Saprinus (Saprinus) viridipennis Lewis, 1901

Lackner, Tomas & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2017, A monograph of the Australopacific Saprininae (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 689, pp. 1-263 : 169-173

Saprinus (Saprinus) viridipennis Lewis, 1901 Figs 603, 604-611, 612-618, 765

Saprinus viridipennis Lewis, 1901: 245.

Saprinus desbordesi Auzat, 1916: 32 - Synonymized by Dahlgren (1967): 220.

Type locality.

Australia.

Type material examined.

Saprinus viridipennis Lewis, 1901: Lectotype, present designation: ♀, side-mounted on a triangular mounting card with genitalia extracted and mounted on another mounting card under the specimen, except for left mesotarsus all tarsi are broken off to some degree, with the following labels: "Australie / CH FRENCH" (written); followed by: "Prosternum / without striae" (written); followed by: " Saprinus / viridipennis / Type Lewis" (written); followed by: "G. Lewis Coll. / B.M. 1926-369" (printed); followed by: “Type” (round, printed red-margined label); followed by: “08-078” (yellow, pencil-written label, added by the senior author); followed by: "LECTOTYPE / Saprinus viridipennis / Lewis, 1901 / Designated by / T. Lackner, 2008" (red label, written) (BMNH). This species has been described from numerous specimens ("Examples in the Belgium Museum and in my own cabinet." - Lewis 1901: 245) and the lectotype designation fixes the identity of species. 1 paralectotype (present designation), ♀, with blue round label, followed by: “Co-type” (round, printed, yellow-margined label); followed by: "Australie / CH FRENCH" (written); followed by: " S. viridipennis / Cotype Lewis" (BMNH).

Saprinus desbordesi Auzat, 1916: 32: Lectotype, present designation: ♂, all tarsi and right mesotibia missing, male genitalia extracted, glued on the same mounting card as the specimen, with following labels: " Saprinus / Desbordesi / Typus / Dr. Auzat det 1916" (printed-written); followed by: “MUSÉUM PARIS / 1933 / Coll. DESBORDES" (printed); followed by: “TYPE” (red label, printed); followed by: "Sapr. VIRIDIPEN- / NIS LEW. / G Dahlgren det" (printed-written); followed by: " Saprinus desbordesi / Auzat, 1916 / LECTOTYPE 2014 / des. T. Lackner" (red label, written) (MNHN). Paralectotype (present designation): ♀, with genitalia extracted, glued onto the same label as specimen, all tarsi and left metatibia broken off, with the following labels: "Desbordesi / Typus / dr. Auzat det. 1916" (printed-written); followed by: “MUSÉUM PARIS / 1933 / Coll. DESBORDES" (printed); followed by: “TYPE” (red label, printed); followed by: "Sapr. VIRIDIPEN- / NIS LEW. / G Dahlgren det" (printed-written); followed by: " Saprinus desbordesi / Auzat, 1916 / PARALECTOTYPE / des. T. Lackner 2014" (red label, written) (MNHN). Paralectotype (present designation), ♀, pinned, two segments of right mesotarsus, entire left mesotarsus and two segments of left metatarsus missing, with the following labels: “♀” (printed); followed by: "S. Austral." (written); followed by: "S. Austral. / coll. Théry” (written); followed by: " Saprinus / Desbordesi / Typus / D. Auzat det 1916" (printed-written); followed by: “TYPE” (red label, printed); followed by: " Saprinus / desbordesi / Auzat, 1916 / PARALECTOTYPE / des. T. Lackner 2017 " (red label, written) (MNHN, coll. Thérond). This species has been described from three specimens; two of them were from Desbordes collection and third was from Auzat’s collection ( Auzat 1916). The lectotype designation fixes the species identity.

Additional material examined.

