Brounhister vividulus ( Broun, 1880 ) Leschen & Ôhara, 2017

Leschen, Richard A. B. & Ôhara, Masahiro, 2017, Phylogenetic Placement of Abraeus vividulus Broun and Notes on New Zealand Histeridae (Coleoptera), The Coleopterists Bulletin 71 (3), pp. 537-551 : 546-547

Brounhister vividulus ( Broun, 1880) , new combination

( Figs. 1 , 3– 7 , 8E )

Redescription. Color unicolorus dark to light brown and tan; sometimes lighter on appendages in darker specimens. Dorsal surfaces shiny; vestiture absent ( Fig. 3A ) apart from appendages; punctures on dorsal surfaces distinct, separated by 1–2X puncture width, more dense at middle of pronotum and elytra; punctution of elytra weakly ovate and forming weak striae. Ratio of antennomere lengths: 4.5: 2.0: 0.5: 0.6: 0.7: 0.6: 0.5: 0.6: 3.5. Punctation on ventral surfaces more coarse and impressed than on dorsal surfaces. Elytral disc with 2 very fine lateral striae (often difficult to observe). Aedeagus about 7X as long as wide, more or less parallel-sided and slightly expanded apically; parameres slender, 2.8X as long as phallobase, inwardly hooked apically with at least 3 subapical setae; penis narrow and approximately 0.9X as long as parameres combined.

Notes. Broun (1880) stated “I found this pretty little species at Tairua, and sent some specimens to Dr. Sharp, who, however, has not described it.” There are several specimens in the BMNH that may relate to the specimens that Broun mentions. One is labelled as a syntype in the Broun collection, and three are in the main collection with Sharp Collection labels. We designated the single specimen in the Broun collection as a lectotype, and it is not certain which of the other specimens were part of the original shipment sent to Sharp , apart, from, perhaps, the two labelled from “ Auckland ”. No additional material can be traced to the original syntype series, if there was more than one at the time Broun drafted the description. Meanwhile , Lewis and Pascoe also had material of the species, and according to Roger Booth (personal communication) “It seems as though Lewis was confused because 3 examples are labelled as brouni underneath the locality label, but vividulus on his det labels. Perhaps that is why Lewis did not publish his name. Curious as Lewis’ s specimens are not the true vividulus , but look like Broun’ s brouni !”

We could not identify external characters useful for sexing the specimens. The genitalic illustrations ( Fig. 6A, B, D–E ) were based on a specimen dissected from a label handwritten by Sharp from a “ New Zealand ” series, but another specimen (lacking the prothorax and head) from “ Auckland ” (printed label) had a fringe of smaller setae on tergite X, though the primary setae are the same as illustrated, and the invagination was slightly deeper on sternite VIII ( Fig. 6C ). We suspect that the material is from the same series (both had Sharp Collection labels) and may represent variation from the same locality.

Distribution. This species is widespread in New Zealand, but infrequently collected. North Island: CO, HB. South Island: NN, BR, MC, OL, WD.

Biology. Specimens of this species have been collected by sifting, twice from flood debris and once from driftwood after a flood. The locality from Waipatiki is a beach location in Hawkes Bay, and it is possible that this specimen, too, was collected in flood debris. Based on mouthpart structure, Brounhister may be predatory, but direct observations are necessary. Guts of dissected specimens were empty, which may indicate predatory behavior under repeated observation (e.g., Leschen 1993).

Type Material Examined. Lectotype ( BMNH; Fig. 8E ): card-mounted (sex undetermined), “ SYN- TYPE [round label with powder blue border] // 300 [olive-colored label] // Tairua [underlined and in Broun’ s hand] // New Zealand [red underline] Broun Coll. Brit. Mus. 1922–482. // LECTOTYPE Abraeus vividulus Broun, 1880 designated by R. A.B. Leschen, 2016 [red label]” ( Fig. 8F ).

