Brachypeplus barronensis Blackburn, 1902

Kirejtshuk, Alexander G. & Kovalev, Alexey V., 2022, Monograph on the Cillaeinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from the Australian Region with comments on the taxonomy of the subfamily, Zootaxa 5103 (1), pp. 1-133 : 39-41

14. Brachypeplus barronensis Blackburn, 1902

Figs 6 , A–F

Brachypeplus barronensis Blackburn, 1902: 305 ; “N. Queensland.”

Specimens examined. Type specimens: Lectotype, male ( NHML) here designated—“ Australia, Blackburn Coll., B.M. 1910–236”, “Type. H.T.”, “ Brachypeplus barronensis Blackb. ” (handwritten), “ NHMUK 014198479”; 1 paralectotype ( SAM)—“N. Queensland ”, “Blackb’s Coll.”, “ Brachypeplus barronensis , cotype” . Other specimens: Australia, NSW: 2 exx ( NHML) — “ Sydney , N.S.W., J.J. Walker”; 3 exx ( NHML)—“Oxford, Sydney district, N.S.W., J.J.W., May 1903 ” (J.J. Walker ); 10 exx ( ANIC, ZIN)—“Cabbage Tree Ck, NSW, nr Carrawan Creck, 3 Dec. 1990, W. Dressler, Macrozamia communis”; 1 ex ( ANIC)—“ Lions Rd. , 0.5 km from King’s H’way, Clyde Mtn., NSW, on Macrozamia communis”; 2 exx ( SAM)—“ North Sydney , on Macrozamia (Carter) ”, “ barronensis ”: 1 ex ( SAM)—“ Sydney ”, “ barronensis ”; 3 exx ( SAM, ZIN)—“ Gosford ( NSW), Carter”, “ barronensis ”; 2 exx ( AMS) — “ 10 km Mulbring , New South Wales, 21:6:1981, C.E. Chadwick, ex M. (Macrozamia) communis, p. 871”; 2 exx ( NMV, ZIN)—“ Sydney District , N.S.W., J.J. W”, “ Brachypeplus sp. , N.S.W.”, “ ENT —592”; 3 exx ( ANIC, ZIN)—“ Sydney , E.W. Ferguson Collection ”, “ Brachypeplus murrayi Macl., NSW ”; 3 exx ( NMV, ZIN)—“ North Sydney, Narrabeen , 5-03, HJC”, “ H.J. Carter Coll., P. 20.4.22 ”, “ ENT - 592”; 2 exx ( NMV, ZIN)—“ Ill’warra , 6-06, Y.J.C.”, “35”, “ Brachypeplus ” ( NSW) .

Diagnosis. This species can be easily diagnosed after the above key to Australian and Tasmanian species of Brachypeplus . It is most similar to Brachypeplus makarovi sp. nov. and B. kemblensis , differing from the first in the much wider and more convex body, with more gently sloping and more widely explanate pronotal and elytral sides; pronotum with anterior edge nearly straight and side only slightly arcuate, much wider abdominal laterosternites V and VI, wider apex of prosternal process, subovoid antennal club which is slightly longer than wide (about 1.3 × as long as wide), much shorter antennomere 3, rounded apex of the female pygidium; and from the latter in the shorter antenna with scape about 1.5 × as long as wide, antennal club smaller and subcircular, markedly lighter (yellowish) than flagellum, antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length, subexplanate pronotal sides (not clearly explanate), elytral apices and head base frequently usually subunicolorous with body or very slightly infuscate, dorsum more densely punctured and nearly mat, microtuberculate integument of abdominal sclerites uncovered by elytra, sharply acute outer apical angle of pregenal processes and female pygidium moderately widely truncate. Three above-mentioned species under consideration have rather similar genitalia of both sexes, although each has also and some specific peculiarities.

Notes. In the original description of this species the exact type locality did not mentioned, however the name of it makes it possible to suppose that the type series of it originated from Barron, a suburb of Cairns ( North Queensland), although nearby also the Barron River flows.

Addition to description. Body length with abdomen 2.8–4.2, width 1.0–1.3, height 0.6–0.7 mm. Body subflattened from above and below; subunicolorous light reddish, not infrequently with somewhat infusсate distal parts of elytra. Upper surface usually with moderately dense and moderately conspicuous yellowish pubescence forming on elytra longitudinal rows of longer yellowish hairs in light places and darker hairs on infuscate places, pronotal and elytral lateral edges very shortly but distinctly ciliate (visible at high magnification).

