 ; 8 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Gibb River Road 10 km W Hann River, Snake Creek 470 m, 19.VI.1999 Hendrich leg./loc. 16/116 ( CLH, ZSM) ; 25 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Gibb River Raod, Barnett River Gorge , 450 m, 19.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 17/117 ( CLH) ; 4 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Gibb River Road , Manning Gorge , 400 m, 20.–21.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 18/118 ( CLH) ; 7 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Gibb River Road , Galvans Gorge , 420 m, 21.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./ loc. 19/119 ( CLH) ; 25 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Gibb River Road , Saddler Spring near Iminji Aboriginal Community , 350 m, 22.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 20/120 ( CLH) ; 19 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Gibb River Road , Bell Gorge / Bell Creek , 340 m, 22.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 21/121 ( CLH) .

Northern Territory. 1 ex., Howard River at Gunnpoint Road , 12.IX.2002, G.L. Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 1 ex., 6,5 km from Douglas Hot Springs, on road to Butterfly Gorge , 10.IX.2002, G.L.Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 3 exs., Edith Falls, pond, turnoff of Hwy 1, 6.IX.2002, G.L. Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 1 ex., Alligator River, on road to Daly , 5.IX.2002, G.L. Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 1 ex., Port Darwin 92-2, 4645 ( NHML) ; 3 exs., Adelaide River 92- 49 ( NHML) ; 2 exs., Adelaide River N.W. Australia, J.J. Walker leg. ( NHML) ; 2 ex., Kakadu N.P., Nourlangie District, Gubara , 50 m, monsoonal rainforest stream, 12.50.101S 132.52.501E, 25.X.1996, Hendrich leg/loc. 1 ( CLH) ; 7 exs., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Jim Jim Falls Camping Area , Jim Jim Creek , 60 m, 13.16.218S 132.49.276E, low-gradient stream, 26. & 27.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 2a ( CLH) ; 25 exs., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Jim Jim Falls Camping Area , Jim Jim Creek , 60 m, 26. & 27.X.1996, 13.16.218S 132.49.276E, floodzone pools, Hendrich leg./loc. 2b ( CLH) ; 1 ex., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District , 1 km S Jim Jim Falls, 70 m, isolated rock pools, 13.16.718S 132.49.490E, 26.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 3 ( CLH) ; 17 exs., Kakadu N.P., East Alligator District, Ubirr Rock Camping Area , 30 m, at Blacklight Trap, 12.26.506S 132.57.304E, 27.& 28.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 4 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., Kakadu N.P., Nourlangie District, Arnhem Highway , 12 km WNW Jabiru, 50 m, pool of intermittent creek, 12.37.937S 132.38.134E, 29.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 5 ( CLH) ; 22 exs., Kakadu N.P., Mary River District, Old Darwin Road, Black Jungle Spring , 30 m, spring fed slow flowing stream, 13.02.908S 132.09.715E, 30.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 7 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Old Darwin Road, Barramundi Creek , 30 m, shaded rest pool of Barramundi Creek , 12.59.652S 132. 22.928E, 30.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 8 ( CLH) ; 42 exs., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Gungurul Lookout, 50 m, 13.59.359S 132.19.904E, 1.XI.1996, Hendrich /loc. 11 ( CLH) ; 5 exs., Kakadu N.P., Mary River District , 3 km ESE Gunlom Camping Area. South Alligator River, 50 m, 13.27.276S 132.26.268E, 2.XI.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 14 ( CLH) ; 1 ex., Kakadu N.P., Mary River District, Gunlom Camping Area , 50 m, 13.26.082S 132.24.929E, 3.XI.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 15 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., Gregory National Park , Bullita Stock Road, 60 km S of Victoria Hwy, Limestone Creek , 40 m, 2.VII.