Lepanus dukungarri Gunter & Weir, 2019

Gunter, Nicole L. & Weir, Thomas A., 2019, Revision of Australian species of the dung beetle genus Lepanus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): description of 10 new species from the L. australis, L. monteithi, and L. villosus species groups, Zootaxa 4695 (3), pp. 201-252 : 214-217

Lepanus dukungarri Gunter & Weir , new species

( Figs 1E, H ; 2C ; 3C ; 4C )

Type series. Holotype: ♂ “ Mt. Lewis QLD, 20km S Mossman 1000m 10 July 1982 S. J.Peck SBP67” / “log and leaf litter” / “ ANIC Database No. 25 065542” / “ Lepanus NQ6 det TA Weir 2018” / “ ANIC Image” in ANIC [ 16°35’0”S, 145°17’0”E]. Paratypes (86 ♂, 71 ♀, 1 sex undetermined): Queensland, Mount Lewis , 20 km S Mossman, 1000 m 10.vii.1982, SBP67, log and leaf litter, S. & J. Peck (25-054116 3 specimens ♂ in ANIC) ; Queensland, Mount Lewis , 20 km S Mossman, 1000 m 10.vii–1.viii.1982, rainforest carrion trap, SBP64, S. & J. Peck (25-054115 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Queensland, Mount Lewis , 20 km SW Mossman, [16°35’0”S, 145°17’00”E], 900 m, 26.vi–1.viii.1982, SBP52, flight intercept trap rainforest, S. & J. Peck (25- 054112 4 specimens ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Queensland, Mount Lewis , 20 km SW Mossman, [16°35’0”S, 145°17’0”E], 900 m, 26.vi–1.viii.1982, SBP53, flight intercept trap rainforest, S. & J. Peck (25-054113 2 specimens ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Mount Lewis (general), [16°35’0”S, 145°17’0”E], 26.xi.1980, R.I. Storey & I.J. Tit- marsh (25-059216 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; 11 km up Mount Lewis Road, via Julatten , [16°34’0”S, 145°15’0”E], 900 m, 11.xi–25.xii.1987, R.I. Storey & A. Walford-Huggins, (25-059221 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; Mount Lewis , 20 km N Mount Molloy, [16°28’55”S, 145°19’27”E, 800 m, 20.xii.1986, H.F. & A.T. Howden (CMNEN-00030323- 00030324 2 specimens ♂ in CMNC) ; 23 km up Mount Lewis Road via Julatten , [16°31’0”S, 145°17’0”E], 9– 23.xi.1982, Morgan, Brown, & Storey, (25-059220 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; 11 km up Mount Lewis Road, Julatten , [16°35’1”S, 145°16’13”E], 8.i–2.ii.1987, H. Howden & R.I. Storey (CMNEN-00030326 1 specimen ♂ in CMNC) ; Mount Lewis , 8 km NW of Julatten, [16°35’0”S, 145°17’0”E], 8.i–2.ii.1987, R.I. Storey & H. Howden, (25-059214 2 specimens ♀ in QDPC) ; Mount Lewis Road , 16°35’24”S, 145°16’30”E, 987 m, 21.iv.2014, A. Riedel (25- 063058 1 specimen in ANIC also as COL3027 ♀) ; Mount Lewis Road, 16 km from Highway, ANZSES Site 2, 16°35’44”S, 145°16’44”E, 18.xii.1989 – 13.i.1990, ( T54572 – T54573 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mount Lewis Road, 22 km from Highway, ANZSES Site 3, 16°32’48”S, 145°16’53”E, 29.xi.1997 – 9.ii.1998, ( T62217 1x ♂ in QM) ; Mount Lewis Road, 29 km from Highway , 16°13’51”S, 145°27’43”E, 18.xi.1997 – 9.ii.1998, ( T62218 – T62221 2 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Mount Lewis, Road at Forest Hut , [16°36’0”S, 145°16’0”E], 1020 m, 16.iv.1994, D. Bickel, (K266972 also as 25- 060769 1 specimen and COL 745 ♂ in AM) ; Big Tableland , NE corner, 15°42’39”S, 145°17’12”E, 20.xii.1990 - 8.i.1991, ( T54515 – T54521 3 specimen ♂ 4 