Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792)

Lackner, Tomas & Leschen, Richard A. B., 2017, A monograph of the Australopacific Saprininae (Coleoptera, Histeridae), ZooKeys 689, pp. 1-263 : 21-24

Gnathoncus rotundatus (Kugelann, 1792) Figs 90, 91-98, 99-102, 103-110, 754

Hister rotundatus Kugelann, 1792: 304.

Type locality.

Poland: Masuria: Ostróda.

Type material examined.

None examined for this study. Kugelann’s collection was destroyed during the WWII (T. Huflejt, Warsaw, Poland, pers. comm). It is not known, whether it contained the type material of Hister rotundatus or not.

Additional material examined.

NEW ZEALAND. North Island. CO: 1 ♂, Earnscleugh, 28.x.1979, G. McLaren (suction trap) (NZAC). HB: 2 ♂♂, Longlands, ii.1976, J.A. McLemmans (starling nest) (NZAC); 1 ♂, Cape Kindnappers, Black Reef, 10.iii.1980, C.F. Butcher & M.F. Tacker ( bird’s nest) (NZAC); 1 ♀, Motupiko, 9.ix.1951, G.G. Hole (NZAC); 6 ♂♂ & 7 ♀♀, Twijford, Hawke Bay, 2.xi.1976, B.A. Holloway (poultry manure) (NZAC); 34 ♂♂ & 29 ♀♀, Hastings, Twijford Poultry Farms, 21.x.1976, B.A. Holloway (poultry manure) (NZAC). AK: 1 spec., Auckland, New Zealand, Broun Coll. (BMNH); 1 ♂, Milford, 4.iv.1979, T. Thomas (nest of Passer domesticus ) (NZAC); 1 ♂, Pareora Gorge, ii.1951, L.J. Dumbleton (shag nest) (NZAC); 1 ♂, Lynfield, 14.xii.1980, G. Kuschel (hen house) (NZAC); 1 spec., ditto, but 7.iii.1977 (sheep) (NZAC); 1 ♀, ditto, but 27.ii.1978, B.A. Holloway (guinea pig den material) (NZAC); 1 ♀, Kumeu, 21.vi.1975, J.C. Watt (ex fowl manure) (NZAC); 4 ♂♂ & 4 ♀♀, Nelson, 29.i.1971, E.W. Valentine (NZAC). South Island. 1 spec., Addington, Christchurch, 14.ix.1969, M.G. McPherson (inside house) (NZAC); 1 spec., Lincoln College, 18.i.1967, C. Boswell (NZAC); 2 specs., ditto, but 22.xii.1966 (NZAC); 1 spec., ditto, but 19.xi.1966 (NZAC); 2 specs., Prebbleton, 21.ix.1968, R.J. McPherson (ex fowl manure) (NZAC). DN: 6 specs., Otago Peninsula, Tairoa Head, 26.iii.1970, J.R. Jackson (ex Larus dominicanus or Phalacrocorax punctatus nest) (NZAC); 1 spec., Lincoln College, Hilgendorf wing, 8.x.1973, R.D. Welsh (ex window) (NZAC). MC: 2 specs., Banks Penisula, Murrays Mistake, 10.i.1970, J.R. Jackson (ex Phalacrocorax punctatus nest) (LUNZ); 1 spec., Hawkes Bay, Mangaome River, Dartnoor, 28.i.1959, B.M. May (on shingle) (NZAC); 1 spec., Lincoln College, 29.xii.1966, C.C. Boswell (NZAC); 1 ♀, ditto, but 18.vi.1967 (NZAC); 1 ♂, Rangiara, 7.xi.1947, D. Spiller (NZAC); 1 ♀, Maharoa, 9.xii.1941, J. Spiller (ex copra) (NZAC). Unknown localities: 1 ♂, no data (NZAC); 1 spec., Rakaia, 20.ii.1912, Broun Coll. (BMNH).

AUSTRALIA. Tasmania: 1 ♂ & 1 ♀, Launceston, 4 & 9.ii.1915, Littler Collection (NZAC). Australian Capital Territory: 2 ♂♂, Lyneham, 5.iv.1969, B.P. Moore, garden compost (ANIC).

Biology.

A typical synanthrope, found mainly in anthropogenic settings, but also apparent inquiline of bird’s nests.

Distribution.

Holarctic Region, Republic of South Africa, Chile, Saint Paul Island ( Mazur 2011). From New Zealand reported already by Kuschel (1990), newly reported here for Australia (Fig. 754).

Remarks.

This is a widely distributed species exhibiting some degree of variability regarding the length of elytral striae and density of dorsal punctation. Most important diagnostic characters to separate the two Gnathoncus species present in the region are outlined in the identification key. We chose not to fully re-describe Gnathoncus rotundatus here, the reader is instead referred to Lackner (2010: 118) for the detailed re-description. For the sake of better species recognition, as well as for easier separation from the related G. communis , we decided to depict it here, including its male terminalia.