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 31/131 ( CLH) ; 1 ex., Kakadu NP, Georgetown Billabong, Magela Creek , 11.VII.1994, T. Weir & A. Roach leg. ( ANIC) ; 12 exs., Kakadu NP, Jabiru , at light, 11.–15.VII.1994, T. Weir & A. Roach leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Daly River Road, hot springs, 19.VII.1994, flowing stream, with shaded pools in closed forest, T. Weir & A. Roach leg. ( ANIC) ; 12 exs., 6 km E Humpty Doo , 6.–19.XII.1990, R. Storey leg. ( ANIC) ; 6 exs., Wildman River , 11.XI.1989, Malipartil leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Litchfield NP, rainforest, 8.– 30.XII.1993, S. & J. Peck ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Darwin City Holmes Jungle Reserve , 12°23´56.04” S 130°55´54.31” E, 20 m, 11.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 1/101 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., 38 km WSW Katherine, King River Bridge , 50 m, 12.V.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 2/102 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., Old Stuart Hwy, Scenic Drive, 15 km W Hayes Creek, Bridge Creek , 50 m, 7.VII.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 35 /135 ( CLH) ; 3 exs., Old Stuart Hwy, Scenic Drive, Robin Falls , Creek , 50 m, 7.VII.1999, Hendrich leg./ Loc. 37/137 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., Darwin, Holmes Jungle Reserve , uv light, 2.XII.1993, S. Peck leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Darwin, Casuarina Coast Reserve , 3.XII.1993, UV trap, S. Peck leg. ( ANIC) ; 6 exs., Kakadu NP, Alligator River, Gungaree Rainforest , 22.XII.1993, S. & J. Peck leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Butterfly Gorge Nature Park , 1.X.1992, large pond, G.L. Challet leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Butterfly Gorge Nature Park, Douglas River , 19.VII.1994, at light, T. Weir & A. Roach leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Banka Banka, Station , 12.VII.1969, J.C. LeSouef leg. ( NMV) ; 1 ex., Darwin , 19.VI.1969, J.C. LeSouef leg. ( NMV) ; 13 exs., Manton Dam Recreation Area , 46 km S Darwin, 35 m, 19.VIII.2006, 12.50.270S 131.08.050 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 1) , one specimen with “DNA M. Balke 1656” [green printed label] ( CLH, ZSM) ; 5 exs., Finnis River 10 km W Batchelor, 43 m, 20.VIII.2006, 13.01.278S 130.57.217 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 2) ( CLH) ; 7 exs., Old Stuart Hwy, Scenic Drive, Anniversary Creek south of Adelaide River , 50 m, 8.VII.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 38/138 ( CLH) ; 1 ex., Litchfield NP, Shady Creek, Florence Falls , 92 m, 20.VIII.2006, 13.06.116S 130.47.195 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 3), “DNA M.Balke 2208” [green printed label] ( ZSM) ; 2 exs., Litchfield NP, Creek near Wanggi Falls , 191 m, 20.VIII.2006, 13.11.221S 130.43.327 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 4), “DNA M.Balke 2192”, “DNA M.Balke 2193” [green printed labels] ( ZSM) . 4 exs., Anniversary Creek , 12 km S Adelaide River Scenic Route, 43 m, 22.VIII.2006, 13°19.252 S 131°08.271 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 7) ( CLH, ZSM) ; 8 exs., Cullen River n. Cullen, at Stuart Hwy , 102 m, 23.VIII.2006, 14°02.052 S 131°56.561 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 13) ( CLH, ZSM) ; 11 exs., Kakadu Hwy, Harriet Creek at Hwy Cross. , 153 m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.44.512S 131.54.012 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 14) ( CLH) ; 5 exs., Kakadu Hwy, Bowerbird Creek , 5 km W Mary River Roadh., large pool, 20 m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.38.142S 132.10.345 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 15b) ; 4 exs., Magela Creek upstream, Jabiru East, 38 m, 29.VIII.2006, 12.40.458S 132.55.853 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 21) ( ZSM) ; 1 ex., Kakadu NP, Nawurlandja , 27.III.2004, C.H.S. Watts leg., “DNA Voucher 2” ( SAMA) .

