Lepanus lemannae Gunter & Weir, 2021

Gunter, Nicole L. & Weir, Thomas A., 2021, Revision of Australian species of the dung beetle genus Lepanus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): review of the L. ustulatus, L. storeyi, and L. nitidus species groups and description of eight new species, Zootaxa 4923 (1), pp. 1-66 : 19-21

Lepanus lemannae Gunter & Weir , new species

( Figs. 2F ; 3D ; 4D ; 5D ; 7A, C )

Type series. Holotype: ♂ “ 17.52S, 146.04E QLD S1 Mission Beach 2–29 Jan 1996, M.Cermak, 40m FI Trap JCU” / “ ANIC Database 25 058337” / “ Lepanus NQ 11 det T.A. Weir 2012” / “ ANIC image” (25-058337 specimen in ANIC) . Paratypes (45 ♂, 28 ♀): S2 Mission Beach , [17°52’00”S, 146°05’00”E], 20 m, 29.i–4.iii.1996, M. Cermak (25-058336 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; S2 Mission Beach , [17°52’00”S, 146°05’00”E], 20 m, 29.iv–3.vi.1996, M. Cermak (25005835 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Millstream Conservation Park , 17°32’23”S, 145°29’21”E, 6.xii.1998 – 4.ii.1999, (T73419–T73428 6 specimens ♂, 4 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Tully , [17°35’00”S, 145°55’00”E], 300 m, 17.x–22.xi.1994, (25-058339 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Ravenshoe , 9 km N, 17°31’46”S, 145°29’22”E, 3–5.ii.1999, (T73429 specimens in 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Ravenshoe , 3 km SE, 17°37’46”S, 145°30’17”E, 5–11.ii.1998, (T57461–T57463 1 specimen ♂, 2 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Ravenshoe , 4 km SSE, 17°38’32”S, 145°30’22”E, 5– 11.ii.1998, (T57464–T57467 3 specimens ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Kirrama , [18°12’00”S, 145°36’00”E], 620 m, 15.iv.1994, (25-058338 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Paluma (5 mi. W), [19°00’00”S, 146°07’00”E], 24.iv.1969, G. Bornemissza & Ferrar (25-058341 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Cape Upstart , 4.6 km N Station Hill, 19°44’07”S, 147°48’40”E, 21–23.iv.1998 (T87584–T87586 2 specimens ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Brandy Creek 18 km E Proserpine, [20°22’00”S, 148°32’00”E], 100 m, 21.vi–10.viii.1982, S. & J. Peck (25-058332 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; 3 km SWbyW Mount Ossa [20°58’00”S, 148°48’00”E], 60 m, 18.xi.1981, A. Gillison (25- 058334 specimens in ANIC 1 specimen ♂) ; 15 km NE Eungella [21°02’00”S, 148°36’00”E], 950 m, 18.xi.1981, A. Gillison (25-058333 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Eungella National Park [21°05’00”S, 148°34’00”E], 25.iii.1968, E. Matthews (25-058342 2 specimens ♀ in ANIC) ; Eungella National Park , [21°05’00”S, 148°34’00”E], 4–7.xii.1972, R.I. Storey, (25-058466 4 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀ in QM) ; 3 mi up Dalrymple Road , Eungella National Park [21°05’00”S, 148°34’00”E], 7.xii.1972, R.I. Storey (25-058566 1 specimen ♂ in QDPC) ; Pease’s Lookout , Eungella, 21°06’53”S, 148°31’06”E, 17.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80264–80267 2 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀, T87583 1 specimen ♂, T106767–68 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Finch Hatton Gorge , Finch Hatton Creek via Mackay [21°07’00”S, 148°38’00”E], 19.iv.1968, B. Cantrell (25-058467 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Eungella National Park , [21°09’00”S, 148°30’00”E], 760 m, 10.xi.1976, R. Taylor & T.A. Weir (25-058340 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Crediton Creek , Site 1, 21°11’13”S, 148°31’26”E, 21.xii.1992 – 12.i.1993 (T80347–T80359 10 ♂, 3 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Crediton Creek , Site 2, 21°11’19”S, 148°32’15”E, 21.xii.1992 – 12.i.1993 (T80360 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Sarina Range, 21°30’14”S, 149°07’19”E, 230 m, 15–16.iv.2011, G.B. Monteith (25-053869–053872 2 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀ in ANIC also as COL1668–1671) ; Cameron Creek , 6 km NW Koumala, 21°35’19”S, 149°11’33”E, 18–19.iv.1998 (T78210–T78214 2 specimens ♂, 3 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Stony Creek track crossing [21°37’00”S, 148°59’00”E], 280 m, 23.iii–31.v.2000, G.B. Monteith & D. Cook (25-058343 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC, T105697 – T105700 2 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Stony Creek track crossing [21°37’00”S, 148°59’00”E], 17.xii.1999 – 23.iii.2000, G.B. Monteith (T95124 1 specimen ♀, T95134 1 specimen ♂ in CMNC) .