Head and pronotal integument with punctures about 2.0 × coarser than eye facets, interspaces between punctures somewhat smaller than one puncture diameter on head and greater on pronotum, alutaceous to obliterately microreticulate. Elytra with slightly expressed longitudinal rows of shallow and indistinct punctures in very shallow striae, markedly coarser than those on head and pronotum (these punctures becoming finer and sparser distally), very weakly elevated interstrial spaces between furrows with longitudinal rows of finer punctures, interspaces between punctures much smaller than one puncture diameter in striae and mostly greater beyond them, subalutaceous to smoothly and densely microreticulate. Uncovered abdominal segments with very small and comparatively sparse tubercles (dislodging punctures), interspaces between tubercles alutaceous. Below thoracic sclerites and abdominal ventrite 1 with shallow punctures somewhat coarser than those on head and pronotum but markedly sparser, interspaces between punctures on metaventrite smoothly obliterated.

Head much shorter than distance between eyes and subflattened, with anterior edge of frons truncate, moderately large eyes having transverse diameter smaller than scape width, without sharply projecting temples. Labrum longest at median suture and laterally obliquely shortened to distinct lateral angles. Mentum about 4.0 × as wide as long, widened anteriorly to somewhat projecting anterior lateral angles. Terminal labial palpomere slightly longer than wide, widened apically and with oblique apex; terminal maxillary palpomere subconical, moderately long (about 3.5 × as long as wide). Pregenal process comparatively wide and with sharp outer apical angle. Antennae somewhat shorter than distance between eyes, with scape about 2.0 × as long as wide, pedicel (antennomere 2) about less than half as long as scape, antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length, antennomeres 4–6 subequal and each markedly shorter than antennomere 3, antennal club subcircular and very slightly longer than wide.

Pronotum moderately transverse (about 1.6 × as wide as long), widest at middle, moderately convex on disc and gently sloping at (sub)explanate sides (about 0.7 × as widely explanate as width of scape); anterior edge shallowly trapezoid excised and anterior angles rounded; posterior angles blunt and with rounded tip; posterior edge very shallowly bi-emarginate. Elytra moderately steeply sloping along sides and with narrowly explanate sides, leaving last three abdominal segments completely exposed. Abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 3.5 × as long as wide in their posterior ends. Male pygidium very slightly transverse and very shallowly emarginate at apex. Female pygidium slightly shorter than wide, subtruncate and not serrate at apex.

Prosternum with gently convex median portion and with subflattened process (slightly curved along procoxae); process strongly widened before transverse to widely rounded apex (about 3.5 × as wide as distance between procoxae). Male hypopygidium subtruncate at apex. Female hypopygidium very widely rounded at apex.

Tibiae moderately stout, with rather short and moderately thick spurs and subangular to rounded outer subapical angle, about as wide as antennal club, outer side of meso- and metatibiae with two rows of moderately small and thin setae. Protarsus almost 0.4 × as wide as protibia, meso- and metatarsi about 0.3 × as wide as corresponding tibiae.

Male anal sclerite slightly exposed from pygidium, dorsoventraly compressed, subtruncate to widely rounded at apex. Aedeagus well sclerotized. Tegmen 2.0–2.5× as long as wide, with widely rounded apex, distal half of sides and posterior edge with very short setae (at apex becoming somewhat longer and denser). Penis trunk about 2.0 × as long as wide (not longer), subparallel-sided part of penis trunk about 2.0–2.5 × as long as apical angular one, apex sharply acute. Armature of inner sac of penis consisting of diffuse small sclerotized granules concentrated in unclear formations looking like one pair of long narrow clots one transverse concentration at end of inner sac.

Ovipositor moderately sclerotized and comparatively narrow; its gonocoxites comprising about two fifths of entire length, their lateral outline slightly convex at base and slightly concave before apex, lateral lobes about 0.5 × as long as gonocoxites in general; comparatively wide apex with styli located subapically.

Distribution. Australia: QLD (type locality: “N. Queensland ”: from Barron, a suburb of Cairns, or near Barron River), NSW.

Notes on bionomy. This species seems to be associated with male cones of Macrozamia communius L.A.S. Johnson, 1959 ( Zamiaceae ).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Brachypeplus barronensis, orig. Specimens from NSW (“North Sydney, Narrabeen”). A: body, male dorsal; B: male anal sclerite and spiculum gastrale, ventral; C: tegmen, ventral; D: penis trunk, dorsal; E: proximal part of inner sac with armature; F: ovipositor, ventral. Scale bars: a = 1.0 mm to Fig. A; b = 0.25 mm to Figs B–F.