Lepanus yorkensis Gunter & Weir, 2019

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 : 236-238

Lepanus yorkensis Gunter & Weir , new species

( Figs 9E , 10E , 11E )

Types series Holotype: ♂ “ 11.45S 142.35E QLD Heathlands 25 Apr.- 7 June 1992 T. McLeod MALAISE #2 dump, open forest” / “ ANIC Database No. 25 023710 ” / ANIC image” / “ Lepanus CYP1 det TA Weir 2012 “, in ANIC [11°45’0”S, 142°35’0”E] . Paratypes (22 ♂, 19 ♀, 12 sex undetermined): Lala Hill, Moa Island , 10°10’9”S, 142°18’6”E, 1–2.iv.2008, (T156685–T156686 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen sex undetermined, T15668–T156690 3 specimens ♂, in QM, T156687 1 specimen also as COL2458 ♂ in ANIC) ; Eet Hill Vicinity, Moa Island, Torres Strait , [10°9’36”S, 142°17’59”E], 9–13.vii.1977, G.B. Monteith & D. Cook (T169001–T169021 6 specimens ♂, 12 specimens ♀, 3 specimens sex undetermined. in QM) ; 3 km E Lockerbie, Cape York, [10°46’46”S, 142°28’47”E], 30.i–4.ii.1975, (T49883 1 specimen sex undetermined in QM also as 25-015606) ; 4 km E Lockerbie, Cape York, [10°47’0”S, 142°30’0”E], 30.i–4.ii.1975, (T49884–49885 2 specimens ♀, T49889–T49891 1 specimen ♂, 2 speci- mens sex undetermined in QM) ; Cape York Peninsula, Lockerbie , [10°51’0”S, 142°27’0”E], 11.iv.1975, M. Walford-Huggins (25-058479 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Cape York Peninsula, Lockerbie , [10°51’0”S, 142°27’0”E], 9.iv.1975, M. Walford-Huggins (25-059138 1 specimen ♂ 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC, CMNEN-00030352-00030359 in CMNC 2 specimens ♂, 2 specimens ♀, 4 specimens sex undetermined) ; Cockatoo Creek crossing, 17 km NW Heathlands, [11°39’0”S, 142°27’0”E], 21.xi–8.xii.1992, P. Zborowski & W. Dressler (25-023711 1 specimen ♂, in ANIC) ; 3 km W Batavia Downs , [12°40’0”S, 142°39’0”E], 23.xi–11.xii.1992, P. Zborowski & W. Dressler (25- 023709 1 specimen ♀ in ANIC) ; 13 km E by S Weipa , [12°39’36”S, 143°0’0”E], 20.iii–20.iv.1994, P. Zborows- ki (25- 023095 2 specimens ♂ in ANIC) ; 13 km E by S Weipa , [12°39’36”S, 143°0’0”E], 15.xi–16.xii.1993, P. Zborowski (25-059137 1 specimen ♂ in ANIC) ; Weipa , [12°38’0”S, 141°53’0”E], 5–8.ii.1975, (T50230 1 specimen ♀, T50232 1 specimen ♂ in QM also as 25-015543, 25-015545) ; Evans Landing, Weipa , 12°39’56”S, 141°50’47”E, 3–6.ii.1976, (T50236–T50237 1 specimen ♂, 1 specimen sex undetermined also as 25-015548, T50241 1 specimen ♀ also as 25-015543 in QM) .

Other material examined. Bamaga [10°53’0”S, 142°23’0”E], xii.1978, Sedlacek (T169022- T 169025 in QM); Australian Biological Resources Study Area 1, Dividing Range, 15 km W Captain Billy Creek, 11°40’0”S, 142°45’0”E, 4.vii.1975 – 9.vii.1975, (T50231, T 50240 in QM also as 25-015544, 25-015551); ABRS Area 1, Dividing Range, 15 km W Captain Billy Creek, 11°40’0”S, 142°45’0”E, 5.ii.1976 – 12.ii.1976, (T50234–T50235 also as 25-015547, T50238–T50239 also as 25-015549–25-015550, T50243–T50249 also as 25-015554 2 specimens, 25- 015555 5 specimens in QM); Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, 12°42’54”S, 143°17’12”E, 30.vi.1977 – 4.vii.1977, (T 50233 in QM also as 25-015546); Gordon’s Mine Area, Iron Range, 12°42’56”S, 143°17’55”E, 12.ii.1976 – 18.ii.1976, (T 50242 in QM also as 25-015553).

