Copelatus portior Guignot, 1956

Hendrich, Lars, Shaverdo, Helena, Hajek, Jiri & Balke, Michael, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Australian Copelatus Erichson, 1832 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae), ZooKeys 889, pp. 81-152 : 81

Copelatus portior Guignot, 1956 Figures 9 , 18 , 24 , 33

Copelatus gentilis ab. divisus J. Balfour-Browne 1939: 79 (unavailable name).

Copelatus portior Guignot 1956: 53 (original description); Nilsson and Hájek 2019: 59 (catalogue).

Copelatus divisus Watts, 1978: 122 (original description); Watts 1985: 26 (general distribution); Larson 1993: 52 (habitat information); Watts 2002: 42 (checklist); Nilsson and Hájek 2019: 57 (catalogue); syn. nov.

Type localities.

Copelatus divisus : "New Hebrides [Vanuatu], Malekula Island". Copelatus portior : "Seleo, Berlinhafen" [Papua New Guinea, Sandaun Province, Seleo Island, 03°08'39.2"S, 142°28'56.9"E].

Type material of Copelatus divisus .

Holotype: Male, “Holotype” [printed label with red frame]; "New Hebrides: NE Malekula. i.1930. L.E. Cheesmann. B.M. 1930-178." [printed label]; “1768” [hw label]; " Copelatus gentilis var. divisus , var. nov. J. Balfour-Browne det" [hw label] (NHMUK). Paratype: Male, “Paratype” [printed label with yellow frame]; "New Hebrides: NE Malekula. i.1930. L.E. Cheesmann. B.M. 1930-178." [printed label]; “1768” [hw label]; " Copelatus gentilis var. divisus , var. nov. J. Balfour-Browne det" [hw label] (NHMUK).

Type material of Copelatus portior .

Holotype: Male, "N. Guinea Biró 96 [printed label]", "Seleo Berlinhaf. [printed label]", “♂” [printed label], “Type” [printed, red label with black frame], "Holotypus [printed, red typing] 1955 ♂ [hw] Copelatus portior Guignot" [hw, white label with red frame], "F. Guignot det., 19 [printed] 55 [hw] Copelatus portior n.sp. Holotype ♂ [ Guignot’s hw]" (HNHM).

Additional material studied (64 specimens).

