Quediopsis howensis Jenkins Shaw & Solodovnikov

Shaw, Josh Jenkins & Solodovnikov, Alexey, 2016, Systematic and biogeographic review of the Staphylinini rove beetles of Lord Howe Island with description of new species and taxonomic changes (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae), ZooKeys 638, pp. 1-25 : 9-15

Quediopsis howensis Jenkins Shaw & Solodovnikov sp. n. Figures 4, 5, 6, 7

Material examined.

Type material. Holotype: Male, point-mounted with apical abdominal segments in glycerin in capsule under specimen, with labels 'Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°04'59"E 31°35'2"S, 730m N Velez 1-14 Nov 2004, Site G29 litter Zygonium, Dracophyllum forest / Australian Museum K403172'/ Holotype Quediopsis howensis Jenkins Shaw and Solodovnikov des. 2016' (AMS). Paratypes [all supplied with the labels 'Paratype Quediopsis howensis Jenkins Shaw and Solodovnikov des. 2016': 1 female, 'Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°04'49"E 31°35'9"S, 800m N Velez 1-12 Nov 2005, Site G32 litter Zygogy/Dracophyllum forest / Australian Museum, K403175'; 1 male, 'Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°05'1"E 31°35'00"S, 690m N Velez, 10-17 May 2004, Site G27 litter, Hedy. canterburyana forest / Australian Museum K403173'; 1 female, 'Lord Howe Is: Mt Lidgeb tk, 159°05'26"E 31°33'39"S, 360m N Velez, 1-14 April 2006, Site L11 litter, Drypetes/Cryptocarya / Australian Museum K403177'; 1 male, 'NSW; On Soldiers Ck at NW junction, Lord Howe Is; -31:34:55; 159:5:9; 12/12/2003 to 22/12/2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATSFC6-4P (pit / Australian Museum K403169'; 1 female, 'NSW; Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island - Midway down ridge N of igloo; -31:35:5;159:4:35; 18-Jan-2002 to 31-Jan-2002; I. Hutton; ca. 819m; MG005 (pit trap) / K 188885 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, 'Lord Howe Is: Mt Gower tk, 159°05'10"E 31°34'50"S, 490m N Velez, 1-12 Nov 2004, Site G19 litter Dracophyllum/Metrosideros nervulosa scrub / Australian Museum K403174'; 1 female, 'NSW; “Razorback”, Mt. Gower, Lord Howe Is; -31:35:30; 159:4:18; 28-Nov-2000; CBCR, Australian Museum; LHIS056L leaf litter ex Broad Close Sclerophyll Forest - Hedyscepe habitat / K188888 / Australian Museum, Loan No. 1947'; 1 female, 'NSW; 1st sites reached, next to Soldiers Ck, Lord Howe Is; -31:34:55; 159:5:9; 20-Apr-2004; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G, Brownl RATSCNF5-1L leaf litter ex: Lowland Mixed Forest litter / Australian Museum K403171'; 1 female, 'Lord Howe Is: Mt Lidgbird tk 159°05'25"E 31°33'33"S, 260m N Velez 1-14 April 2006, Site L8 litter, Syzigium fullagarii forest / Australian Museum K403176'; 1 female, 'NSW; Walking trail to Mt. Gower, at base of Scaly Bark Ridge, Lord Howe Is.; -31:34:47; 159:4:40; 02-Dec-2000 to 12-Dec-2000; CBCR Australian Museum; LHIS047/01 (pit trap) / K188882 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, 'NSW; Closest to 2nd Tree, besides Golf Course, Lord Howe Is; -31:33:11; 159:5:1; 12/12/2003 to 22/12/2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATGCFC4-2P (pit trap) / Australian Museum K402170'; 1 female, 1 male, 'NSW; "Get Up Place", trail to Mt. Gower, Lord Howe Is.; -31:34:58; 159:4:52; 02-Dec-2000; CBCR, Australian Museum; LHIS048L leaf litter ex Broad Closed Sclerophyll Scrub - Dracophyllum/Metrosideros habitat / K188883 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, 'NSW; 100m E from Soldiers Ck, closer to trail, Lord Howe Is; -31:34:55; 159:5:9; 12-Dec-2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATSCFC8-3L leaf litter ex: Loweland Mixed forest Litter / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 male, 'NSW; Western edge Golf Course, Lord Howe Is - Left side of clearing; -31:33:11; 159:5:1; 12/12/2003 to 22/12/2003; L. Meades, S. Lassau, G. Brown; RATGCNF1-2P (pit trap) / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 female, 'NSW; Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island - Bottom of gully near igloo; -31:35:4; 159:4:31; 20/11/2001; I. Hutton, P. Flemons, C. Reid; MG003L leaf litter ex Bubbia - Dracophyllum / K188887 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’; 1 female, 'NSW; Mt Gower, Lord Howe Island - Midway down gull near igloo; -31:35:6; 159:4:32; 20/11/2011; I. Hutton, P. Flemons, C. Reid; MG002L leaf litter ex Bubbia - Dracophyllum / K188881 / Loan No. 1947, Australian Museum’ (AMS); 1 female, 'AUSTRALIA: N.S.W. Lord Howe Island, 17-31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Mt. Gower, 850m, 26.v.80, rot wood w/fungi & moss, 12 L Ber’; 1 male, 'AUSTRALIA: N.S.W. Lord Howe Island, 17-31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Stevens Reserve, 10', 24.v.80, moist litter in limestone sink, 16 L Ber’; 1 male, 'AUSTRALIA: N.S.W. Lord Howe Island, 17-31.v.1980, S. + J. Peck / Intermediate Hill, 300', 18.v.1980, rotted bark w/fungi, tall forest, Ber 19 L / Quediopsis sp det. A.F. Newton 1987' (ANIC); 1 male, 'LORD HOWE ISLAND, Goat House Track, 11 Nov 1979, G.B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLESATE No. 138, Volcanic Soil, 250m, Pickard VegL Hb, Sieved litter’; 1 female, 'LORD HOWE ISLAND, Mt Gower summit (NE), 9 Nov 1979, G.B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLESATE No. 134, Volcanic Soil, 850m, Pickard Veg: GMF, Sieved litter’; 1 female, 'LORD HOWE ISLAND, Erskine Valley, north side, 22 Nov 1979, G.B. Monteith / Q.M. BERLSATE No. 160, Volcanic soil, 150m, Pickard Veg:CfLq, Sieved litter / VOUCHER SPECIMEN 81-40' (QM).