Other material examined. An additional 421 specimens from 26 localities were examined.

Queensland: Bones Knob , 3 km W, 17°13’55”S, 145°25’05”E, 10.xii.1995 – 9.ii.1996 (T53981 1 specimen in QM) ; Atherton-Herberton Road , 17°20’10”S, 145°25’34”E, 21–23.i.2012 (25-053851 1 specimen in ANIC) ; Millstream Conservation Park , 17°32’23”S, 145°29’21”E, 4.ii–15.iv.1999 (T79083–T79093 11 specimens in QM) ; Tully Falls , 2 km SW, 17°47’36”S, 145°32’35”E, 5.xii.1998 – 4.ii.1999 (T73430 1 specimen in QM) ; Hinchinbrook Island, Gayundah Creek [18°21’59”S, 146°13’09”E], 10 m, 8–15.xi.1984 (T44869 1 specimen in QM) ; Wallaman Falls Road 1 [18°38’11”S, 145°51’04”E], 14.xii.1986 – 2.i.1987 (T44868 1 specimen in QM) ; Wallaman Falls Road, Junction , 18°39’01”S, 145°52’22”E, 5–12.ii.1996 (T53980 1 specimen in QM) ; Broken River, Eungella , 21°10’05”S, 148°30’30”E, 17.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80272 1 specimen in QM) ; Eungella National Park off Dalrymple Road 800 m site 6, 21°07’16”S, 148°30’11”E, 808 m, 13.xi.2013, A. Nakamura & N. Kimura (25-062495 1 specimen in QM) ; Eungella National Park, off Eungella Dam Road 800 m site 2, 21°08’35”S, 148°29’49”E, 766 m, 13.iii.2013, A. Nakamura, Yoshida (25-063074 1 specimen in QM) ; Eungella National Park , QCAS 400 m site 2 rep 2 [21°09’00”S, 148°38’06”E], 394 m, 15.iii.2013, A. Nakamura, Yoshida (25-063073 1 specimen in QM) ; Broken River, Eungella , 21°10’05”S, 148°30’30”E, 4.xii.1992 – 30.iv.1993 (T116853–T116857 5 specimens in QM) ; Broken River, Eungella , 21°10’05”S, 148°30’30”E, 10.xi.1991 – 29.vii.1992 (T116860–T116870, T126023 12 specimens in QM) ; Broken River, Eungella , 21°10’05”S, 148°30’30”E, 17.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80273–T80275 3 specimens in QM) ; Eungella, Fern Flat campground, 21°10’13”S, 148°30’11”E, 27.xi–21.xii.2000 (T105340 1 specimen in QM) ; Crediton Creek, Site 1, 21°11’13”S, 148°31’26”E, 21.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T87579–T87580 2 specimens in QM) ; Mount Dryander , 20°14’34”S, 148°33’03”E, 21.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80228–T80236, T87581– T87582 11 specimens in QM) ; Brandy Creek , 20°20’46”S, 148°42’19”E, 20.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80361–T80374 14 specimens in QM) ; Mount Hayward , 20°19’39”S, 148°45’10”E, 20.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80182–T80186, T87575–T87576 7 specimens in QM) ; Mount Macartney , 20°49’57”S, 148°33’07”E, 19.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80375–T80387 13 specimens in QM) ; Mount Blackwood , 21°02’01”S, 148°56’31”E, 18.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80178–T80181, T80211–T80214, T80276–T80280 13 specimens in QM) ; Finch Hatton Gorge , 21°04’13”S, 148°38’11”E, 18.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80320–T80342 23 specimens in QM) ; Upper East Funnel Creek , 21°34’21”S, 149°11’04”E, 16.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993, (T80401–T80417 17 specimens in QM) ; Upper East Funnel Creek , 21°34’21”S, 149°11’04”E, 15–16.xi.1992 (T80388–T80400 13 specimens in QM) ; Upper East Funnel Creek , (ridge), 21°34’27”S, 149°11’08”E, 16.xi.1992 – 15.iv.1993 (T80418–T80420 3 specimens in QM) ; Cameron Creek , upper, 21°35’19”S, 149°11’33”E, 18.xii.1999 – 22.iii.2000 (T95144–T95149, T95332–T95388 63 specimens in QM) ; Cameron Creek , upper, 21°35’19”S, 149°11’33”E, 1.x–18.xii.1999 (T98779–T98782 6 specimens in QM) ; Cameron Creek , upper, 21°35’19”S, 149°11’33”E, 22.iii–29.v.2000 (T98833–T98836, T105702–T105706 9 specimens in QM) ; Stony Creek , track crossing, 21°37’28”S, 148°58’37”E, 17.xii.1999 – 23.iii.2000 (T95125–T95143, T95389–T95390, T98783–T98807 46 specimens in QM) ; Stony Creek , track crossing, 21°37’28”S, 148°58’37”E, 23–30.iii.2000 (T98808–T98832, 25 specimens in QM) ; Stony Creek , track crossing, 21°37’28”S, 148°58’37”E, 4.x–17.xii.1999 (T105707, T106760–T106762 4 specimens in QM) ; Stony Creek , track crossing, 21°37’28”S, 148°58’37”E, 23–30.iii.2000 (T106769–T106770 2 specimens in QM) ; Stony Creek , track crossing, 21°37’28”S, 148°58’37”E, 17.xii.1999 – 23.iii.2000 (T95122–T95124 3 specimens in QM) ; Stony Creek , track crossing, 21°37’28”S, 148°58’37”E, 23.iii–31.v.2000 (25-060859 32 specimens including COL565–7, COL621– 3 specimens in ANIC and QM) ; Pine Mountain , summit, 21°44’41”S, 148°50’21”E, 17.xii.1999 – 24.iii.2000 (T95121 1 specimen in QM) ; Upper Hall Creek, via Carmila , 21°52’11”S, 149°18’01”E, 4.xii.1996 – 6.iv.1997 (T77970–T78034, T106765–T106766 67 specimens in QM) ; Upper Hall Creek, via Carmila , 21°52’11”S, 149°18’01”E, 6–7.iv.1997, (T78035–T78038, T87577–T87578 6 specimens in QM) .

