Antimerus metallicus, Solodovnikov, A. & Newton, A. F., 2010

Solodovnikov, A. & Newton, A. F., 2010, Revision of the rove beetle genus Antimerus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Staphylininae), a puzzling endemic Australian lineage of the tribe Staphylinini, ZooKeys 67, pp. 21-63 : 38-40

Antimerus metallicus sp. n. Figs 1430-32, 34

Type locality:

Australia: Queensland: Longlands Gap,1150m, 17°28'S, 145°29'E

Material examined.

AUSTRALIA: Queensland: Holotype, pinned, genitalia not dissected but aedeagus partially protruding from abdomen, with labels:"17.28S 145.29E QLD / Longlands Gap BS1 / 1150m 6 Mar– 4 Apr / 1995 P. Zborowski / FI Traps", "FMNH-INS 0000 019 119", "HOLOTYPE / Antimerus / metallicus sp. n. / A. Solodovnikov des. 2006" [red label], ♂ in ANIC. Paratypes:Atherton, 17°16'S, 145°28'E, 26.i.1962 (G.W.S.), 1♂ in QPIM, 1♀ in QDPC; Atherton Tab., Mts. above (SW) Millaa Millaa, c. 3500 ft [1067m], xii.1957 (Darlingtons), 1♂ in FMNH, 1♀ in MCZ; Baldy Mtn. Rd., 7 km SW Atherton, 1150m, 9.xii.1988 (Monteith & Thompson), 1♀ in QM; Baldy Mtn. via Atherton, MDPI F.I.T. site 37, 5. xi– 10.xii.1992, F.I.T. (S. De Faveri & R. Storey), 1♂ in QPIM; 5.xii.1975, leaf litter (R. Storey), 1♂ in QPIM; Bally Knob summit, 1100m, [M-C] 2147, 17°39'S, 145°30'E, open for., 6.xii.1998-6.ii.1999, pitfall (Monteith & Cook), 1♂ in QM; Bellenden Ker, 10.i.1977 (A. & M. Walford-Huggins), 1♂ in BMNH; Bones Knob (3 km W), 1100m, 17°13'S, 145°25'E, 10.xii.1995 (Monteith, Cook & Thompson), 1♀ in QM; Bones Knob (3 km W), 1140m, 17°14'S, 145°25'E, RF, 10.xii.1995-9.ii.1996, intercept trap (Monteith, Cook & Thompson), 1♂ in QM; Davies Ck., 22 km WSW of Mareeba, 6. xi– 2.xii.1984, Malaise T. (Storey & Halfpapp), 1♂ in QPIM; Herberton (4 mi NE), Herberton Ra., 4000 ft [1220m], rainforest, 8.xi.1966, under logs (E. Britton), 1♂ in ANIC; Hinchinbrook I., Upper Gayundah Ck., 850m, R.F., 9-11.xi.1984 (G. Monteith & D.J. Cook), 2♂ in QM; Hugh Nelson Range, 21 km S Atherton, [RIS] Site 17, 17°27.55'S, 145°28.35'E, 1.xii.1983-9.i.1984, FIT (Storey & Brown), 1♂, 1♀ in FMNH, 1 sex unknown in QPIM, 1♂ in ZMUC; 9. i– 10.ii.1984, FIT (Storey & Brown), 2♂ in FMNH, 1♂ in QPIM; Hugh Nelson Range, 1150 m, flight intercept trap, 1.xi - 3.i.1995, leg. P. Zborowski, 1♂ in ZMUC; Kirrama Rge., via Cardwell, 2-3000 ft, ii.1958 (Darlingtons), 1♂, 1♀ in MCZ; Kuranda (6 km SE), MDPI FIT site 20, 16°51.98'S, 145°36.98'E, 15. i– 20.ii.1985, FIT (Storey & Halfpapp), 6♂, 2♀ in FMNH, 1♂, 1 sex unknown in QPIM; Maalan SF on Hwy., 850m, 17°35'S, 145°35'E, 25.xi.1994-10.i.1995, flt. intercept trap (Monteith & Hasenpusch), 1♂ in QM; Massey Ck., 17°37'S, 145°34'E 1000m, BS3, 1.xii.1994-3.i.1995, FI Trap JCU (East) (P. Zborowski), 1♂ in ANIC, 1♂ in ZMUC; FI Trap JCU (West), 1♂ in ANIC; FI Trap ANIC, 1♂ in ANIC; 3. i– 5.ii.1995, FI Traps, 1♂, 1♀ in ANIC; 3. ii– 6.iii.1995, pitfall traps, 1♀ in ANIC; 6. iii– 5.iv.1995, FI Traps, 1♂ in ANIC; 30.xi.1995-3.i.1996, pitfall traps (L. Umback), 1♂, 2♀ in ANIC; 2-30.xi.1995, pitfall traps, 1♀ in ANIC; 3-31.i.1996, 1♀ in ANIC; Mt. Fisher, 1150m, 17°33'S, 145°32'E, 3. i– 4.ii.1995, BS2, F I Trap JCU (East) (P. Zborowski), 1♀ in ANIC; Mt. Haig, 1150m, 17°06'S, 145°36'E, 1.xii.1994-3.i.1995, GS1, F I Trap JCU (East) (P. Zborowski), 1♂ in ANIC; Mt. Spec, 880m, 18°55'S, 146°10'E, 4. xi– 1.xii.1995, S2, F I Trap JCU (M. Cermak), 1♂ in ANIC; 10. i– 6.ii.1995, F I Traps (M. Cermak), 1♀ in ANIC; Mt. Spurgeon (2 km SE), via Mt. Carbine, 1100m, RF, 20.xii.1988-4.i.1989, flt. intercept (Monteith, Thompson & ANZSES), 1♂ in QM; Paluma (c. 4 km W), 12.xii.1972 (J.G. Brooks), 1♂ in ANIC; Ravenshoe (9 km N), 1060m, [M-C] 2137, 17°32'S, 145°29'E, wet sclerophyll, 6.xii.1998-5.ii.1999 (Monteith & Cook), 1♂ in QM; Townsville, 1♂ in BMNH; Tully Falls S.F. via Ravenshoe, 20.xi.1977, ex leaf litter (R. Storey, N. Gough), 2♀ in QPIM; Tully Falls S.F., 9.5 km SSW Ravenshoe, 1000m, MDPI site 29A, 17°41.23'S, 145°30.9'E, 9. ii– 3.iii.1988, FIT (Storey & Dickenson), 1♀ in FMNH; 5. xi– 7.xii.1987, intercept trap (Storey & Dickenson), 1♂ in QPIM; Windsor Tableland, 42 km from highway, MDPI FIT site 14a, 16°15.22'S, 145°2.27'E, 10. xi– 26.xii.1983, FIT (Storey & Watford-Higgins), 1♀ in FMNH.

