Gymnanthelius cupreus (Deane) Deane, 2004

Perkins, Philip D., 2004, A revision of the Australian endemic water beetle genus Gymnanthelius Perkins (Coleoptera: Hydraenidae), Zootaxa 585, pp. 1-39 : 10-11

Gymnanthelius cupreus (Deane) new combination

( Figures 3 , 13 , 19 )

Ochthebius cupreus Deane, 1937: 58 .

Type Material. Holotype (male): Australia, Queensland, Tambourine [27.56S – 153.12E]; deposited in the University of Queensland.

Diagnosis. Recognized by the coppery color, the dull head, pronotum and elytra, the thickened basal angles of the labrum, and the comparatively small size, length ca. 1.50 mm. Most similar in dorsal habitus to G. lamingtonensis , but distinctly differing in color (copper vs. brown), dorsal microsculpture (dull vs. shining), shape of the pronotal median groove (tapering posteriorly vs. anteriorly), size (ca. 1.50 mm vs. 1.71 mm), metasternal pubescence (entirely pubescent vs. with glabrous area basomedially), and aedeagal structure ( Fig. 13 ).

Description. Holotype 1.49 x 0.75; head length 0.33, width 0.42; pronotum midlength 0.37, maximum width 0.50 just behind anterior angles; elytra length 0.94, maximum width 0.75. Form ovate, transversely quite convex. Dorsum brown to dark brown with cupreus reflections.

Clypeus and frons mcr., dull, very finely sparsely punctate, very sparsely pubescent; interocular foveae deep, large, each nearly as wide as distance separating them, margins gradual, bottom with vaguely 8­shaped pit; area between interocular foveae transversely rounded; ocelli distinct. Frontoclypeal suture deeply impressed, bisinuate. Clypeus length:width as 7:13, anterior angles each minute acuminate point. Labroclypeal suture straight in dorsal view, evenly arcuate in anterior view. Labrum width twice length; basal angels thickened, forming ridge that interlocks with anterolateral produced angles of clypeus (both sexes), anteriorly produced in two lobes separated by U­shaped median emargination with reflexed margin; each lobe slightly longer than last maxillary palpomere, setae short but distinct on disc, laterally forming short fringe. Maxillary palpomere 3 slightly greater than twice length of 4.

Pronotum anterior margin almost evenly arcuate from side to side, only weakly emarginate near anterior angles; anterior hyaline border well developed; each lateral depression four times as wide anteriorly as posterioirly, side weakly emarginate before tooth­like posterior angle. Lateral hyaline border well developed, anterior extreme nearly attaiing anterior angles, continuing in raher uniform width along sides, widest just behind lateral depression, in dorsal aspect margin oblique to midline, nearly straight except slightly indented opposite posterior extreme of lateral depression. Lateral fossulae only moderately deep, inner margin gradual, outer margin obsolete; without anterior or posterior pit. Disc transversely convex, gradually widening from anterior to slightly beyond midlength, then sides converging slightly to base; dull, effacedly mcr., reliefs finely moderately densely punctate. Median groove moderately wide, constricted in middle, each end tapering and not attaining respective hyaline border, slightly wider anteriorly than posteriorly. Anterior foveae shallow, margins gradual, each slightly wider than median groove at same level, separated from median groove by c. 1x fovea width. Posterior foveae very shallow, indistinct impressions.

Elytra dull, widest at middle, sides regularly arcuate, disc transversely quite convex, posterior declivity rather abrupt. Disc with five rows of small punctures in deep striae between suture and prominent humeral umbo, each puncture with minute recumbent seta; series 2 and 3 terminating beyond summit of posterior declivity, 1 and 4 attaining apices. Intervals transversely rounded, 2– 3 x puncture width. Explanate margin in male narrower than metatibia, declivous, surface flat or only slightly transversely convex, origin just behind anterolateral angles, becoming obsolete near posterior 0.2, with short indistinct recumbent setae. Apices in male conjointly rounded.

