Tiporus emmae, Hendrich, 2008

Hendrich, L., 2008, Tiporus emmae nov. sp. from Northern Australia (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 40 (1), pp. 311-320 : 313-315

Tiporus emmae nov.sp. ( Figs 1-6 )

T y p e l o c a l i t y: Australia, Northern Territory, Mary River, Bowerbird Creek, rest pool.

T y p e m a t e r i a l: Holotype 1: " Australia: NT, Kakadu Hwy , Bowerbird Creek, 5 km W

Mary River Roadh., large pool, 20m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.38.142S 132.10.345E, L. & E. Hendrich

leg. (NT 15b)" (SAMA). Paratypes: 480 exs.: 454 specimens with same label data as holotype

(ANIC, CGW, CHF, CLH, NMW, NTM, OLML, SAMA, ZSM); 1 ex.: " Australia: NT, Kakadu

Hwy, Harriet Creek at Hwy Cross., 153m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.44.512S 131.54.012E, L. & E.

Hendrich leg. (NT 14)" ( CLH); 15 exs.: " AUSTRALIA /WA/ Shire of Wyndham - East Kimberley ,

Gibb Range, Gibb River Road, Russ Creek Crossing, 380 m, 14.6.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc.

8/108" ( CLH); 5 exs.: " AUSTRALIA /WA/ East Kimberley , East Gibb River Road, Barnett River

Gorge, 450m, 19.6.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 17/117" ( CLH); 2 exs.: " AUSTRALIA /WA/ East

Kimberley, Gibb River Road, Saddler Spring, 350m, 22.6.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 20/120"

(CLH); 2 exs.: " AUSTRALIA /WA/ Shire of Halls Creek , Purnululu N.P., Cathedral Gorge ,

Piccaninny Creek , 200 m, 28.6.1999, Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 29a/129a" ( CLH) ; 1 ex.:

" AUSTRALIA /WA/East Kimberley, N.N. Creek 40 km W Kununurra. 50 m, 29.6.1999, Hendrich

leg./coll. Loc. 30/130" ( CLH). All paratypes are provided with a red printed paratype label.

A d d i t i o n a l m a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d:

Tiporus centralis ( WATTS 1978) : Northern Territory: 1 ex.: Kakadu Hwy, Harriet Creek at Hwy Cross. , 153 m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.44.512S 131.54.012 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 14) ( ZSM) ; 60 exs: Kakadu Hwy, Bowerbird Creek , 5 km W Mary River Roadh., large pool, 20 m, 24.VIII.2006, 13.38.142S 132.10.345 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 15b) ( CLH, ZSM) ; 63 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Nourlangie District, Gubara , 50 m, 25.X.1996, 12.50.101S 132.52.501 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 1) ( CLH) ; 100 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Jim Jim Falls Camping Area , Jim Jim Creek , 60 m, 26. & 27.X.1996, 13.16.218S 132.49.276 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 2) ( CLH) ; 6 exs: Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Barramundie Gorge, Maguk , 50 m, 31.X.1996, 13.18.823S 132.26.198 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 10) ( CLH) ; 24 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Gungurul Lookout , 50 m, 1.XI.1996, 13.59.359S 132.19.904 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 11) ( CLH) ; 38 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Mary River District, Gunlom Waterfall Creek , 150 m, 2.XI.1996, 13.26.082S 132.24.929 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 13) ( CLH) ; 69 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Mary River District , 3 km ESE Gunlom Camping Area. South Alligator River, 50 m, 2.XI.1996, 13.27.276S 132.26.268 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 14) ( CLH) .

Tiporus denticulatus ( WATTS 1978) : Queensland: 1 ex.: N Queensland, 10 km WSW Petford , at light, 23.I.1988, R.I. Storey leg. ( CLH) ; 1 ex.: Pond at Mclead River , 4.XII.1997, G. Challet leg. ( CLH) ; 3 exs.: Greenvale , 150 km NW Charters Towers, 19.I.1993, G. Wewalka leg. (QL 12-14) ( CGW, CLH) .

Tiporus georginae WATTS 2000 : Western Australia: 12 exs.: East Kimberley, Gibb River Road, Saddler Spring, 350 m, 22.VI.1999, L. Hendrich leg./coll. Loc. 20/120 (CLH, ZSM). This is the first record of the species since its description based on specimens collected near Kalumburu in the northern Kimberley region.

