Psammoecus australis, Karner, 2020

Karner, Michael, 2020, Taxonomic Studies on Australian Psammoecus Latreille (Coleoptera, Silvanidae, Brontinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 723, pp. 135-158 : 149-152

Psammoecus australis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B8F383AA-30E8-4CE3-B033-600DEFFEF03E

Fig. 6

Diagnosis

The following combination of character states distinguishes this species: body length 1.96–2.45 mm; eyes very large, evenly rounded; temples extremely short, strongly narrowed immediately behind eyes; frontal grooves diverging posteriorly, reaching middle of eyes; punctation on vertex very sparse; pronotal punctation sparse; pronotal teeth long; lateral pronotal margin simple; lateral elytral interstices with very long setae; median lobe wide, apex blunt, rounded; parameres short, roundish.

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from the continent name Australia.

Material examined

Holotype

AUSTRALIA • ♂; Queensland, Cook Shire, 30 km S of Cooktown, Mt Finnigan Sl. ; 400 m a.s.l.; 3 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, moist litter; ANIC.

Paratypes

AUSTRALIA – Queensland – Cairns Region • 1 spec.; Bellenden, Ker Range, Cable Tower 3; 1054 m a.s.l.; 17°16′12.04″ S, 145°53′59.76″ E; 25–31 Oct. 1981; rainforest, stick brushings; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 17 Oct.–9 Nov. 1981; pyrethrum knockdown; ANIC • 1 spec.; Bellenden, Ker Range, Cableway Base Station ; 100 a.s.l.; 17°16′ S, 145°54′ E; 25–31 Oct. 1981; rainforest, sieved litter; ANIC • 10 specs; same locality; 17–24 Oct. 1981; rainforest, sieved litter; ANIC • 3 specs; same data as for preceding; MKF • 2 specs; Bellenden, Ker Range, Cableway Base Station ; 100 m a.s.l.; 17°16′12.04″ S, 145°53′59.76″ E; 25–31 Oct. 1981; rainforest, sieved litter; ANIC • 2 specs; Mulgrave River Road , 7 km SW of Bellenden, Ker; 60 m a.s.l.; 17°16′ S, 145°47′ E; 2 Apr. 1984; Calder and Weir leg.; rainforest; ANIC . – Cassowary Coast Region • 1 spec.; Mission Beach ; 10 m a.s.l.; 17°50′ S, 146°06′ E; 29 Jan.–4 Mar. 1996; Cermak leg.; Malaise trap; ANIC • 2 specs; Mission Beach ; 40 m a.s.l.; 17°52′ S, 146°04′ E; 29 Jan.–4 Mar. 1996; Cermak leg.; flight intercept trap; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 4 Mar.–1 Apr. 1996; Cermak leg.; flight intercept trap; ANIC . Shire of Douglas • 2 specs; 2 km SSW of Cape Tribulation ; 10 m a.s.l.; 16°05′ S, 145°28′ E; 28 Feb.–27 Mar. 1996; Zborowski leg.; flight intercept trap; ANIC • 1 spec.; 1 km WNW of Cape Tribulation; 10 m a.s.l.; 16°04′ S, 145°28′ E; 5 Dec. 1995 – 4 Jan. 1996; Umback leg.; flight intercept trap; ANIC • 1 spec.; 2 km WSW of Cape Tribulation; 30 m a.s.l.; 16°05′ S, 145°27′ E; 4 Jan.–1 Feb. 1996; Umback leg.; pitfall trap; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 1–28 Feb. 1996; Umback leg.; pitfall trap; ANIC • 1 spec.; same locality; 28 Feb.–27 Mar. 1996; Zborowski leg.; flight intercept trap; ANIC • 4 specs; Cape Tribulation Area ; 16°03′ S, 145°28′ E; 1–11 May 1992; Lawrence leg.; leaf and log litter; ANIC • 2 specs; 45 km N of Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation ; 16°03′ S, 145°28′ E; 21–28 Mar. 1984; Calder and Weir leg.; lowland rainforest; ANIC • 2 specs; 40 km N of Daintree, Cape Tribulation ; 10 m a.s.l.; 12 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, leaf and log litter; ANIC • 1 spm; same data as for preceding; MKF • 1 spec.; Shire of Cook, Moses Creek 4 km NE of Mount Finnigan; 15°47′ S, 145°17′ E; 14–16 Oct. 1980; Weir leg.; rainforest litter; ANIC • 1 spec.; Shire of Cook, 30 km S of Cooktown, Mt Finnigan ; 400 m a.s.l.; 1 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest, litter and fungi; ANIC • 1 spec.; Kuranda, Black Mountain Road ; 390 m a.s.l.; 17°26′ S, 145°35′ E; 22 Jun. 1971; Feehan leg.; rainforest; ANIC • 1 spec.; Kuranda, Black Mountain Road ; 350 m a.s.l.; 27 Jun. 1971; Feehan leg.; ANIC • 1 spec.; Shire of Cook , 3 km NE of Mount Webb; 15°03′ S, 145°09′ E; 1–3 Oct. 1980; Weir leg.; rainforest litter; ANIC • 3 specs; Shire of Cook, Cape York Peninsula , Mount Webb National Park ; 15°04′ S, 145°07′ E; 28–30 Sep. 1980; Weir leg.; rainforest litter; ANIC • 1 spec.; Shire of Douglas, Mossman Gorge National Park , 6 km SW of Mossman; 50 m a.s.l.; 11 Jul. 1982; S. and J. Peck leg.; rainforest leaf litter; ANIC • 3 specs; Shire of Douglas, Daintree, Pilgrims Sands ; 10 m a.s.l.; 20–27 Jan. 1991; Hammond leg.; lowland tropical forest, flight interception trap; NHMUK • 1 spm; same data as for preceding; MKF • 2 specs; Shire of Lockhart River , 9 km ENE of Mount Tozer; 12°43′ S, 143°17′ E; 5–10 Jul. 1986; Weir leg.; rainforest litter; ANIC .

