Brachypeplus instriatus Kirejtshuk & Kovalev 2022, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kirejtshuk, Alexander G.
name: Kovalev, Alexey V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Nitidulidae
Brachypeplus
Brachypeplus instriatus

description: 19. Brachypeplus instriatus Kirejtshuk et Kovalev, sp. nov.
Figs 12, A–J; 13, A–D
LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C87B8413-B726-4E6A-A094-73111D2EF492
Type specimens examined. Australia, ACT: holotype, male (ANIC) and 9 paratypes (ANIC, ZIN)— “ACT, Palligo, 30 August 1984, H.J. Banks, spruting garlic”; paratypes: WA: 1 ex (ANIC)— WA, “ Mv. Santa Elena, Geraldton, 28/1076, G. 32”; 2 exx (QMB)— “ Carnarvon, 29.5.54, F.A. Perkins ”; QLD: 1 ex (ANIC)— “ Willowbank, QLD, Oct 1986 — Apr. 1987, J. Walker, ex dung”; 6 exx (ANIC, ZIN)— “ Nth Stradbroke Island, QLD, Oct. 1982, J.D. Majer ”; 1 ex (SAM)— “ Maryborough, Queensland, E.W. Fischer ”; 6 (QMB, ZIN) exx - “rotten mall plank, 25.I.1985, Voightsberger, Brisbane (Strothpine) ”; 2 exx (QMB)— “Eidsvold, Dr. T. Baveroft, 1914”; 2 exx (QMB, ZIN) - “ Beerwah, Qld., 26.51S 152.57E, 28.IX–29.X1986, B.K. Cantrell, Malaise Trap ”; 7 exx (QDPC)— “Bli Bli, Qld, 5.IX.1979, G. Donnelly, Acc. 1605”; 9 exx (QDPC)— “Beerwah, Qld, 26.51S 152.57E, 29.X–23.XI.1986, B.K. Cantrell, Malaise trap in avocado trees”; 31 exx (QDPC, ZIN, ZMB)— “ex pineapple dump “Bethonga”, pineapple plantation, Wamuran, Q, 27.02S 152.52E, 20.II1989, K.J. Houston ”; 5 exx (QDPC, ZIN)— “Wamuran, Qld, XII.1980, G.J. Lukey ”, “extremely large warm invading house”; 4 exx (QDPC)— “Bundaberg, 9.II.1968, Health Dept., ex bread”; 2 exx (QDPC)— “Beerrah, Q, 19.I87, DAI, cought in flowers of Custard apple”; 6 exx (QMB, ZIN)— “in sawdust Caboolture, 14.XII.1984, D. Gordon ”; 2 exx (ANIC)—“on pineapple from Queensland Black Mt., F.C.T., 21.2.30 ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “ Degilbo Creek, nr Biggenden, Q. v.1973, H. Frauca ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “ Mt. Glorious, 630 m, QLD, 14 Nov. 1986 — 30 Jan. 1987, T. Villwer, flight intercept trough trap, rainforest”; 4 exx (ANIC, ZIN)— “ 27.02S 152.52E, QLD, Wamuran, “Berthange” Pineaple Plantation, 20 Feb. 1969, K. Houston ”; 19 exx (ANIC, ZIN)— “Bundaberg, Q, 20.II.72, H. Frauco ”; 6 exx (ANIC)—“Bl:Bl, QLD, G. Thorington ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “Bundaberg, Q, (24.51 S 152.21 E), 12.V.72, H. Frauco ”; NSW: 1 ex (ANIC)—“Wahr’nge, H.K., 10.38” (Wahroonga); 2 exx (ANIC)— “Wahr’nge, (in dahlia tubers) H.K.” (Wahroonga); 1 ex (AMS)— “ Blue Mts, NSW, Jan. 1935, K.K. Spencer ”; 6 exx (AMS, ZIN)— “Birrong, NSW, 16.12.52, K. Clark, on bread”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “Camp Pinchom, NSW, Warrumbunge N.P., 22 Nov. 1984, C. Reid, on freshly cut Euc. blackeleyi”; 6 exx (SAM, SMNS, ZIN)— “Sydney, Lea”; 2 exx (NMV)— “Como, NSW, F.E. Wilson ”; 2 exx (ANIC)— “NSW, Hazelbrook, W.N. Froggatt ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “Kosciusko, (Hsc–1–37”, “ Brachypeplus murrayi Macl. ”; 2 exx (ANIC)— “Borneo Cedar, Wearne, 20:3:20, W.W.F.”; 2 exx (ANIC)— “NSW, 15 km NE Wiangaree, c. 270 m, 1–- 3.III.89, grozed Euc. woodld, A. Newton, M. Tayer ”; ACT: 18 exx (ANIC, ZIN)— “Canberra, ACT, Jan. 1939, Dr. Robertson, from damaged apricots”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “ 35.16S 149.06E, Black Mt., ACT, 600 m, Oct. 1986, Weir, Lawrence, Dressler, flight intercept window / trough trap ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “Black Mt, ACT, 600 m, Sept. 1987, Weir, Lawrence, Dressler”, “flight intercept window / trough trap ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “ 35.24S 149.06E, Monash, ACT, 20 Nov. 1987, Tom, Dressler”; SA: 1 ex (ANIC)— “Sth Australia, Glen Osmond, 26/8–4/9 /68, P.J.M. Greenslade ”; VIC: 1 ex (ANIC)— “ 34.50S 142.35E, VIC, 7 km SW of Wemen, 25 Oct.—3 Nov. 1988, T. Weir, J. Lawrence, M. Hansen ”; 1 ex (ANIC)— “ 34.46S 142.20E, VIC, 5.4 km EbyS of Hattah, 25 Oct.—3 Nov. 1988, T. Weir, J. Lawrence, M. Hansen ”, “ pitfall trap, banana baited”; 7 exx (NMV, ZIN)— “Nunawading, Vic, 2.12.1958, Neboiss”; TAS: 2 exx (ANIC, ZIN)— “Launceston, Tas., iii.70, found in a leaf of bread, R.H. Green ”;? New Zealand: specimens of this new species with mature larva were captured on fruits brought from Australia (see below).