Tiporus josepheni ( WATTS 1978) : Northern Territory: 2 exs.: Finnis River , 10 km W Batchelor, 43 m, 20.VIII.2006, 13.01.278S 130.57.217 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 2) ( ZSM, CLH) ; 30 exs.: Magela Creek upstream, Jabiru East, 38 m, 29.VIII.2006, 12.40.458S 132.55.853 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 21) ( ZSM, CLH) ; 25 exs.: Magela Creek downstream, Jabiru East, 31m, 30.VIII.2006, 12.38.312S 132.53.441 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 23) ( ZSM, CLH) ; 15 exs.: Gulungul Creek at Hwy Cross., Jabiru - Jabiru East, 31 m, 30.VIII.2006, 12.39.327S 132.52.716 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (NT 24) ( ZSM, CLH) ; 1 ex.: Melville Island , Pularumpi, 11.24 S 130.25 E, 30.VI.-6.VII.1986, M.V. Light, P. Horner leg. Operation Raleigh 1986 ( NTM) ; 1 ex.: Tributary of the Reynolds River, 15 km SE of Wangi, 18.XII.1979, M. Malipatil leg. ( NTM) ; 101 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Jim Jim Falls Camping Area, Jim Jim Creek, 60 m, 26. & 27.X.1996, 13.16.218S 132.49.276 E, L. Hendrich leg. (loc. 2a) ( CLH) ; 1 ex.: Kakadu N.P., Nourlangie District, Arnhem Highway, 25 km WNW Jabiru, 30 m, 29.X.1996, 12.46.528S 132.16.203 E, L. Hendrich leg. (loc. 6) ( CLH) ; 156 exs.: Kakadu N.P., Jim Jim District, Gungurul Lookout, 50 m, 1.XI.1996, 13.59.359S 132.19.904 E, L. Hendrich leg. (loc. 11) ( CLH) ; 1 ex.: Kakadu N.P., Mary River District, 3 km ESE Gunlom Camping Area. South Alligator River, 50 m, 2.XI.1996, 13.27.276S 132.26.268 E, L. Hendrich leg. (Loc. 14) ( CLH). Queensland: 3 exs.: Australia: 20 km NE Mareeba, Hodzic Road, 361 m, 12.IX.2006, 16.49.556S 145.27.211 E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (QLD 28) ( ZSM, CLH) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: A large, blackish and broadly-oval species, widest in middle, with reddish markings on elytra and pronotum ( Figs 1, 2 ).

Measurements. TL: 3.9-4.0 mm (holotype 3.9 mm); TL-H: 3.5-3.6 mm (holotype 3.5 mm); MW: 2.2-2.25 mm (holotype 2.2 mm); TL/MW: 1.77-1.78.

Colour. Head black, sides, base and portions of middle of pronotum reddish. Elytron with eight vague red patches dorsally and laterally. Ventral surface dark reddish-brown. Epipleuron, prosternum and legs mainly rufo-piceous; metatibia and -tarsus dark rufopiceous. Appendages rufo-piceous, apical segments of male protarsus darkened.

Sculpture. Disc of pronotum smooth, without lateral ridges or grooves. Side of elytron curves forward immediately before meeting edge of pronotum, very weakly serrate towards tip. Reticulate and strongly and densely rugose-punctate throughout but punctures on dorsal surface shallow. Prothoracic process relatively narrow, ridged in midline, apex rounded, midline virtually impunctate. Metacoxal lines well separated, moderately diverging posteriorly and in middle, rapidly diverging in anterior quarter, not reaching metasternum.

Male. Protarsus three-segmented, anterior sides of segments of protarsus strongly expanded. Mesotarsus a little expanded. Single claw of protarsus short and evenly curved towards apex. Mesotrochanter with well developed and dense line of golden setae. Pro- and mesotarsi moderately expanded, 2 nd segment about as wide as long. Protibia with small tooth on outside near base ( Fig. 1 ). Tip of apical abdominal segment with two well developed knobs ( Fig. 6 ). Metatibia normal, not expanded. Median lobe of aedeagus broad in centre but narrow at tip ( Figs 3, 4 ), right paramere ( Fig. 5 ).

Female. Protarsus five-segmented, robust somewhat expanded on inside. Protibia without tooth on outside. Tip of apical sternite flattened. Lateral extension to elytron near tip weak.

