Lepanus kulki Gunter & Weir, 2021

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 : 56-60

Lepanus kulki Gunter & Weir , new species

( Figs. 13C, N ; 14C ; 15C ; 16C ; 18 A–B)

Type series. Holotype: ♂ “QLD 16.078°S X 145.433°E, Mt Sorrow Plateau , 5–7 Dec 2012, G. Monteith, rainforest, 760m, mushroom pitfall 35414” (16°04’41”S, 145°25’59”E)/ “ ANIC database No. 25 062103” / “ ANIC image”/ “ Lepanus NQ 10 det T.A. Weir 2013 ” in ANIC ; Paratypes (38 ♂, 35 ♀): Queensland: Mount Sorrow Plateau [16°04’41”S, 145°25’59”E], 760 m, mushroom pitfall 35414, 5–7.xii.2012, G.B. Monteith (25-065537 1 specimen ♂, 2 specimens ♀, 25-057644 10 ♂, 8 specimens ♀ also as COL2781, 25-057645, 1 specimen ♀ also as COL2782 specimens in ANIC) ; Mount Sorrow Plateau [16°04’41”S, 145°25’59”E], 760 m, dung pitfall 35413, 5–7.xii.2012, G.B. Monteith (25-057646 2 specimens ♂, 1 specimen ♀ also as COL2783, 25-057647 1 specimen ♂ also as COL2784 specimens in ANIC) ; Mount Finnigan summit [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 1100 m, 20–21.xi.1998, dung trap 1929, G.B. Monteith (25-060861 1 specimen ♂, 4 specimens ♀: also as COL 577 ♀, COL 578 ♀, COL579 ♂, COL 580 ♀, 25-058329 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Mount Finnigan , 15°49’01”S, 145°16’44”E, 1075 m, 28.iv.2014, A. Riedel (25-063060 2 specimens ♂, 1 specimen ♀ also as COL3028 specimens in ANIC) ; Mount Finnigan summit, 15°49’06”S, 145°16’45”E, 30.xi.1985 (T55735–T55736 specimens in QM 2 specimens ♂) ; Mount Finnigan summit, 15°49’06”S, 145°16’45”E, 21.xi.1998 (T70924 1 specimen ♀, T70926–7 2 specimens ♂, T70822–T70827 4 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀, in QM, T70828–29 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀, T70925 1 specimen ♀ also as COL2463 specimens in ANIC) ; Mount Finnigan summit, 15°49’06”S, 145°16’45”E, 20–22.xi.1998 (T70853 1 specimen ♂, T70855 1 specimen ♀ in CMNC) ; Roaring Meg Creek , 6 km W Cape Tribulation, 16°04’37”S, 145°24’59”E, 20–22.xi.1993 (T55623–T55625 2 specimens ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect site 10, 16°04’37”S, 145°25’32”E, 20–23.iv.1983 (T55817–T55823 1 specimen ♂, 6 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Mount Pieter Botte , 800–900 m, 16°04’43”S, 145°24’32”E, 21.xi–8.xii.1993 (T55622 specimens in QM 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Cape Tribulation transect Site 8, 18.xi.1998 (T70775 1 specimen ♂, T70780 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Mount Hemmant , summit, 16°06’44”S, 145°24’58”E, 25–27.xi.1993 (T55614–T55615, T55618 3 specimens ♂ in QM, T55616–17 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Mount Sorrow summit, 16°05’03”S, 145°26’02”E, 19.x.1980 (T55610, T55612 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in QM, T55611 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Thornton Peak summit, [16°09’45”S, 145°22’04”E], 30.x–1.xi.1983 (T55630 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Thornton Peak summit [16°09’45”S, 145°22’04”E], 20–22.ix.1981 (T55649–50 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) .

Other material examined. 170 other specimens from 11 localities were also examined.