Description. Head and pronotum dark brown and elytral light brown. Antennal clubs grey.

Total length: 2.4–2.8 mm. Holotype measurements: total length 2.8 mm, elytral width 1.9 mm.

Male. Head. Surface with fine punctation. Clypeal edge normal, without projection lateral to teeth. Genal angle weakly defined. Dorsal part of the eyes narrow, separated by an interocular space approximately 19 times the eye width (38: 2). Head 1.3 x wider than long (49:37).

Prothorax: Pronotal surface with very fine punctation anteriorly, fine punctation posteriorly. Basal angles round- ed and obtuse. Basal margin with a distinct row of small punctures. Hypomeral surface finely reticulate. Pronotum 1.65 x wider than long (90:54).

Elytra: Surface smooth with lightly impressed striae; intervals very finely punctate. Striae impunctate and all striae on disc equal width. Striae 6 and 7 extending to elytral base. Elytra 1.4 x wider than long (57:40)

Legs: Protibiae with 3 teeth on outer edge, front edge deeply angulate. Apical digit long and parallel sided with a rounded apex with a very small comb of stout setae, and bearing a short spur on the outer apical angle. Metatibiae without a notch on the inner edge.

Abdomen: Pygidium simple, smooth with finely reticulate base, finely punctate and slightly convex. Abdominal ventrites reticulate right across. Ventrite 6 very finely punctate.

Pterothorax: Medial lobe of metaventrite very finely punctate and narrowly margined beside the mesocoxae. Lateral lobe of metaventrite with inner border beside mesocoxae anteriorly straight, lateral border virtually absent. Mesoventrite notched anteriorly. Metanepisternum finely reticulate.

Female. Typical of the L. monteithi species group.

Etymology. Named for the distribution of the species, restricted to the Cape York Peninsula bioregion.

Distribution ( Fig. 15 ). Known from rainforests and open forest of Torres Strait (Moa Island) and Cape York from Lockerbie south to Iron Range in the Cape York Peninsula bioregion. Most specimens have been collected from low elevations.

Comments. The majority of specimens have been collected in flight intercept traps or baited pitfall traps (human dung), but a few have been collected at bird droppings, and in malaise and window traps. This species has been referred to under the informal nomenclature sensu Yeates et al. 2011 as “ Lepanus CYP1” (Gunter et al. 2019). The specimen sequenced in this study from Moa Island is designated as a paratype (T156687also as COL2458) and was recovered as sister to L. geoffi new species These species are superficially similar but can be differentiated by the impressed striae of L. yorkensis and setate depression of lateral lobe of the metaventrite in L. geoffi .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Habitus of species within the Lepanus monteithi species group. A, Lepanus geoffi; B, Lepanus monteithi; C, Lepanus reidi; D, Lepanus topend; E, Lepanus yorkensis. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Left, dorsal, and right view of aedeagi of species within the Lepanus monteithi species group. A, Lepanus geoffi; B, Lepanus monteithi; C, Lepanus reidi; D, Lepanus topend; E, Lepanus yorkensis. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 11. Pygidial configuration of species within the Lepanus monteithi species group. A, Lepanus geoffi; B, Lepanus monteithi; C, Lepanus reidi; D, Lepanus topend; E, Lepanus yorkensis. All specimens in comparative scale. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 15. Map of known records for Lepanus yorkensis including predicted distribution estimated with BIOCLIM models. QLD, Queensland.