Nothocyphon lanceolatus, Zwick, Peter, 2015

Zwick, Peter, 2015, Australian Marsh Beetles (Coleoptera: Scirtidae). 7. Genus Nothocyphon, new genus, Zootaxa 3981 (3), pp. 301-359 : 316-319

Nothocyphon lanceolatus , n. sp.

( Figs. 32−40 )

Type material: 1♂ holotype: 42.08S 146.13E, TAS, Tas.World.Her.Area, Lake St.Clair Site 1 HEC Road, 18 Feb.1997, sweep, P.Greenslade ( ANIC). 1♂ p aratype, 1 presumed ♀ taken together with the holotype ( ANIC).

Additional ♂ paratypes and presumed (non-type) females ( TAS): 1♂: Cyphon fenestratus Blackb. Id. by HJCarter/ 5840 TAS [plus illegible text; red ink on card] ( SAMA). 1♂: 42.08S 146.13E, TAS, Tas.World.Her.Area, Lake St.Clair Site 2, Lake St. Clair Road, 18 Feb.1997, sweep, P.Greenslade; 2♂: L. St. Clair Tasmania J. Armstrong; 10♂, 1♀: Cradle Mtn Tasmania J. Armstrong. 1♀: 41.50S 148.03E TAS Pelion Hut 3 km S Mt.Oakleigh, 860m 15–10 Feb. 1990 I. D. Naumann, rainforest; 1♂ same, but: 6 Feb. 1990, sweeping closed forest edge I. Naumann; 1♂ same, but: 13 Feb.–7 Mar.1991, I.Naumann, M.Horak, Malaise #1 closed forest; 3♀: 41.50S 148.03E TAS Pelion Gap, 2 km ENE Mt. Ossa, 1200m, 13 Feb.–17 Mar. 1991, I.Naumann, M.Horak, Malaise trap \ Eucalyptus coccifera woodland with alpine heath mats; 1♂: TAS, Cradle Mtn. Dove R. 1000m, 30.1.1989, D. Bickel alpine yellowpane (all ANIC). 4♂: Cradle Mtn. Tasmania, Carter & Lea ( SAMA, 1 in PZ). 1♂: N.W. Tasmania Cradle Valley 3.000 feet 12.1.1923 /Brit. Mus. 1925-120; 2♂: Strahan Tasmania J. Armstrong/ Paratype / [unpublished manuscript name] Armst. Id. J. Armstrong/ Brit. Mus. 1961 61 (all NHML). 1♂: 41.16S 145.17E Hellyer Gorge TAS 17 Jan.1983 I.D.Naumann & J.C.Cardale coll.; 1♂: 42.01S 145.32E TAS 8km N Queenstown 22 Nov.1988 P.B.McQuillan & E.S.Nielsen; 2♂: AUSTRALIA, TAS, Strahan, 5km W 42°09'S, 145°16'E 6 February 1992 Tom Gush \ on flowering Leptospermum sp. Tom Gush Collection 3367; 8♂: Strahan Tasmania J. Armstrong (all ANIC). 1♂: SW TAS, Lower Gordon R., 42.56S 145.50E, 42.54S 145.54E, Howard, Hill M.E.C. 128L7090 Feb. 1977 moss /12; 1♂: 42.10S 146.10E, 7km SWbyW Derwent Bridge, 16 Jan–2 Feb. 1989 I. D.Naumann & J.C.Cardale Malaise \ ethanol (all ANIC). 2♂: TAS 18K SW Derwent Bridge 29/11/00 C.H.S.Watts; 4♂: TAS Franklin beaches 4K N Derwent bridge 30/1/06 CHS.Watts on Leptospermum flws (all on same card, penes projecting); 1♂, 1♀: TAS 15k N Tullah 41°35'48S 145°40'43E 30/10/02 CHS.Watts; 1♂: Huon R. Tas Lea \ Cyphon 8802 Tasmania; 15♂: Summit of Mt. Wellington Tas. (Lea) \ Cyphon Tasmania 8801; 1♂: Mt. Wellington, Tas. 12.12.0 1 Griffith \ Griffith collection Id. by A.M.Lea \ Cyphon nr. adelaidae Bl. S.A. 7946 (all SAMA). 2♂: Summit of Mt. Wellington, Tas. (Lea) ( QMSB; QM Reg.No. T227409, T227410)). 1♂: Summit of Mt. Wellington TAS Lea; 1♂: Mt. Wellington TAS Lea; 1♂: 42.54S 147.13E TAS, Mt. Wellington summit 1240m, 5 Feb.1992 C.Reid under stones or on flowers; 2♂: Hobart Tasmania J.J.Walker \ G.C.Champion Coll. B.M. 1927- 409 (all ANIC). 4♂: Hobart Tasmania J.J.Walker \ G.C.Champion coll. B.M. 1927-409; 1♂: Hobart 91-88 \ 2463 (all NHML). 1♂: Australia Tasm. Hartz Mts NP., 8–10.ii.1980, nr. Leptospermum A.Newton, M.Thayer; 1♂: 42.43S 147.50E TAS Sandpit For. Reserve S of Orford 200m 915 17.Jan–2.Feb. 1993 A.Newton & M.Thayer \ Euc.globulus w/rainf understory FMHD #93-45 ex window trap (all ANIC).

