Neobidessodes flavosignatus ( 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 : 18-20

Neobidessodes flavosignatus ( Zimmermann, 1922) comb.n.

( Figs 3, 4 , 15 , 23 , 27 , 28 , 31 , 37 )

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

Bidessodes flavosignatus ( Zimmermann, 1922) : Watts (1978: 33); Watts (1985: 24); Lawrence et al. (1987: 335); Biström (1988: 7); Larson (1993: 50); Larson (1997: 274); Nilsson (2001: 111); Watts (2002: 31, 43); Hendrich (2008: 317).

Type locality: Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia.

Type material. Lectotype (by present designation). Male, “Queensl. Mjöberg”, “Cape York ”, “sept.”, “4292 E91 +” [printed blue label], “Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet Stockholm ” [printed green label], “ LECTOTYPE Bidessus flavosignatus Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed], “ Neobidessodes flavosignatus ( Zimmermann, 1922) Hendrich & Balke det. 2009” [white printed label] ( NHRS).

Paralectotypes. 1 male, “ Queensl. Mjöberg ”, “ Cape York Penins. ”, “sept.”, “134 65” [printed red label], “4292 E91 +” [printed blue label], “ flavosignatus Zimm. ”, “Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet Stockholm ” [printed green label], “ PARALECTOTYPE Bidessus flavosignatus Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed] ( NHRS) ; 1 ex., “ Cape York ”, “ Queensl. Mjöberg ”, “ Type ”, “ Typus ” [red label, unauthorized designation], “ Zool. Staatsslg. München ” [printed blue label], “ PARALECTOTYPE Bidessus flavosignatus Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed] ( ZSM) ; 1 ex., “ Cape York Penins. ”, “ Queensl. Mjöberg ”, “ Type ”, “ Zool. Staatsslg. München ” [printed blue label], “ PARALECTOTYPE Bidessus flavosignatus Zimmermann, 1922 Hendrich des. 2006” [red label, printed] ( ZSM) . All paralectotypes are provided with white and printed identification labels: “ Neobidessodes flavosignatus ( Zimmermann, 1922) Hendrich & Balke det. 2009” .

Additional material studied. 401 specimens. Western Australia . 23 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) ; 154 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Gibb River Road, Drysdale River Crossing , 380 m, 14.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 9/109 ( CLH) ; 5 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Mitchell Plateau , Surveyors Pool , 150 m, 17.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 12/112 ( CLH) ; 7 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) ; 22 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) ; 4 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 ; 3 exs., Shire of Wyndham, East Kimberley, Gibb River Raod, Barnett River Gorge , 450 m, 19.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 17/117 ( CLH) ; 9 exs., East Kimberley, Gibb River Road, King Edward River Crossing , 280 m, 15.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 10/110 ( CLH) ; 6 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) ; 2 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Gibb River Road , Manning Gorge , 400 m, 20.–21.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 18/118 ( CLH) ; 26 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Victoria Hwy , 90 km W Fitzroy Crossing, flooded forest, 50 m, 25.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./ loc. 24/124 ( CLH) ; 2 exs., Shire of Derby, West Kimberley, Fitzroy Crossing Brooking Channel , 50 m, 25.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./loc. 25/125 ( CLH) ; 1 ex., East Kimberley , N.N. Creek 40 km W Kununurra, 50 m, 29.VI.1999, Hendrich leg./ loc. 30/130 ( CLH) .

Northern Territory. 1 ex., Howard River at Gunnpoint Road , 12.IX.2002, G.L. Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 1 ex., 57 km W of Kakadu NP, pond at Arnhem Hwy , 3X.1992, G.L. Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 4 exs., 6,5 km from Douglas Hot Springs, on road to Butterfly Gorge , 16.IX.2002, G.L.Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 1 ex., Edith Falls, pond, turnoff of Hwy 1, 6.IX.2002, G.L. Challet leg. ( CGC) ; 3 exs., Adelaide River 92-2, 4949-4951 ( NMHL) ; 4 exs., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Jim Jim Falls Camping Area , Jim Jim Creek , 60 m, 13.16.218S 132.49.276E, floodzone pools, 26. & 27.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 2b ( CLH) ; 20 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) ; 45 exs., 38 km WSW Katherine, King River Bridge , 50 m, 12.V.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 2/102 ( CLH, ZSM) ; 3 exs., Kakadu N.P., Nourlangie District, Arnhem Highway , 12 km WNW Jabiru, 50 m, pool of intermittent creek, 12.37.937S 132.38.34E, 29.X.1996, Hendrich leg./loc. 5 ( CLH) ; 6 exs., Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Gungurul Lookout , 50 m, 13.59.359S 132.19.904E, 1.XI.1996, Hendrich /loc. 11 ( CLH) ; 1 ex., Kakadu N.P., Nawurlandja 27.II.2004, C.H.S. Watts leg. ( SAMA) ; 1 ex., 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., NT, Georgetown Billabong, 7 km NbyW Mt. Brockman , 12.VIII.1981, P. Outridge leg. ( NTM) ; 1 ex., Kakadu N.P., Magela Creek, ARR OSS Site /009, 12.42S 132.57E, Wells & Webber leg. ( NTM) ; 1 ex., Kakadu NP, Anbangbang Billabong , 8 km E Mirray Mt. Cahill, 13.VII.1994, T. Weir & A. Roach leg. ( ANIC) ; 2 exs., Kakadu NP, CSIRO Kapelga Station UV light, 12.XII.1993, S. Peck leg. ( ANIC) ; 2 exs., Kakadu NP, Alligator River, Gungaree Rainforest , 22.XII.1993, S. & J. Peck leg. ( ANIC) ; 1 ex., Wildman River , 11.XI.1989, Malipartil leg. ( ANIC) ; 5 exs., Kakadu NP, Georgetown Billabong, Magela Creek , 12.41S 132.56E, 11.VII.1994, T. Weir & A. Roach leg. ( ANIC) ; 6 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 1610” [green printed label] ( CLH, ZSM) ; 1 ex., Nitmiluk NP, Edith Falls, Upper Pool , 123m, 23.VIII.2006, 14.10.573S 132.11.537 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 12), “DNA M.Balke 2148” ( ZSM) ; 7 exs., Kakadu Hwy, Bowerbird Creek , 5 km W Mary River Roadh., large pool, 20m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.38.142S 132.10.345 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 15b), “DNA M.Balke 2118”, “DNA M.Balke 2133” ( ZSM) ; 5 exs., Cullen River n. Cullen, at Stuart Hwy , 102 m, 23.VIII.2006, 14.02.052S 131.56.561 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 13) ( CLH, ZSM) ; 1 ex., Kakadu NP, Plum Tree Creek, road to Gunlom 71 m, 25.VIII.2006, 13.30.516S 132.27.550 E L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 18) ( CLH) .

