Brachypeplus Erichson 1842
Creators: name: Kirejtshuk, Alexander G.
name: Kovalev, Alexey V.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Nitidulidae
Brachypeplus

description: 11. Australian and Tasmanian species of Brachypeplus
All the types series of the names of proposed for Brachypeplus species collected in Australia were examinated and the synonymy here established is based on this examination. However, Brachypeplus castaneipes Murray, 1864 has not been found in NHML and it is here regarded as “a variety” (as was supposed by Murray 1864: 293). Besides, many specimens deposited in different museums of Europe, North America and Australia were also examined and named. However, a complete revision of the genus needs a considerable time. Nevertheless, in order to define a number of the known species from Australia the designation of lectotypes of the Australian species is made, and also some names proposed for species originally described from other territories and later recorded from Australia are included in this monograph. One exception was done for Brachypeplus apicalis first recorded for Australia and widely spread beyond it. Because the genus Brachypeplus remains still poorly known (especially from the fauna of South America) and also because a considerable endemism of its Australian fauna, the diagnoses of its species considered in this publication are given with comparison of the Australian species.
The ciliation of pronotal and elytral sides (usually treated as a diagnostic character of Tasmus) is present in all Australian species, although the cilia are frequently rather short and, therefore, they are visible only at high magnification. The pronotal and elytral sides of Brachypeplus xanthorroeae demonstrate only short and sparse hairs which also can be somehow interpreted as cilia. Because of an ambiguous meaning of this character in the Australian members of Brachypeplus it is not used for diagnostics and key to species. The male anal sclerite in most species of the genus are dorsoventraly subdepressed, although in Brachypeplus blandus and B. instriatus sp. nov. this sclerite have the vaulted posterior part and laterally looking as more or less vertically expanded. Some species with dorsoventrally depressed male anal sclerite have posterior edge of it with variable weak serration, and in Brachypeplus binotatus this serration can be expressed or not.
12. Key to species of Brachypeplus from Australia and Tasmania
1a. Head with temples distinctly sharply projecting externally beyond eyes;
1a. Remarks. Body subunicolorous reddish either with darkened elytral apices, scutellar shield and median parts of exposed tergites or also with somewhat infuscated lateral and apical edges; antennomere 3 subequal to only slightly longer than antennomere 2; pregenal processes comparatively wide and with sharply acute outer apical angle); male protarsus not more than 0.3 × as wide as protibia.......................................................................................... 2
1b. Head with temples not projecting externally and forming a join curve with outer edge of eyes;
1b. Remarks. Combination of other characters different.......................................................... 4
2(1)a. Body more slender with pronotum subquadrate and somewhat longer, scarcely emarginate anterior edge and subrectilinear sides; labrum about half as long as wide; pronotum and elytra more narrowly (sub)explanate at sides; elytra subunicolorous or only with slightly infuscate stripes along lateral and apical edges; last abdominal tergites subunicolorous; antennal club somewhat darkened and about 1.3 × as long as wide; laterosternites VI about 4.0 × as long as wide;
2(1)a. Remarks. Male pygidium subtruncte at apex and widely rounded at apical angles; male anal sclerite rounded; antennal club usually distinctly darker than flagellum. 3.2–4.2 mm. Figs 18, A–H. Australia: QLD............................................................................................... .......... 24. Brachypeplus nypicola sp. nov.