Diagnosis. This new species can be easily diagnosed after the above key to Australian species of Brachypeplus. It is particularly distinct from other Australian species by its peculiar male abdominal apex and particularly male anal sclerite, which, in contrast to that in many other congeners, are completely not dorsoventrally compressed but convex from above and from below, and the anal sclerite is exposed somewhat as that in carpophiline species of the genera Nitops and Urophorus (but not as that in most cillaeines—see above comments to Brachypeplus blandus).
The sculpture of the integument and general appearance of Brachypeplus instriatus sp. nov. are somewhat reminiscent of those in B. macleayi, but this new species, in addition to the quite peculiar male abdominal apex, differs from the latter in the slenderer and more conspicuously pubescent body, shorter cilia of pronotal and elytral sides, somewhat narrowing posteriorly to subparallel posterior half of pronotum, longer antenna with more elongate club, shape of mentum and shorter female pygidium with widely truncate apex.
The body shape, coloration, shape and narrowly (sub)explanate sides of pronotum, and comparatively stout tibiae of this new species are similar to those in Brachypeplus barronensis, B. kemblensis and somehow in B. makarovi sp. nov. However, this new species, in addition to the quite peculiar male abdominal apex, differs from the latter lack of both expressed striae and clear longitudinal row of dense punctures (at most only traces of such rows can be observable in some specimens).
Etymology. The name of this new species refers to its characteristic sculpture of elytra lacking clear striae.
Description of holotype (male). Body entire length 3.4, width 1.0, height 0.6 mm. Body subflattened from above and below; light brownish to reddish, with lighter elytral base, prothorax and appendages, distal parts of elytra strongly darkened with transverse boundary of coloration. Upper surface usually with moderately dense and moderately conspicuous yellowish pubescence forming on elytra longitudinal rows with longer yellowish hairs in light places and darker hairs on dark places, pronotal and elytral lateral edges shortly but distinctly ciliate.
Head integument with punctures slightly coarser than eye facets, interspaces between punctures somewhat smaller than one puncture diameter, and alutaceous to obliterately microreticulate. Pronotum with punctures 1.5–2.0 × as coarse as eye facets, interspaces between punctures somewhat smaller than one puncture diameter and as sculptured as head. Elytra with slightly expressed longitudinal rows of shallow and indistinct punctures, about as coarse as those on head, without furrows (striae), interspaces between punctures smaller than one puncture diameter and densely microreticulate (microreticulation becoming more raised distally). Above sclerites of uncovered abdominal segments with distinct punctures, somewhat similar to those on head, but sparser and interspaces between punctures with dense microreticulation. Below thoracic sclerites and abdominal ventrite 1 with distinct punctures somewhat finer than those on head and pronotum but markedly sparser, interspaces between punctures on metaventrite obliterated.
