Antimerus smaragdinus Fauvel, 1878

Solodovnikov, A. & Newton, A. F., 2010, Revision of the rove beetle genus Antimerus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), a puzzling endemic Australian lineage of the tribe Staphylinini, ZooKeys 67, pp. 21-63 : 31-32

Antimerus smaragdinus Fauvel, 1878 Figs 1127-29

Antimerus smaragdinus Fauvel 1878: 550

Type locality:

Australia: Victoria: Mountains of Victoria [ca. 36-38°S 146-148°E]

Material examined.

AUSTRALIA: Victoria: Holotype, pinned, genitalia not dissected, with labels: "Mountains of Victoria", "Antimerus smaragdinus Fauvel, Type" [D. Sharp handwriting], [D. Sharp collection, but this and any other labels not recorded and no FMNH-INS number assigned],1♀ in BMNH. Other material: [no locality], 1♀ in MVMA, 1♂ in ZMHB; Allambee, 6.4 km SSW D/s of W. Tarwin River Falls, 220m, 38°19'S, 146°1'E, 28. ii– 19.iii.2000, F.I.T. (N. Porch), 1♂ in Porch; Beech Forest, 11-19.i.1932 (F.E. Wilson), 1♀ in BMNH; Dandenong Ranges, 2♂ in SAM; Mt. Margaret Rd. at Ghost Point, NNE Marysville, 1000m, ANMT 933, 37°27'S, 145°47'E, open Euc. delegatensis forest, 16.ii.1993, FMHD#93-107, berl., leaf & log litter (A. Newton & M. Thayer), 1♀ in FMNH; 16-28.ii.1993, FMHD#93-106, carrion trap (squid) (A. Newton & M. Thayer), 1♂ in FMNH; 16-28.ii.1993, FMHD#93-105, window trap (A. Newton & M. Thayer), 1♀ in FMNH; Mt. Margaret Rd. at Yanks Folly Tr., NNE Marysville, 750m, ANMT 934, 37°28'S, 145°47'E, open Eucalyptus spp. (peppermint & gum) forest, 17.ii.1993, FMHD#93-110, berl., leaf & log litter (A. Newton & M. Thayer), 1♂ in ZMUC; Otway N.P., Binn Rd, 4.3 km N Cape Horn, 390m, ANMT 808, 38°43'S, 143°35'E, wet sclerophyll forest, 25.i.1987, FMHD#87-212, berl., forest litter (A. Newton & M. Thayer), in FMNH; 25. i– 8.ii.1987, FMHD#87-210, window trap (A. Newton & M. Thayer), 1♀ in ZMUC; Otway N.P., Elliott R. 5.5 km W Marengo, 80m, ANMT 828, 38°47'S, 143°37'E, wet sclerophyll forest, 8.ii.1987, FMHD#87-262, berl., forest litter (A. Newton & M. Thayer), 4♂, 3♀ in FMNH; Strzelecki S. F., 4.3 km NNE Mirboo North, 205m, 38°37'S, 146°18'E, 16. i– 6.ii.2000, F.I.T.-lower (N. Porch), 2♂ in Porch; Tyres R., 5.ii.1966 (M.V.G. Coulson), 1♂ in ANIC; Victorian Alps (E. Fischer), 1♂ in ZMUN; Walsh’s Creek [Victoria?], 24.i.1914, 1♀ in VAIC; Wilson’s Promontory N.P., Lilly Pilly Gully, 15.ii.1990 (R. de Keyzer), 1♀ in AMS; New South Wales: Braidwood, Jinden, 3.i.1976 (R.H. Mulder Colln.), in AMS; Brown Mt., 30.xii.1979 (D.P. Carne), 1♂ in ANIC; Brown Mt., 3200 ft [976m], 9.i.1968 (M.S. Upton), in ANIC; Brown Mtn., Canberra [judged in error], 19.ii.1987 (E.A. Sugden), in UCDC; Mt. WogWog (4 km NE), 17 km SE Bombala, 37°4.5'S, 149°28'E, i.1988, pitfalls (C.R. Margules), 1♂ in ANIC; Tuross, 17-22.i.1936 (K.C. McKeown), 1♂ in AMS; Tuross Riv., 11-17.iii.1937 (K.C. McKeown), 1♂ in AMS; Tasmania: [no locality] (Sharp Colln.), 1♂ in BMNH; North Head, Pieman R., 29.xii.1953 (I. Rowley), 1♂ in ANIC.

Description.

Measurements (n=5): HL: 2.0-2.5; HW: 2.8-3.2; PL: 2.4-3.0; PW: 3.0-3.4; EL: 3.1-3.9; EW: 2.1-3.4. Total length of the body 16-17 mm.

Head, pronotum and elytra metallic green, bluish or purple, abdomen black with slight metallic reflection; often head and pronotum metallic green but elytra with different (bluish or purple) reflection. Disc of head and pronotum without punctuation or pubescence, their surfaces with reticulate microsculpture forming isodiametric mesh. Elytra with dense punctuation and black pubescence, interspaces with reticulate microsculpture. Head, pronotum and elytra somewhat dull, elytra glossy. Appendages brownish-black, mouthparts and apical parts of antennae paler.

Head transverse, considerably wider than long, with rounded but distinct hind angles, tempora slightly shorter than eye (in lateral view). Antennae moderately long, with antennomeres VIII–X about as long as wide, not transverse.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, slightly wider than head, widest along middle third of its length, slightly converging anteriad and posteriad; pronotal anterior angles rounded but distinct, posterior broadly rounded, poorly distinct. Pronotal hypomera not inflexed, visible from lateral view.

Elytron elongate, longer than pronotum.

Wings well developed.

Abdominal tergites IV–VI (second to fourth visible) with shallow transverse impression in basal part, and with vague but distinct midlongitudinal keel-like elevations; tergite VII (fifth visible) with whitish seam at apical margin.

Male (Figs 27-29). Aedeagus with paramere narrowing apically; apical half of the paramere narrower than median lobe, its apex slightly notched (in dorsal, parameral view).

Comparison.

Antimerus smaragdinus is most similar to its sister species, Antimerus punctipennis , from which it differs externally in the uniformly colored elytra (no pale humeral spots) and presence of midlongitudinal elevations on the abdominal tergites IV–VI (second to fourth visible). Aedeagi of both Antimerus smaragdinus and Antimerus punctipennis are very similar, the former however having slightly more obtuse apex of the paramere (in dorsal or ventral view).

Distribution and bionomics.

Antimerus smaragdinus is confined to the southeastern corner of Australia, including northwestern Tasmania (Fig. 55, A, triangles). Distribution on the mainland covers most of Victoria, the southeast corner of South Australia and southeast corner of New South Wales. It is the only species of the genus which occurs in the south of Australia, being totally allopatric to any other species of Antimerus but abutting the distribution of its sister species Antimerus punctipennis . Specimens of Antimerus smaragdinus with associated bionomic information were collected in wet to dry sclerophyll forests of various types, between 80 and 1000 m elevation by sifting leaf litter, by carrion-baited and unbaited pitfall traps, in flight traps and by hand collecting.

Notes on type material.

There is a clear indication in the original description that the latter was based on a single specimen ("Australie méridionale: montagnes de Victoria. - Une seul ♂. Collection Sharp"), which was unambiguously located at the BMNH and interpreted as holotype.