Northern Territory: 2 exs., "AUSTRALIA NT Darwin, Holmes Jungle Pk uv lght Dec. 2/93 S Peck" (ZSM); 1 ex., "Australia, Northern Territory, Berry Springs [-12.72193, 131.01027] 30/10/1991-04/11/1991, Wells, A. & Webber, Malaise trap, Field Collected - Terrestrial" (AMS). Queensland: 5 exs., "Australia: N QLD, Cape Tribulation Road S of ferry station, forest swamp, 12 m, 15.IX.2006, 16.17.469S, 145.19.122E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (QLD 35)", "DNA Balke 1874" [green printed label] (CLH, ZSM); 1 ex., "Australia: C QLD, 18 km S Calen, Mt. Charlton-Calen Road, Boulder Creek, 42 m, 23.IX.2006, 21.00.365S, 148.43.231E, L. & E. Hendrich leg. (QLD 45)", "DNA Balke 2762" [green printed label] (ZSM); 6 exs., "Australia, QL, 10 km S Tully, S Innisfail, 30 m, 25.I.1993, leg. G. Wewalka (26)" (CGW); 1 ex., "Australia, QL, 15-20 km S Innisfail, 20 m, 24.I.1993, leg. G. Wewalka (24)" (CGW); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Cape York, Lockerbie [-10.8, 142.46679], 3.4.1964, Common, I.F.B. & Upton, M.S. leg." (ANIC); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Cairns [-16.91667, 145.7667], Taylor, F.H. leg." (ANIC); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Cassowary Coast (R) 2 miles W of Mission Beach [-17.86667, 146], 18.4.1969, Common, I.F.B. & Upton, M.S. leg." (ANIC); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Cape York Peninsula, 2 miles S Iron Range [-12.73332977, 143.2832947], 12.5.1971, Brooks, J.G. leg." (ANIC); 1 ex., "Australia, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland Gordon´s Ck., Iron Ra. [Gordon Creek, Iron Range, -12.71667004, 143.3166962], 10.5.1971, J.G. Brooks" (ANIC); 1 ex., "Gordon's CR [Creek] Iron RA [Range] N.Q. [North Queensland] 100' [100 m] 12.5.71 J.G. Brooks at light" (CLH); 1 ex., "Queensland, 8 km West of Kuranda [-16.807954, 145.583013], 3 Apr 1982, G. O’Reilly”, “K.363070” (AMS); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland [-16.81985, 145.63693], 26 Apr 1987, F. Sattler", “K.363071” (AMS); 2 exs., "Australia QLD01/32 Saltbag Ck., 18 km w. Mt. Molloy, 13.4.2001, M. Baehr" (CLH); 1 ex., "Australia NE QLD Conway Range N.P. E from Proserpine", "at light 17.-23.II.1981 leg. Hangaya, Herozeg & Vojnits" (CLH); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Iron Range Cape York Pen., 26. May 1971-2. June 1971, B.K. Cantrell" (QM); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, West Claudie River 4 km SW road junction, 25. June 1982, mv lamp, G. Daniels, M.A. Schneider" (QM); 2 exs., "Australia, Queensland, Walkamin, 26. March 1984, light trap, J.D. Brown" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Cairns, February 1946" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia Queensland Arriga R.S. via Mareeba, 2.-3. December 1976, at light R.I. Storey" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Davies Creek via Mareeba, 13. March 1981, R.I. Storey" (QDPIB); 2 exs., "Australia Queensland Cow Bay N of Daintree, 7.-20. February 1984, I. C. Cunningham" (QDPIB); 3 exs., "Australia, Queensland, South Johnstone R.S., 29. Nov. 1991-14. Jan. 1992, Malaise Trap, K.H. Halfpapp" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Mossman River, 25. November 1984, light trap, J.D. Brown" (QDPIB); 2 exs., "Australia, Queensland, Atherton Area, 14. March 1983, light trap, J.D. Brown" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia Queensland 15 km WNW of South Johnstone 4. March 1986, light trap, Fay, Halfpapp" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, 15 km WNW of South Johnstone, 19. Dec. 1985, light trap, Fay, Halfpapp" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, 15 km WNW of South Johnstone, 26. May 1986, light trap, Fay, Halfpapp" (QDPIB); 1 ex., "Australia, Queensland, Tolga, 23. January 1986, light trap, J.D. Brown" (QDPIB), 1 ex., "QLD, Mackay [-21.1500, 149.1833] 4/4 1963, CHS Watts", “25-001796” (SAMA); 1 ex., "QLD, Burdekin, Home Hill [-19.6669, 147.4167] 4/7 1963, CHS Watts", “25-001798” (SAMA); 1 ex., "QLD, Townsville [-19.2, 146.68], 6-11/2/ 1998, AJ Watts", “25-001803” (SAMA); 4 exs., "AUSTRALIA Qld Ellis Beach 30 km N Cairns J. 11 1991 Dr. Larson" (ZSM); 6 exs., "N Queensland, 14.1.2000, Kuranda, Sv. Bílý leg." (NMPC); 2 exs., "N Queensland, 9.2.2000, Kuranda, Sv. Bílý leg." (NMPC); 1 ex., "N Queensland, 15.1.2000, Davis Creek, Sv. Bílý leg." (NMPC).

Description of male.

Body shape: In dorsal view broad, ovoid, broadest part in midlength of elytra. Body outline without discontinuity between pronotum and elytra. Head relatively broad; anterior margin of clypeus not bordered. Pronotum broadest at base, lateral margins moderately curved. Base of elytra as broad as pronotal base; lateral margins of elytra moderately curved ( Fig. 9 ).

Colouration: Body dark brown to black, anterior angles of pronotum, base of elytra, appendages and parts of abdomen testaceous.

