Lepanus storeyi, Weir & Monteith, 2010

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 : 36

Lepanus storeyi species group

This group includes three species, it is currently unknown if this is a natural grouping as only Lepanus meierae has been sequenced to date (see Fig. 1 ).

Diagnosis. The Lepanus storeyi species group is defined by their small size (<3.8 mm) and by having a transverse sinuate fold across the base of the pygidium. Front edge of protibia deeply angulate, male apical digit long, apical spur absent, female apical digit short, apical spur present. All species share the following characteristics:

Males. Head: Broad U-shape between clypeal teeth that are short and not upturned. Rest of margin of head rounded behind eyes. Angulate at clypeogenal suture. Mentum not thickened anteriorly, with a few long setae basally and two setae apically. Margin of head bordered only between eye canthus and angulation of clypeogenal suture. Genal angles rounded. Dorsal part of eye narrow; eye canthus dividing eye.

Prothorax: Pronotum posterolateral angles distinct. Hind margin slightly angulate and not bordered. Lateral margins bordered. Punctures along the hind margin different from those on the disc and do not extend right to the hind margin. Hypomeral stria present, close to lateral margin which appears almost double at that point (as in Fig. 8D ).

Elytra: Intervals very finely punctate with very superficial setae. Striae impunctate. Stria 7 not extending to elytral base. 8th stria slightly curving inwards posteriorly.

Legs: Protibia with 2 teeth on outer edge; front edge deeply angulate; apical digit long and without apical spur (as in Fig. 8A ). Metatibia normal, not bent. Metatarsus with 5 tarsomeres with 2nd tarsomere the longest. Basal metatarsomere normal, not lobed on inner edge. Tarsal claws small and simple.

Abdomen: Pygidium with a transverse sinuate fold across the base, with or without a depression.

Pterothorax: Medial lobe of metaventrite broadly margined between mesocoxae. Meso-metasternal suture very slightly arched. Mesoventrite not notched anteriorly. Lateral lobe of metaventrite punctate. Metanepisternum reticulate.

Hind wings: fully developed

Female. Protibia with short apical digit, bearing a tapering spur that is shorter than apical tooth (as in Fig. 8B ).

Checklist of species

Lepanus meierae Gunter & Weir , new species

Lepanus storeyi Weir & Monteith, 2010

Lepanus williamsi Gunter & Weir , new species

Key to species of the Lepanus storeyi species group

1 Pygidium with a reticulate depression..................................................................... 2

– Pygidium without a depression.......................................................................... 3

2 Pygidial depression almost circular, with a continuous sharp edge ( Fig. 10D ); elytral surfaces smooth, nitid, striae effaced; elytral epipleura smooth, nitid; smaller species 2.4–2.7 mm; south east Queensland Lamington National Park and Springbrook area ........................................................ Lepanus storeyi Weir & Monteith, 2010 [females]

– Pygidial depression rather ovoid, with only the angulate upper edge sharply defined, depression wider in females than in males ( Figs. 10 A–B,); elytral surfaces very finely reticulate, at least in part, striae present but superficial; elytral epipleura reticulate; aedeagus as in Fig. 11A ; larger species 2.8–3.8 mm; south east Queensland to New South Wales Wollongong area ....................................................................... Lepanus meierae Gunter & Weir , new species

3 Pygidium with transverse fold close to and parallel with basal margin ( Fig. 10C ); elytral surfaces smooth, nitid, striae effaced; elytral epipleura smooth, nitid; humeral and apical areas of elytra with well-defined orange-yellow patches; aedeagus as in Fig. 11B ; smaller species 2.4–2.7 mm; south east Queensland Lamington National Park and Springbrook area ............................................................................ Lepanus storeyi Weir & Monteith, 2010 [males]

– Pygidium with transverse fold weak, more central and not parallel to basal margin ( Fig. 10E ); elytral surfaces very finely reticulate, at least in part, striae present but superficial; elytral epipleura reticulate; humeral and apical areas of elytra with ill-defined orange colouration; aedeagus as in Fig. 11C ; 2.7–3.5 mm; central New South Wales from Port Macquarie to Royal National Park .......................................................... Lepanus williamsi Gunter & Weir , new species

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 8. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus storeyi species group. A, Male protibia of Lepanus meierae; B, female protibia of Lepanus meierae; C, head of Lepanus meierae; D, ventrolateral view of hypomeron of Lepanus meierae showing hypomeral stria appearing double.

FIGURE 10. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus storeyi species group. A, Lepanus meierae male; B, Lepanus meierae female; C, Lepanus storeyi male; D, Lepanus storeyi female; E, Lepanus williamsi male. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 11. Left, dorsal and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus storeyi species group. A, Lepanus meierae; B, Lepanus storeyi; C, Lepanus williamsi. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.