Description. Head and prothorax black, elytra predominately dark brown to black with humeri, apical edges, and sometimes lateral edges reddish brown. Antennal clubs with apical 2 antennomeres (2 nd, 3 rd) white, basal antennomere (1 st) grey. Dorsal surfaces glabrous.

Total length: 4.5–6.0 mm. Holotype measurements: total length 5.6 mm, elytral width 4.4 mm.

Male. Head: Width to length ratio 43: 30. Surface finely reticulate with very fine punctation. Dorsal part of eyes wide, separated by an interocular space approximately 12–13 times eye width (63: 5); eye canthus not dividing eye.

Prothorax: Pronotum with posterolateral angles distinct, lateral margins bordered. Surface very finely punctate and very finely reticulate in anterior half, finely punctate and nitid in posterior half. Hypomeral surface finely reticulate, hypomeral stria absent. Pronotum width to length ratio 77: 48.

Elytra: Surface finely reticulate. Striae impunctate, superficial, 1–4 equal width, 5–7 very fine. Stria 6 extending to the elytral base; stria 7 not extending to the elytral base. 8th stria sometimes punctate where it curves inwards posteriorly. Ratio of length of the elytra along suture to maximum elytral width 87: 95.

Legs: Protibia with 3 teeth on the outer edge, front edge truncate, apical digit broad and sharp apically, apical spur absent; ventral ridge not crenulate. Metatibia bent with inner edge variably crenulate, more-or-less expanded apically and bearing a defined brush of setae. Metafemur slightly angulate basally on inner edge. Basal metatarsomere lobed on inner edge.

Abdomen: Pygidium with a transverse sinuate fold across base that is curved and not impressed medially. Pygidial disc with a large flat, reticulate central area that occupies more than half the disc and does not extend under transverse sinuate fold. Ventrite 6 very finely punctate.

Pterothorax: Mesometaventral suture arched. Medial lobe of metaventrite very finely reticulate and virtually impunctate, broadly margined between mesocoxae. Lateral lobe of metaventrite very finely reticulate, finely punctate and setose. Mesoventrite very finely reticulate and notched anteriorly. Mesepimeron very finely reticulate. Metanepisternum reticulate.

Female. Protibia with front edge truncate and apical spur arising directly from front edge. Apical digit absent. Metatibia with inner edge not crenulate or expanded apically. Inner edge of metafemur not angulate. Mesotibia without a brush of setae apically.

Etymology. This species is named for Cate Lemann, now retired from Australian National Insect Collection, who assisted in imaging Lepanus specimens in this and other monographs and contributed to many other Australian beetle projects.