Dorsal surface sculpture: Whole surface almost matt ( Fig. 9 ). Head uniformly microreticulated, reticulation strongly impressed with small meshes. Densely, and moderately strongly punctate; rows of coarse punctures present around inner margin of eyes and in small depression anterolaterally of eyes. Pronotum with lateral beading very thin and indistinct. Microreticulation and punctation similar to that of head; row of coarse punctures present along anterior margin, basal margin (except for basomedially), and laterally close to sides. Sides of pronotum with several short, sharp strioles. Elytra with microreticulation similar to that of head and pronotum but lacking serial punctures except for lateral row. Each elytron with six well marked striae and one submarginal stria becoming progressively closer towards sides, striae 1 and 4 continue farthest towards apex and stria 6 the least distance.

Antennae and legs: Antenna with antennomeres long and slender. Protibia slightly modified, slightly broadened anteriorly. Protarsomeres distinctly and mesotarsomeres 1-3 less broad, with adhesive discs on their ventral side; claws simple.

Ventral part: Finely microreticulated, with sparsely distributed, very small punctures. Prosternum obtusely keeled medially. Prosternal process quite strong, convex, narrowly flanged and bluntly pointed. Lateral parts of metaventrite tongue-shaped, very slender. Metacoxal lines very close posteriorly, strongly diverging anteriorly. Metacoxae with well-marked striae and abdominal ventrites 1-4 with larger but weaker longitudinal striae.

Male genitalia: Median lobe anchor-like, narrow, medially bifid: left lobe short, hammer-like, right lobe long, thin, pointed and strongly curved downwards apically in lateral view ( Fig. 18A, B, C ). Paramere broadly triangular, with weak, relatively short setae mainly along dorsal margin of subdistal part ( Fig. 18D ).

Female.

Similar to male in habitus. Protibia simple, not angled basally and only slightly broadened distally; pro- and mesotarsomeres not broadened, without adhesive setae.

Measurements.

TL = 5.0-5.7 mm; TL-H = 4.7-5.3 mm; MW = 2.7-2.85 mm.

Variability.

All specimens studied are rather uniform and vary only in body length and dorsal colouration. In some specimens, sides of elytron and areas between striae often lighter. A single female from Holmes Jungle Park in Darwin is on dorsal surface almost black, matt and with coarse microreticulation and numerous strioles on elytra and pronotum.

Differential diagnosis.

Copelatus portior can be separated from the similar C. tenebrosus and C. martinbaehri sp. nov. by its broad and ovoid body shape, colouration of pronotum and elytra, and the six well-developed and strong elytral striae. Furthermore, it is the only Australian species with an anchor-like median lobe.

Comments on classification.

Copelatus portior is closely related to the widespread Oriental species Copelatus oblitus Sharp, 1882 with which it shares a characteristic shape of male genitalia with anchor-like, medially bifid median lobe. We compared the holotypes of both C. portior and C. divisus and have found no differences between these two taxa. Therefore, we consider Copelatus divisus Watts, 1978 a junior subjective synonym of Copelatus portior Guignot, 1956.

Distribution.

The species occurs in the coastal tropical rainforest areas of the Northern Territory and north-eastern Queensland, from northern Peninsula (Lockerbie) to Mackay in the south ( Fig. 24 ). Additionally, C. portior is known from northern part of Papua New Guinea: Sandaun Province, Seleo Island, and Madang Province, Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen, now Madang, ( Guignot 1956: 53, localities for holo- and allotypes).

Habitat.

Copelatus portior was mainly collected in puddles and pools in temporary flooded swamp forests ( Fig. 33A, B ), low gradient streams and drainage ditches at the edge of cane fields ( Larson 1993), and in residual pools of shallow, intermittent and smaller creeks. The beetles hide among fallen leave litter and dense emergent grasses. The substrate was generally clay. Larson (1993) collected most of his specimens in open sites where rainforest had been cleared. Copelatus portior is commonly attracted at light. The species is regularly collected but never abundant or in larger numbers.

Figures

Figure 9. Habitus and colouration of Copelatus portior, female. Total length 5.4 mm.

Figure 18. Copelatus portior A median lobe in lateral view, right side B median lobe in lateral view, left side C median lobe in ventral view D left paramere in external view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 24. Distribution of Copelatus portior.

Figure 33. Habitat of Copelatus tenebrosus and C. portior A Queensland, swamp forest at Cape Tribulation Road B shallow and ephemeral swampy puddles with rotten leaves, roots and twigs, Queensland, Cape Tribulation Road. Photographs by L. Hendrich.