Dineutus (Merodineutus) macrochirus Régimbart, 1899

Polhemus, Dan A., 2011, New distributional records for Gyrinidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) on New Guinea and nearby islands, with a checklist of the New Guinea species, Zootaxa 2900, pp. 51-68 : 62

Dineutus (Merodineutus) macrochirus Régimbart, 1899

Fig. 6

Dineutes macrochirus Régimbart, 1899: 196 .

Dineutus (s. str.) macrochirus: Hatch, 1926: 344 .

Dineutus (Merodineutus) macrochirus: Ochs, 1955: 153 .

Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central Prov.: 1 male, 2 females, Owen Stanley Range, upper Udabe River, 1.25 km. SSE of Woitape, 1570 m. [5150 ft.], 8°33'34"S, 147°15'26"E, water temp. 18 °C., 2 October 2003, 11:00–11:45 hrs., CL 7250, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM); 1 male, 1 female, Owen Stanley Range, Om Creek, trib. to upper Udabe River, 1.85 km. SSE of Woitape, 1585 m. [5200 ft.], 8°33'28"S, 147°15'22"E, water temp. 19 °C., 2 October 2003, 12:00–12:30 hrs., CL 7251, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM); 1 male, 1 female, Owen Stanley Range, Mas River, 2.0 km. SW of Fane, 1235 m. [4050 ft.], 8°33'25"S, 147°04'04"E, water temp. 20 °C., 5 October 2003, 10:00–13:30 hrs., CL 7257, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM).

Discussion. This very large species is widely distributed at higher elevations in the Owen Stanley Range ( Fig. 6 ). At the Om Creek locality this species was found on a moderately swift, clear creek traversing a cleared valley floor in a bed of dark, water-rounded rocks and boulders, bordered by steep, grassy banks and partially shaded by remnant trees. The water here was 0.3–1.0 m. deep, occupying a channel 2– 3 m. wide, with the gyrinids occurring on shaded pools.

Based on known collections, this subspecies occupies the Owen Stanley Mountains area of freshwater endemism (Area 31) as defined by Polhemus & Allen (2007). The records above were also provided in Kraus et al. (2006).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Distribution of certain Dineutus (Merodineutus) species on New Guinea. Symbols with grey centers represent previous records; symbols with black centers represent new records presented in this paper.