Queensland: Mount Finnigan camp, 15°49’13”S, 145°17’02”E, 22.iv.1982 (T55753 1 specimen in QM) ; Mount Finnigan ANZSES Site 5, 15°49’13”S, 145°17’02”E, 4.xii.1990 – 17.i.1991 (T60060–T60075 16 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan , summit rock slabs, 15°49’16”S, 145°16’35”E, 21–22.xi.1998 (T70857–T70858 2 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 28–30.xi.1985 (T55737–T55748 12 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 21 April 1982 (T55749–T55752 4 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 19–22.iv.1982 (T55754–T55755 2 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 3–5.xii.1990 (T55756–T55758 3 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 28–30.xi.1985 (T55759–T55763 5 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 20–22.xi.1998 (T70790, T70845–T70852, T70854, T70856 11 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 20–21.xi.1998 (T70791–T70802 12 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3 [15°49’00”S, 145°17’00”E], 21.xi.1998 (T70803–T70821, T70830–T70843 33 specimens in QM) ; Mount Finnigan ANZSES Site 4, 15°49’09”S, 145°16’55”E, 4.xii.1990 – 17.i.1991 (T60055, T60084–T60087 5 specimens in QM) ; Cape Tribulation transect Site 10, 16°04’37”S, 145°25’32”E, 5–9.i.1983 (T55804 1 specimen in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect site 10, 16°04’37”S, 145°25’32”E, 20–23.iv.1983 (T55824–T55825 2 specimens in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect Site 9, 16°04’41”S, 145°25’46”E, 23.1 v.1983 (T55826 1 specimen in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect Site 8, 16°04’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 5–9.i.1983 (T55805–T55808 4 specimens in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect site 8, 16°04’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 23.ix–7.x.1982 (T55809–T55816 8 specimens in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect site 8, 16°04’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 17.xi.1998 (T70774 1 specimen in QM) ; Cape Tribulation, transect site 8, 16°04’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 18.xi.1998, (T70776–T70779, T70781–T70782 5 specimens in QM) ; Mount Hemmant , summit, 16°06’44”S, 145°24’58”E, 27.xi.1993 (T55619 1 specimen in QM) ; Mount Hemmant , 16°06’44”S, 145°24’58”E, 25.iv.1983 (T55620 1 specimen in QM) ; Thornton Peak summit, 16°09’45”S, 145°22’04”E, 30.x–1.xi.1983, (T55627–T55629, T55631–T55644 17 specimens in QM) ; Thornton Peak summit, 16°09’45”S, 145°22’04”E, 20–21.ix.1981 (T55645 1 specimen in QM) ; Thornton Peak summit, 16°09’45”S, 145°22’04”E, 1.xi.1983 (T55646 1 specimen in QM) ; Thornton Peak summit, 16°09’45”S, 145°22’04”E, 20–22.ix.1981 (T55647–55648, T55651–T55668 20 specimens in QM) ; Parrot Creek upper, 15°48’S, 145°16’E, 300 m, 22.xi.1998 (T70859 1 specimen in QM) .

Description. Uniformly dark brown in colour. Antennal clubs, apical 2 antennomeres (2 nd, 3 rd) white, basal antenomere (1 st) grey.

Total length: 3.4–3.5 mm. Holotype measurements: total length 3.4 mm, elytral width 2.2 mm.

Male. Head: Width to length ratio 30: 20. U-shape between clypeal teeth. Surface finely punctate, without setae. Dorsal part of eyes narrow, separated by an interocular space approximately 11–12 times eye width (23: 2).

Prothorax: Pronotum smooth, nitid, with very fine punctation towards the anterior and finely punctate posteriorly. Hypomeral surface very finely reticulate and impunctate. Hypomeral stria absent. Pronotum width to length ratio 45: 26.

Elytra: Smooth and nitid. Intervals very finely punctate and with extremely fine setae. Ratio of length of the elytra along suture to maximum elytral width 54: 58.

Legs: As per L. nitidus species group. Ridge on ventral side of protibia apically more or less joined to the second tooth by a fine carina.

Abdomen: Rest of the pygidium surrounding central flat area is matt and reticulate with fine punctures, each with a seta.

Pterothorax: Lateral lobe of metaventrite finely punctate and setose, inner border beside mesocoxae not anteriorly widened, of same width throughout. Medial lobe of metaventrite finely punctate and without tubercle or depression.