Additional material examined: TAS: 2♂, 2♀: TAS 18K SW Derwent Bridge 29/11/00; 8♂: TAS Narcissus Bay Lake St. Clair 30/1/06 on Lepto & Baeckea flws (all CHS.Watts, SAMA). 10♂, 1 presumed ♀: Gordon R. Tasmania J.Armstrong; 1♂: 42.41S 146.37E TAS Mt.Field NP Lake Fenton by dam 1000m 6.Feb. 1992 C.Reid Nothofagus gunni; 1 damaged ♂: 42.54S 147.13E TAS, Mt. Wellington summit 1240m, 5 Feb.1992 C.Reid under stones or on flowers (all ANIC).— VIC: 7♂: Grampians Vic. E.T.Smith ( ANIC; originally mounted on 3 cards).

Habitus. Elongate oval, elytral margins almost parallel. BL 2.2−3.2 mm, BL/BW ~1.7. Brown to almost black, in relatively pale specimens the sutural interval is vaguely reddish. The appendages are yellowish to brown. The antennal base is unmodified, distal flagellar segments are just twice as long as distally wide. Head and scutellum with fine granular punctures, the granular punctures on the pronotum are larger. Elytra with still larger normal punctures. The pilosity is short, semi-erect, yellowish.

Male ( Figs. 32−37 ). Segments 8 and 9 as for the genus. Penis slender, pala very narrow, longitudinally folded, forming a slender anterior tip. Trigonium and parameroids originate near the caudal third of penis. Trigonium flat, sides and apex with small teeth. Shape varies from triangular to broadly tongue-shaped and truncate; see Notes section below. The parameroids are gently curved flat rods that narrow caudally and are longer than the trigonium. The inner edge is straight, the outer one convex. The tegmen is a long thin sclerite loop caudally supporting the band-like parameres whose caudal portion widens, surrounding the penis ventrolaterally. Parameres with variable armature (see notes), the caudal teeth are always largest. A blunt spur-like sclerite supports the ventrolateral end of the paramere (e.g., Figs. 32, 33, 37 ).

Female (presumed). S7 with two paramedian oval patches of finely porous cuticle from where minute converging canals lead inward. Near the medial edge of each modified cuticular area stands a group of erect hairs that differ from the normal fine tomentum ( Fig. 38 ). T8 and ovipositor unmodified, rods of S8 connected by a wide ring in front ( Fig. 39 ).

Prehensor ( Fig. 40 ) located in an abruptly widening section of the oviduct. Two parallel bands of slender spines lead towards the wide section. Its projecting caudo-lateral angles are two apparently extensible pockets with concentric folds. Between them lies a trapezoidal sclerite with two paramedian ridges armed with strong anteriorly directed teeth. Anteriorly, on the opposite side of the duct a toothed sclerite ring is located. It ends in two slender strips extending forward towards the balloon-shaped bursella, surface with minute sun-like cuticular ornaments.

Notes. The male genitalia vary. In most specimens the trigonium is bluntly rounded but the tip may also be narrow and pointed, or spade-shaped ( Figs. 33, 36, 37 ). The armature of the parameres varies also. A continuous band of coarse teeth may extend from the large caudal hooks to the anterior end of the paramere ( Fig. 33 ). In other specimens the armature may be altogether finer ( Fig. 37 ). In still others, a few fine teeth only may be present between the large distal hooks and the basal patch of teeth ( Fig. 36 ). In groups of specimens taken together the various morphs coexist, variation seems to be individual. However, ten males taken together at the Gordon River are all small (2.2−2.6mm; Fig. 37 ), have relatively short genitalia, a sharply pointed trigonium, more strongly bulging parameroids and weak armature of the parameres. The female in that sample has a spermatophore in the bursella. Another male taken at the Lower Gordon R. is normal and resembles Fig. 33 . The presumed females agree in habitus and were taken together with male N. lanceolatus .

J. Armstrong attached type labels to specimens of N. lanceolatus but assigned them to two different taxa none of which he described. At the same time he confused N. lanceolatus with other taxa, e.g., N. frater and another presently undescribed species.

N. lanceolatus is widespread in Tasmania. Its occurrence in the Grampians should be confirmed by contemporary collections.

Etymology. The name is a Latin adjective describing the lanceolate shape of the pala.

Figures

FIGURES 32 – 37. Nothocyphon lanceolatus - group, N. lanceolatus, male. 32, lateral view of everted terminalia; 33, same, dorsal view (paratype from Cradle Mtn); 34, T 8; 35, S 8; 36, penis and parameres of paratype from Hartz Mts NP; 37, same, specimen from Gordon R. 33, 36, 37 to the same, others not to scale. Abbreviations: pa, pala; pe, paramere; pd, parameroid; sp, spur of paramere; te, tegmen; tr, trigonium; S, sternites, T, tergites, with number of segment.

FIGURES 38 – 40. Nothocyphon lanceolatus - group, N. lanceolatus, presumed female. 38, S 7 with patches of porous cuticle and associated hair brushes; 39, segment 8 and ovipositor (diagrammatic); 40, prehensor, dorsoventral.