Eucinetus limitaris Lawrence 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lawrence, John F.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Coleoptera
Eucinetidae
Eucinetus
Eucinetus limitaris

description: Eucinetus limitaris sp. nov.
(Figs 13–14, 43, 56, 81, 106, 122, 131)
Diagnosis. This species differs from E. lorien, E. nebulosus, E. similis and E. tropicus in having a short, broad metanepisternum and sharply acute scutellar shield and in lacking a notched inner eye margin and hind wings. It differs from E. minutus in its larger size (length greater than 1.85 mm), from E. minutus, E. dorrigo, E. brindabellae and E. tasmaniae in the red pronotum and black elytra. It differs from E. bicolorellus in its larger size (greater than 2.0 mm), black head, and longer, narrower apical antennomere (more than 1.50 times as long as wide) with truncate apex. From E. bicolor it differs in having the pronotum, scutellar shield and sides of elytra red, the apical antennomere widened and subtruncate apically. This is the largest of the wingless species, usually more than 2.3 mm long, with the body more than 1.8 times as long as combined elytral width.
Description. Length: 2.20–2.80 (2.63 ± 0.15) mm; body 1.80–1.95 (1.88) times as long as combined elytral width; greatest depth 0.60–0.66 (0.63) times combined elytral width. Colour of head black; pronotum and sides of elytra red; main portion of elytra black, scutellar shield black or red; undersurfaces reddish anteriorly, brownish posteriorly; legs and antennae yellowish-brown. Head 0.97 times as long as wide; distance across eyes 1.45 times as great as distance between them; inner eye margin without notch. Labrum 0.56 times as long as wide; sides weakly curved and converging to slightly emarginate apex. Antenna about 1.82 times as long as head width; 3rd antennomere equal in length to 4th; 11th antennomere 1.18 times as long as 10, 1.86 times as long as wide, with subtruncate apex. Galea about 1.33 times as wide as lacinia, not widened apically. Apical maxillary palpomere subulate, about 2.53 times as long as wide, with short mesal aciculate papilla. Apical labial palpomere subulate, 1.67 times as long as wide, with long aciculate papilla. Pronotum 0.38–0.49 (0.42) times as long as wide; prosternal process abruptly narrowed preapically with subacute apex. Scutellar shield 0.21 times as wide as pronotum and 0.65 times as long as wide at base and apex acute. Elytra 1.47–1.63 (1.54) times as long as combined width and 4.17–5.00 (4.55) times as long as pronotum; punctation and vestiture as in Fig. 81. Hind wings absent. Metanepisternum 0.52 times as long as mesepimeron and 1.08 times as long as wide, very asymmetrically triangular with straight anterior edge, strongly rounded outer edge and weakly rounded outer edge. Metacoxal plate with outer edge about 4.4 times as long as posterior edge, which is moderately deeply biemarginate. Outer (acute) mesotibial spur in male 0.50 times as long as first mesotarsomere, inner one about equal in length with a blunt, cleft apex. Parameres at about middle 1.5 times as wide as penis at same point, very slightly curved mesally with broadly rounded apex. Penis with sides gradually converging to subapex, then very slightly diverging before subacute apex.
Types: Holotype, ♁: “ 28.14S 123.08E, QLD, Lamington NP, near O’Reilly’s 25 Oct. 1993, S. A. Slipinski & J. F. Lawrence colls / WINKLER ANIC 1687, leaf & log litter” (ANIC type #25-067874).
Paratypes. NSW: Beaury S. F. (28°29’S, 152°28’E), c 700m, closed forest, 15–17.ii.1983, ANIC Berlesate 778, T. Weir, A. Calder (4, ANIC); Richmond Range S. F. (28°48’S, 152°59’E), c 600m, closed forest, 13–14.ii.1983, ANIC Berlesate 774, T. Weir, A. Calder (1, ANIC); Styx River S. F., W end Thru Road, 24km SE Wollomombi (30°36’S, 152°10’E), 980m, wet sclerophyll forest, 25.ii–15.iii1993, ANIC FIT 1410, D. Chandler (1, ANIC); Unumgar S F., Grevillia, Coxs Rd. (28°27’S, 152°45’E), 589m, 789, subtropical rainf., 2–11.i.1987, FMHD #175, flight intercept (window) trap, A. Newton, M. Thayer (1, ANIC); Unumgar S. F., nr. Woodenbong Pole Bridge Rd. (28°24’S, 152°40’E), 430m, 788,dry rainforest, Arauc., Euc., 2–11.i.1987, FMHD #87-172, flight intercept (window) trap, A. Newton, M. Thayer (3, ANIC, FMNH); Wiangaree S. F. (28°22’S, 153°05’E), 1050m, 10–12.ii.1983, ANIC Berlesate 770, litter under Nothofagus moorei, T. Weir, A. Calder (1, ANIC); Wiangaree S. F., Brindle Ck., 740m, subtropical rainforest, 29.ii–3.iii.1980, berlesate leaf & log litter, A. Newton, M. Thayer (1, ANIC); Wiangaree S. F., via Kyogle, 28.xi.1970, G. Monteith (1, QMB); QLD: Binna Burra, Lamington Nat. Park, 25.iii–4.iv.1985, ANIC 1043 Winkler extract, leaf & log litter, J. & N. Lawrence (2, ANIC); Lamington Nat. Park, 9–10.viii.1978, Berl., leaf litter, R. Raven (1, QMB /UQ); Lamington Nat. Park, O’Reilly’s (28°14’S, 153°08’E), 22–27.xi.1978, berlesed leaf & log litter, J. Lawrence, T. Weir (1, ANIC); Lamington Nat. Park, O’Reilly’s (28°14’S, 153°08’E), 2–4.iii.1980, ANIC Berlesate 673, leaf litter, J. F. Lawrence (1, ANIC); Lamington Nat. Park, O’Reilly’s (28°16’S, 153°10’E), 900m, rainforest, 25.iii.1998, QM Berlesate 967, stick brushing, G. B. Monteith (1, QMB); Lamington Nat. Park, near O’Reilly’s (28°.14’S 153°08’E), 25.x.1993, ANIC Winkler 1687, leaf & log litter, S. A. Ślipiński, J. F. Lawrence (1, ANIC); Springbrook Repeater (28°15’S, 153°16’E), 1000m, 9.i–19.ii1995, intercept traps, G. B. Monteith (1, QMB); Tullawallal, Binna Burra (28°12’S, 153°12’E), 950m, 3.xii.1994 – 9.i.1995, pitfall trap, G. Monteith, H. Janetzki (1, QMB).
Distribution. Northeastern NSW and southeastern QLD.
Biology. Specimens have been collected mainly in flight intercept window/trough traps and in berlesates from sifted leaf and log litter.
Etymology. Derived from the Latin limitaris, on the border, referring to its distribution along the NSW-QLD border.
description: Published as part of Lawrence, John F., 2019, New species of Eucinetus and Noteucinetus from Australia (Coleoptera: Scirtoidea: Eucinetidae), pp. 151-182 in Zootaxa 4668 (2) on pages 160-161, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4668.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3415013