Lepanus crenidens Gunter & Weir, 2019

Gunter, Nicole L. & Weir, Thomas A., 2019, Revision of Australian species of the dung beetle genus Lepanus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): key to species groups and description of 14 new species from the L. pygmaeus species group, Zootaxa 4564 (1), pp. 41-80 : 60-62

Lepanus crenidens Gunter & Weir , new species

( Figs. 4K , 5B , 8B , 10B , 15 )

Type series. Holotype: ♂ “ AUSTRALIA: N. QLD, Southedge via Mareeba, Jan 29 –31 1976, R. Storey , human dung trap ” [16°59'00"S, 145°19'00"E] / “ANIC Database No. 25- 060381 ” / “ANIC Image”/ “ Lepanus CYP6 det. T.A.Weir 2018 ” / “T244823” in QM. Paratypes: Queensland: Southedge via Mareeba , [16°59'00"S, 145°19'00"E], ii.1977, R.I. Storey (25- 032632 x 1 ♂ in QDPC) ; Southedge via Mareeba , [16°59'00"S, 145°19'00"E], 30.iv.1976, R.I. Storey (25- 032633 x 1 ♀ in QDPC); 8 km N Mareeba, [16°55'28"S, 145°25'17"E], 5–6.ii.1997, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030389 in CMNC ♂) ; 8 km N Mareeba , [16°55'28"S, 145°25'17"E], 11–13.ii.1997, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030246 in CMNC ♀) ; 11 km NW Mareeba, Southedge Tobacco Research Station [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 28.i.1986, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030241-00030242 in CMNC 1 × ♂, 1 × ♀) ; Southedge Research Station , 12 km NW Mareeba, [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 23.i.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030288-00030289 in CMNC 2 × ♂) ; Southedge Research Station , 12 km NW Mareeba, [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 1.i.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030290-00030293 in CMNC 2 × ♂, 2 × ♀) ; Southedge Research Station, 12 km NW Mareeba, [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 4.i.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030294-00030299 in ANIC 3 × ♂, 3 × ♀); Southedge Research Station, 12 km NW Mareeba , [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 7.i.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030384 in CMNC ♂) ; Southedge Research Station , 12 km NW Mareeba, [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 31.i.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030382-00030383 in CMNC 1 × ♂, 1 × ♀) ; Southedge Research Station, 12 km NW Mareeba, [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 3.ii.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030243 , CMNEN-00030385 in CMNC 1 × ♂, 1 × ♀); Southedge Research Station, 12 km NW Mareeba , [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 15.i.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030381 in CMNC ♀) ; Southedge Research Station , 12 km NW Mareeba, [16°58'43"S, 145°21'06"E], 26–29.xii.1988, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030244 , CMNEN-00030386-00030388 in CMNC 3 × ♂, 1 × ♀) ; 17–20 mi W Atherton [17°16'00"S, 145°12'00"E], 17.ii.1989, H.F. & A.T. Howden ( CMNEN-00030235 in CMNC ♀) ; 3 km W Batavia Downs , [12°39'36"S, 142°39'00"E], 16.ix–24.x.1992, P. Zborowski & T.A. Weir (25- 020182 x 1 in ANIC ♂) ; 3 km W Batavia Downs, [12°39'36"S, 142°39'00"E], 24.x–23.xi.1992, P. Zborowski & A. Calder (25- 020178 x 4 in ANIC 3 × ♂, 1 × ♀); 3 km W Batavia Downs, [12°39'36"S, 142°39'00"E], 23.viii– 16.ix.1992, P. Zborowski & L. Miller (25- 060383 x 1 in ANIC ♂) ; 3 km W Batavia Downs , [12°39'36"S, 142°39'00"E], 23.xi–11.xii.1992, P. Zborowski & W. Dressler (25-023712 x 1 in ANIC ♀) ; Batavia Downs, [12°39'36"S, 142°39'36"E], 22.vi–23.viii.1992, P. Zborowski & J.C. Cardale (25- 020180 x 2 in ANIC, 25- 0 60382 x 1 in ANIC 1 × ♂, 2 × ♀); 7 km S of Batavia Downs, [12°42'36"S, 142°42'00"E], 19.vi–22.vii.1992, P. Zborowski & E.S. Nielsen, (25- 020181 x 1 in ANIC ♀) ; 2 km N Rokeby, [13°39'00"S, 142°39'36"E], 15.vii–15.viii.1993, P. Zborowski & J. Balderson (25- 020179 x 3 in ANIC 3 × ♂) ; 18 km W Port Stewart , [14°07'00"S, 143°31'0"E], 25–28.vi.1976 (T 50115 in QM ♀) ; Hartley's Creek, 2.5 km S, 16°40'28"S, 145°33'55"E, 14–18.v.1998 (T66800-T 66801 in QM 1 × ♂, 1 × ♀); Hartley's Creek , 2.5 km S, 16°40'28"S, 145°33'55"E, 3–11.ii.1999 (T 76237 in QM ♂) ; Christmas Creek, 15 km W of Fairview, via Laura , [15°32'00"S, 144°09'00"E], 26–27.vi.1975, G.B. Monteith (25-015579 x 1 in also as T 50110 in QM ♂) ; Split Rock , [15°39'00"S, 144°31'00"E], 24.viii–21.ix.1992, P. Zborowski & L. Miller (25-023713 x 1 in ANIC ♀) ; Emerald Hill, Mareeba , 145°25'57"E, 16°58'19"S, 10–11.ii.2003, (T 116967 in QM ♂) ; Hann Tableland , 13 km WNW Mareeba, [16°55'00"S, 145°15'00"E], 5.xi–8.xii.1993, R.I. Storey & S. De Faveri (25- 032631 x 1 in QDPC ♂) ; Hann Tableland , 13 km WNW Mareeba, [16°55'00"S, 145°15'00"E], 9.xi–7.xii.1988, R.I. Storey & S. De Faveri (25- 060384 x 1 in QDPC ♂) ; Forty Mile Scrub , 18°06'52"S, 144 o 49'25"E, 1.x.1993 – 31.i.1994 (T54658–T 54659 in QM 1 × ♂, 1 × ♀) .

