Dineutus (Merodineutus) loriae Régimbart, 1899

Polhemus, Dan A., 2011, New distributional records for Gyrinidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) on New Guinea and nearby islands, with a checklist of the New Guinea species, Zootaxa 2900, pp. 51-68 : 63

Dineutus (Merodineutus) loriae Régimbart, 1899

Fig. 7

Dineutes Loriae Régimbart, 1899: 197 .

Dineutes macrochirus var. Loriai: Régimbart, 1907: 137. Dineutus (s. str.) macrochirus ssp. loriai: Ochs, 1926: 139. Dineutus (Merodineutus) loriae: Ochs, 1955: 152 .

Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central Prov.: 2 males, 1 female, Owen Stanley Range, Mas River, 2.0 km. SW of Fane, 1235 m. [4050 ft.], 8°33'25"S, 147°04'04"E, water temp. 20 °C., 5 October 2003, 10:00–13:30 hrs., CL 7257, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM); 1 male, 8 females, Owen Stanley Range, Hane River, 1.8 km. SSE of Fane, 1310–1370 m. [4300–4500 ft.], 8°34'00"S, 147°05'10"E, water temp. 19 °C., 3 October 2003, 10:30–13:30 hrs., CL 7253, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM).

Discussion. This species is widely distributed in the Owen Stanley Range ( Fig. 7 ), but appears to prefer elevations slightly lower than those inhabited by Dineutus (Merodineutus) macrochirus , with which it is occasionally syntopic. At the Hane River locality this species was taken from a swift, clear mountain creek running in a bed of water-rounded boulders and cobbles, with a water depth of 1.0–1.5 m. and a channel width of 3– 4 m.

Based on known collections, this species occupies the Owen Stanley Mountains area of freshwater endemism (Area 31) as defined by Polhemus & Allen (2007). The records above were also provided in Kraus et al. (2006).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Distribution of Dineutus (Merodineutus) loriae on New Guinea. Symbols with grey centers represent previous records; symbols with black centers represent new records presented in this paper.