Deretaphrus alveolatus Carter and Zeck, 1937

Lord, Nathan P. & McHugh, Joseph V., 2013, A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Deretaphrus Newman, 1842 (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Bothrideridae), The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 12) 67, pp. 1-107 : 18

Deretaphrus alveolatus Carter and Zeck, 1937

( Figs. 58 , 84–85 , 141 , 173 , 185–186 )

Deretaphrus alveolatus Carter and Zeck, 1937: 201 . Heinze 1943: 119.

Diagnosis. This species can be readily distinguished from congeners by the large, shallow, closely set punctures of the pronotal disc, giving a net-like appearance. It most closely resembles D. antennatus new species. Both species have small setae that arise from punctures on the head and pronotum as well as a similar pronotal sculpturing. In D. alveolatus , the dorsal surface of the head is flat, the punctures on the pronotal disc are round and much more shallow, and the antennal club segments are more rounded and less angulate. The carination of the elytral interstitial intervals is similar to that of other Western Australian Deretaphrus species , but this species is easily separated by the sculpture of the pronotum.

Redescription. Length 7.6 mm. Width 2.0 mm. Body elongate, parallel, dark red; dorsal surface glabrous, matte to slightly shiny; ventral surface moderately shiny, glabrous except for minute setae that arise from punctures. Head: In dorsal view, slightly narrowed anteriorly, apex flat; without laterally expanded supra-ocular ridges; eyes completely visible from above; punctures small and dense except sparse along posterior margin; each puncture with 1 small seta arising from center. Frontoclypeal suture distinct, arcuate, slightly sinuate medially. Anterior margin of clypeus broadly arcuate. Submentum shape similar to Fig. 48 ; narrowly separated from subgenal braces, without paired setose pits; anterior margin sinuate, strongly produced anteroventrally over oral cavity, mentum completely concealed. Antennal groove welldeveloped, impunctate internally. Antenna appearing glabrous except under high magnification, segments 3–8 with a single transverse row of minute setae, antennal club segments with minute, sparse setae. Antennal club distinctly asymmetrical, leading edge of club segments much more inflated than trailing edge. Dorsal surface (external face) of mandible without median setose groove. Thorax ( Fig. 58 ): Pronotum elongate, tapering only slightly towards base, widest near anterior margin, distinctly wider than head; dorsal surface convex, slightly depressed along midline, more strongly deflexed near anterior angles; anterior margin arcuate; anterior angles rounded; base slightly narrower than elytral bases; posterior margin weakly sinuate; posterior angles without small denticle; lateral margin with incomplete carina, forming a distinct raised border in dorsal view. Pronotal disc with very large, shallow, round punctures, each with a small seta arising from center; punctures very dense, closely set, nearly confluent, giving an alveolate pattern. Pronotal median longitudinal depression present, extremely weak and shallow, ending in anterior 1/3; depression slightly more impressed near base. Hypomeron more sparsely punctate than pronotal disc, punctures large and shallow; lateral walls nearly vertical. Prosternum flat medially, strongly deflexed at lateral margin. Tergosternal suture slightly sinuate, located on lateral wall of prothorax. Elytra ( Figs. 84–85 ): Elytron slightly flattened dorsally; interstitial intervals 3–9 raised for entire length, shiny; raised even intervals not as long as odd, ending before apex; odd raised intervals nearly extending to apical margin; interval 3 raised towards apex; interval 4 raised for apical half. Basal elytral margin with intervals 3 and 5 each ending in a knob-like protuberance; protuberance on elytral interval 5 merges with finger-like callosity on elytral shoulder. Legs: Tibia with short, sparse setae; inner face of tibia with 2 fringes of short, thick setae. Tarsus sparsely setose except for two pockets of dense setae on the ventral surface near apex of tarsomeres 1–3. Abdomen: Ventrite V simple, punctures becoming smaller and denser near apex. Aedeagus: Phallobase as in Fig. 141 . Tegmen consisting of paired, subtriangular plates at middle; plates narrowly touching medially. Basal piece with short anterolateral struts; struts slightly curved anteriorly. Parameres moderately short, elongate, distinctly separated and individually articulated to phallobase, internal lateral margins arcuate; paramere sparsely setose with short setae at apical margin; dorsal surface of paramere with short subtriangular process; process thickest at base, narrowing apically, slightly shorter than half the length of the paramere, apex slightly swollen; processes narrowly separated, parallel medially. Penis similar to Fig. 169 ; short, moderately thick, slightly curved; apex narrowed and pointed; base slightly expanded, bearing short, paired anterior struts. Penis bicolored, lighter in basal 1/3.

Distribution. Australia: Cue, Western Australia. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 173 ).

Biology. Not known.

Remarks. Carter and Zeck (1937) described this species from a single specimen.

Type Locality. Cue , Western Australia .

Type Material Examined. H O L O T Y P E ( Figs. 185–186 ) (♂, SAMA, point-mounted) label data: “Cue, W.A. H.W. Brown // Holotype [red label] // Deretaphrus alveolatus Cart : [in Carter’ s hand] // S. Aust. Museum specimen [orange label]” [ SAMA 282 NL, examined]. This type was removed from the original card-mount and was point-mounted. The original card-mount, abdomen [glued to a card, bearing a ♂ symbol], and genitalia [in glycerin in genitalia vial] are pinned beneath the specimen .

Figures

Figs. 57–65. Deretaphrus species, pronotum. 57) D. aequaliceps; 58) D. alveolatus; 59) D. analis; 60) D. antennatus;

Figs. 82–87. Deretaphrus species, elytra, dorsal and lateral views. 82–83) D. aequaliceps; 84–85) D. alveolatus;

Figs. 140–148. Deretaphrus species, phallobase. 140) D. aequaliceps; 141) D. alveolatus; 142) D. analis;

Figs. 173–174. Distribution of Deretaphrus species. 173) D. alveolatus, D. antennatus, D. parviceps, and D. rodmani;

Figs. 183–191. Primary type specimens and specimen labels of Deretaphrus species. 183–184) D. aequaliceps, lectotype, BMNH; 185–186) D. alveolatus, holotype, SAMA; 187–188) D. analis, lectotype, SAMA; 189–190) D. antennatus, holotype, WAMP; 191) D. boliviensis, holotype, USNM.

Figs. 48–53. Deretaphrus species, head capsule, ventral view, showing setae and shape of submentum. 48) D. ignarus;

Figs. 165–172. Deretaphrus species, penis (left: dorsal view; right: lateral view; phallobase, to scale with penis). 165) D. boliviensis; 166) D. bucculentus; 167) D. gracilis; 168) D. hoplites; 169) D. ignarus; 170) D. oregonensis; 171) D. parviceps; 172) D. puncticollis.