Brachypeplus dorsalis Grouvelle, 1897

Kirejtshuk, Alexander G. & Kovalev, Alexey V., 2022, Monograph on the Cillaeinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from the Australian Region with comments on the taxonomy of the subfamily, Zootaxa 5103 (1), pp. 1-133 : 51-52

18. Brachypeplus dorsalis Grouvelle, 1897

Figs 10 , A–I; 11 , D

Brachypeplus (Selis) dorsalis Grouvelle, 1897: 343 ; Sumatra, Sibolga;

= Brachypeplus (Selis) decoratus Grouvelle, 1917: 329 , syn. nov.; Luzon, Benguet, Baguio;

? = Brachypeplus (Selis) ornatus Grouvelle, 1914: 535 ; Laguna, Los Banõs.

Specimens examined. Type specimens: lectotype of Brachypeplus dorsalis , male (MCNG), here designated and 7 paralectotypes (MCNG, ZIN)—“SUMATRA, SIBOGA, X.90—III.91, E. Modigliani” (Sibolga), “ Brachypeplus dorsalis ty. Grouv.” (handwritten by A. Grouvelle); holotype of Brachypeplus decoratus , male (MNHN)— Grouvelle, 1917: “Luzon, Benguet, Baguio (Baker)”. Other specimens: Singapore: 14 exx (NHML, ZIN)—“Singapore, Dr. R, Cameron, B.M. 1936-555”; “Mt Matang…”, “Kushing…”, “Malaya, Kuala Lumpur…”, “Sulawesi Tengah…”; Taiwan: 11 (NHML, ZIN)—“Lanyu Island, Taitung County, Yung Hsin Farm, N22˚ 01.703 E 121˚34.642, 28– 30.vii.2008, at light, H. Mendel, M.V.L. Barclay, BMNH (E) 2008-85”; Indonesia: 1 ex (NHML)—“ apicalis ” (named by A. Murray), “ Java ”, “[18]68.106”, “ apicalis ” (nearly identical with paralectotype B. dorsalis ); 41 exx (SMNS, ZIN)—“C.Sulawesi, 17 km E Pendolo, 800 m, 120.45.49E, 2.06.33S, 4–9 Jul. 1999, Bolm”; 1 ex (MCNG)— “SUMATRA, PADANG, 1890, E. Modigliani”, “ Brachypeplus dorsalis Grouv. teste Grouvelle 1897 ”; Philippines: 7 (SMNS, ZIN)—“Mindanao, 30 km E of Malaybalay, Busdi, 5–9 May 1996, Bolm, 1000 m ”; 9 exx (ZIN, ZMB)— “Mindanao, Dansalan b. Lanao, leg. Böttcher, 6.2.1915 ”; 2 exx (ZMB)—“Imugan, leg. Böttcher, 24.1.1916 ”; 2 exx (ZIN, ZMB)—“Mindanao, Dansalan b. Lanao, leg. Böttcher, 6.2.1915 ”; 4 exx (ZIN, ZMB)—“Mindanao, Surigao, leg. Böttcher, 30.10.1915 ”; 4 exx (FMNH, ZIN)—“MINDANAO, P.I., Bukidon Prov., Delmonte, VII–26, 1946”, “...H. Hoogstraal & D. Heynemann”, “part of series (incl. larvae etc.) in alcohol”; 2 exx (FMNH, ZIN)—“Mt. Makling, Luzon, Baker”; 2 exx (FMNH)—“island Sibuyan, Baker”; 85 exx (FMNH, ZIN)—“Todaya, E slope Mt. Apo Davao Prov., MINDANAO, El, 2800 ft, IX–16–1946, under young bamboo sheaths, F.G. Werner”; 1 (FMNH)—“Mt. Makiling, Luzon, Baker”; 1 (ZIN)—“E slope Mt. McKinley, Danao Prov. MINDANAO, X–1, 46”, “CNHM Philippine Zool. Exped. (1946–57), H. Hoogstraal leg.”, “elev.: 3300 ft ”.

Notes. As was written above the northern populations of the “species” formerly regarded as Brachypeplus apicalis ( Kirejtshuk 2005) are rather similar to southern ones, but show some stable differences in coloration (see the above notes on B. apicalis ) and, therefore, these two forms are here regarded separately ( B. apicalis and B. dorsalis ). The Brachypeplus dorsalis is joined with two other names after the examination of the type series of B. dorsalis and B. decoratus and many specimens from Philippines examined during the current studies. The type series of Brachypeplus (Selis) ornatus Grouvelle, 1914 remains not examined but the description of it completely fit the specimens of B. decoratus collected in Philippines and, therefore, it is reasonable to preliminarily regard these names of synonyms. The specimens of Brachypeplus dorsalis examined having some more or less stable differences from those of B. apicalis (see comments to the latter and above key to species of Brachypeplus ) demonstrate a wider scope of variability in general. The body length varies from 2.8 to 4.9 mm. The dark coloration in some specimens from Philippines and Taiwan is represented by only slight infuscation, but some specimens from other localities are with greater portion and intensivity of darker pigmentation (up to very dark specimens from Singapore). The specimens with the greater pigmented portion of body have darker other parts of their body and appendages. Besides, some specimens of Brachypeplus dorsalis have the darker antennal flagelli and lighter antennal club, while others show subunicolorous antennae or lighter flagelli and darker club. The punctation and sculpture of integument in this species is also characterized by a greater variability than those in B. apicalis .

Diagnosis. This species differs from other congeners in the very characteristic coloration and in most cases it can be easily identified among other congeners after the above key to Australian and Tasmanian species. See also the above Diagnosis and Addition to description of Brachypeplus apicalis .

Distribution. Taiwan, Philippines, Luzon, Mindanao, Sibuyan (Romblon Province); Singapore; Indonesia, Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi.

Notes on bionomy. Adults of this species, like those of Brachypeplus apicalis , have a very wide range of habits and can use very various products of plant origin decaying with fungal participation (under bark, fermented tree juice, decaying fruits (rather frequently), bamboo sheaths, etc.).

Figures

FIGURE 10. Brachypeplus dorsalis, orig. A–C, E, G: paralectotype, male from Sumatra (“… Siboga …” = Subolga); A: body, dorsal; B: male anal sclerite and spiculum gastrale, ventral; C: tegmen, ventral; E: penis trunk, dorsal; G: proximal part of inner sac with armature; D, F, H, J: specimens from Taiwan (“Lanyu Island, Taitung County, Yung Hsin Farm…”): D: tegmen, ventral; F: penis, dorsal; H: proximal part of inner sac with armature; I: ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars: a = 1.0 mm to Figs A; b = 0.25 mm to Figs B–I.

FIGURE 11. Type specimens of the genus Brachypeplus. A–C: B. apicalis; A: lectotype of B. apicalis, male from Maluku Islands (“… Mysol” = Misool), orig.; B: lectotype of B. caudalis, female from Maluku Islands (“Bac, 103” (Murray, 1864: 304: “Batchian”) = Bacan), orig.; C: paralectotype of B. fimbriatus, male from Maluku Islands (“Ternate, X.1875…”), pictured by R. Poggi; D: holotype of B. decoratus, female from Philippines (“Luzon, Benguet…”), orig.; A–D: body, dorsal. Scale bar: 1.0 mm to Figs A and B, ~1.1 mm to Fig. C, 1.4 mm to Fig. D.