Head about as long as distance between eyes and subflattened, with anterior edge of frons truncate, moderately large eyes having transverse diameter as great as scape width, sharply narrowing behind eyes. Labrum longest at median suture and laterally obliquely shortened to distinct outer angles. Mandibles stout and with short and narrow apex. Pregenal processes comparatively wide and with rounded outer apical angle. Antennal grooves distinctly convergent.Mentum about 4.0 × as wide as long, widened anteriorly to somewhat projecting anterior angles.Terminal labial palpomere slightly longer than wide, widened apically and with oblique apex; terminal maxillary palpomere subconical, moderately long (about 3.5 × as long as wide). Antennae with scape about 2.0 × as long as wide, pedicel about half as long as scape, antennomere 3 somewhat longer than antennomere 2 (pedicel), antennomeres 4 and 5 subequal and together as long as antennomere 3, antennal club subovoid and about 1.3 × as long as wide.
Pronotum slightly transverse (about 1.4 × as wide as long), widest at middle, moderately convex on disc and gently sloping at (sub)explanate sides (about as widely explanate as width of scape); anterior edge slightly emarginate and anterior angles rounded; posterior angles with somewhat distinct tip; posterior edge slightly bi-emarginate. Scutellar shield transverse, subpentagonal. Elytra with subtruncate apices, moderately steeply sloping along narrowly explanate sides, leaving last three abdominal segments completely exposed. Abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 2.5 × as long as wide in their posterior ends. Three last tergites uniformly convex. Male pygidium transverse (almost 1.8 × as wide as long), very shallowly emarginate at apex.
Prosternum with gently convex median portion and with roof-like process (strongly curved along procoxae); process strongly widened before transverse apex (about 4.0 × as wide as distance between procoxae). Distance between mesocoxae about 4.0 × as great as and that between metacoxae and about 3.0 × as great as that between procoxae. Metaventrite with a distinct discrimen along entire length. Abdominal ventrites 1 and 2 subequal in length, and each of them markedly shorter than ventrite 3, ventrite 4 somewhat longer than each of ventrites 1–3. Male hypopygidium with subtruncate to very shallowly emarginate apex.
Tibiae moderately stout, with short and moderately thick spurs, protibia considerably wider but meso- and metatibiae about as wide as antennal club, outer side of meso- and metatibiae with two rows of moderately small setae. Protarsus almost 0.5 × as wide as protibia, meso- and metatarsi about 0.3 × as wide as corresponding tibiae.
Male anal sclerite well exposed from pygidium, not dorsoventraly compressed, but declined downwards, with apex arcuately curved ventrally and slightly exposed from above. Aedeagus well sclerotized. Tegmen about 2.5 × as long as wide, about 0.7 of distal part of lateral edge and apex with dense and very short setae, with narrower apical third and rounded at apex. Penis trunk about 2.5 × as long as wide, almost rectilinearly narrowing in distal third to acuminate apex. Armature of inner sac with diffuse small sclerotized granules concentrated in unclear longitudinal narrow and transverse stripes, one pair of oblique sclerites approached by ends oriented to base of penis trunk and one pair long sclerites at end of inner sac.
Female. Protarsus 0.4 × as wide as protibia. Pygidium about as long as wide, rounded and not serrate at apex. Female hypopygidium somewhat more than 2.5 × as long as ventrite 1, very widely rounded at apex. Ovipositor moderately sclerotized and moderately narrow; its gonocoxites comprising almost 0.4 of entire length, lateral lobes slightly sclerotized and about 0.3 × as long as gonocoxites in general, outer outline of gonocoxites clearly concave at end of lateral lobes; moderately narrow apex with rather long styli located subapically.
Variation. The body length 2.2–4.9 mm. The general body coloration varies from straw reddish to light brownish; lighter specimens look like subunicolorous with slightly infuscate distal halves of elytra. The sculpture of dorsal integument demonstrates a considerable variability in size and density of punctures, level of expression of longitudinal rows of punctures on elytra and development of microsculpture. The sclerotization and proportions of aedeagal structures vary: tegmen 2.4–2.8 × as long as wide and penis trunk about 2.5 × as long as wide. The lateral lobes of gonocoxites vary in level of sclerotization and styli usually located almost apically.
Distribution. Australia: WA, QLD, NSW, ACT (Type locality: Palligo), VIC, TAS;? New Zealand.
Notes on bionomy. This new species seems to be associated with different decaying substrates of plant origin (particularly fruits) and can also visit different inflorescences.According to the information from B. Boyd the larvae of this or close to this species can live in pineapples (see above).
description: Published as part of Kirejtshuk, Alexander G. & Kovalev, Alexey V., 2022, Monograph on the Cillaeinae (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from the Australian Region with comments on the taxonomy of the subfamily, pp. 1-133 in Zootaxa 5103 (1) on pages 54-58, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5103.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6245709