Queensland. 1 ex. , N Queensland, Cooktown , VII.1910, T.G.S. leg. ( NMV); 7 exs. , N Queensland, Hann River 110 km S of Coen, 27.VI.1970, J.C. Le Souef leg. ( NMV); 2 exs. , Mungkan Kandiju NP, Langi Lagoon , 13.27S 142.42E, 29.VI.–5.VII.1998, T. Weir leg. ( ANIC); 1 ex. , 20 km N Mareeba , 20.IX.1990, D.& M. Larson leg. ( ANIC); 1 ex. , 15 km W Mareeba, W Barron Storage , 15.X.1990, D.J. Larson leg. ( ANIC); 2 exs. , 5 km NW Mareeba, Biboohra Storage , 3.X.1990, D.J. Larson leg. ( ANIC); 1 ex. , Lakefield NP, unnamed tributary of Normanby River , 15.11S 144.24E, 27.VII.1998, A.A. Calder leg. ( ANIC) .

Re-description. Measurements. TL = 2.35–2.65 mm, TL-H = 2.15–2.50 mm; MW = 1.15–1.25 mm.

Colour. Antennae, palpi and head yellowish, two darkened spots on clypeus anteriorly, pronotum completely testaceous. Elytron dark brown with a wide subbasal band and two subapical yellow patches ( Figs 3, 4 ). Ventral side, including legs and epipleura, reddish-yellow, prosternal process and metacoxal plates somewhat darkened.

Sculpture and structure. Narrowly oblong. Head sparsely punctured, punctures weaker anteriorly. Pronotum and elytron moderately to strongly microreticulate and without or with only a vague trace of a subapical flange, quite densely and evenly covered with moderately strong punctures. Pronotal striae very weakly impressed, almost 1/4 length of pronotum, a little incurved. Elytra lacking basal and sutural striae. Underside with sparse small to moderate punctures, denser in midline. Metacoxal lines raised, weakly diverging in anterior half.

Male. Pro- and mesotarsi a little expanded. Median lobe of aedeagus ( Fig. 15a, b ). Inner edge of mesotibia straight.

Female. Tarsi slim. Inner edge of mesotibia straight.

Affinities. Neobidessodes flavosignatus greatly resembles the “light form” of N. thoracicus sp.n. ( Figs 11, 12 ) and smaller specimens of N. mjobergi . From the latter it can be easily distinguished by its yellowish pronotum which is never dark at base ( Figs 3, 4 , 7 ), and the vague traces of pronotal striae. From N. thoracicus sp.n. it differs by its more elongated body, different shape of median lobe ( Figs 13, 14 ) and the absence of any pronotal striae. Furthermore, most specimens of N. flavosignatus are less microreticulated on dorsal surface and more shiny than N. thoracicus sp.n..

Distribution: Northern Australia (NT, QLD), 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. 23 ).

Habitat: In northern Australia all specimens were found in isolated pools and puddles of seasonal rivers and creeks. Only occasionally found in larger billabongs. Bottom consisted of gravel and coarse sand, in one situation covered with a thin layer of decaying vegetation. The habitats were mainly partly shaded by riverrine eucalypt trees ( Figs 31 , 37 ). Neobidessodes flavosignatus shared its habitat with all other Neobidessodes distributed in tropical northern Australia. The species is more common during the wet season and the beginning of the dry season. At the end of the dry season the species seems to be quite rare. 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 1–4. Habitus of 1) N. denticulatus (WA, Pilbara, Millstream Chichester National Park, Fortescue River side branch); 2) N. denticulatus (NT, Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Gungurul Lookout); 3) N. flavosignatus (WA, East Kimberley, Gibb Range, Gibb River Road, Russ Creek Crossing); 4) N. flavosignatus (NT, Manton Dam Recreation Area, 46 km S Darwin) (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 23–24. Distribution of Neobidessodes: 23) N. flavosignatus; 24) N. samkrisi sp.n. (square) and N. grossus (dots).

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).

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).