Metasternum entirely hydrofuge pubescent. Ventrites 1–4 hydrofuge pubescent; 5 and 6 shining, with sparse, more elongate setae; 1 and 2 laterally bearing sparse spiniform setae; 7 in male with setae on each side forming oblique cluster extended from near middle to posterolateral, apical margin truncate. Apical tergum with truncate margin bearing short sparse setae.

Aedeagus: Length 0.28 mm.; distal 0.5 of mainpiece quite asymmetrical, in lateral aspect narrowing abruptly before apex; distal part of internal tube not markedly expanded, elongate oval shape; parameres with longer seta of distal pair ca. three times length of shorter seta ( Fig. 13 ).

Distribution. Currently known from several localities in the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria, in addition to the type­locality in southern Queensland ( Fig. 19 ).

Material examined (51). Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, 35° 22' S, 149° 5' E, 23 May 1965, J. Balogh — (1 MCZ); New South Wales, 1.6 km W Laurieville, Jerrabatgulla Creek, elev. 652.5768 m, 35° 38' S, 149° 36' E, 4 January 2001, W. D. Shepard — (1 MCZ); 48 km N. Singleton, Mt. Royal State Forest, Casurina litter nr. stream, FMHD #83­284, 33° 56' S, 149° 59' E, 23 July 1983, L. E. Watrous — (3 FMNH); Bemboka River at Greens Crossing, 1km N. of Bemboka, gravel and sand of small sandbank at edge of river, elev. 195 m, 36° 37' S, 149° 34' E, 9 April 2000, N. Porch (NP 28) — (3 ANIC); Cabbage Tree Creek, 75 mi. E. of Canberra, 33° 24' S, 150° 38' E, 18 May 1967, E. Britton — (2 ANIC); Cabbage Tree Creek, Canberra­Coast Road, 33° 24' S, 150° 38' E, 5 May 1965, E. Britton — (15 ANIC); same locality, 33° 24' S, 150° 38' E, 11 June 1967, E. Britton — 8 ( ANIC); same locality, 33° 24' S, 150° 01' E, 21 February 1969, E. Britton & S. Misko — (3 ANIC); Cabbage Tree Creek, Clyde Mtn, in wet sand at stream edge, 33° 35' S, 150° 38' E, S. A. slipinski & J. F. Lawrence — (14 ANIC); Royal National Park, stream drift, FMHD #83­265, 34° 3' S, 151° 3' E, 14 July 1983, L. E. Watrous — (2 FMNH); Queensland, Cedar Creek at Closeburn, ex gravel, 10 September 1993, L. Hill — (7 ANIC); Tambourine [no date],, Wassell — (holotype) ( UQIC); Victoria, Cann River, 12.5km NNE. of Cann River, wet gravel at edge of river flowing through pasture, elev. 120 m, 37° 28' S, 149° 10' E, 8 September 1999, N. Porch (NP 67) — (11 ANIC); Den of Nargun Creek at Mitchell River, Mitchell River National Park, muddy sand and gravel at edge of small creek pools in riparian rainforest/dry sclerophyll forest, elev. 55 m, 38° 42' S, 147° 21' E, 7 November 2000, N. Porch (NP 21) — (1 ANIC); Tambo River at Miller Access Road, S. of Ensay, sandy mud of small backwater pool of river flowing through pasture, elev. 210 m, 37° 23' S, 147° 50' E, 16 December 2001, N. Porch (NP 82) — (1 ANIC); Thomson River, Low Saddle Tpk., NMV Survey, Dept. GRES T15, no. 2, 37° 41' S, 146° 13' E, 24 October 1977, unknown — (1 MVMA). Representative specimens deposited in MCZ, NPC, MVMA, and SAMA.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Gymnanthelius cupreus holotype. Dorsal and lateral habitus.

FIGURES 10 – 13. Gymnanthelius, aedeagi of holotypes. — 10. G. clypeatus. — 11. G. opacicollis. — 12. G. lamingtonensis. — 13. G. cupreus.

FIGURES 18 – 21. Gymnanthelius geographical distributions. — 18. G. clypeatus. — 19. G. cupreus. — 20. G. lamingtonensis. — 21. G. porchi.