Description. Bicoloured with head and pronotum dark brown and rest of the body light brown. Antennal clubs grey.

Total length: 2.2–2.7 mm. Holotype measurements: Total length 2.6 mm, elytral width 1.8 mm.

Male: Head: U-shaped between clypeal teeth, which are short and upturned. Margin slightly angulate at clypeogenal suture. Genal angle weakly defined. Basal carina present but interrupted medially. Dorsal part of eyes narrow in size, separated by interocular space approximately 25 times eye width (37: 1.5); eye canthus not dividing eye. Head 1.3 × wider than long (45:35).

Prothorax: Hypomeral surface finely reticulate with light punctation. Hypomeral striae about half the length of hypomeron. Pronotum 1.55 × wider than long (72:46).

Elytra: Surface smooth. Intervals with extremely fine setae extending backwards. Striae 1–4 double with very fine punctate edges; striae 5–7 appear singular. Elytra 1.15 × wider than long (86:75).

Legs: Apical tooth on protibiae with a slight notch approximately halfway on the inner edge. Front edge of protibiae deeply angulate; apical digit somewhat elongate and sharp; 2 teeth on outer edge. Inner edge of metatibiae almost straight. Metatarsi with 2nd tarsomere subequal to the 5th. Tarsal claws small and toothed.

Abdomen: Pygidium with an almost circular shaped depression containing a central tubercle that is a low and round or slightly elongate. Depression occupies half size of disc and extends under the angulate upper edge of pygidium. Abdominal surface slightly reticulate right across. Segment 6 punctate.

Pterothorax: Medial lobe of metaventrite finely punctate and broadly margined between mesocoxae. Lateral lobe of metaventrite smooth and punctate with setae. Meso-metaventral suture very slightly arched. Mesoventrite with slight notch anteriorly. Mesoventrite smooth. mesepimeron finely reticulate. Metanepisternum reticulate.

Female: Depression on pygidium larger than in male and as per the L. pygmaeus species group

Etymology. Referring to the distinct notch on the apical tooth of the protibiae. Crena (Latin) - notch; dens (Latin)- tooth.

Distribution. Lepanus crenidens is known from 60 specimens and has only been recorded in open forest of northern Queensland of CYP and EIU bioregions ( Fig. 15A ). BIOCLIM species distributions predict L. crenidens may occur in the Queensland bioregions GUP, WET, BBN, and CMC, and in the Northern Territory bioregions ARC, CEA, GUC, and GUP; many of these regions remain under sampled and it is likely that L. crenidens is more widespread than currently documented.

Comments. This species has previously been referred to as “ Lepanus CYP6” under the informal nomenclature sensu Yeates et al. (2011). The majority of specimens were collected in flight intercept traps but also in malaise and dung baited pitfall traps.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus pygmaeus species group. A, Head of Lepanus guthrieae featuring medially interrupted basal margin (white arrow) and reticulations on clypeal area only (black arrow); B, head of Lepanus lentil featuring angulate and complete basal margin (white arrow); C, pterothorax of Lepanus andersonorum showing fine, short carina extending backwards from the meso-metaventral suture (white arrow); D, posterior aspect of metatibia of Lepanus pecki; E, anterior aspect of metatibia of Lepanus pecki; F, anterior aspect of metatibia of Lepanus guthrieae; G, female protibia of Lepanus pygmaeus; H, male protibia of Lepanus pygmaeus; I, female protibia of Lepanus pecki; J, male protibia of Lepanus pecki; K, male protibia of Lepanus crenidens; L, male protibia of Lepanus pungalina; M, inner laterodorsal aspect male protibia of Lepanus pungalina showing bent apical digit (black arrow).

FIGURE 5. Habitus of species within the Lepanus pygmaeus species group. A, Lepanus andersonorum; B, Lepanus crenidens; C, Lepanus feehani; D, Lepanus gubara; E, Lepanus guthrieae; F, Lepanus lentil. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus pygmaeus species group. A, Lepanus andersonorum; B, Lepanus crenidens; C, Lepanus feehani; D, Lepanus gubara; E, Lepanus guthrieae; F, Lepanus lentil; G, Lepanus lingziae; H, Lepanus mckenziei; I, Lepanus menendezae. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 10. Left, dorsal, and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus pygmaeus species group. A, Lepanus andersonorum; B, Lepanus crenidens; C, Lepanus feehani; D, Lepanus gubara; E, Lepanus guthrieae. Not in comparative scale, given size difference aedegi are roughly grouped in three size classes as per lower left schematic and scaled accordingly. Size class indicated by shaded silhouette and 0.2 mm scale bar.

FIGURE 15. Map of known records of A, Lepanus crenidens including predicted distribution overlaid with predicted distribution boundary of L. menendezae (dashed line) taken from map 15B; B, Lepanus menendezae including predicted distribution overlaid with predicted distribution boundary of L. pygmaeus (dashed line) taken from Fig. 13 map.