Queensland. 2 exs. , N Queensland, Cooktown , X.1910, T.G.S. leg. ( NMV); 55 exs. , N Queensland, Iron Range, Cape York, V.1961, J. Kerr., B.M. 1962-153 ( NHML); 5 exs. , Leichart Creek , 8 km N of Bluewater, XII.2003, C.H.S. Watts leg., 2 specimens with “DNA Voucher # 1” and “DNA Voucher # 2” ( SAMA); 2 exs. , Mungkan Kandiju NP, Langi Lagoon , 13.27 S 142.42 E, 29.VI.–5.VII.1998, T.Weir leg. ( ANIC); 1 ex. , N Queensland, 2 km N Rokeby , 13.39 S 142.40 E, 26.X.–16.XI.1993, Flight Intercept Trap, P. Zborowski & M. Horak leg. ( ANIC); 5 exs. , Leichart Creek , 8 km N of Bluewater, XII.2003, C.H.S. Watts leg. ( SAMA); 4 exs. , Queensland, White Mts. National Park, Rugged Gorge, 9 km NW of RGSQ Base Camp , 20°23´S 114°.47´E, III.–IV.2000, T.A.Weir leg. ( ANIC); 9 exs. , N Queensland, 4 km NW Cardwell, Ellerbeck Road , 13 m, 19.IX.2006, 18.14.520S 145.58.458 E, L. & E. Hendrich (QLD 38) ( CLH, ZSM); 1 ex. , N QLD, 5 km NW Cardwell, street to Carruchan , 7 m, 20.IX.2006, 18.14.316S 145.59.257 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (QLD 39), “DNA M.Balke 2507” ( ZSM) .

Re-description. Measurements. TL = 2.55–2.65 mm, TL-H = 2.30–2.45 mm; MW = 1.20–1.25 mm.

Colour. Antennae, palpi and head reddish-brown, posterior angles of head, near eyes and base of pronotum in middle broadly dark brown. Elytron dark brown with some small vague yellow spots subbasally and subapically ( Fig. 7 ). Ventral side, including legs and epipleura, reddish-brown, prosternal process and metacoxal plates somewhat darkened.

Sculpture and structure. Narrowly oval. Head with scattered fine punctures and a few larger ones near base. Pronotum usually as broad as base of elytra. Outline of junction of pronotum and elytra smooth, sides of pronotum evenly curved, maximum width at posterior angles. Pronotum and elytron weakly microreticulate, punctures moderately dense but rather small and weakly impressed, particularly weak on disc of pronotum. Lacking any pronotal striae. Elytra lacking basal and sutural striae. Underside laterally with scattered weak to moderate punctures, denser in midline. Metacoxal lines raised, very weakly diverging anteriorly.

Male. Median lobe ( Fig. 16a, b ). Parameres thin, slender and very elongate, only slightly bifid anteriorly. Similar to N. samkrisi sp.n. but larger. Protarsus somewhat expanded. Mesotarsus less so. Inner edge of mesotibia straight.

Female. Tarsi simple.

Affinities. The lack of pronotal striae and the black base of the pronotum distinguish N. mjobergi from most other Neobidessodes ( Fig. 7 ) except N. thoracicus sp.n. ( Figs 9–12 ). From the latter N. mjobergi can be distinguished by the smooth outline of the junction of the pronotum and the elytra, the evenly curved sides of pronotum with a maximum width at posterior angles, and its generally smaller size. In N. mjobergi , the pronotum is shinyer and the microreticulation and punctures on pronotum are weaker and less dense than in N. thoracicus sp.n.. The median lobes of both species are almost the same size but in N. thoracicus sp.n., in lateral view, the median lobe is broadened at the tip ( Figs 13, 14, 16 ). In our cox1 tree ( Fig. 28 ) all specimens of N. mjobergi were grouped together and are well separated from the N. thoracicus sp.n. cluster.

Distribution. Northern Australia, from the Kimberley region, Arnhemland, Kakadu National Park to northern Queensland ( Watts 1985, 2002; Lawrence et al. 1987, Weir 1998, Larson 1997, Hendrich 2003) ( Fig. 25 ).

