Dicranolaius

Liu, Zhenhua, Ślipiński, Adam & Pang, Hong, 2015, Notes on Australian Laius Guérin-Méneville, Dicranolaius Champion and Intybia Pascoe with description of new species related to Dicranolaius c-purpureus (Lea) (Coleoptera: Melyridae: Malachiinae), Zootaxa 3936 (2), pp. 272-280 : 274-278

Dicranolaius c-pupureus (Lea)

( Figures 1 E, 1F, 2B, 2H, 2I, 3C, 3I)

Laius c-purpureus Lea, 1914: 220.

Dicranolaius c-purpureus: Wittmer, 1952: 188.

Description. Length 5.58–6.28 mm, PL/PW 0.58–0.74, EL/EW 3.15–3.48, HW/PW 0.75–0.83, EL/PL 2.76–3.52. Male. Head bicoloured, labrum, clypeus and anterior part of frons yellow or orange, remaining part of frons from middle of eyes and vertex black; pronotum entirely yellow or orange; scutellum black; elytra yellow or orange with dark blue slightly iridescent humeral area and C-shaped preapical marking not reaching suture ( Figs 1 E, 1F); antennomeres 1–3 yellow ( Fig. 2 H), remaining segments dark orange and brown; fore femur yellow or orange, protibia yellow or brown, tarsi orange; mid and hind legs brown or dark blue. Ventral side: prothorax yellow or orange, meso- and metathorax dark; abdomen yellow with the apex of terminal segment dark. Vestiture double of short and dense yellow or orange setae and sparse and twice longer bristles, which are pale on yellow or orange parts of elytra and darker on blue spots.

Head concave on vertex, covered with dense white setae and sparse yellow and dark bristles, very finely punctured. Antennal scape expanded, flat; antennomere 3 with two dorsal pointed processes on outer margin ( Fig. 2 I). Pronotum broader than head, widest at anterior third. Lateral margins and base with narrow bead; disk shiny, not distinctly punctured. Scutellum truncate apically with dense silver adpressed setae. Elytra widest at apical third; sides gradually expanded posterolaterally; surfaces densely punctured, punctures about twice as large as eye facets, 0.5 diameter apart. Fore femur with hump-like projection in middle of upper surface ( Fig. 2 B), second segment of fore tarsi prominent with dense black teeth along anterior edge.

Tergite VIII with deep incision apically and a long median spur ( Fig. 3 F); sternite VIII as in Figure 3 I. Aedeagus ( Fig. 3 C) with strong longitudinal sclerite and numerous spines in endophallus. Female. Similar to male in colour. Antennae not modified; frons and vertex flat; fore femora simple, second segment of fore tarsi normal.

Types. “ Laius C-purpureus Lea Queensland Cotype/ Carins N. Queensland Hacker/ Paratype / On permanent loan from Macleay Museum University of Sydney” (2, ANIC).

Other specimens examined. Queensland: Burdekin R., Selheim, 14.i.1964, G. Monteith (5 males; QMB); Dotswood Stn, 146°15'E 19°45'S Reelborrom Creek, 10.v.1973. R Parrerson. A198/ on foliage of Myrtecea m elaleuca (1 male; ANIC; dissection). Northern Territory: McArthur River 16.47S 135.45E, 14km S by W of Cape Crawford, 25.x.1975, M.S. Upton (1 male, 1 female; ANIC); 14.30S 132.15E, 3km SSW of Katherine, 12.xi.1979, T. Weir (2 females; ANIC); McArthur River, 16.05S 136.19E, 2km SSE of Borroloola, 19–20.iv.1976, J.E. Feehan (1 male; ANIC; dissection); Delamere, 20–25.v.1968, M. Mendum (2 females; ANIC); 15.58S 136.21E 12km NNE of Borroloola, 1.xi.1975, M.S. Upton (1 male; ANIC); Goose Lagoon 16.10S 136.15E 11km SW by S of Borroloola, 31.x. 1975, M.S. Upton (1 male; ANIC); no locality, J.G. Brooks Bequest, 1976 (1 male; ANIC).

Distribution. North Queensland and Northern Territory.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Dicranolaius species, dorsal and lateral habitus. (A, B) Dicranolaius weiri sp. n.; (C, D) Dicranolaius similis sp. n.; (E, F) Dicranolaius c-pupureus (Lea).

FIGURE 2. Dicranolaius, males; A – C Foreleg; D – I antenna and antennomeres 1 – 4. (A, D – E) Dicranolaius weiri sp. n.; (C, F – G) Dicranolaius similis sp. n.; (B, H – I) Dicranolaius c-pupureus (Lea).

FIGURE 3. Dicranolaius, males; A – C Penis; D – F Tergite VIII, dorsal; G – I Sternite VIII, ventral (A, D, G) Dicranolaius weiri sp. n.; (B, E, H) Dicranolaius similis sp. n.; (C, F, I) Dicranolaius c-pupureus (Lea).