Deretaphrus lateropunctatus Lord and McHugh

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 : 38-40

Deretaphrus lateropunctatus Lord and McHugh , new species

( Figs. 72 , 112–113 , 155 , 179 , 220–221 )

Diagnosis. This species can be readily distinguished from congeners by the larger punctures along the dorsolateral margin of the pronotal disc (distinctly larger than on the remaining portion of the disc), the base of the pronotum with an oval depression and the disc with the median longitudinal canal consisting of a weakly impressed line not extending past the middle of the pronotum, the metaventrite bearing large punctures at the anterolateral corners, the elytra being nearly smooth and reddish in color. It most closely resembles D. analis in the nearly impunctate surface of the pronotal disc but is easily distinguished by the uninterrupted median longitudinal canal and the larger punctures at the lateral margin.

Description. Length 7.6–11.5 mm. Width 2.1–3.3 mm. Body elongate, parallel, dark orange to 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; with laterally expanded supra-ocular ridges; eyes partially concealed from above; punctures small and dense except sparse along posterior margin. Frontoclypeal suture distinct, arcuate anteromedially. Anterior margin of clypeus incised medially. Submentum shape similar to Fig. 53 ; narrowly separated from subgenal braces, with large punctures, without paired setose pits; anterior margin sinuate, inflexed anteromedially, strongly produced anteroventrally over oral cavity; mentum concealed. Antennal groove well-developed, impunctate. Antenna moderately to densely setose, segments 3–8 with a single transverse row of medium-length setae, setae slightly longer than half the length of the segment from which they arise; antennal club segments with two transverse rows of moderately long 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. 72 ): Pronotum quadrate, tapering slightly towards base, widest near anterior ¼, distinctly wider than head; dorsal surface evenly convex; anterior margin straight; anterior angles rounded; base slightly narrower than elytral bases; posterior margin weakly sinuate; posterior angles depressed, with small denticle at posterolateral corner; lateral margin with incomplete carina, forming a distinct raised border in dorsal view, terminating anteriorly before the true anterior margin of the pronotum. Pronotal disc with minute, dense punctures. Pronotal disc with large punctures along dorsolateral margin. Pronotal median longitudinal canal present, weakly developed, not interrupted; canal terminating anteriorly at midline, widening into a large, oval depression posteriorly; pronotal disc with two prominent round depressions on either side of posterior portion of median canal. Hypomeron sparsely punctate, punctures much larger than those found on pronotal disc; lateral walls nearly vertical. Prosternum flat medially, strongly deflexed at lateral margin. Prosternum depressed immediately anterior to procoxae. Tergosternal suture more or less straight. Metaventrite with small punctures, punctures significantly larger at anterolateral corners. Elytra ( Figs. 112–113 ): Elytron evenly convex; interstitial intervals smooth; intervals 3, 5, and 7 minutely raised near apex. Basal elytral margin with intervals 3 and 5 each ending in a knob-like protuberance; protuberance of interval 5 narrowly merges with finger-like callosity on the elytral shoulder; callosity large and globular. Legs: Setation sparse; inner face of tibia with 2 prominent fringes of relatively long setae. Tibial crown moderately setose. Ventral apex of tibia with 2 pockets of dense setae that arise on either side of the large, curved tibial spur. Tarsus sparsely setose except for 2 pockets of dense setae on the ventral surface at the apex of tarsomeres 1–3. Abdomen: Ventrite V simple. Punctures on ventrite V smaller and denser than ventrites I–IV. Aedeagus: Phallobase as in Fig. 155 . Tegmen consisting of small, paired plates anteromedially; plates narrowly touching medially. Basal piece with short anterolateral struts; struts slightly curved anteriorly. Parameres moderately short, broadly rounded, distinctly separated and individually articulated to phallobase, internal lateral margins sinuate; paramere sparsely setose with short setae at apical margin; dorsal surface of paramere with large subtriangular process; process thickest at base, narrowing apically, about as long as half the length of the paramere, apex slightly swollen; processes narrowly separated, parallel medially. Penis similar to Fig. 169 ; short, moderately thick, more or less straight; apex narrowed and pointed; base slightly expanded, bearing short, paired anterior struts. Penis bicolored, lighter in basal 1/3.