Description of holotype

Body oval, stout, 2.13 mm long; testaceous ( Fig. 6A ); elytra with dark maculae near middle and near apex; antennomeres 8–9 slightly and 7 very slightly darkened, antennomeres 10–11 whitish ( Fig. 6D ). Head ( Fig. 6B ) 0.36 mm long, 0.55 mm wide; frontal grooves distinct, deep, curved outwards toward posterior end, reaching middle of eyes; vertex with sparse punctation, punctures small; setae of very uneven lengths, directed straight forward, seta near end of each frontal groove almost as long as eyes, shortest setae only as long as two eye facet diameters; microsculpture absent; eyes large, strongly protruding, unevenly rounded, 0.16 mm long, eye distance 0.32 mm; temples absent, head narrowed immediately behind eyes, temple angle 83°; antennae ( Fig. 6D ) long, slender, length 1.29 mm, antennomere proportions 3.0: 1.1: 1.3: 1.4: 1.5: 1.4: 1.4:1.2: 1.1: 1.0: 2.7. Pronotum ( Fig. 6C ) 0.63 mm wide, 0.43 mm long, widest at anterior third; at anterior denticles 1.32 × as wide as at posterior denticles; very shallowly impressed near posterior margin; lateral margin slightly ridged between lateral teeth III and V, with distinct group of three anterior denticles and additional small denticles along anterior pronotal margin, lateral margin with distinct teeth; I small, only slightly larger than anterior denticles, II to IV of increasing length, V as large as III; posterior denticle distinct, slightly smaller than anterior denticles; punctation on pronotal disc slightly denser than on vertex, punctures somewhat smaller than eye facet diameter; setae on pronotal disc of very uneven lengths, directed anteromedially, longest setae about ³⁄5 as long as eyes, shortest 1.5 × as long as eye facet diameter.

Elytra ( Fig. 6A ) oval, 1.29 mm long, 0.94 mm wide, striae twice as wide as interstices, pubescence semierect, interstrial setae about twice as long as strial setae, even longer near elytral margins; interstice between 9 th and 11 th stria with distinct denticles near humerus; microsculpture absent. Male genitalia ( Fig. 6 E–G) with wide median lobe, apex evenly rounded, in the shape of a half-circle, parameres short, stout, almost circular in ventral view, each with one very long and several shorter setae.

Distribution

Australia (Queensland).

Biology

The species was found in flight intercept traps, in berlese funnels and in plant detritus.

Variation

Paratypes range in length: 1.96–2.45 mm. The elytral maculae differ considerably in size. In some specimens, only the 11 th antennomere is whitish.

Remarks

Psammoecus australis sp. nov. is closely related to Psammoecus delicatus Grouvelle, 1908 and Psammoecus complexus Pal, 1985 . It can be distinguished from P. complexus by the distinctly different colouration, and from both species by the different shape of lateral pronotal teeth and male genitalia.

Figures

Fig. 6. Psammoecus australis sp. nov, ♂♂. A–C. Holotype (ANIC). A. Habitus. B. Head. C. Pronotum. D. Left antenna. E–G. Paratype from Queensland (ANIC). E. Aedeagus, ventral view. F. Parameres, ventral view. G. Parameres and median lobe, lateral view. Scale bars: A = 1.0 mm; B–D = 0.5 mm; E = 0.2 mm; F–G = 0.1 mm.