2(1)b. Body more robust with pronotum more arcuate at sides and somewhat shorter, more emarginate anterior edge and more arcuate sides; labrum markedly shorter than half as long as wide; pronotum and elytra more widely explanate at sides; elytra with darkened (to blackish) distal halves with oblique outlines; 2–3 last abdominal tergites medially more or less infuscate; antennal club light and at least 1.5 × as long as wide; laterosternites VI at least 3.5 × as long as wide;
2(1)b. Remarks. Male pygidium shallowly emarginate at apex and widely rounded at apical angles; male anal sclerite widely rounded to subangulate; antennal club usually subunicolorous or slightly darker than flagellum.............................. 3
3(2)a. Elytra with explanate lateral stripes and epipleura completely light (yellowish to reddish);
3(2)a. Remarks. Darkened parts of elytra located mostly in distal third to two thirds and usually with oblique anterior edge (never reaching anterior elytral edge); antennal club somewhat shorter (usually not longer than one and third as long as wide); head and pronotum almost always light. 3.1–4.6 mm. Figs 5, A–K; 11, A–C. Indonesia: Maluku Islands, Indonesian New Guinea (West Papua); Papua New Guinea; Australia: QLD, Torres Strait Islands............... 13. Brachypeplus apicalis Murray, 1864
3(2)b. Elytra with explanate lateral stripes and at least considerable part of epipleura dark;
3(2)b. Remarks. Darkened parts of elytra usually located mostly along lateral and sutural edges remaining light stripe between them, as a rule, reaching distal forth (sometimes elytra (as well as most part of body) completely darkened or completely light); antennal club usually about one and half as long as wide or slightly longer; not infrequently head and pronotum more or less infuscated. Taiwan; Philippines, Luzon, Mindanao, Sibuyan (Romblon Province); Singapore; Indonesia, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi. 2.6-5.1 mm. Figs 10, A-I, 11, D................ ............................... 18. Brachypeplus dorsalis Grouvelle, 1897
4(1)a. Body only with almost inconspicuous pubescence on elytra, abdomen and head underside; pronotal and elytral sides without cilia (only with sparse short hairs visible at high magnification); dorsal punctation fine and more less uniform (although interstrial punctures can be somewhat finer), interspaces between punctures much greater than a puncture diameter and rather obliterated; elytra with each strial and interstrial spaces bearing a distinct row of punctures with very short hairs, and striae clearly expressed; apex of prosternal process completely flat (not pressed to surface of processes of prohypomera);
4(1)a. Remarks. Antennomere 3 about or less than half as long as scape and slightly longer than pedicel; antennal club subovoid and about 1.3 × as long as wide; pregenal processes rather wide and with sharply acute outer apical angle; tibial spurs moderately long and thick;—male pygidium subtruncate; male anal sclerite widely rounded to medially shallowly emarginate; female pygidium subtruncate at apex and with rounded lateral angles. 3.7–5.4 mm. Figs 22, A–I. Australia: NSW, SA............................................................................. 27. Brachypeplus xanthorrhoeae Lea, 1925
4(1)b. Entire body conspicuously pubescent; pronotal and elytral sides with clear cilia; elytra with punctures different and frequently irregular; apex of prosternal process with lateral apical angles somewhat pressed to surface of processes of prohypomera and metaventrite;
4(1)b. Remarks. Combination of other characters another.......................................................... 5
5(4)a. Mentum with very strongly projecting anterior angles strongly surpassing level of median process of anterior edge; antennae comparatively short with short club; pronotum with nearly even lateral edges; pronotal and elytral sides densely ciliate;
5(4)a. Remarks. Pregenal processes rather wide and with subacute outer apical angle.................................... 6
5(4)b. Mentum with not or slightly projecting anterior angles, at most slightly surpassing level of median process of anterior edge; antennae comparatively longer and with longer club; pronotum with clearly serrate lateral edges; pronotal and elytral sides with shorter to scarcely expressed cilia........................................................................ 7