E t y m o l o g y: Dedicated to my wife Emma Hendrich for her steady support, engagement and patience during the six months’ journey across Australia.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Kimberley region in Western Australia and Mary River region in the Northern Territory ( Fig. 7 ).

H a b i t a t: A lotic species. Most specimens were collected in a large (30 m ², 1 m depth), isolated and partly shaded pool, without any submerged and emerged vegetation, of the intermittent Bowerbird Creek. The bottom of the pool consisted of sand and gravel with a thin layer of rotten plants. The single specimen from Harriet Creek was obtained from a small rest pool (8 m ², 50 depth) with sandy bottom and very gloomy water, of the almost dry riverbed, shaded by some larger rocks. Both creeks are fringed by a mixed Melaleuca viridiflora and M. leucadendra forest ( Figs 8, 9 ) and belong to the same river system which drained into the Mary River.

In the Kimberley region the species was obtained from the following sites: Locality 8/108: Russ Creek is a slow flowing, semi-shaded and shallow stream with sandy bottom, covered with a layer of rotten leaves ( Fig. 12 ). Locality 17/117: Small (1-3 m), shallow (25 cm) and slow flowing stream in the Barnett Gorge, partly shaded by mixed Pandanus forest and grass tussocks. The bottom consisted of rocks with a layer of rotten leaves and grasses ( Fig. 11 ). Locality 20/120: Almost standing, exposed and deep stream with dark water. The river bank was covered with stands of large Cyperaceae . All beetles were obtained from a shallow (20-30 cm) backwater of 3 m ², among roots of emergent vegetation and plant debris. Locality 29a/129a: Small, open rest pool of the intermittent Piccaninny Creek. The bottom consisted of bare rock, stones and pebbles, without any vegetation. All beetles were crawling in very shallow water (2-4 cm) among the stones ( Fig. 10 ). Locality 30/130: Large (15-20 m ²), shallow (up to 50 cm) and semi-shaded pool without any vegetation of an almost dry and nameless creek, which was partly shaded by a concrete bridge. The bottom consisted of stones, sand and clay, with a thin layer of rotten leaves ( Fig. 13 ). The rich predaceous water beetle coenosis of all sampled sites is listed in table 1.

D i f f e r e n t i a l d i a g n o s i s: A distinct species. The only taxa which could possibly be confused with the new species are: T. centralis , T. denticulatus , T. georginae and T. josepheni . But T. emmae nov.sp. is more broadly-oval than T. centralis (TL: 3.3- 3.85 mm, MW: 1.8-1.9 mm, TL/MW: 1.83-2.02), T. denticulatus (TL: 3.4-3.6 mm, MW: 1.9-1.95 mm, TL/MW: 1.78-1.85), and most T. georginae (TL: 3.75-3.9 mm, MW: 2.0- 2.05 mm, TL/MW: 1.83-1.90) and T. josepheni (TL: 3.75-3.9 mm, MW: 2.0- 2.1 mm, TL/MW: 1.86-1.88). From the latter it can be distinguished by the male having the spine of protibia near base ( T. josepheni on outside near middle) and by the female elytron of T. josepheni which shows a larger and well developed triangular extension reaching beyond tip.

From all species of the genus T. emmae nov.sp. can easily be separated by its male apical abdominal segment which has two well developed knobs at tip, and the mesotrochanter showing a dense row of golden setae. Furthermore, the form of the median lobe clearly distinguished T. emmae nov.sp. from all other species of the genus (see WATTS 1978, 2000).

Figures

Figs 1-5: Tiporus emmae nov.sp., (1) male (3.9 mm) and (2) female (4.0 mm), (3) median lobe (lateral view), (4) median lobe (ventral view), (5) right paramere (lateral view), scale 0.4 mm.

Figs 6-7: (6) Apical abdominal segment of male of T. emmae nov.sp., (7) distribution of T. emmae nov.sp. in Northern Australia (black squares).

Figs 8-13: Habitats of T. emmae nov.sp. (8) Bowerbird Creek at Kakadu Highway, NT, (9) Harriet Creek, NT, (10) rest pools of Piccaninny Creek (loc. 29a/129a), WA, (11) slow flowing creek in Barnett Gorge (loc. 17/117), WA, (12) Russ Creek (Loc. 8/108), WA, (13) Nameless creek 40 km W Kununurra (loc. 30/130), WA.