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Big Table- land, 15°43’5”S, 145°16’41”E, 20.xii.1990 - 8.i.1991, ( T54522 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Big Tableland , 15°43’5”S, 145°16’41”E, 21.xii.1990 - 9.i.1991, ( T54523 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Big Tableland , 15°43’5”S, 145°16’41”E, 20.xii.1990, ( T54549 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Mount Hartley , 30 km S Cooktown, [15°46’0”S, 145°20’0”E], 760 m, 3.vii.1982, S. & J. Peck (25-054114 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Mount Hartley , summit, 15°46’28”S, 145°19’24”E, 8.xi.1995 – 16.i.1996, ( T54544 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mount Sampson , 600–790 m, 15°48’31”S, 145°11’20”E, 27.xii.1990 – 18.i.1991, ( T54077 1 specimen ♀, T54545 – T54548 1 specimen ♂ 3 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Mount Finnigan ANZSES Site 5, 15°49’13”S, 145°17’2”E, 4.xii.1990 – 17.i.1991, ( T62213 – T62216 1 specimen ♂ 1 speci- men ♀ in QM) ; Mount Finnigan summit, ANZSES Sites 2 & 3, 15°49’6”S, 145°16’45”E, 30305, 20.xii.1982, ( T54556 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mount Finnigan ANZSES Site 4, 15°49’9”S, 145°16’55”E, 4.xii.1990 – 17.i.1991, ( T62211 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Mount Misery , ascent road, 15°52’39”S, 145°12’58”E, 6.xii.1990 – 17.i.1991, ( T62209 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Mount Boolbun South , summit, 15°56’50”S, 145°8’14”E, 5.xi.1995 – 11.i.1996, ( T54527 – T54528 2 specimens ♂ in QM) ; Mount Boolbun South , creek, 15°57’10”S, 145°8’17”E, 5.xi.1995 – 11.i.1996, ( T54525 – T54526 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mount Boolbun South , camp, 15°57’10”S, 145°8’23”E, 4.xi.1995 - 6.xi.1995, ( T54529 – T54542 10 specimens ♂ 4 specimens ♀, T62210 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Mount Boolbun South , camp, 15°57’10”S, 145°8’23”E, 6.xi.1995 ( T54543 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Cape Tribulation transect Site 6, 16°4’41”S, 145°26’39”E, 20.ix.1982 – 7.x.1982, ( T54563 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Cape Tribulation transect Site 8, 16°4’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 23.ix-7.x.1982, ( T54560 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Cape Tribulation transect Site 8, 16°4’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 5–9.i.1983, ( T54561 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Cape Tribulation transect Site 8, 16°4’44”S, 145°25’59”E, 20–23.iv.1983, ( T54562 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Thornton Peak summit, 145°22’4”E, 16°9’45”S, 30.x–1.xi.1983, ( T54524 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Windsor Tableland , 38 km from main road [Mount Windsor Tableland], [16°12’0”S, 145°5’0”E], 20.xii.1985 – 15.i.1986, R.I. Storey & Brown (25-059215 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; Lync-Haven, Daintree area , 145°24’32”E, 16°12’7”S, 35m, 6–9.xii.2012, G.B. Monteith (25-057638 1 specimen ♀ also as COL2775, 25-057639 1 specimen ♂ also as COL 2776 in ANIC) ; Hutchinson Creek, ( Grove ), 16°13’4”S, 145°23’57”E, 13.i–11.ii.1998, ( T73124 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Hutchinson Creek, ( Grove ), 16°13’4”S, 