Variation. The size is variable within the species. The color ranges from orange to dark red. The depth of the prominent round depressions at the posterior margin of the pronotum on either side of the pronotal median longitudinal groove varies, as well as the depth of the groove itself. In some, the larger lateral punctures of the pronotal disc are much more apparent.

Distribution. Australia: New South Wales and Queensland ( Fig. 179 ).

Biology. Not known.

Etymology. The epithet lateropunctatus (Latin) refers to the enlarged punctures located along the lateral margin of the pronotal disc.

Remarks. A holotype is here designated and deposited in the BMNH. Nine paratypes are here designated and deposited in the ANIC, MVMA, QDPI, QMBA, and UQIC.

Type Locality. Dorrigo , New South Wales .

Type Material Examined. H O L O T Y P E ( Fig. 220–221 ) ( BMNH, card-mounted) label data: “Dorrigo N.S. Wales // Deretaphrus analis Lea [in Carter’ s hand] Det. H.J. Carter // 1936-389 [handwritten]” [ BMNH 60 NL]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( QMBA, card-mounted) label data: “Rivertree, NSW 10.VIII.1924 [handwritten]” [ QMBA 42 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( ANIC, card-mounted) label data: “ Tamb Mt Q. Davidson [handwritten]” [ ANIC 153 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( QMBA, card-mounted) label data: “Rivertree, NSW 10.viii.1924 [handwritten]” [ QMBA 43 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( ANIC, pinned) label data: “Queensland // National Pk. Jan. 1928 Nicholson // D. analis HJC c.w. cotype [in Carter’ s hand]” [ ANIC 71 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( QDPI, pinned) label data: “Imbil 22.11.37 ARB [handwritten]” [ QDPI 23 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARA- TYPE ( QDPI, pointed) label data: Liston N.S.W. 9.8.27 [handwritten] // Deretaphrus [in Lea’ s hand] Id. by A.M. Lea ” [ QDPI 22 NL, examined]. Male, genitalia dissected and in glycerine in vial beneath specimen. PARATYPE ( UQIC, minuten-pinned) label data: National Pk. Queensland R. Illidge // UQIC Reg. #91707” [ UQIC 27 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( UQIC, minutenpinned) label data: “ UQIC Reg. #91696 // Wrattens Camp, via Widgee, S.E. Qld. 28.iii.1975 G.B. Monteith ” [ UQIC 15 NL, examined]. Sex not determined. PARATYPE ( MVMA, pinned) label data: “ Dorrigo [handwritten] // H.J. Carter Coll. P. 20.4.22 // D. analis Lea [in Carter’ s hand] Det. H.J. Carter // D. analis [handwritten] // COL-69143” [ MVMA 112 NL, examined]. Sex not determined .

Additional Material Examined (3). AUSTRALIA: NEW SOUTH WALES: Byron Bay ( BPBM 8 NL); Blue Mountains, Dorrigo

( MAMU 40 NL). QUEENSLAND: Lamington National Park ( UQIC 35 NL).

Figures

Figs. 66–74. Deretaphrus species, pronotum. 66) D. gracilis; 67) D. hoplites; 68) D. ignarus; 69) D. incultus;

Figs. 112–117. Deretaphrus species, elytra, dorsal and lateral views. 112–113) D. lateropunctatus; 114–115) D. ocularis;

Figs. 149–157. Deretaphrus species, phallobase. 149) D. gracilis; 150) D. hoplites; 151) D. ignarus; 152) D. incultus;

Figs. 179–180. Distribution of Deretaphrus species. 179) D. analis, D. bucculentus, D. hoplites, and D. lateropunctatus;

Figs. 219–227. Primary type specimens and specimen labels of Deretaphrus species. 219) D. iridescens, lectotype labels; 220–221) D. lateropunctatus, holotype, BMNH; 222–223) D. ocularis, holotype, SAMA; 224–225) D. oregonensis, lectotype, MCZ; 226–227) D. parviceps, lectotype, SAMA.

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.