Habitat. One of the commonest dytiscids in tropical northern Australia during the dry season. Mainly collected from isolated pools of seasonal rivers and creeks without any aquatic vegetation but collections of single specimens or small numbers of beetles were made from almost all habitat types. The bottom of these habitats consisted of gravel, sand and a thin layer of decaying vegetation, mainly leaves. Neobidessodes mjobergi shared its habitat with all other Neobidessodes distributed in tropical northern Australia ( Figs 31, 32 , 37 ). The species is also frequently attracted to light.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Phylogram of the tree obtained using GARLI and cox1 and 16S data for Australasian Bidessini, Neotropical Bidessodes and outgroups. Node support, when above 50%: bold (GARLI bootstrap), italics (MrBayes posterior propablities>0.5, x100), normal font (TNT jackknife values). Note: “Clypeodytes migrator” will be transferred to Leiodytes in a forthcoming revision (Hendrich et al. in prep.).

FIGURE 28. Phylogram of the tree obtained using GARLI and with cox1 data for Neobidessodes alone. Node support, when above 50%: bold (GARLI bootstrap), normal font (TNT parsimony jackknife values). Abbreviations behind N. thoracicus sp.n.: “b.s” = black specimens; “l.f.” = “light form”.

FIGURES 5–8. Habitus of 5) Neobidessodes samkrisi sp.n. (holotype, male); 6) N. grossus; 7) N. mjobergi; 8) Neobidessodes bilita (female) (scale bar = 1 mm) (Photos: A. Riedel).

FIGURES 13–17. Median lobe of aedeagus in ventral (a) and lateral view (b), and right paramere in lateral view (c): 13) Neobidessodes thoracicus sp.n. (paratype); 14) N. thoracicus sp.n. (“light form”); 15) N. flavosignatus; 16) N. mjobergi and 17) N. samkrisi sp.n. (scale bar = 0.5 mm) (Photos: L. Hendrich).

FIGURES 25–26. Distribution of Neobidessodes: 25) N. mjobergi; 26) N. thoracicus sp.n..

FIGURES 30–35. Habitats of Neobidessodes: 30) Slow flowing stream and rest pool in monsoonal rainforest at Gubara (Kakadu NP, NT), habitat of “black specimens” of Neobidessodes thoracicus sp.n.; 31) NT, Manton Dam Recreation Area, 46 km S Darwin (NT 1), habitat of N. denticulatus, N. flavosignatus and N. mjobergi; 32) NT, Finnis River 10 km W Batchelor (NT 2), habitat of N. mjobergi and N. denticulatus; 33) NT, Litchfield NP, Shady Creek, Florence Falls (NT 3), habitat of N. grossus; 34) NT, Nitmiluk NP, Edith Falls, Upper Pool (NT 12), habitat of N. grossus; 35) NT, Kakadu Hwy, Harriet Creek at Hwy Crossing (NT 14), habitat of N. grossus and N. thoracicus sp.n. (Photos: L. Hendrich).

FIGURES 36–41. Habitats of Neobidessodes: 36) NT, Kakadu NP, Creek on the way to Gunlom (NT 16), habitat of black specimens and the typical form of Neobidessodes thoracicus sp.n.; 37) Restpools in river at Gungurrul Lookout in Kakadu NP, October 1996, habitat of N. denticulatus, N. flavosignatus, N. mjobergi and N. thoracicus sp.n.; 38) S QLD, 8 km SE Miriam Vale, road to Agnes Water, Oyster Creek (QLD 50), habitat of N. denticulatus; 39) S QLD, N Brisbane, Caboolture/Beerburrum road, near King John Creek (QLD 62), shallow roadside swamp, habitat of N. denticulatus; 40) S NSW, 6.5 km SW Eden, Towamba Road 2 km N Nullica, 556 m (NSW 111), habitat of N. bilita; 41) S VIC, Simpsons Creek 12 km SW Orbost at Princess Hwy (VIC 116), habitat of N. bilita (Photos: L. Hendrich).

FIGURES 9–12. 9) N. thoracicus sp.n. (paratype); 10) N. thoracicus sp.n. (paratype, “black specimen”); 11) N. thoracicus sp.n. (“light form”, WA, Kimberley Region, 50 km S Wyndham, Black Flag Creek); 12) N. thoracicus sp.n. (“light form”, NT, Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Gungurul Lookout) (scale bar = 1 mm) (Photos: A. Riedel).