Scraptogetus anthracinus Broun, 1893

Grzymala, Traci L. & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2020, Sexual Dimorphism of New Zealand Puppet Beetles (Aderidae, Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea): Systematic Revision, Description of Three New Genera, and Phylogeny for Zenascus, gen. n., Zootaxa 4889 (1), pp. 1-59 : 13-17

Scraptogetus anthracinus Broun, 1893

Figs 2A , 3 A–3G, 4A–4E, 5A, 5B, 10A, 26A

Scraptogetus anthracinus Broun, 1893: 1358 ; Hudson, 1923: 385; Hudson, 1934: 204; Winterbourn, 1987: 101.

Metasclera nigricans Broun 1914: 198 ; Hudson, 1923: 386; Hudson, 1934: 204; Arnett, 1950: 222. Syn. n.

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other Scraptogetus species by the sparse, long, erect interstitial elytral pubescence present along the lateral apices, the darkly colored pronotum, and the distinctive shape of the metafemoral setal patches. This species most closely resembles Scraptogetus arboreus and is easily separated by the erect and sparse interstitial setae, the smaller overall body size, and the differently shaped metafemoral setal patches for both males and females ( Figs 5 A–5D).

Description. Length 2.31–2.36 mm. Color of head, clypeus, antennal scape, antennomeres 3–11, pronotum, elytra, venter, coxae, tibiae, and tarsi brunneous to piceous; scape, labrum, mouthparts and trochanters testaceous to light brown. Dorsal integument shining; vestiture uniseriate, one decumbent, thin, very long seta arising anterad of each primary puncture, length about equal to 4× puncture length, without additional setae except along elytral apices, with one very long, erect seta between every 5–7 primary punctures, length 5–6× primary puncture length. Head, HW 0.50–0.51 mm, HL 0.21–0.27 mm.Apical maxillary palpomere greatly expanded, width increasing about 7× from base to apex. Antennae reaching past basal ½ of elytra when extended backward; scape rounded, 1.5× length of pedicel; pedicel subglobular, about 1/3× length of antennomere 3 and 2/3× width; antennomere 3 slightly expanded apically; antennomeres 3–7 subequal in width and length to one another; antennomere 8 reduced in length, about 2/3 length of antennomere 7; antennomeres 8–10 subqual in length and width; antenomere 11 slightly longer than 10, subequal to apical width of antennomere 10; scape and pedicel with few scattered setae; antennomeres 3–11 covered in moderately dense, suberect pubescence, with additional subapical ring of erect, longer setae on each antennomere. Pronotum subquadrate, PW 0.44 mm, PL 0.43–0.44 mm, width 0.92–1.0× length; pronotal width 0.53–0.60× elytral width, pronotal width 0.82–0.98× head width; sides sinuate; disc with very deep anterior transverse sulcus and very deep subbasal transverse sulcus. Elytra, EL 1.88–2.25 mm, 2.30–2.56× longer than wide and 4.27–4.73× longer than pronotal length. EW 0.75–0.90 mm. Midleg with femur and tibia straight from base to apex; femur with shallow, circular primary punctation; several rows of thickened, modified setae on postero-ventral face, modified setae barely extending past integument, equally distributed across almost entire length of femur ( Fig. 5A ). Abdomen with large, shallow, circular primary punctation on ventrites 1–5. Phallobase with accessory lobes present, of average length, originating just basad of apicale posterior apex; posterior apex of apicale lined with short setae ( Fig. 10A ).

Females. Length 2.43–2.74 mm, HW 0.50–0.56 mm, HL 0.25 mm, PW 0.45–0.53 mm, PL 0.43–0.49 mm, EW 0.82–0.88 mm, EL 2.00– 2.25 mm.Antennal scape rounded, slightly longer than wide; pedicel subglobular; antennomere 3 about 2× length of pedicel; antennomere 3 slightly expanded apically; antennomeres 3–4 subequal in width and length; antennomere 5 slightly shorter than 4; antennomeres 5–10 subequal in length and width; antennomere 11 subequal in width, slightly longer than antennomere 10. Metafemur with shallow, large, circular primary punctation with several rows of thickened, modified setae on postero-ventral face, modified setae barely extending past integument, equally distributed across almost entire length of femur ( Fig. 5B ).

Remarks. Scraptogetus anthracinus is Broun species 2379, which was based on two specimens from Moeraki (Otago) ( Broun, 1893). A lectotype (NZAC) and one paralectotype (BMNH) were identified and labeled by C. Watt. Scraptogetus nigricans (originally described in Metasclera ) is Broun species 3579, which was based on nearly a dozen specimens from around Methven ( Broun, 1914). A lectotype (Ardagh with label by Blair) and four paralectotypes (1 Ardagh, 3 McLennans) were identified and labeled by C. Watt (BMNH). An additional specimen from Mt Hut 15.3.1912 was not considered syntypical (BMNH). Six additional specimens located in the NZAC, which were all collected from Ardagh, were previously identified and labeled by C. Watt as paralectotypes.