145°23’57”E, 12.ix–23.x.1998,( T88838 1 specimen♀ in QM) ; Hutchinson Creek,( Grove ), 16°13’4”S, 145°23’57”E, 14.iii.1998 – 8.v.1998, ( T88840 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Buchanan Creek, ( Grove ), 16°14’39”S, 145°25’54”E, 12.ix– 23.x.1998, ( T88842 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Buchanan Creek, ( Grove ), 16°14’39”S, 145°25’54”E, 11.ii–12.iii.1998, ( T85639 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Windsor Tableland via Mount Carbine [Mount Windsor Tableland], [16°15’0”S, 145°2’0”E], 25.xi.1976, R.I. Storey (25-059225 4 specimens ♂ 3 specimens ♀ in QDPC) ; Windsor Tableland via Mount Carbine [Mount Windsor Tableland], [16°15’0”S, 145°2’0”E], 26.xii.1983 – 24.i.1984, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25-059223 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Windsor Tableland via Mount Carbine [Mount Wind- sor Tableland], [16°15’0”S, 145°2’0”E], 9.ix–4.xi.1976, R.I. Storey (25-059222 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Windsor Tableland , 28 km NNW Mount Carbine, 16°17’5”S, 145°4’40”E, 315. iv.1982, ( T54566 – T54570 3 specimens ♂ 2 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Devils Thumb transect Site 9, 16°23’35”S, 145°17’28”E, 26.xii.1989 – 15.i.1990, ( T54571 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Upper Whyanbeel Creek , 16°24’1”S, 145°16’57”E, 33852, ( T54550 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Stewart Creek , 4 km NNE Mount Spurgeon, (camp 1), 16°24’19”S, 145°13’1”E, 15–20.x.1991, ( T54558 – T54559 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mount Spurgeon , [145°12’0”E, 16°26’0”S], 1200 m, 19–22.xi.1997, C. Reid (25-059226 1 specimen ♂ also as COL 2459 in ANIC) ; Mount Spurgeon , 2 km SE, 16°27’17”S, 145°12’26”E, 32497, 29.xii.1988, 1100 m, ( T54554 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mount Spurgeon ANZSES Site 2, 16°27’47”S, 145°12’19”E, 21.xii.1988 - 4.i.1989, ( T54551 – T54553 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Mossman Bluff Site 1, 16°28’19”S, 145°19’37”E, 20.xii.1989 – 15.i.1990, ( T54564 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Mossman Bluff Site 6, 16°28’22”S, 145°17’39”E, 20.xii.1989 – 15.i.1990, ( T54565 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Clachery Road via Julatten , [16°34’19”S, 145°21’52”E], 8.i–2.ii.1987, H. Howden & R.I. Storey (CMNEN-00030325 in CMNC) ; 7.5 km NNW of Kuranda , [16°46’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 20.xii.1984 – 15.i.1985, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25-059219 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Mount Williams summit, 16°54’53”S, 145°39’43”E, 27.xi.1997 – 10.ii.1998, ( T62207 – T62208 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀, T62212 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Isley Creek , upper, 17°2’41”S, 145°39’57”E, 29– 30.xi.1993, ( T54574 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Robson Creek , 17°7’8”S, 145°37’52”E, 670 m, 8.iv.2014, A. Riedel (25- 063057 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC also as COL3026) ; Boar Pocket Road , [17°12’0”S, 145°42’0”E], xi.1969, J.G. Brooks (25-057919 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC [paratype of Lepanus