Distribution. Known from rainforests, open forest and meso-notophyll vine forest from Atherton to south of Mackay, Queensland in the Wet Tropics (WET) [Zones 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16], and Central Mackay Coast (CMC) IBRA bioregions ( Fig. 7A ). There is a notable gap in the distribution that spans the majority of the coastal extent of the Brigalow Belt North (BBN) bioregion that separates the two bioregions where L. lemannae is known to occur. This coastal section of the BBN is known as the Burdekin Gap, a dry corridor of lowland savanna and a well–known biogeographic barrier ( Bryant & Krosch, 2016). The BBN bioregion has been relatively well sampled but only three specimens from Cape Upstart have ever been collected (T87584–T87586). This coastal mountain recieves localised high rainfall within the primarily dry Burdekin Gap and is likely a refugium for forest restricted species. Predicted species distribution as estimated by BIOCLIM modelling suggests the climatic conditions of the BBN bioregion are not suitable for the species ( Fig. 7C ). Specimens have been collected at elevations from sea level to 900 m.

Comments. This species has been referred to under the informal name of “ Lepanus NQ 11”. The specimen sequenced in Gunter et al. (2019) referred to by this name was collected from Sarina Range (ANIC 25-053871 also as COL1670) and is designated as a paratype here along with others in the series. It was recovered as sister to L. ustulatus within the larger clade that contains all species in the ustulatus group (see Fig. 1 ). All specimens sequenced are from the CMC bioregion and no sequences have been generated from the northern range of the species. Despite the gap in the distribution, there are no morphological differences to suggest the species should be further split.

Lepanus lemannae is a generalist species, collected in traps lured with a variety of baits including macropod or human dung, and mushroom. Specimens have also been collected in berlesed leaf litter and in flight intercept traps.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Phylogenetic estimate of relationships among described species in the genus Lepanus. Consensus topology generated from Bayesian analysis (BA) with node values for posterior probability BA and bootstrap values of clades also supported in maximum-likelihood analysis. Strongly supported nodes are indicated by coloured circles at base of nodes, while other support values are listed in full. Species groups revised here are highlighted by the grey boxes and IBRA regions for these specimens are also listed following the general locality in bold. Abbreviations for localities are as follows CMC: Central Mackay Coast; CYP: Cape York Peninsula; NNC: NSW North Coast; NSW: New South Wales; NT: Northern Territory; QLD: Queensland; SEQ: South Eastern Queensland; SYB: Sydney Basin; TS: Torres Strait; WA: Western Australia; WET: Wet Tropics.

FIGURE 2. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus ustulatus species group. A, Dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus ustulatus; B, dorsal view of female protibia of Lepanus ustulatus; C, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus globulus; D, male metatibia of Lepanus ustulatus; E, female metatibia of Lepanus ustulatus; F, male metatibia of Lepanus lemannae; G, lateral view of male protibia of Lepanus cameroni; H, lateral view of male protibia of Lepanus globulus; I, lateral view of male protibia of Lepanus cardwellensis; J, head of Lepanus cameroni showing eye canthus not dividing the eye; K, posterolateral view of pronotum of Lepanus globulus showing corners distinct; L, head of Lepanus globulus showing eye canthus almost dividing the eye; M, posterolateral view of pronotum of Lepanus cardwellensis showing corners rounded.

FIGURE 3. Dorsal habitus of species within the Lepanus ustulatus species group. A, Lepanus cameroni; B, Lepanus cardwellensis; C, Lepanus globulus; D, Lepanus lemannae; E, Lepanus ustulatus. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus ustulatus species group. A, Lepanus cameroni; B, Lepanus cardwellensis; C, Lepanus globulus; D, Lepanus lemannae; E, Lepanus ustulatus. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Left, dorsal and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus ustulatus species group. A, Lepanus cameroni; B, Lepanus cardwellensis; C, Lepanus globulus; D, Lepanus lemannae; E, Lepanus ustulatus. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 7. A, Map of known records of Lepanus cardwellensis, Lepanus globulus, and Lepanus lemannae with the zones of insect endemism of the Wet Tropics sensu Yeates & Montieth (2008) numbered and indicated by dashed lines. Zone numbers are as follows: 1 Mount Finnigan; 2 Thornton Peak; 3 Windsor Tableland; 4 Carbine Tableland; 5 Hann Tableland; 6 Black Mountain; 7 Lamb Range; 8 Walsh/Hugh Nelson Range; 9 Atherton Tableland; 10 Bellenden Ker; 11 Malbon Thompson Range; 12 Walter Hill Range; 13 Kirrama/Cardwell Ranges; 14 Seaview Range; 15 Hinchinbrook Island; 16 Paluma/Bluewater Ranges; 17 Mount Elliot, B, predicted distribution of Lepanus globulus; C, predicted distribution of Lepanus lemannae.