Australopachylopus lepidulus (Broun, 1881) Broun, 1881

Lackner, Tomas & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2017, A monograph of the Australopacific Saprininae (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 689, pp. 1-263 : 3-9

Australopachylopus lepidulus (Broun, 1881) comb. n. Figs 1, 2-9, 10-13, 14-16, 17-25, 752

Saprinus lepidulus Broun, 1881: 665.

Type locality.

New Zealand: Wellington: Lyall Bay.

Type material examined.

Saprinus lepidulus Broun, 1881: Lectotype, present designation: unsexed specimen, with the following labels: “Type” (round, red-margined printed label); followed by: "New Zealand / Broun Coll. / Brit. Mus. / 1922-482" (printed); followed by: "Lyall Bay / Wellington" (written); followed by: " Pachylopus / lepidulus " (written); followed by: " Saprinus lepidulus / Broun, 1881 / LECTOTYPE 2014 / Des. Lackner & Leschen" (red label, written) (BMNH). Because the number of specimens in the original description is not given this specimen is selected as the lectotype. There are another two specimens in Broun’s collection, both of unknown sex: one bearing the following labels: “1169” (written); followed by "New Zealand / Broun Coll. / Brit. Mus. / 1922-482" (printed). Another one bears identical labels as the preceding specimen, but has one more label: “Invercargill” (printed) (BMNH). These specimens do not belong to the type series of Broun (1881) because Broun (1881) provides the type locality as Lyall Bay, and the second specimen lacks locality data.

Additional material examined.

NEW ZEALAND: North Island. ND: 4 specs., Ruakaka Beach, north Auckland, 22.ix.1932 (BMNH); 1 spec., Kai Iwi, 28.i.[19]15, Sand in Sun (NZAC); 2 specs., Himatangi, 9.ii.[19]58, R.A. Cumber leg. (NZAC); 1 spec., Kawerua Beach, 5.ii.1975, K. Hoson leg. (LUNZ). WO: 1 spec., Waikato Heads, under Muehlenbeckia , 1.i.1959, B.M. May leg. (NZAC); 1 spec., Kawhia Harbor, 27.i.1958, B.M. May leg., under dead fish on beach (NZAC); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, 4 specs., Raglan, 19.ix.1981, C.F. Butcher leg., under dead bird, fish (NZAC). HB: 1 spec., Porangahau, 29.i.1991, C. Duffy leg., pitfall traps (NZAC); SC: 1 spec., Temuka Beach, 22.iii.2008, on dead seagull (CJN). RI: 1 spec., Foxton Beach, 19.v.1996, in dead dry puffer fish on sandy beach (CJN). WN: 3 specs., Paekarariki Beach, 4.xii.1941, G.V. Hudson (BMNH); 1 spec., Wellington (BMNH); 2 specs., Wellington, J.J. Walker (BMNH). South Island. NN: 8 specs., Westport, J.J. Walker (BMNH); 1 spec., Westport, Beach Nelson, 15.x.1971, J.C. Watt leg., under logs (LUNZ); 1 spec., Farewell Spit, Outer Beach, 9.ii.1981, J.W. Early leg., carcass of dolphin (LUNZ); 1 ♂ & 4 specs., Wharariki Beach, 7.ii.1981, J.W. Early leg., under carcass on sand (LUNZ). MC: 2 specs., Lyttelton, xii.1901, J.J. Walker (BMNH). WD: 8 specs., Okarito lagoon, 7.-9.xii.2012, beach (under dead Larus ), 43°13.5'S, 170°09.6'E, 1 m, M. Fikáček, J. Hájek & R. Leschen leg. (NMPC; 1 ex. in coll. TLAN); 1 ♀, Mananui Beach, 17.i.1982, J.W. Early leg., sandy beach (LUNZ). DN: 1 ♀, Kuri Bush, nr. Talieri Mouth, 18.iii.2001, on sandy beach (CJN). Unknown localities: 1 spec., New Zealand, 1162, Broun leg. (NZAC); 1 spec., New Zealand, without further data, J.J. Walker (BMNH); 1 spec., New Zealand, without further data, Broun, 5.ix.[18]89 (BMNH); 1 spec., New Zealand, no further data, vi.1904 (BMNH); 1 spec., New Zealand, no further data (BMNH).

