Lepanus carbinensis 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 : 45

Lepanus carbinensis Gunter & Weir , new species

Lepanus dichrous ( Gillet, 1925)

Lepanus kulki Gunter & Weir , new species

Lepanus nitidus Matthews, 1974

Lepanus vangerweni Gunter & Weir , new species

Key to species of the Lepanus nitidus species group

1 Ridge on ventral side of protibia apically more or less joined to the second tooth by a fine carina ( Fig. 13G ); aedeagus with left paramere excised apically............................................................................... 2

– Ridge on ventral side of protibia not joined to the second tooth by a fine carina ( Fig. 13H ); aedeagus with left paramere excised apically or not........................................................................................ 3

2 Lateral lobe of metaventrite with inner border beside mesocoxa anteriorly widened ( Fig. 13M ); male medial lobe of metaventrite with a very small tubercle located approximately halfway between mesocoxae and metacoxae ( Fig. 13I ); male protibia as in Fig. 13A ; aedeagus as in Fig. 16D ; generally larger species 3.6–4.4 mm; widely distributed in Queensland Wet Tropics from south of Cooktown to Cardwell Range.......................................... Lepanus nitidus Matthews, 1974

– Lateral lobe of metaventrite with inner border beside mesocoxa not anteriorly widened, of same width throughout ( Fig. 13N ); male medial lobe of metaventrite without very small tubercle; male protibia as in Fig. 13C ; aedeagus as in Fig. 16C ; smaller species 3.5 mm; Queensland northern Wet Tropics, apparently restricted to the Mt Finnigan and Thornton Peak blocks above 700 m. .......................................................... Lepanus kulki Gunter & Weir , new species

3 Apical area of elytra nitid, with stria 1 and usually stria 2 superficial, appearing as a single line ( Fig. 13L ); metaventrite smooth and nitid between metacoxae, male with a very small tubercle located closer to metacoxae than mesocoxae ( Fig. 13J ), female without tubercle or depression; male protibia as in Fig. 13D ; aedeagus as in Fig. 16B , with left paramere excised apically; 3.3–3.8 mm; Queensland Wet Tropics from Lamb Range to Ravenshoe.................. Lepanus dichrous ( Gillet, 1925)

– Apical area of elytra usually very finely reticulate, with stria 1 and usually stria 2 slightly impressed, appearing as a double line ( Fig. 13O ); metaventrite between metacoxae more-or-less reticulate, male with a medial longitudinal depression between mesocoxae and metacoxae ( Fig. 13K ), female with a small depression and medial line between metacoxae; aedeagus as in Figs. 16A, E with left paramere not excised apically, somewhat pointed; larger species 4.0– 5.2 mm ......................... 4

4 Metaventrite with punctures on medial lobe minute, much smaller than those on the lateral lobe ( Fig. 13P ); male protibia as in Fig. 13E ; pygidial reticulation usually confined to central and basal areas; aedeagus as in Fig. 16E , with apically deflexed part of right paramere rounded; Queensland Wet Tropics from Lamb Range to Cardstone , above 750 m. ................................................................................ Lepanus vangerweni Gunter & Weir , new species

– Metaventrite with punctures on medial lobe larger, about the same size as those on the lateral lobe ( Fig. 13Q ); male protibiae as in Fig.13F ; pygidium usually nearly completely reticulate; aedeagus as in Fig. 16A with apically deflexed part of right paramere angulate; Queensland Wet Tropics, apparently restricted to the Mt Carbine Tableland Zone. ...................................................................................... Lepanus carbinensis Gunter & Weir , new species

Figures

FIGURE 13. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus nitidus species group. A, Dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus nitidus; B, dorsal view of female protibia of Lepanus nitidus; C, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus kulki; D, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus dichrous; E, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus vangerweni; F, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus carbinensis; G, ventral view of male protibia of Lepanus nitidus, grey arrow points to diagnostic carina; H, ventral view of male protibia of Lepanus dichrous showing lack of carina; I, ventral view of metaventrite of Lepanus nitidus, showing tubercle (grey arrow); J, ventral view of metaventrite of Lepanus dichrous, showing tubercle (grey arrow); K, ventrolateral view of metaventrite of Lepanus vangerweni, showing medial longitudinal depression; L, apical view of elytra of Lepanus dichrous, showing stria 1 appearing superficial towards the apex (grey arrow); M, lateral lobe of metaventrite of Lepanus nitidus, grey arrow points to apically widened inner border; N, lateral lobe of metaventrite of Lepanus kulki; O, apical view of elytra of Lepanus carbinensis, showing stria 1 visibly impressed towards the apex (grey arrow); P, metaventrite of Lepanus vangerweni showing punctures on medial lobe much smaller than those on lateral lobe; Q, metaventrite of Lepanus carbinensis showing punctures on medial lobe same size as those on lateral lobe.

FIGURE 16. Left, dorsal and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus nitidus species group. A, Lepanus carbinensis; B, Lepanus dichrous; C, Lepanus kulki; D, Lepanus nitidus; E, Lepanus vangerweni. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.