latheticus ]) ; Lake Barrine , 17°14’49”S, 145°38’10”E, 32487, ( T54575 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Bellenden Ker Range , 0.5 km S Cable Tower 7, [17°16’0”S, 145°55’0”E], 500 m, 25–31.x.1981, Earthwatch, Queesland Museum, (25-054118 3 specimens ♂ 5 specimens ♀ in ANIC) ; Wright Creek, Lake Eacham National Park , [17°16’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 720 m, 26–30.vii.1982, S. & J. Peck (25-054117 2 specimens ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Graham Range , summit, 17°16’24”S, 145°57’58”E, 1.xi– 8.xii.1995, ( T54577 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Graham Range , 350 m, 17°16’37”S, 145°57’48”E, 1.xi–8.xii.1995, ( T54578 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Millaa Millaa Falls , [17°30’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 760m, 10.iv–4.v.1990, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25- 032594 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; Millaa Millaa Falls , [17°30’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 13.vii– 15.viii.1990, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25- 032596 2 specimens ♀ in QDPC) ; Millaa Millaa Falls , [17°30’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 13.iii–10.iv.1990, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25- 032593 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; Millaa Millaa Falls , [17°30’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 4.i–7.ii.1990, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25- 032591 1 specimen ♂ in QDPC) ; Millaa Millaa Falls , [17°30’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 6.vi–13.vii.1990, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25- 032595 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Millaa Millaa Falls , [17°30’0”S, 145°37’0”E], 7.ii–13.iii.1990, R.I. Storey & H.K. Halfpapp, (25- 032592 1 specimen ♂ in QDPC) ; Palmerston National Park , east margin, 17°36’40”S, 145°45’48”E, 1.xii.1993 – 25.ii.1994, ( T54576 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Ravenshoe State Forest, Tully Falls Road, [17°43’0”S, 145°33’0”E], 10.x.1987 – 15.xi.1987, A. Walford-Huggins (25-054119 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Tully Falls State Forest 18 km SSW Ravenshoe, [17°46’0”S, 145°31’0”E], 730 m, 1.x–5.xi.1987, R.I. Storey & Dickinson, (25- 059218 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in QDPC) ; Tully Falls State Forest 18 km SSW Ravenshoe, [17°46’0”S, 145°31’0”E], 20.iv–25.v.1988, R.I. Storey & Dickinson, (25-059224 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; Upper Boulder Creek , top camp, 17°49’44”S, 145°54’2”E, 17–18.xi.1984, ( T54581 1 specimen ♂ in QM) ; Boulder Creek track, 200–600 m, 17°51’2”S, 145°54’29”E, 24–27.x.1983, ( T54579 – T54580 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in QM) ; Laceys Creek , 10 km SE El Arish, [17°53’0”S, 146°4’0”E], 40 m, 23.vi–5.viii.1982, S. & J. Peck (25-054111 3 specimens ♂ 2 specimens ♀ in ANIC) ; Tully River Crossing , 10 km S Koombooloomba Dam, 145°37’38”E, 17°55’32”S, 8.xii.1989 – 4.i.1990, ( T54582 – T54585 1 specimen ♂ 3 specimens ♀ in QM) ; Kirrama Range, Douglas Creek , 18°13’30”S, 145°48’13”E, 10.xii.1986 – 11.i.1987, ( T54586 1 specimen ♂ in QM) .