6(5)a. Body wider and more oval, dorsum more shortly and almost inconspicuously pubescent; elytra without both trace of distinct longitudinal row of coarse punctures (at most longitudinal rows including fine and dense punctures) and striae at outer portions; antennae shorter and with subcircular club, antennomere 3 more than 2.0 × as long as antennomere 2; pronotum clearly emarginate at anterior edge and with widely explanate sides; dorsal punctation regular and subuniform, interspaces between punctures about as great as one puncture diameter; laterosternites V and VI about 2.5 × as long as wide;
6(5)a. Remarks. Body dark brown with reddish pronotal sides and elytral base (looking like transverse stripe);—male pygidium and anal sclerite widely rounded at apex; male pygidium subtruncate at apex, male anal sclerite widely rounded at apex and without serration along posterior edge; tegmen somewhat more than 2.0 × as long as wide and slightly narrowed at subtruncate apex; penis trunk about 2.5 × as long as wide, sharply narrowed at small apical process with widely rounded tip; female pygidium widely rounded at apex. 3.7–5.3 mm. Figs 16, A–F. Australia: QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC; U.S.A.: Oregon, California ............................................................................ 22. Brachypeplus macleayi Murray, 1864
6(5)b. Body narrower and subparallel-sided, dorsum with very conspicuous pubescence rather masking sculpture of integument; antennae longer and with subovoid club (about 1.3 × as long as wide), antennomere 3 less than 2.0 × as long as antennomere 2; pronotum scarcely emarginate at anterior edge and with narrowly explanate sides; dorsal punctation irregular, interspaces between punctures on pronotum smaller than greater puncture diameter, elytra with almost distinctly seriate punctation and clearly expressed striae; laterosternites V and VI about 3.0 × as long as wide;
6(5)b. Remarks. Body dark brown to nearly blackish, lighter coloration of body restricted by a join triangle on elytral base with gradual darkening distally, usually weak light stripe also continuing along suture and explanate pronotal sides lighter; explanate elytral sides not light;—male pygidium subtruncate to shallowly emarginate; male anal sclerite dorsally compressed widely rounded at apex, its posterior edge sparsely and finely serrate; female pygidium widely rounded to subtruncate at apex, with posterior edge sparsely serrate. 3.2–4.9 mm. Figs 7, A–I. Papua New Guinea; Australia: WA, NT, QLD, NSW, ACT, SA, VIC; TAS, Kangaroo Island; New Zealand ..................................... 15. Brachypeplus basalis Erichson, 1942
7(5)a. Elytra not striate and at most only with trace of seriate coarse punctation at base;
7(5)a. Remarks. Body reddish to brownish with darkened (to blackish) distal half of elytra, usually larger or lesser part of head also darkened, while pronotal sides or also sides of abdominal segments usually lighter; antennomere 3 nearly 2.0–2.5 × as long as wide, and only slightly longer than antennomere 2; tibial spurs rather small; protibia markedly wider than antennal club (nearly 1.5 ×);—abdominal laterosternites V about 2.5 × as long as wide; male metatibia strongly expanded externally at apex; male pygidium emarginate at apex; male anal sclerite rather far exposed from under pygidial apex, not dorsoventraly compressed and declined to rather rounded and not serrate apex; tegmen at least 2.0 × as long as wide and with moderately rounded apex; penis trunk subequal in length with tegmen, about 2.5 × as long as wide, subparallel-sided part of penis trunk about 4.5× as long as apical angular one; female pygidium widely rounded at apex. 2.2–4.9 mm. Figs 12, A–J. Australia: WA, QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS;? New Zealand ......... 19. Brachypeplus instriatus sp. nov. (including 20. B. pr. instriatus from New Zealand)
7(5)b. Elytra more or less striate and usually with seriate punctation in most part of their integument;
6(5)b. Remarks. Male anal sclerite very slightly exposed from under pygidial apex and strongly dorsoventraly compressed, only in B. blandus male anal sclerite rather exposed from under pygidial apex and with declined to apex;—combination of other characters different.................................................................................... 8
8(7)a. Body and appendages subunicolorous dark (dark brown to blackish); metatibia gradually narrowing in distal half;