Description.

Measurements: HL 0.7-0.9; HW 0.8-1.1; PL 1-1.2; PW 1.1-1.4; EL 0.8-1.1; EW 0.9-1.3. Total body length 5.9-7.6.

Medium sized, dark to light brown beetles. Habitus as in Figure 4.

Head brown-black in colour. Eyes about a third of the length of the head. Nuchal ridge continuing as 'infraorbital extension’ to base of mandibles (Figure 5). Labrum transverse and bilobed. Mandibles with dorsal mandibular ridge indistinct. Mentum with alpha seta present (sensu Brunke and Solodovnikov 2013). Gula with weakly defined suture projecting posteriorly in the middle; gular sutures slightly narrowing medially. Labial palpi: apical segment securiform (expanded; or triangular in shape, Figure 6), covered in short setae; penultimate segment with long macrosetae extending over apical segment.

Antennomeres elongate, all of same colour. First antennomere slightly expanded apically, about as long as second and third combined.

Pronotum widest behind its middle at ca. posterior 2/3 of its length, slightly narrowed towards front angles; usually lighter than head in colour. Dorsal area with linear microsculpture and micropunctures visible at 40 × magnification. Pronotal disk with two punctures in dorsal row: one very close to anterior margin of pronotum, and one on disc of pronotum before middle. Hypomeron inflexed and therefore not visible in lateral view, without post-coxal process. Basisternum with pair of black macrosetae and sometimes with other macrosetae positioned anterior to them.

Elytra usually the same colour as head, brown, sometimes with area around suture and scutellum rufous. Scutellum with only anterior scutellar ridge, setiferous in apical area. Sub-basal ridge present, not reaching humeral angles. Humeral angles with randomly positioned spine-like setae. Wings reduced, much shorter than elytra.

Legs concolourous. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Both sexes with protarsi dilated and bearing dense white adhesive setae ventrally. Each tarsus with pair of empodial setae. Metacoxae almost parallel-sided along their entire length.

Abdomen usually the same colour as the pronotum. Tergites III and IV with anterior and posterior basal carinae, the latter connecting spiracles; tergite VII without apical seam of palisade fringe. Sternite III with basal transverse carina medially sharply pointed and forming an acute angle. Lateral tergal sclerites IX somewhat cylindrical, slightly flattened.

Male. Sternite VIII with apical emargination. Sternite IX with basal portion asymmetrical. Apical area of paramere somewhat spatulate with several short setae (Figure 7).

Female. Sternite VIII without emargination.

Diagnosis.

Among the described and all hitherto undescribed species of Quediopsis that we know from the material from throughout Australia, Quediopsis howensis may be separated based on the following combination of characters: apical segment of labial palpi extremely securiform; antennal segments concolourous; eyes slightly reduced; tergites III and IV with posterior basal carina connecting spiracles; apical margin of tergite VIII evenly rounded. Additionally, Quediopsis howensis is the only species in the genus with characteristic microphthalmous and poorly pigmented (brownish) body.

Etymology.

The species name refers to the fact that Quediopsis howensis seems to be a unique endemic representative of the genus on Lord Howe Island. It is an adjective derived from the latter part of the islands’ name.

Distribution.

The species is only known from Lord Howe Island and is probably endemic to the island.

Biology.

Nothing is known of the biology of the species, however label data associated with specimens indicates that is was collected in leaf litter of a variety of bush and tree species. The somewhat smaller eyes, distinctly depigmented body and fully reduced wings indicate that Quediopsis howensis may be adapted to life in deep layers of leaf litter.

Taxon discussion.

The genus Quediopsis Fauvel, 1878 was originally erected for two species from mainland Australia: Quediopsis lugubris Fauvel, 1878 and Quediopsis abdominalis Fauvel, 1878. Both species are very characteristic among all other Amblyopinina and share the following combination of characters that form the core of the diagnosis of the genus: apical segment of labial palpi securiform or wider than penultimate segment (Figure 6), covered in short setae; penultimate segment of labial palpi with long macro setae extending over apical segment; tergites III and IV and occasionally V with posterior basal carina in addition to anterior carina; nuchal ridge usually extending to base of mandibles (Figure 5). Subsequently, in the online database for Austral Staphylinoidea, Newton and Thayer (2005) proposed the transfer of Quedius rubricollis Fauvel, 1878 to Quediopsis (albeit without explanation). Even though the genus-level systematics of free living Amblyopinina is not developed and difficult as we have recently stated ( Solodovnikov and Jenkins Shaw 2016), Quediopsis is a very clear cut and easy to recognise genus. Until now, no more species have been described in the genus, but based on the study of extensive material we estimate at least 6 new species of Quediopsis which still need to be described from mainland Australia. The genus seems to also present in Tasmania, New Zealand and New Caledonia but this will be investigated further in our forthcoming generic revision of the subtribe. The weakly defined sinuate suture on the gula characteristic for the new species from LHI is also found in at least two undescribed species of Quediopsis from mainland Australia.