Male genitalia: Aedeagus with left paramere excised apically.

Female. As per L. nitidus species group. Medial lobe of metaventrite without tubercle or depression.

Etymology. The name is a noun in aposition that is formed in Kuku-Yalanji, the indigenous language of the region and refers to the place name for Cape Tribulation – Kulki, where the species occurs (see Henry & Hershberger 1986).

Distribution. Known from rainforest of the Wet Tropics (WET) IBRA bioregion [Zones 1 and 2] from Mount Finnigan to Thornton peak (~ 50 km) ( Fig. 18A ). Almost all specimens have been collected at high elevations (750–1150 m). Predicted species distribution shown in Fig. 18B .

Comments. This species has been referred to to under the informal name of “ Lepanus NQ 10”, which is followed by Gunter et al. (2019). The specimen sequenced in this study was collected from Mount Finnigan and is designated as a paratype here (25-063060). Lepanus kulki was recovered as sister to L. nitidus in the analysis of Gunter et al. (2019) and in this study (see Fig. 1 ). Lepanus kulki appears to be a generalist species that has been collected in dung or mushroom-baited pitfalls. Specimens have also been collected in flight intercept and from berlesed leaf litter.

In the elevational transect study by Monteith (1985a, 1985b) along 11 sites between sealevel and 780 m at Cape Tribulation, L. kulki (listed as L. dichrous in that study) was taken only at sites above 700 m.

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 13. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus nitidus species group. A, Dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus nitidus; B, dorsal view of female protibia of Lepanus nitidus; C, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus kulki; D, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus dichrous; E, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus vangerweni; F, dorsal view of male protibia of Lepanus carbinensis; G, ventral view of male protibia of Lepanus nitidus, grey arrow points to diagnostic carina; H, ventral view of male protibia of Lepanus dichrous showing lack of carina; I, ventral view of metaventrite of Lepanus nitidus, showing tubercle (grey arrow); J, ventral view of metaventrite of Lepanus dichrous, showing tubercle (grey arrow); K, ventrolateral view of metaventrite of Lepanus vangerweni, showing medial longitudinal depression; L, apical view of elytra of Lepanus dichrous, showing stria 1 appearing superficial towards the apex (grey arrow); M, lateral lobe of metaventrite of Lepanus nitidus, grey arrow points to apically widened inner border; N, lateral lobe of metaventrite of Lepanus kulki; O, apical view of elytra of Lepanus carbinensis, showing stria 1 visibly impressed towards the apex (grey arrow); P, metaventrite of Lepanus vangerweni showing punctures on medial lobe much smaller than those on lateral lobe; Q, metaventrite of Lepanus carbinensis showing punctures on medial lobe same size as those on lateral lobe.

FIGURE 14. Dorsal habitus of species within the Lepanus nitidus species group. A, Lepanus carbinensis; B, Lepanus dichrous; C, Lepanus kulki; D, Lepanus nitidus; E, Lepanus vangerweni. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 15. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus nitidus species group. A, Lepanus carbinensis; B, Lepanus dichrous; C, Lepanus kulki; D, Lepanus nitidus; E, Lepanus vangerweni. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 16. Left, dorsal and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus nitidus species group. A, Lepanus carbinensis; B, Lepanus dichrous; C, Lepanus kulki; D, Lepanus nitidus; E, Lepanus vangerweni. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 18. A, Map of known records of Lepanus kulki and Lepanus nitidus with the zones of insect endemism of the Wet Tropics sensu Yeates & Montieth (2008) numbered and indicated by dashed lines. Zone numbers are as follows: 1 Mount Finnigan; 2 Thornton Peak; 3 Windsor Tableland; 4 Carbine Tableland; 5 Hann Tableland; 6 Black Mountain; 7 Lamb Range; 8 Walsh/Hugh Nelson Range; 9 Atherton Tableland; 10 Bellenden Ker; 11 Malbon Thompson Range; 12 Walter Hill Range; 13 Kirrama/Cardwell Ranges; 14 Seaview Range; 15 Hinchinbrook Island, B, predicted distribution of Lepanus kulki; C, predicted distribution of Lepanus nitidus.