Epuraea signata Broun, 1880

Jelínek, Josef, Leschen, Richard A. B. & Hájek, Jiří, 2017, Revision of Epuraea of New Zealand (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57 (2), pp. 617-644 : 639-641

Epuraea signata Broun, 1880

( Figs 11–12 , 43–47 )

Epuraea signatum [sic!] Broun, 1880: 169 (original description). Epuraea signata: GROUVELLE (1913) : 123 (catalogue).

Type locality. ‘near Whangarei Heads’ [Northland].

Type material. Syntypes in BMNH; not studied.

Additional material examined. NEW ZEALAND: NORTH ISLAND: AK: Titirangi, 20.iii.[19]13, A.E. Brookes coll., 1 spec. ( NZAC) ; Titirangi, [19]14, T.Broun coll., 1 spec. ( NZAC) ; Titirangi, 30.ii.[19]15, A.E. Brookes coll., 2 spec. ( NMPC, NZAC) ; Waitete,T. Broun coll., 2 spec. ( NZAC). BP: Te Aroha, litter, 24.ix.[19]64, G.Kuschel lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). CL: Kauaeranga Vall., Thames , 16.-20.i.[19]60, J.I. Townsend & R. Zondag lgt., 2 spec. ( NZAC). GB: Motu River , iii.1928, A.E. Brookes lgt., 2 spec. ( NZAC). ND: Waipoua SF, 26.xi.1980, G. Kuschel lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). TO: Kaiangaroa, 19.iii.[19]18, T. Broun coll., 3 spec. ( NZAC) ; Owhango, Whakapapa River, Ohinetonga Scenic Res. , 350 m, 14.ii.1997, Schuh & Lang lgt., 2 spec. ( NHMW, NMPC). WI: Palmerston North , Ballantae , light trap in hill country pasture, 27.i.1975, J.M. Esson lgt., 12 spec. ( NZAC). WN: Titahi Bay , 18.ix.[19]10, 1 spec. ( NZAC) ; Wellington, 1 spec. ; Flora R., 14.i.[19]22, A. Philpott lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). WO: Pirongia, 2.xii.1909, T. Broun coll., 1 spec. ( NZAC). SOUTH ISLAND: BR: Big River Rd Tawhai SF, Reefton , 24.i.1973, J.S. Dugdale lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). DN: Waipori Gorge , in moss and lichen on dead beech branch, 19.v.2002, J. Nunn lgt., 4 spec. ( NZAC). MB: Pelorus Bridge, 20.ix.[19]67, J.C. Watt lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC) ; Pelorus Bridge, Marlborough, 25.vii.[19]67, under loose bark Tawa [= Beilschmiedia tawa ] log, J.C. Watt lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). NN: Whangamoa , 1.ix.[19]66, J.C. Watt lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC) ; Nelson, Paturau R., on Rhopalostylis sapida , 21.i.[19]72, G. Kuschel lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). OL/WD: Haast Pass west of summit, 550 m, 24.i.1978, G. Kuschel lgt., 2 spec. ( NZAC). SI: Big S. Cape Isl. , beating, xi.[19]68, G. Kuschel lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC). OFFSHORE ISLAND : CH: Awatotara, 450 ft., ex dead Myrsine chathamica , 21.ii.[19]67, 1 spec. ( NZAC) ; Limestone Quarry, litter, 11.ii.[19]67, G. Kuschel lgt., 1 spec. ( NZAC) .

Redescription. Male. Oblong oval, moderately convex ( Fig. 11 ). Black, explanate sides of pronotum and elytra, small transverse spot at anterior pronotal margin, three more or less confluent spots at base of pronotum in front of scutellar shield, scutellar shield, longitudinal (sometimes interrupted) spots at inner margin of humeral bulge and pair of C-shaped spots interconnected at suture at midlength of elytra brown-yellow. Pubescence yellowish, thin, recumbent, inconspicuous.

Head transverse, frons flat, punctures smaller than eye-facets, rasp-like, separated by one diameter or less, interspaces microscopically punctate. Antennae longer than eye-facets (HEAW/ANLE: 0.75), ANCL/ANLE: 0.32), antennal club oblong oval, almost twice as long as wide ( Fig. 43 ).

