Lepanus australis, Matthews, 1974

Gunter, Nicole L. & Weir, Thomas A., 2019, Revision of Australian species of the dung beetle genus Lepanus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae): description of 10 new species from the L. australis, L. monteithi, and L. villosus species groups, Zootaxa 4695 (3), pp. 201-252 : 203-204

Lepanus australis species group

Diagnosis. Species within the L. australis species group share the following characteristics, with occasional exceptions noted in brackets. Note, the species group is paraphyletic.

Males. Head: Surface smooth and nitid. Broadly U-shaped between clypeal teeth that are short and not upturned (very broad U-shape in L. dukungarri new species, clypeal teeth slightly upturned in L. oxleyi new species). Edge of head completely bordered; clypeal edge normal, without projection lateral to teeth; margin very slightly angulate at clypeogenal suture; genal angle rounded; margin of head rounded behind the eyes; mentum not bordered, without striations. Dorsal part of the eye narrow.

Prothorax: Basal angles distinct. Lateral edges margined. Punctures along the basal margin similar to those posteriorly on disc, not extending to basal margin. Hypomeral striae present.

Elytra: Surface smooth with variously impressed striae.

Legs: Protibiae with 2 teeth on outer edge. Front edge of protibiae with apical digit but apical spur absent; apical digit long and parallel sided with slight inner apical angle (except L. eungella new species, apical digit short and triangular). Metatibiae not modified, without extension (metatibiae of L. dukungarri new species slightly curved). Metatarsi with tarsomere 2 the longest. Tarsomere 1 normal, not lobed on inner edge. Tarsal claws small and simple.

Abdomen: Pygidium simple, finely punctate (more coarsely punctate in some specimens of L. dukungarri new species) and slightly convex.

Pterothorax: Meso-metasternal suture very slightly arched.

Hind wings: Fully developed.

Genitalia: Aedeagus with parameres asymmetrical, right paramere a little longer and with apex variously bent downwards and expanded ( Fig. 3 ).

Females. Protibiae with long apical spur and shorter apical digit (except for Lepanus eungella new species, where apical digit is absent on truncate protibia). Abdominal ventrite 6 slightly longer than in male.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Left, dorsal, and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus australis species group. A, Lepanus australis; B, Lepanus burnetti; C, Lepanus dukungarri; D, Lepanus eungella; E, Lepanus latheticus; F, Lepanus oxleyi. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.2 mm.