8(7)a. Remarks. Dorsum dull and moderately pubescent, although interspaces between punctures on head and pronotum frequently almost smooth; elytra densely punctured and contrastingly microreticulate, with strial spaces bearing a regular row of coarser punctures; pronotal sides distinctly serrate; pronotal and elytral sides clearly and moderately ciliate; antennomere 3 almost as long as scape, more than 2.5 × longer than pedicel and about 3 × as long as wide; antennal club slightly more than 1.5 × as long as wide; pregenal processes comparatively wide and with rounded outer apical angle; mesotibia with usually prominent outer subapical angle; tibial spurs very short;—male pygidium widely emarginate at apex; male anal sclerite widely rounded at apex and with very finely serrate posterior edge; female pygidium rounded to subtruncate at apex. 3.6–6.7 mm. Figs 19, A–H. Australia: WA, QLD, NSW, ACT, SA, VIC, TAS............................ 25. Brachypeplus planus Erichson, 1842
8)(7)b. Body bicolorous, dark with lighter places or light with darker places; appendages somewhat lighter than body; metatibiae more or less gradually widening posteriorly (only metatibia of B. wattsensis widest at distance from its apex);
8(7)b. Remarks. Combination of other characters different.......................................................... 9
9(8)a. Pronotal sides clearly serrate; body dark with lighter pattern on elytra, or at most also part or entire abdomen completely light; 9(8)a. Remarks. Male anal sclerite not dorsoventraly subflattened and subangular at apex with even posterior edge or dorsoventrally subflattened and widely rounded at apex with more or less expressed serration along posterior edge... .... 10
9(8)b. Pronotal sides very finely serrate (mostly visible only at high magnification); body light with darker pattern on elytra;
9(8)b. Remarks. Male anal sclerite dorsoventrally subflattened and widely rounded at apex with even posterior edge;—tegmen 2.0–2.5 × as long as wide and widely rounded.................................................................... 12
10(9)a. Pronotum longer and more subquadrate, about 1.5 × as wide as long; abdomen completely reddish; abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 4.0 × as long as wide; antennae about as long as distance between eyes with comparatively shorter club; metatibia with very widely rounded subapical outer angle and widest at distance from apex;
10(9)a. Remarks. Head and thorax (except reddish underside of prothorax) dark reddish to brownish; abdominal pubescence light unicolorous, comparatively thinner and shorter;—female pygidium with widely rounded apex. 4.0– 4.4 mm. Figs 21, E–F. Australia: VIC........................................... ......... 26. Brachypeplus wattsensis Blackburn, 1902
10(9)b. Pronotum shorter and more narrowing anteriorly, much more than 1.5 × as wide as long; abdomen completely dark to blackish, or, if a part of abdomen lighter in coloration; abdominal laterosternites V and VI about 2.0–3.0 × as long as wide; apical segment dark; antennae about as long as head wide with comparatively longer club; abdominal pubescence usually bicolorous, comparatively thicker and longer; metatibia with more or less distinct tip of subapical outer angle and widest closely to apex;.................................................................................................... 11
11(10)a. Pronotum usually with sides less widely arcuate and more narrowing anteriorly, posterior angles with distinct tip rather projecting posteriorly; antennomere 3 about 2.5 × as long as wide and about 1.7 × as long as each of antennomeres 2 and 4; male metatibia of usual shape (without sexual dimorphism);
11(10)a. Remarks. Male pygidium subflattened at subtruncate apex; male anal sclerite dorsoventrally subflattened and widely rounded at apex with mostly expressed fine serration along posterior edge; tegmen shorter (2.0–2.5 × as long as wide), gentle outlined at sides and with shorter subapical setae; penis trunk shorter (about 2.0 × as long as wide) and acute at distal fourth; female pygidium very widely rounded to subtruncate (or sometimes shallowly emarginate) at apex; gonocoxites about half as long as entire length of ovipositor, its lateral lobes almost moderately sclerotized, styli of usual length. 3.0– 4.6 mm. Figs 8, A–L; 20, A–C. Australia: QLD, NSW, ACT,? SA, VIC, TAS................................... 16. B. binotatus Murray, 1864
