Brachybyrrhulus malleecola, Lawrence, John F., Slipinski, Adam, Jäger, Olaf & Pütz, Andreas, 2013

Lawrence, John F., Slipinski, Adam, Jäger, Olaf & Pütz, Andreas, 2013, The Australian Byrrhinae (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae) with descriptions of new genera and species, Zootaxa 3745 (3), pp. 301-329 : 321

Brachybyrrhulus malleecola sp. n. ( Figs 8 A, C–E, 12G)

Diagnosis. This species differs from B. discicollis in being somewhat shorter, broader and lighter in color, with the pronotum usually darker than the elytra (elytra usually darker in discicollis ) and the antennae yellow with a 5- segmented club (dark reddish-brown and 4-segmented in discicollis ); the vestiture of the upper surfaces is somewhat similar in the two species, but the long, erect bristles in B. malleecola are darker and slightly thicker than in B. discicollis . The postcoxal lines in this species are more sharply curved laterally than in B. discicollis . The aeeagus in B. malleecola differs from that in B. discicollis by having an anteriorly acute phallobase and gradually narrowed parameres with slender, acute apex (the phallobase is anteriorly truncate in B. discicollis and the parameres parallel-sided with an obliquely truncate apex and a short mesal projection).

Description. Length 2.0– 2.3 mm. Body length/elytral width 1.18–1.25. Head and pronotum reddish-brown to black; pronotum usually darker than elytra and often entirely black, but sometimes red anteriorly or rarely extending almost to posterior edge; elytra usually yellowish-brown to reddish-brown, sometimes with black along suture; ventral surfaces and legs reddish-brown; antennae and palps yellow. Vestiture of long, erect, red to dark brown acute bristles and shorter subdecumbent yellow or gray thickened setae, which are moderately sparse, not concealing ground color, except on scutellum, which is densely clothed with gray setae; shorter setae sometimes forming broad, vaguely defined longitudinal bands. Pronotal and elytral punctation moderately coarse, denser on pronotum than on elytra.

Antennae 10-segmented with 5-segmented club. Pronotum about 0.36–0.40 times as long as wide. Eytra about 0.87–0.95 times as long as wide and 2.73–3.10 times as long as pronotum. Postcoxal lines on metaventrite extending mesally for a short distance, then abruptly curved laterally to meet metanepisternum just anterior to middle. Phallobase subtruncate anteriorly; paramere widest at base and gradually narrowed to slender, subacute apex ( Fig. 12 G).

Distribution. Recorded from the Calperum Scientific Reserve in eastern South Australia, near the Victorian border, but likely to occur more widely in the mallee.

Type specimens: Holotype, male: AUSTRALIA: SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 31km NW of Renmark (33.59S, 140.30E), 2.v–8.vi.1995, flight/ground intercept trap, K. R. Pullen (ANIC). Paratypes: 12, locality as holotype, 2.v–8.vi.1995 (ANIC, SAM, MVM, SMZ); 4, same locality as holotype, 8.vi–6.vii.1995, flight intercept/pitfall trap, K. R. Pullen (ANIC); 2, 31km NW of Renmark (33.59S, 140.30E), Dry Frogamerry paddock, Calperum Stn., 30.iii–2.v.1995, flight intercept trap, K. R. Pullen (ANIC);

Figures

FIGURE 8. Byrrhinae: Brachybyrrhulus spp.: A, B. malleecola sp. n., pterothorax, ventral, with right mesocoxa removed, showing distinct postcoxal lines on metaventrite; B, B. discicollis (Lea), antenna; C, B. malleecola sp. n., antenna; D – E, B. malleecola sp. n., habitus, length = 2.25 mm: D, lateral; E, dorsal; F, B. discicollis (Lea), habitus, dorsal, length = 2.5 mm.

FIGURE 12. Byrrhinae aedeagi: A, Notolioon griffithi (Lea); B, Akidomorychus comatus (Oke); C, Notolioon bryophagus (Lea); D, Notolioon nodipennis (Lea); E, Notolioon simplicicornis (Lea); F, Nothochaetes howensis sp. n.; G. Brachybyrrhulus malleecola sp. n.; H, Notolioon cadamine sp. n.