AUSTRALIA. Victoria: 1 ♂, Merinqur, 3.i.1931, C.E. Clarke (AMNZ); 2 specs., Melbourne, without further data (ZMHUB). South Australia: 1 spec., Gawler Geb., without further data (ZMHUB); 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, S. Australia, without further data (BMNH); 1 spec., Maralinga, viii.-x.1956, F.L. Hill (BMNH); 2 ♂♂ & 1 ♀, Killalpanima, 100 miles of L. Eyre, H.J. Hillier (BMNH); 1 spec., Kingonya, R. Harvey (SAMA); 1 spec., Oodnadatta, Blackburn (SAMA); 1 spec., Purple Downs (SAMA); 2 spec., Innamincka, W. Lamb (SAMA); 5 specs., Cooper’s Creek, J.G. Reuther (SAMA); 3 specs., Mt. Serle, N Flinders Ra., Hale & Tindale (SAMA). Northern Territory: 1 ♂ & 3 ♀♀, Hermansburg, H.J. Hillier, 1908-177 (BMNH); Coniston Station, near Alice Springs, M.W. Mules (SAMA). New South Wales: 2 ♂♂, Alexandria, New South Wales, W. Stalker, x.[19]05 (BMNH); 4 specs., Lake Callabona, A. Zietz (SAMA). Queensland: 2 specs., Cunnamulla, H. Hardcastle (both exs. SAMA). Western Australia: 1 ♂, Nicol Bay Distr., Dr. Clement, 1900-220; 1 ♀, West Australia, 95-64 (BMNH).

Unknown localities: 3 specs., Australia occid. 1192, without further data (HNMH).

Biology.

Presumably similar to congeners; an uncommon species.

Distribution.

Australia: Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales & Queensland (Fig. 765).

Remarks.

A rare species, easily distinguishable from the most similar S. cyaneus by the presence of long amber setae of pronotal hypomeron easily visible from above, the complete absence of carinal prosternal striae and setose lateral prosternal striae. The protibiae differ from S. cyaneus or S. laetus by their larger triangular teeth.

Re-description.

Body length: PEL: 4.25-5.50 mm; APW: 1.60-2.00 mm; PPW: 3.50-4.70 mm; EL: 2.60-3.50 mm; EW: 3.75-5.00 mm. Body (Fig. 603) rectangular oval, convex, elytra widest at humeri, elytra stark green, shining, metallic; pronotum purple, metallic; legs, mouthparts and antennal scape castaneous; antennal club light brown.

Antennal scape (Fig. 604) triangularly thickened, with several long setae; antennal club large, wider than long, depressed dorso-ventrally, somewhat truncate apically, dorsally on lower fourth asetose, rest of club covered with sparse to dense short sensilla intermingled with sparse longer erect setae; ventrally four large oval sensory structures of antennal club (Figs 605) easily observable; vesicle(s) not examined.

Mandibles dorso-laterally punctuate, rounded, stout, outer margin slightly carinate, mandibular apex acute, sub-apical tooth on left mandible obtuse; labrum finely and sparsely punctuate, convex, broadly depressed medially; labral pits present, each with two short labral setae; terminal labial palpomere elongate, pointed apically, approximately twice as long as pen-ultimate, its length about three times its width; terminal maxillary palpomere elongate, about twice as long as pen-ultimate, approximately three times as long as wide, pointed apically; mentum (Fig. 606) sub-trapezoid, laterally with a row of short ramose setae, several short setae present also on imbricate disc; anterior margin broadly inwardly arcuate medially, a tuft of four longer setae present near median notch.

Clypeus (Fig. 607) faintly concave, sloping down laterally, microscopically punctate; frontal and supraorbital striae complete; frontal disc (Fig. 604) punctate, punctures separated by about their own to twice their diameter; eyes convex, well visible from above.

Pronotal sides (Fig. 603) on basal half gently narrowing anteriorly, on apical half strongly narrowing, apical angles prominent, pronotal depressions present, shallow, an terior incision for head moderate; marginal pronotal stria carinate, visible along its entire length from dorsal view, ending short of pronotal base; pronotal disc laterally with a depressed band of deep dense coarse elongate punctures originating approximately in pronotal depressions, reaching basal angles of pronotum, between it and pronotal margin a broad glabrous band present; rest of the pronotal disc with only scattered microscopic punctation (or even glabrous in some specimens); several rows of punctures present along pronotal base, ante-scutellar area impunctate; pronotal hypomeron in dense amber setae well visible also from dorsal view; scutellum small, visible.

Elytral epipleura almost impunctate; marginal epipleural stria complete; marginal elytral stria well impressed and carinate, continued as weakened, but complete apical elytral stria that is connected to incomplete sutural elytral stria. Humeral elytral stria well impressed on basal third, sometimes connected to rather long median fragment of inner subhumeral stria creating thus a complementary dorsal elytral stria parallel to first; elytra usually with four thin impunctate dorsal elytral striae 1-4; striae 1-3 originating at elytral base and slightly surpassing elytral half apically, fourth dorsal elytral stria occasionally slightly shortened basally, can be variously long apically, even intermittent; in first elytral interval often elongate strioles present; fourth elytral stria basally curved toward shortened sutural elytral stria, but never connected with it; sutural elytral stria abbreviated on basal fourth to fifth, well-impressed, apically connected with apical elytral stria; elytral disc on apical half (roughly) punctate, punctures very fine, sparse, separated by several times their diameter, slightly entering elytral intervals and reaching beyond elytral mid-length basally between fourth elytral and sutural stria; elytral flanks impunctate; punctures reach elytral apex.