11(10)b. Pronotum usually with sides more widely arcuate and less narrowing anteriorly, posterior angles with blunt tip not or very slightly projecting posteriorly; antennomere 3 about 4.0 × as long as wide and about 2.0 × as long as each of antennomeres 2 and 4; male metatibia strongly triangularly expanded externaly before apex;
11(10)b. Remarks. Male pygidium somewhat convex and clearly emarginate at apex; male anal sclerite not dorsoventraly subflattened and subangular at apex with even posterior edge; tegmen (at least 3.5 × as long as wide), with sides distinctly emarginate at distal end of concavity for moving of penis trunk and longer subapical setae; penis trunk longer (about 3.5 × as long as wide) and acute at distal third; female pygidium subtruncate at apex; gonocoxites about two fifths as long as entire length of ovipositor, its lateral lobes usually without clear sclerotization, styli comparatively long. 3.0– 4.8 mm. Figs 9, A–H; 21, A. Australia: QLD, NSW, ACT, SA, VIC.............................................. 17. B. blandus Murray, 1864
12(9)a. Body much slenderer and more convex, with more steeply sloping and more narrowly explanate pronotal and elytral sides (Fig. 17, A); pronotum with anterior edge nearly straight and sides only slightly arcuate; abdominal laterosternites V about 4.5 × as long as wide; apex of prosternal process marrower, less than 3.0 × as wide as distance between procoxae; male protarsus about 0.4 × as wide as protibia; male anal sclerite well exposed from under pygidial apex;
12(9)a. Remarks. Antennal club subovoid and slightly longer than wide (about 1.3 × as long as wide), antennomere 3 almost 1.5 × as long as antennomere 2; outer apical angle of moderately wide pregenal processes subrectangular;—penis trunk nearly 2.0 × as long as wide, subparallel-sided part of penis trunk about 1.5 × as long as apical angular one; female pygidium widely rounded at apex. 3.2–4.2 mm. Figs 17, A–I. Australia: QLD.............................. 23. Brachypeplus makarovi sp. nov.
12(9)b. Body markedly wider and less convex, with gently sloping sides and more widely explanate pronotal and elytral sides (Fig. 14, A–C); pronotum with anterior edge clearly emarginate or bi-emarginate and side moderately arcuate; abdominal laterosternites V at most 3.5 × as long as wide; apex of prosternal process markedly more 3.0 × wider than distance between procoxae); male protarsus at least 0.5 × as wide as protibia; male anal sclerite slightly exposed from under pygidium, very widely rounded to subtruncate at apex................................................................................... 13
13(12)a. Antenna longer (Fig. 14, A–C) with scape about 2.0 × as long as wide; antennal club larger and subovoid, almost 1.5 × as long as wide, subunicolorous with flagellum or antennal club darker, antennomere 3 about 1.5 × as long as antennomere 2; pronotal sides clearly explanate; elytral apices usually and head base frequently rather darkened (to blackish); dorsum more sparsely punctured and shining; outer apical angle of very wide pregenal processes rounded; penis trunk about 2.0–2.5 × as long as wide, subparallel-sided part of penis trunk about 1.5 × as long as apical angular one; female pygidium rather widely subtruncate. 2.9–4.9 mm. Figs 14–15; 21, B–D. Australia: QLD, NSW; Portugal: Azores, Madeira ......................................................................................................... 21. B. kemblensis Blackburn, 1902
13(12)b. Antenna shorter (Fig. 6 A) with scape about 1.5 × as long as wide; antennal club smaller and subcircular, markedly lighter than flagellum, yellowish, antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length; pronotal sides subexplanate; elytral apices and head base frequently usually subunicolorous with body or only slightly infuscate; dorsum more densely punctured and nearly mat; outer apical angle of comparatively wide pregenal processes sharply acute;—penis trunk about 2.0 × as long as wide (not longer), subparallel-sided part of penis trunk about 2.0–2.5 × as long as apical angular one; female pygidium moderately widely subtruncate. 2.8–4.2 mm. Figs 6 A–F. Australia: QLD, NSW............. 14. Brachypeplus barronensis Blackburn, 1902
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 32-35, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5103.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6245709