N. brevicornis Sharp, 1882

Baca, Stephen M. & Short, Andrew Edward Z., 2021, Review of the New World Notomicrus Sharp (Coleoptera, Noteridae) I: Circumscription of species groups and review of the josiahi group with description of a new species from Brazil, ZooKeys 1025, pp. 177-201 : 177

N. brevicornis Sharp, 1882 Figs 1k , 12

Material examined.

Syntypes: Male specimen on small rectangular card, “♂” is drawn around genitalia and other parts, prosternal process flanks the specimen. "Boa Sorta Nov./ Sahlberg 1850" [small rectangular label, handwritten], "Sharp Coll/ 1905-313" [small rectangular label, typed], " Notomicrus / Notomicrus brevicornis Ind. typ./ D.S." [small rectangular label, handwritten] "SYN/ TYPE" [small circular label with blue border, printed] (ex. NHM); female specimen on rectangular card, " S. America / Brazil." [small rectangular label with blue line across, typed], "Sharp Coll/ 1905-313." Small rectangular label, typed], "Boa Sorta Nov./ Sahlberg 1850" [small rectangular label, handwritten], "Type 470/ Notomicrus / Notomicrus brevicornis / Boa Sorta" [rectangular label, handwritten], "SYN/ TYPE" [small circular label with blue border, printed], “TYPE” [small circular label with red border, printed], (ex. NHM); female specimen disarticulated on large card, " S. America / Brazil." [small rectangular label with blue line across, typed], "Boa Sorta Nov./ Sahlberg 1850" [small rectangular label, handwritten], " Notomicrus / Notomicrus brevicornis , Sharp./ Co-type." [rectangular label, handwritten], "SYN/ TYPE" [small circular label with blue border, printed], (ex. NHM); female specimen on small rectangular card, "Co-/ type" [small circular label with yellow border, printed], " S. America / Brazil." [small rectangular label with blue line across, typed], "Sharp Coll/ 1905-313." Small rectangular label, typed], " Notomicrus / Notomicrus brevicornis , Sharp./ Co-type." [rectangular label, handwritten] "SYN/ TYPE" [small circular label with blue border, printed] (ex. NHM). Note: this latter specimen also with small label "Not Notomicrus brevicornis / maybe Notomicrus gracilipes ?/ Manuel det. 2016". See notes below .

Remarks.

Notomicrus brevicornis would otherwise appear to be a member of the Notomicrus nanulus group by the aforementioned characters. However, it differs by the more acute posterior angles of the noterid platform, a character shared with members of the Notomicrus tenellus , Notomicrus josiahi and Notomicrus traili groups. The male syntype presents a bifurcate anterior protarsal claw (as in fig. 8A), a character shared by the Notomicrus josiahi and Notomicrus tenellus species groups. With the Old World and New World taxa being reciprocally monophyletic ( Baca and Short 2020) and the plesiomorphic appearance of these characters, we would speculate that this species is likely to be sister to one of the New World species groups.

Based on observation of the single male of the syntype series, it is suspected that Young (1978) based his description, key and illustration of the aedeagus of N. brevicornis on the male of a different species. First, the illustration in Young (1978) of the aedeagus of N. brevicornis does not match that observed in the syntype. Second, Young (1978: 288-289) describes N. brevicornis as being sexually dimorphic in elytral punctation, with males being more punctate than females. However, as noted by Sharp (1882: 261), there is very little dimorphism observed between males and females of the syntype series beyond characters of the tarsi. The punctation and sculpture are very weakly dimorphic, both sexes being almost entirely impunctate, except for the weak discal rows and a few scattered punctures near the elytral apex. The punctation is slightly less impressed in females, with discal rows slightly less prominent. The relative difference of punctation between the male and female syntypes of this species is so slight that splitting them up in the key as did Young (1978: 288, couplet 7) seems largely unnecessary, wherein the couplet describing females of N. brevicornis also closely describes the male syntype ( Young 1978: 288). The specimens of the UMMZ, observed by Young, were not observed for this study, but the stated differences by Young (1978) and the grouping of males of N. brevicornis with N. malkini in Young’s (1978: 288) key call the identity of the depicted male in Young (1978) into question. Further adding to this suspicion is the fact that some male specimens attributable to N. malkini or other undescribed species of the Notomicrus meizon group in the FSCA were identified as N. brevicornis by Young (date of determination not recorded). For aiding in identification, we have included images of the male syntype, labels and aedeagus (Figs 1k , 12 ). One specimen of the syntype series appears to be of a different species than the others; likely it is a member of the Notomicrus traili species group. See last listed specimen and note in the examined syntype material above.

Personal observations show that many members of the N. nanulus group are misidentified as N. brevicornis in collections. This is no doubt due to the superficial similarities of N. brevicornis to members of the Notomicrus nanulus group and scarcity of males in the Notomicrus nanulus group. With that, there are likely inaccuracies in literature with respect to records and distributions.

Figures

Figure 1. Notomicrus species groups. Dorsal habitus of representative Notomicrus species a N. nanulus b N. sharpi c N. sp. d N. cf. traili e N. cf. gracilipes f N. petrareptans g N. sp. h N. sp nr. malkini i N. sp. nr. meizon j N. tenellus k N. brevicornis male syntype.

Figure 12. Card mount, aedeagus and labels of male syntype of N. brevicornis a Notomicrus brevicornis card mount, dorsal b median lobe lateral aspect c left lateral lobe, medial aspect d right lateral lobe e syntype labels.