Re-description.

Body length: PEL: 4.10-5.50 mm; APW: 1.10-1.75 mm; PPW: 3.15-4.00 mm; EL: 2.65-3.50 mm; EW: 3.50-4.50 mm. Body (Fig. 1) rectangular oval, dorsal surface convex, ventral surface flattened, cuticle black with slight metallic luster, legs, mouthparts and antennae dark brown, antennal club blackish.

Antennal scape (Fig. 2) with carinate margins, with numerous long setae; antennal club (Fig. 3) round, slightly depressed dorso-ventrally; without visible articulation, entire surface with thick short yellow sensilla intermingled with sparse longer erect sensilla, apically with a flat sensory area with short dense sensilla; sensory structures of antennal club (Fig. 16) in a form of a single pear-shaped vesicle situated under sensory area on inner-ventral side of club.

Mandibles stout, thickened (Fig. 14) with rounded outer margin strongly curved inwardly, dorsally with sparse punctures, acutely pointed, sub-apical tooth on inner margin of left mandible large, blunt; labrum (Figs 6, 15) punctate, dorsally convex with slight median depression; labral fold small, setae of lateral fringe moderately long; two labral setae present; terminal labial palpomere (Fig. 4) elongated, its width about one-third its length; palpal organ present on both labial and maxillary palpi; mentum (Fig. 5) square-shaped, anterior angles not produced, anterior margin with deep median excavation, surface around it with four longer setae; lateral margins with double row of shorter ramose setae; disc of mentum imbricate, with several short scattered setae; cardo of maxilla with few short setae on lateral margin, stipes triangular, with three short setae; lacinia without lacinial hook (=uncus); terminal maxillary palpomere elongated, its width about one-third its length, approximately twice as long as penultimate.

Clypeus (Fig. 6) sub-quadrate, rounded laterally, slightly concave medially, with scattered microscopic punctures; frontal stria largely interrupted anteriorly (at times completely absent), continuous with weakly carinate supraorbital stria; frontal disc (Fig. 2) with irregular scattered fine punctation; eyes convex, visible from above.

Pronotal sides (Fig. 1) bisinuate, moderately convergent anteriorly, apical angles acute; pronotal depressions well-impressed (occasionally shallow); marginal pronotal stria complete, carinate; disc of pronotum laterally with a band of coarse and dense punctures (occasionally completely smooth), a band of similar punctation present also along pronotal base, pronotal disc otherwise glabrous; pronotal hypomeron with long yellow setae; scutellum small, visible.

Elytral humeri prominent; elytral epipleura smooth; marginal epipleural stria complete; marginal elytral stria straight and carinate, continued as well impressed complete apical elytral stria continuous with sutural elytral stria; along elytral marginal stria a regular row of round punctures present. Humeral elytral stria well impressed on basal fifth (occasionally longer); inner subhumeral stria present medially, rather long, almost attaining marginal elytral stria apically; elytral disc with four deeply impressed dorsal elytral striae 1-4, about the same length, not reaching elytral half apically (occasionally third and fourth dorsal elytral striae intermittent or obliterated by coarse punctation); fourth elytral stria basally not connected with sutural elytral stria; sutural elytral stria well impressed, abbreviated on basal tenth and apical sixth (occasionally continuous with apical elytral stria), interspace between it and elytral suture somewhat elevated, especially on apical third, on basal half a row of fine punctures present; punctation of elytral disc (with exception of elytral humeri and elytral flanks) coarse and dense, punctures separated by less than twice their diameter, on intervals between elytral striae punctation somewhat weakened.

Propygidium (Fig. 7) largely covered by elytra; its punctation similar to that of elytral disc; pygidium (Fig. 7) also densely and coarsely punctate, punctures becoming sparser towards extreme apex.