Additional Material Examined. North Island: 2 ( BMNH), Auckland [possibly those originally collected from Tairua]; CO [Coromandel], Sharp Collection 1905-313, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 1 ( NZAC), HB [Hawkes Bay], Waipatiki, 27/01/1959, B.M. May, Abraeus vividulus , det D.G.H. Halstead 1998. South Island: 1 ( JNC), NN [Northwest Nelson], Karamea, 8km S of Maori Point Rd, 3/01/2011,? Tribalus vividulus , det J. Nunn 1/2011; 1 ( JNC), NN, Little Wanganui R mouth, 3/01/2011, under driftwood after flood,? Tribalus vividulus , det J. Nunn 1/2011; 1 ( JNC), BR [Buller], Pororari River mouth, Punakaiki, 27/12/ 2010, in flood debris,? Tribalus vividulus , det J. Nunn 1/2011; 1 ( BMNH), Greymouth [ BR], Helms, Sharp Collection 1905-313, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 2 ( NZAC), MC [Mid Canterbury], Rakaia, 30/11/1912, T. Broun Collection, A.E. Brookes Collection, 425, n.sp [underlined in red]; 1 ( NZAC), MC, Winchmore Irrigation Res. Station, 24/11/1978, J. Wood, wind trap, Abraeus sp , det J.C. Watt 1982; 1 ( NZAC), OL [Otago Lakes], Haast Pass, 1 km East Bourkes Flat, 15/01/2005, R. Leschen, T. Buckley, RL902, litter Nothofagus/podocarp, 43.52S, 169.03E; 1 ( NZAC), WD [Westland], Pleasant Flat, Haast River Bridge, 22/01/1978, G. Kuschel, 78/ 49, 150m, litter, flood debris, Abraeus sp , det M. Ohara . Unknown: 3 ( NZAC), bearing blank red, green, and blue labels, T. Broun Collection, A.E. Brookes Collection, 7 [one specimen with handwritten label: “looks like an unusual large acritus. please return. Prob named by Broun ( Histeridae )”]; 2 ( BMNH), New Zeal, Pascoe Collection, 93-60, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 1 ( BMNH), New Zeal, Sharp Collection 1905- 313, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 1 ( BMNH), Auckland, Sharp Collection 1905-313, Abraeus vividulus , det R. W 1963 [head and prothorax missing] R.G Booth 2015; 1 ( BMNH), New Zeal, Sharp Collection 1905-313, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 2 ( BMNH), New Zeal, Sharp Collection 1905-313, 133, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 1( BMNH), New Zeal., Atkinson Coll, 92-3, Abraeus vividulus , det R. Wenzel 1962; 1 ( BMNH), New Zealand, Broun, 9.11.85.

Figures

Fig. 1. Brounhister vividulus, habitus. A) Dorsal view, B) Lateral view, C) Oblique lateral view.

Fig. 3. Brounhister vividulus. A) Dorsal habitus, B) Ventral habitus, C) Head and prothorax, ventral view, D) Pygidium, dorsal view, E) Pro- and mesosterna, F) Prosternum, G) Mesosternum, H) Mesoventrite, lateral view.

Fig. 4. Brounhister vividulus, antennomere 9. A) Antennal club, B) Apex, C) Subapex.

Fig. 5. Brounhister vividulus. A) Antenna, B) Antennal club showing internal vesicles, C) Protibia, anterior view, D) Protibia, posterior view.

Fig. 6. Brounhister vividulus, male. A) Tergite and sternite VIII, dorsal view, B) Tergite and sternite VIII, lateral view, C) Sternite VIII of a different specimen, dorsal view, D) Tergites IX and X, dorsal view, E) Tergites IX and X, lateral view, F) Aedeagus, dorsal view, G) Aedeagus, lateral view.

Fig. 7. Brounhister vividulus, ovipositor. A) Dorsal view, B) Ventral view, C) Lateral view, D) Gonocoxite, lateral view, E) Gonostylus, lateral view.

Fig. 8. Primary types and original labels pinned with Abraeus species. A, B) A. brouni, C, D) A. brunneus, E, F) A. vividulus.