Description.

Measurements (n=5): HL: 2.0-2.4; HW: 3.0-3.5; PL: 2.5-3.1; PW: 2.8-3.3; EL: 3.2-3.9; EW: 3.6-4.2. Total length of the body 16-18 mm.

Head and pronotum metallic green with brassy reflection, or the reverse; coloration of elytra very variable, from mostly dark metallic green on disc with only brownish epipleura, through brownish with more or less large dark metallic spot on disc, to entirely brownish elytra, without any dark coloration; abdomen dark brown to black, with only weak metallic reflection, with brown-reddish apical margins of tergites, tergite VIII (sixth visible) being brown-reddish in its apical half; legs dark brown, antennae paler. Disc of head and pronotum without punctuation or pubescence, their surfaces with microsculpture of transverse waves. Elytra with dense punctuation and brown pubescence, interspaces with weak irregular microsculpture. Head and pronotum glossy, with strong metallic reflection, elytra and abdomen less glossy.

Head considerably wider than long, with broadly rounded hind angles, tempora distinctly shorter than eye (in lateral view). Antennae moderately long, with antennomeres VIII–X about as long as wide, not transverse.

Pronotum slightly wider than long, only slightly narrower than head; pronotal anterior angles rounded but distinct, posterior angles also distinct although more rounded; pronotum widest before (anterior to) its middle, converging anteriad and posteriad. Pronotal hypomera not inflexed, visible from lateral view.

Elytron elongate, longer than pronotum.

Wings well developed.

Abdominal tergites IV–VI (second to fifth visible) with moderately deep transverse impression in basal part and slightly elevated obtuse median keels across these impressions; tergite VII (fifth visible) with whitish seam at apical margin.

Male (Figs 30-32, 34). Aedeagus with paramere narrowing apically, apical half of the paramere narrower than median lobe (in dorsal or ventral view); paramere slightly notched at the apex.

Comparison.

Antimerus metallicus is very similar to Antimerus punctipennis and Antimerus smaragdinus , but differs well from both of them in having transverse wavy (rather than reticulate) microsculpture of the disc of the head and pronotum, these bodyparts therefore appearing more glossy. The shape of the aedeagus in Antimerus metallicus is practically identical to that of Antimerus punctipennis (hence, Figs 30-32 can serve for both) except for a subtle difference in the shape of the sclerotized piece of the internal sac (cf. Figs 33 and 34).

Distribution and bionomics.

Antimerus metallicus is confined to northern Queensland (Fig. 55, A, circles). Its distribution is well separated from those of the closely related Antimerus punctipennis and Antimerus smaragdinus . Adults of Antimerus metallicus were collected in rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest, mostly in highlands between 700 and 1300 m elevation, and mostly by pitfall traps or by flight intercept traps. Some specimens, including two presumed larvae, were sifted from leaf litter, some were hand collected from the ground, and one specimen came to a Malaise trap.

Etymology.

The name of the new species is from the Latin adjective metallicus, referring to the metallic reflection of its body coloration.