Brachypeplus wattsensis Blackburn, 1902

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 : 73-75

26. Brachypeplus wattsensis Blackburn, 1902

Figs 21 , E–F

Brachypeplus wattsensis Blackburn, 1902: 303 ; VIC, “Watts River district”.

Type specimens examined. Australia: Lectotype of Brachypeplus wattsensis , female ( NHML), here designated— “ H. Vict. ”, “ Australia Blackburn Coll. B.M. 1910–236”, “ Brachypeplus wattsensis Blackb. ”; 1 paralectotype, female ( SAM)—“ H. Vict. ”, “ Brachypeplus wattsensis cotype.”

Notes on specimens. The first author of this monograph studied the type specimens of this species in 1989 (paralectotype) and 1993 (lectotype). Having compared them with other Australian specimens he found also some specimens from NSW rather similar to the type specimens of this species. However, at the time of preparation of this publication he had some doubts whether these additional specimens are really conspecific with tthe lecto- and paralectotypes. Therefore, only the types of Brachypeplus wattsensis are here regarded as authentic representatives of this species which completely fit its original description. The picture of the lectotype was recently made by K. Matsumoto ( NHML). The ovipositor of this species is very similar to that in Brachypeplus instriatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 12 , J).

Diagnosis. This species can be diagnosed after the above key to Australian and Tasmanian species of the genus. It is rather similar to Brachypeplus binotatus and B. blandus , differing from both in the somewhat longer and more subquadrate pronotum (about 1.5 × as wide as long), completely reddish abdomen, abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 4 × as long as wide, antennae about as long as distance between eyes with comparatively shorter club. The temples of Brachypeplus wattsensis are less sharply narrowing behind eyes. It is also necessary to note that the abdominal laterosternites V and VI are so narrow in Brachypeplus wattsensis as unknown among other Australian species of this genus. See also the above Diagnosis of Brachypeplus binotatus . Besides, structure of metatibia in Brachypeplus wattsensis is rather similar to that in B. planus , although both these species are very different in many other characters (body coloration and sculpture of integument, size of eyes, outline of temples, length of antennae, pronotal shape, shape of scutellar shield and abdominal laterosternites—see also the below Notes to B. planus ).

Addition to description. Body entire length 4.0 (paralectotype) and 4.4 (lectotype), width 1.2–1.3 mm. Head, pronotum, scutellar shield, adsutural and distal parts of elytra, and metaventrite brownish (or pronotum dark reddish); prosternum, basal adhumeral elytral spot, abdomen and appendages reddish; upper surface with short and moderately conspicuous brownish to reddish pubescence, pronotal and elytral sides with moderately long cilia. Head and pronotum with punctures slightly coarser than eye facets, interspaces between punctures very small (mostly smaller than one puncture diameter), obliterated to smooth. Elytra with strial rows of punctures markedly coarser than those on head and pronotum, interstrial spaces with one row of finer punctures, at apices punctation becoming less regular, interspaces between punctures with obliterated microreticulation; Pronotum about 1.5 × as wide as long, widest at middle, with clearly trapezoid-like excised anterior edge, projecting anterior angles and widely rounded at tip, moderately subexplanate sides (about as widely subexplanate as antennal flageli wide), clearly and finely serrate lateral edge and clearly bi-emarginate base. Elytra with sides somewhat more widely explanate than those of pronotum. Abdominal laterosternites V nearly 4.0 × as long as wide at apex, laterosternites VI more than 4.0 × as long as wide at apex. Female pygidium slightly transverse, slightly longer than tergite VI and subtruncate to shallowly emarginate at apex. Tibiae rather narrower than antennal club, with outer apical angle not projecting; metatibia subparallel-sided in distal 0.8 and gradually narrowing before apex; spurs short and moderately thin. Ovipositor moderately sclerotized and rather narrow; gonocoxites comprising almost 0.5 of entire length, lateral lobes moderately sclerotized and about 0.3 × as long as gonocoxites in general, outer outline of gonocoxites clearly concave at base and subparallel-sided in distal half; comparatively narrow apex with rather long styli located at small distance from apex.

Distribution. Australia: VIC—only type locality (“Watts River district”).

Notes on bionomy. Taking into consideration of the appearance and structural features of this species, it is thought that its ecology and bionomy could be similar to those in Brachypeplus binotatus and B. blandus .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Brachypeplus instriatus sp. nov., orig. A–E: male from ACT (“Canberra… apricots”); A: body, dorsal; B: head, dorsal; C: head and thorax, ventral; D: shoulder place of elytron, dorsal; E: abdominal apex, ventrolateral; F-I: male from? QLD (“in sawdust Caboolture…”); F: male anal sclerite and spiculum gastrale, ventral; G: tegmen, ventral; H: penis trunk, dorsal; I: proximal part of inner sac with armature; J: female from SA (“Port Lincoln, Blackburn”); ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars: a = 1.0 mm to Fig. A; b = 1.0 mm to Figs B, C, E; с = 0.5 mm to Fig. D; d = 0.25 mm to Figs F–J.

FIGURE 21. Type specimens of the genus Brachypeplus, A–B, E: pictured by K. Matsumoto; C-D, F: orig. A: lectotype of B. blandus, male from VIC (“Port Lincoln…”); B: body of lectotype of B. kemblensis, male from QLD (“M. Kembl.”); C–D: paratypes of B. pudicus, male and female from Açores (“… Furnas …”); E: body of lectotype of B. wattsensis, male from VIC (Blackburn, 1902: 304: “Watts River district”); paralectotype of B. wattsensis, female from the same series; A–E: body, dorsal; F: ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars = ~ 1.3 mm for Figs A, C and D; = ~1.0 mm for Fig. B; =~ 1.1 mm for Fig. E; =~ 0.25 mm for Fig. F.