Propygidium (Fig. 608) densely punctate laterally, punctures becoming sparser medially; pygidium (Fig. 608) with more even, but sparser punctation.

Anterior margin of median portion of prosternum (Fig. 609) straight; marginal prosternal stria present laterally and also as medial fragment; prosternal process on prosternal keel convex, glabrous; carinal prosternal striae absent; lateral prosternal striae carinate, rather short, surface around them with long amber setae.

Discal marginal mesoventral stria (Fig. 610) weakly impressed, complete, anteriorly faintly inwardly arcuate, at times interrupted medially; disc slightly convex, glabrous; meso-metaventral stria absent; meso-metaventral suture visible; intercoxal disc of metaventrite glabrous, only in post-metacoxal area with several tiny punctures, in males with faint median longitudinal depression, in females slightly convex; lateral metaventral stria (Fig. 611) well impressed, carinate, straight, shortened; lateral disc of metaventrite (Fig. 611) slightly concave, with sparse shallow round setigerous punctures separated by less than their to about their own diameter, between large punctures another type of much finer sparse punctures present; metepisternum (Fig. 611) similar, but punctures somewhat deeper, on fused metepimeron punctures disappear; metepisternal stria present, deeply impressed, often complete. Intercoxal disc of first abdominal ventrite completely striate laterally, glabrous.

Protibia slightly dilated, outer margin with two large triangular teeth topped by triangular denticle, followed by one more lower tooth topped by denticle and another two tiny denticles diminishing in size proximally; setae of outer row regular, short; protarsal groove shallow; anterior protibial stria present on basal half, next obliterated; setae of median row approximately as long as those of outer row, but sparser; two tarsal denticles present near tarsal insertion; protibial spur bent, large and stout, growing out from apical margin of protibia; apical margin of protibia ventrally with three tiny denticles; outer part of posterior surface obscurely variolate, punctate, separated from glabrous and narrow median part of posterior surface; posterior protibial stria complete, bearing along its length a dense row of long, well-sclerotized setae; inner row of setae long, brush-like.

Mesotibia on outer margin with about five widely separated denticles, fourth and fifth denticles situated on prominent teeth; median tooth of mesotibia bears two denticles, best observable from ventral view; setae of outer row strongly sclerotized, sparse, almost as long as denticles; setae of median row shorter and finer than those of outer row; posterior mesotibial stria shortened on apical half; mesotibial spur rather long and stout; on anterior face of mesotibia a row of about four widely-spaced denticles present; anterior face of mesotibia with scattered fine punctation; anterior mesotibial stria incomplete; inner anterior denticles weakly developed, usually only one or two present; apical margin of mesotibia with a dense row of about four stout denticles; setae of inner row rather long, sparse. Metatibia longer and more slender than mesotibia; teeth on its outer margin lower than those of mesotibia; denticles of both rows sparser.

Male genitalia. Eighth sternite (Figs 612-613) about as broad as long, strongly sclerotized, fused medially, with sparse pores and pseudopores, apex laterally with two short setae, vela present, short, laterally with two tufts of short setae; eighth tergite apically faintly inwardly arcuate, basally strongly inwardly arcuate; eighth tergite and eighth sternite fused laterally (Fig. 614). Ninth tergite (Figs 615-616) laterally strongly sclerotized, medially with a strongly sclerotized part resembling a fusion seen also in other congeners, with pores and pseudopores, well visible, especially laterally; ninth tergite basally faintly inwardly arcuate; tenth tergite basally inwardly arcuate, apices strongly sclerotized; spiculum gastrale (Fig. 615) dilated on both ends, otherwise almost parallel-sided, apical end strongly sclerotized, basal end slightly inwardly arcuate, cordate. Aedeagus (Figs 617-618) on basal half almost parallel-sided, on apical half dilated and thickened; parameres fused along basal two-thirds; aedeagus laterally slightly curved from lateral view; basal piece of aedeagus short, ratio of its length: length of parameres approximately 1: 6; apex of aedeagus slightly dilated, ventrally with a tuft of microscopic setae.