Pronotum transverse (ratio WPR2/LEPR: 1.68–1.83), widest at basal third, more strongly narrowed anteriorly than posteriorly. Ratio WPR1/WPR2: 0.91–0.94, WPR1/WPR3: 1.36– 1.50, WPR2/WPR3: 1.50–1.63. Anterior margin with subtrapezoidal emargination nearly as deep as eye-width. Anterior angles obtuse, prominent. Lateral margins broadly arcuate, sides not explanate except for broadly depressed posterior corners. Basal margin truncate in middle, slightly concave besides posterior angles, those obtuse, not prominent. Pronotal disc flattened in middle, moderately convex laterally. Punctures smaller than eye-facets, separated by one diameter or less, interspaces smooth. Scutellar shield triangular, with dense shallow punctures.

Elytra oval, widest before their midlength, strongly narrowed posteriorly, reaching their maximum length near suture, narrowly separately rounded apically. Ratio LELY/WELY: 1.10–1.17. Lateral margins broadly arcuate, sides not explanate. Surface flattened along suture, moderately convex laterally; punctuation similar to pronotum, interspaces with indistinct traces of reticulation.

Pygidium narrowly truncate apically, finely and densely granulate-punctate; punctures separated by one diameter or less, interspaces reticulate. Tergite VIII exposed.

Postmentum flat, with punctures smaller than eye-facets separated by about one diameter, interspaces with micropunctures. Antennal furrows converging posteriorly, broad and short, their margins less pronounced than in other species.

Prosternum flatly vaulted in middle, densely micropunctate-reticulate with widely dispersed indistinct shallow punctures, lateral portions with oblique wrinkles. Hypomera shallowly concave with sculpture similar to prosternum. Prosternal process longitudinally convex (in lateral view), strongly dilated, almost semicircular posterior to procoxae ( Fig. 44 ). Metaventrite flattened in middle, discrimen vanishing in anterior fourth, punctuation and microreticulation similar to prosternum. Recurrent outer portions of mesocoxal cavities not developed. Punctation of abdominal ventrites similar, generally less distinct than on metaventrite.

Protibia less than 4× longer than wide, outer apical angle rectangular. Protarsomeres I–III bilobed, 0.7× width of protibia. Protarsomere V longer than I–IV combined. Tarsal claws simple. Mesotarsomeres I–III bilobed, 0.5× width of mesotibia.

Male genitalia as in Figs 45–46 ; tips of lateral lobes of tegmen acutely pointed with shallowly concave inner edges, median lobe in distal third gradually narrowed towards narrowly truncate apex.

Female. Generally similar to male ( Fig. 12 ). Tips of elytra moderately acuminate, ratio LELY/WELY: 1.22–1.25. Pygidium narrowly rounded apically. Ovipositor as in Fig. 47 .

Measurements. Body length 3.1–3.8 mm, width 1.3–1.7 mm.

Notes. Epuraea signata is easily distinguished from other Epuraea species by its somewhat elongate body form and patterned elytra present in most specimens. The species is not as commonly collected as other native species, and seems to occur rarely in leaf litter and may be saproxylic (e.g., KUSCHEL 1990). In addition to the one leaf litter record, as well as in branch, Malaise and light traps, E. signata has been collected by beating vegetation and hand collecting from rotten wood, Nothophagus branches, and low growing ferns.

Geographic distribution. North Island: AK, BP, CL, GB, ND, TO, WI, WN, WO. South Island: BR, DN, MB, NN, OL/WD, SI. Offshore Island: CH.

Figures

Figs 9–12. Dorsal habitus of New Zealand Epuraea species. 9 – E. scutellaris (Broun, 1880) J, Mt. Roskill (2.3 mm); 10 – E. scutellaris♀, Whangarei (2.2 mm); 11 – E. signata Broun, 1880J, Titirangi (3.4 mm); 12 – E. signata ♀, Titahi Bay (3.8 mm).

Figs 43–47. Details of Epuraea signata Broun, 1880. 43 – antenna; 44 – prosternal process; 45 – tegmen; 46 – median lobe of aedeagus; 47 – ovipositor. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.