Anterior margin of median portion of prosternum (Fig. 8) slightly projected medially, setose; prosternal foveae absent; marginal prosternal stria vaguely impressed but complete, distanced from anterior margin; prosternal apophysis strongly constricted between procoxae, knife-like, prosternal process thence strongly widening and sloping down anteriorly, surface imbricate, dorso-medially with numerous setigerous punctures; occasionally vestiges of carinal prosternal striae present on prosternal apophysis; lateral prosternal striae absent.

Anterior margin of mesoventrite (Fig. 9) with slight median projection; discal marginal mesoventral stria anteriorly absent, laterally present; disc of mesoventrite convex, with deep and dense setigerous punctures of various sizes; meso-metaventral suture indistinct; meso-metaventral sutural stria absent; intercoxal disc of metaventrite smooth, in male with a longitudinal median depression; laterally with coarse round setigerous punctures; a narrow band of fine punctation present along posterior margin; lateral metaventral stria absent; lateral disc of metaventrite (Fig. 10) slightly excavate, with shallow dense setigerous punctures; metepisternum + fused metepimeron (Fig. 10) with even denser and coarser setigerous punctures, separated by less than half of their diameter; lateral metepisternal stria absent.

Intercoxal disc of first abdominal ventrite with shortened and vaguely impressed lateral stria; disc laterally and anteriorly with round deep punctures of various sizes, median part of disc impunctate, laterally punctures setigerous; all visible abdominal ventrites setose laterally.

Protibia (Fig. 11) slightly widening apically, outer margin with three large widely spaced distal teeth topped by large denticle, diminishing in size in proximal direction, followed by approximately six smaller stout proximal denticles, diminishing in size in proximal direction; setae of outer row thin, sparse; setae of median row approximate to inner protibial margin, but shorter than those of outer row; protarsal groove deep; anterior protibial stria vaguely impressed, shortened on posterior half; protibial spur large, hooked, growing out near tarsal insertion; outer part of posterior surface of protibia smooth, demarcation line between outer and median of posterior surface carinate; posterior protibial stria complete, with dense row of strongly sclerotized long setae growing in size and girth apically; inner margin with double row of short setae.

Mesotibia somewhat thickened, outer margin with a row of approximately 5 denticles growing in size apically, one more denticle present near apical margin; setae of outer row dense and long, strongly sclerotized, growing in size apically; setae of median row rather distanced from outer row, thinner and sparser; posterior mesotibial stria inconspicuous (absent?); anterior surface of mesotibia (Fig. 12) with another dense row of short denticles, becoming sparser and thinner towards inner mesotibial margin; anterior mesotibial stria undulate, with a row of regular short setae growing in size and girth apically; mesotibial spur large; apical margin of mesotibia with a row of about 5 stout denticles; first and second tarsomere ventrally with four long strongly sclerotized setae; third and fourth tarsomere with only two such setae; fifth tarsomere devoid of setae ventrally; dorsally first two tarsomeres with two strongly sclerotized setae; third, fourth and fifth tarsomere with only single seta dorsally; claws of apical tarsomere bent, approximately one-third its length; metatibia (Fig. 13) generally similar to mesotibia, but more slender; denticles of outer margin shorter and sparser; anterior surface of metatibia with three rows of short stout denticles.

Male genitalia. Eighth sternite (Figs 17-18) fused longitudinally; vela short, apices of eighth sternite with a tuft of short setae; eighth sternite laterally with several even shorter setae (Figs 17-19); eighth tergite covered with pores and pseudopores, apical margin inwardly arcuate, basal margin strongly inwardly arcuate; eighth tergite and eighth sternite fused laterally (Fig. 19). Ninth tergite (Figs 20-21) longitudinally fused medially, surface medially with two strongly sclerotized lines; tenth tergite basally inwardly arcuate, apically outwardly arcuate; spiculum gastrale (Figs 22-23) gradually dilated in most of apical half, apex strongly sclerotized; basal end dilated, rounded. Aedeagus (Figs 24-25) slightly thickened, almost parallel-sided; basal piece of aedeagus short, ratio of its length: length of parameres 1: 5; parameres of aedeagus fused almost along their basal two-thirds; aedeagus only slightly curved from lateral view, apex of aedeagus flattened dorso-ventrally, fringed with a tuft of very short setae (Fig. 25).