Lepanus reticulatus Gunter & Weir, 2019

Gunter, Nicole L. & Weir, Thomas A., 2019, Revision of Australian species of the dung beetle genus Lepanus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): description of 10 new species from the L. australis, L. monteithi, and L. villosus species groups, Zootaxa 4695 (3), pp. 201-252 : 249

Lepanus reticulatus Gunter & Weir , new species

( Figs 16F , 17B , 18B , 19B )

Type series. Holotype: ♂ “ 13 km up Mt. Lewis Rd. via Julatten, QLD. Apr.29- May 2, 1976, R.I. Storey, Hu- man Dung Trap ” / “ ANIC Database No. 25-054120” / “ Lepanus NQ7, det TA Weir 2010 ” in ANIC (16°35’0”S, 145°17”0”E) . Paratypes (3 ♀): 13 km up Mount Lewis Road via Julatten , Queensland. [16°35’0”S, 145°17’0”E], 29.iv– 2.v.1976, R.I. Storey, human dung trap (25-065535 in ANIC ♀) ; Mount Lewis Road, 1000 m, CUDAZ Pit 3 [16°33’21”S, 145°16’42”E], 14.ii–17.iii.2008, M. Aristophanous, ID 2637 (T 169039 in QM ♀) ; Mount Lewis Road, 1000 m, CUDAZ Pit 4 [16°33’21”S, 145°16’42”E], 3–30.i.2009, M. Aristophanous, ID 8284, Trip 20 (T 169040 in QM ♀) ;

Description. Ranging in colour from light brown to black. Antennal clubs yellowish white.

Total length: 3.5 mm. Holotype measurements: total length 3.5 mm, elytral width 2.4 mm.

Male. Head. Clypeal surface anteriorly smooth, nitid and punctate, with rest of the head reticulate with dense ocellate punctures each bearing a seta. Broad U-shaped between clypeal teeth that are long and upturned. Genal angle weakly defined. Dorsal part of the eyes narrow, separated by an interocular space approximately 12 times the eye width (48: 4). Head 1.4 x wider than long (68:50).

Prothorax: Pronotal surface with moderate ocellate punctation anteriorly to heavy ocellate punctation posteriorly, each puncture bearing a posteriorly directed seta. Punctures along the basal margin similar to punctures on hind part of disc. Anterior angles about 90°. Basal margin rounded. Hypomeral surface punctured and reticulate. Hypomeral stria about half the length of hypomeron, with a few punctures between hypomeral stria and lateral edge. Pronotum 1.65 x wider than long (110:66).

Elytra: Intervals heavily reticulate with dense, short, longitudinally aligned striae and a double row of recurved setae. Striae distinctly geminate. Stria 7 extending or almost extending to elytral base. Stria 8 not ending basally in a deep pit. Elytra 1.1 x wider than long (123:112).

Legs: Protibiae with the 3 teeth not equidistant, apical 2 slightly closer together. Apical digit of protibiae short, with a relatively long spur and small brush of setae at inner apex. Metatibiae normal, not bent or indented.

Abdomen: Pygidium somewhat convex, reticulate, heavily punctate, setate and with an indication of a raised longitudinal midline and with an overhanging basal edge. Abdominal ventrites reticulate right across.

Pterothorax: Medial lobe of metaventrite punctate and narrowly margined between the mesocoxae. Lateral lobe of metaventrite with ocellate punctures. Meso-metaventral suture slightly arched, with a slight angulation medially. Mesoventrite surface smooth and punctate. Mesepimeron reticulate and punctate. Metanepisternum reticulate and punctate.

Hind wings: vestigial.

Female. Clypeal surface wholly reticulate and protibiae with a small comb of stout setae at inner apex, otherwise as per the L. villosus species group.

Etymology. Refers to the distinct reticulations covering the body surface, from reticulatus (Latin) - net-like. This name is an adjective in the nominative singular.

Distribution. Known only from four specimens taken on Mount Lewis in the Australian Wet Tropics bioregion ( Fig. 21A ). These specimens were collected at high elevation (1000 m) and this appears to be a short range endemic.

Comments. This species has been collected in pitfall traps including those baited with human faeces. It has been referred to under the informal nomenclature sensu Yeates et al. 2011 as Lepanus NQ7.

The labels of the two paratypes collected at Mount Lewis Road (1000 m) by M. Aristophanous do not list coordinates, however we report putative geocoded coordinates extropolated from Aristophanous (2014). Aristophanous (2014) surveyed dung beetles of elevational transects in the Australian Wet Tropics including seven elevational gradients in Mount Lewis National Park, Carbine Tableland. Specimens from his study were collected between 2007–2009 ( Aristophanous 2014). Eight specimens identified as Lepanus villosus were collected at Carbine Table- land and the species was only collected at site CU10, 1016 m, -16.5558, 145.2784. These coordinates fall on the main northern sector of the Mount Lewis Road. Given the likeness of L. villosus and L. reticulatus , the congruence of locality data, collector and collection year, we believe these reported specimens of Aristophanous (2014) include the paratypes listed here and as such we list a more detailed geocoded locality than would otherwise be available from the label alone.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus villosus species group. A, lateral view of elytron of Lepanus villosus, white arrow points to deep pit at the base of stria 8; B, lateral view of elytron of Lepanus vestitus, note the absence of any deep pit; C, elytron of Lepanus villosus dotted line showing humeral callus between striae 6 and 7 and white arrow showing depression at base of striae 4 and 5; D, male metatibiae of Lepanus vestitus, notch on inner edge; E, male protibia of Lepanus pseudovillosus, showing typical configuration for the species group including the small comb of setae (grey arrow); F, close up of elytral interval surface of Lepanus reticulatus, showing reticulation of short longitudinal striations; G, close up of elytral interval surface of Lepanus vestitus showing reticulations of fine meshes.

FIGURE 17. Habitus of species within the Lepanus villosus species group. A, Lepanus pseudovillosus; B, Lepanus reticulatus; C, Lepanus vestitus; D, Lepanus villosus. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Left, dorsal, and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus villosus species group. A, Lepanus pseudovillosus; B, Lepanus reticulatus; C, Lepanus vestitus; D, Lepanus villosus. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 19. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus villosus species group. A, Lepanus pseudovillosus; B, Lepanus reticulatus; C, Lepanus vestitus; D, Lepanus villosus. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 21. Map of known records for A, Lepanus reticulatus; B, Lepanus vestitus including predicted distribution estimated with BIOCLIM models. QLD, Queensland.