Description. Holotype uniformly dark brown. Rest of specimens ranging from uniformly light brown to almost black. Antennal clubs grey.

Total length: 2.1–2.9 mm. Holotype measurements: total length 2.6 mm, elytral width 1.8 mm.

Male. Head. Very broad U-shaped between clypeal teeth that are very short. Surface with setae and heavy punctation. Basal carina absent. Dorsal part of the eyes narrow, separated by an interocular space approximately 11 times the eye width (34: 3); eye canthus dividing eye. Head 1.45 x wider than long (44:30).

Prothorax: Pronotal surface with moderate punctation anteriorly to heavy punctation posteriorly, and with straight, fine setae as long as space between punctures. Anterior angles almost 90°. Basal margin slightly angulate. Hypomeral surface reticulate. Hypomeral striae about half the length of the hypomeron, and close to the lateral margin almost appearing double. Pronotum 1.7 x wider than long (74:44).

Elytra: Surface smooth with impressed striae, striae 1–7 appearing double with very finely punctate edges; intervals punctate with straight, fine setae as long as space between punctures. All striae on disc equal width. Stria 6 extending to elytral base and stria 7 not extending to elytral base. Stria 8 slightly curving inwards posteriorly. Elytra almost equal in width and length (92:90).

Legs: Front edge of protibiae deeply angulate. Metafemora expanded medially. Metatibiae with inner edge distinctly curved or bent.

Abdomen: Pygidium simple, coarsely to finely punctate, with setae, and slightly gibbous towards the apex. Abdominal ventrites reticulate right across. Ventrite 6 punctate and slightly gibbous.

Pterothorax: Medial lobe of metaventrite smooth and punctate and broadly margined between the mesocoxae. Lateral lobe with horseshoe shaped to ocellate punctures and reticulations. Mesoventrite with a minute notch anteriorly. Mesoventrite and mesepimeron smooth. Metanepisternum reticulate with a line of punctures.

Female. Metatibiae less curved or bent, otherwise as per L. australis species group.

Etymology. The name is formed in Kuku-Yalanji, the indigenous language of the region, and refers to the distinctly bent metatibiae duku - bent; ngarri - lower legs (see Henry & Hershberger 1986).

Distribution. Known from rainforests of the Australian Wet Tropics south of Cooktown to Kirrama Range in the Wet Tropics bioregion ( Fig. 6A ).

Comments. Most specimens have been collected in flight intercept traps or in berlesed leaf litter, however they have also been collected in baited pitfall traps (dung, mushroom, or carrion). This species has been referred to under the informal nomenclature sensu Yeates et al. 2011 as Lepanus NQ6.

Preliminary sequencing suggested that more than one species was included under this name (Gunter et al. 2019). One specimen included in that analysis was collected from Robson Creek, NE of Tinaroo, and was genetically divergent from a specimen sequenced from Mount Lewis. Upon examination of these specimens, we could not identify morphological differences to support further splitting of species at this point in time and as such we consider that L. dukungarri new species ranges from south of Cooktown to Kirrama Range, and our paratype series thus reflects this distribution.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Some diagnostic characters of the Lepanus australis species group. A, Male protibia of Lepanus eungella dotted line depicts triangular apical digit (grey arrow) and truncate front edge; B, female protibia of Lepanus eungella dotted line depicts truncate front edge, black arrow points to apical spur; C, male protibia of Lepanus australis dotted line depicts elongate apical digit (grey arrow) and deeply angulate front edge; D, female protibia of Lepanus australis dotted line depicts shortened apical digit (grey arrow) and deeply angulate front edge, black arrow points to apical spur; E, lateral view of Lepanus dukungarri white arrow points to row of punctures on metanepisternum; F, lateral view of Lepanus australis, dotted line indicates anteriorly straight inner border of lateral lobe of metaventrite, note the absence of puntures on metanepisternum and straight lower edge of elytral epipleura; G, lateral view of Lepanus oxleyi white arrow points to row of fine punctures on metanepisternum, grey arrow inducates curved lower edge of elytral epipleura; H, male metafemora of Lepanus dukungarri showing medial expansion; I, Head of Lepanus oxleyi white arrow points to interrupted basal carina; J, lateral view of Lepanus latheticus dotted line indicates anteriorly curved inner border of lateral lobe of metaventrite; K, Lepanus australis at bird droppings (image: Geoff Williams).

FIGURE 2. Habitus of species within the Lepanus australis species group. A, Lepanus australis; B, Lepanus burnetti; C, Lepanus dukungarri; D, Lepanus eungella; E, Lepanus latheticus; F, Lepanus oxleyi. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 3. Left, dorsal, and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus australis species group. A, Lepanus australis; B, Lepanus burnetti; C, Lepanus dukungarri; D, Lepanus eungella; E, Lepanus latheticus; F, Lepanus oxleyi. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 4. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus australis species group. A, Lepanus australis; B, Lepanus burnetti; C, Lepanus dukungarri; D, Lepanus eungella; E, Lepanus latheticus; F, Lepanus oxleyi. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Map of known records including predicted distribution estimated with BIOCLIM models for A, Lepanus dukungarri; B, Lepanus latheticus. QLD, Queensland.