Natural History. This is a relatively abundant and widespread species. Specimens have been collected in and along the edge of forests and in openlands on grasses and tussocks and by beating, sweeping, and in flight-intercept and Malaise traps.

Distribution. North Island : Northland (ND), Auckland (AK), Coromandel (CL), Waikato (WO), Bay of Plenty (BP), Taranaki (TK), Taupo (TO), Hawkes Bay (HB), Wellington (WN). South Island : Marlborough Sounds (SD), Nelson (NN), Kaikoura (KA), Buller (BR), Westland (WD), Mid Canterbury (MC), Mackenzie (MK), South Canterbury (SC), Central Otago (CO), Dunedin (DN), Southland (SL).

Type material examined. Scraptogetus anthracinus : Lectotype, male ( NZAC): “ Otago // 2379. // Scraptogetus / anthracinus [handwritten] // T.Broun / Collection // A.E. Brookes / Collection // N.Z. Arthropod / Collection, NZAC / Entomology Div / DSIR, Auckland / NEW ZEALAND // LECTOTYPE [male symbol] / Scraptogetus / anthracinus Broun / det. J.C. Watt, 1985 [handwritten]” . Paralectotype, female ( BMNH): “2379 // Otago // New Zealand / Broun Coll. / Brit. Mus. / 1922-482. // Scraptogetus / anthracinus [handwritten] // PARALECT. [male symbol] / Scraptogetus / anthracinus Brn [handwritten] / det. J.C. Watt / 1985”. Metasclera nigricans : Lectotype, male ( BMNH): “ New Zealand / Broun Coll. / Brit. Mus. / 1922-482. // Syntype // 3574 // Ardah / 14.2.1912 // Metasclera / nigricans // = Scraptogetus / anthracinus Br. / det. K.G. Blair. // Lectotype [male symbol] / Metasclera / nigricans Brn. / det. J.C. Watt / 1985” . Paralectotypes ( NZAC): 1, “Ardagh / 14.2.12 // Metasclera / nigricans // T. Broun / Collection // A.E. Brookes / Collection // N.Z. Arthropod / Collection, NZAC / Entomology Div. / DSIR, Auckland / NEW ZEALAND // PARALECTOTYPE / Metasclera [male symbol] / nigricans Br. / (=anthracinus) / det. J.C. Watt, 1985”; 1, “ Metasclera / nigricans // Ardagh / 14-2-1912 // T. Broun / Collection // A.E. Brookes / Collection // N.Z. Arthropod / Collection, NZAC / Entomology Div. / DSIR, Auckland / NEW ZEALAND // PARALECTOTYPE / Metasclera / nigricans Br. / (=anthracinus) / det. J.C. Watt, 1985”; 1, “ Metasclera / nigricans // Ardagh / 14-2-1912 // T. Broun / Collection // A.E. Brookes / Collection // N.Z. Arthropod / Collection, NZAC / Entomology Div. / DSIR, Auckland / NEW ZEALAND // PARALECTOTYPE / Metasclera [male symbol]/ nigricans Br. / (=anthracinus) / det. J.C. Watt, 1985”; 3 specimens glued to cardstock, “ Metasclera / nigricans // Ardagh / 14-2-1912 // T. Broun / Collection // A.E. Brookes / Collection // N.Z. Arthropod / Collection, NZAC / Entomology Div. / DSIR, Auckland / NEW ZEALAND // PARALECT. [male symbol], 2 [female symbol] / Metasclera / nigricans Brn. / (=anthracinus) / det. J.C. Watt / 1985 // PARALECTOTYPE / Metasclera [male symbol] 2 [female symbol] [female symbol] / nigricans Broun / (=anthracinus) / det. J.C. Watt, 1985” .

Figures

FIGURES 2A–D. Dorsal habitus images. (A) Scraptogetus anthracinus Broun, 1893; (B) Scraptogetus arboreus (Broun, 1914); (C) Transrenus thulater, gen. n. sp. n.(D) Pseudozena denticulata gen. n. sp. n. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 3A–G. Scraptogetus anthracinus, scanning electron micrographs. (A) pronotum; (B) antenna; (C) scutellum; (D) proleg; (E) elytral integument close-up; (F) elytron; (G) mesoventral and metaventral processes.

FIGURES 5A–D. Scanning electron microscope images, ventral views of metafemora. (A) Scraptogetus anthracinus, male; (B) Scraptogetus anthracinus, female; (C) Scraptogetus arboreus, male (D) Scraptogetus arboreus, female. Scale bar = 30μm.

FIGURES 10A–C. Male genitalia illustrations. (A) Scraptogetus anthracinus; (B) Transrenus thulater, sp. n.; and (C) Pseudozena denticulata, sp. n.