Monteithocanthon peckorum Gunter & Weir

Gunter, Nicole L. & Weir, Thomas A., 2017, Two new genera of Australian dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) with the description of six new species and transfer of six described species, Zootaxa 4290 (2), pp. 201-243 : 233-234

Monteithocanthon peckorum Gunter & Weir new species

Figs. 5 D, 8F, 9F, 10F.

Material. Western Australia: holotype: ♂ [34°23'00''S, 118°03'00"E], " Stirling Range National Park, Toolbrunup Trail, S. Peck & J. Peck, SBP47, berlesate rotted logs and moss, 10 June 1980 (in ANIC 25-054142 ) ; paratypes: [34°23'00''S, 118°03'00"E], Stirling Range National Park, Toolbrunup Trail), S. Peck & J. Peck, SBP47, berlesate rotted logs and moss, 10 June 1980 (in ANIC 25-065494 1x ♀, in CMNC 1 x ♂, 1x ♀) ; [34°23'00''S, 118°03'00"E], Stirling Range National Park, Toolbrunup Trail), S. Peck & J. Peck, SBP49, dung traps (in ANIC 25-054141 2x ♂, 3x ♀, in QM T169470 ♀) ; [34°23'00''S, 118°03'00"E], Stirling Range National Park, Toolbrunup Trail), S. Peck & J. Peck, SBP45, berlesate fungi on eucalypt trunks (in ANIC 25-054145 6x ♀, in QM 1x ♂, in WAM 2 x ♀, in CMNC 1 x ♀) ; [34°17'00''S, 115°22'00"E], 50 km SW Nannup Sues Bridge , S. Peck & J. Peck, 24–26 July 1980, SBP141, dung traps, Karri forests (in ANIC 25-054143 ♀) ; [35°01'00''S, 116°44'00"E], Walpole National Park, Tingle Tree, S. Peck & J. Peck, 19–27 June 1980, SBP68, mini carrion traps in forest (in ANIC 25-054144 ♀).

Other material examined (bulk ethanol samples that have not yet been mounted and labelled): [34°23'00''S, 118°03'00"E], Stirling Range National Park, Toolbrunup Trail, S. Peck & J. Peck, SBP47, berlesate rotted logs and moss 10 June 1980 (in ANIC 25-065508 x15) ; 34°23'00''S, 118°03'00"E, Stirling Range National Park, Toolbrunup Trail), S. Peck & J. Peck, SBP49, dung traps (in ANIC 25-058188 x5) .

Etymology. This species is named after Stewart Peck and Jarmila Kukalová Peck, who collected all known specimens.

Description. Colour: Dark brown. Antennae grey to yellow.

Holotype measurements: 3.1 mm in length, 2.2 mm across widest point of elytra.

Total length: 3.0– 3.2 mm

Male: Head: Broad U-shape between clypeal teeth, which are slightly upturned. Rest of margin of head feebly convex to eye. Mentum almost square, not bordered, finely reticulate with setation sparse on posterior corners. Edge of head completely bordered, genal angle distinct. Dorsal parts of eyes narrow, separated by an interocular space of about 30 times eye width; eye canthus dividing eye. Surface smooth, nitid; with sparse, round punctures; setation absent. Head width to length ratio 58:37.

Pronotum: Anterior angles almost 90°. Basal angles distinct, basal margin almost straight, lateral edge not margined. Hypomeron surface finely reticulate with sparse punctation. Punctures along basal edge virtually absent. All punctures without setae. Hypomeral stria 1/2 length of hypomeron. Pronotum width to length ratio 92:43.

Elytra: Surface smooth. Intervals finely punctate with no setae. Striae inconspicuous to obsolete. Ratio of length of elytra along suture to maximum elytral width 95:113

Legs: Protibiae with 3 teeth on outer edge, which is serrate between teeth and proximal to them; each tooth with 1 group of setae dorsally, front edge straight between apical tooth and small inconspicuous apical spur. The tooth on underside near base of tarsus is a blunt projection. Protibiae inner apex produced, with a comb and a brush of setae. Claws small and toothed. Mesotibiae densely setose on inner side. Metatibiae almost straight, not bent or expanded at inner apex ( Fig. 8 G).

Abdomen: Pygidium with small, straight transverse groove at the base about 1/2 width of pygidium and not reaching basal angle. Ventrites with fine reticulation only at the sides, with a row of punctures along the anterior edge of ventrites 2–5, ventrite 6 finely punctate. Sutures between abdominal ventrites simple.

Pterothorax: Medial lobe of metaventrite finely punctate with somewhat elongate punctures, broadly margined between mesocoxae. Meso-metaventral suture arched. Lateral lobe of the metaventrite narrowly margined anteriorly, with horseshoe-shaped punctures. Mesoventrite smooth, not notched anteriorly. Mesepimera and metanepisterna finely reticulate.

Hind wings: Absent.

Female: Protibiae not expanded at the inner apical angle with longer apical spur. Mesotibiae lack inner brush of setae. Metatibiae straight.

Distribution. See Fig. 5 D. Known from southwestern Western Australia near Nannup and in Stirling National Park and Walpole National Park. Collected in dung-baited traps, carrion-baited traps, and berlesates of rotted logs, moss, and fungi.

Comments. This species was referred to as “ Lepanus WA3” in Yeates et al. (2011).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Distributional maps of species belonging to the new genera Matthewsius and Monteithocanthon including close up insets of A, Pilbara region, Western Australia; B, northeastern Queensland; C, southeastern Queensland; D, southwestern Western Australia; E, southeastern South Australia; F, central to southeastern New South Wales.

FIGURE 8. Male metatibia of species of Monteithocanthon new genus, all scale bars 0.25 mm. A, Monteithocanthon arator new combination; B, M. elliotensis new species; C, M. glaber new combination; D, M. koombooloomba new species; E, M. paraarator new species; F, M. peckorum new species; G, female metathoracic leg of M. arator.