Sternopriscus weckwerthi
Ordo: Coleoptera
Familia: Dytiscidae
Genus: Sternopriscus
Name
Sternopriscus weckwerthi Hendrich & Watts, 2004
Type locality
Peatland pool, south of Frodshams Pass, 300 m, Western Tasmania.
Type material
Holotype: male, "AUSTRALIA, W-Tasmania, SW National Park, 15 km S Frodshams Pass, 300m, 25.1.1998 (Lok. 5/46), Lars Hendrich leg." (SAMA). - Paratypes: Tasmania: 21 exs., same data as holotype (CLH, NMW); 2 exs., "AUSTRALIA, W-Tasmania, Mount Field National Park, Beatties Tarn, 600m 24.1.1998 (Lok. 1/42) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 14 exs., "AUSTRALIA, W-Tasmania, SW National Park, Creepy Crawly Nature Trail, 500m 25.1.1998 (Lok. 3/44) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 9 exs., "AUSTRALIA, W-Tasmania, 30 km N of Strahan, 150m 29.1.1998 (Lok. 14/55) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 75 exs., "AUSTRALIA, NW-Tasmania, Murchison Hwy, 5 km N Parawee, 29.1.1998 (Lok. 17/58) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 2 exs., "AUSTRALIA, NW-Tasmania, Bass Hwy, Welcome River near Dismal Swamp, 31.1.1998 (Lok. 19/60) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 29 exs., "AUSTRALIA, E-Tasmania, 23 E Campbell Town, Lake Leake Camping Site, 610 m, 3.2.1998 (Lok. 26/67) Lars Hendrich leg. " (CLH); 19 exs., "AUSTRALIA, W-Tasmania, South West National Park, 40 km W Maydena, 160m 25.1.1998 (Lok. 2/43) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 29 exs., "AUSTRALIA, C-Tasmania, Lake St. Clair, Cuvier Valley Track, 4 km NW Cynthia Bay 800 m, 27.1.1998 (Lok. 10/51) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 24 exs., "AUSTRALIA, C-Tasmania, Lake St. Clair, Narcissus Bay 750 m, 27.1.1998 (Lok. 11/52) Lars Hendrich leg." (CLH); 2 exs., "Nivarre River Tas. 12 Feb 1967 E.F. Riek" (ANIC); 1 ex., "42.49’S 146.13’E, Frodshams Pass, 18 Nov. 1988 Tube 61 temporary pools on roadside, P. Greenslade", "Coleoptera Voucher No. 88-0017", "Sternopriscus tasmanicus Shp det. R.E. Roughley 1996" (ANIC); 8 exs., "Cradle Mt. Nat. Pk. Tas. Jan. [January 1959] C.W [C.H.S. Watts]" (SAMA); 17 exs., "TAS Narcissus Bay Lake St Clair 18 km NW Derwent Bridge, 24.1.2000, C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA); 1 ex., "15 km NE Miena TAS 23.1.00, C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA); 4 exs., "Little Pine Lagoon TAS, 8 km W Miena, 23.1.00 C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA); 19 exs., "TAS Lake St Clair 4 km N Derwent Bridge, 25.1.2000 C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA); 18 ex., "Cradle Valley TAS Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, 19.1.2000 C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA); 45 exs., "Dove Lake TAS Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair N Pk.,19.1.00 C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA); 2 exs., "Deloraine TAS 19.1.00 C. Watts" (SAMA); 6 exs., "AUS.: C-Tasmania South West NP, 17.1. 30 km W Maydena, 1997 Wewalka leg. (11)" (CGW); 9 exs., "AUS.: C-Tasmania 20 km NW Tarraleah 18.1.1997 Wewalka leg. (15)" (CGW); 11 exs., "AUS.: E-Tasmania, 21.1. 60 km E Launceston, 1997 10-20 km W Mathinna Wewalka leg. (23)" (CGW, MZH); 1 ex., "AUS.: NW-Tasmania 40 km N Rosebery 20.1.1997 Wewalka leg. (20)" (CGW); 1 ex., "AUS.: E-Tasmania 10-20 km SW Orford 23.1.1997 Wewalka leg. (24)" (CGW); 1 ex., "AUS.: C-Tasmania South West NP, 16.1. 5 km W Maydena, 1997 Wewalka leg. (10)" (CGW); 2 exs., "AUS.: C-Tasmania 60 km NW New Norfolk 5 km NW Ouse, 17.1.1997 Wewalka leg. (12)" (CGW); 2 exs., "AUS.: W-Tasmania, 20 – 30 km N Strahan, 19.1.1997 Wewalka leg. (19)".
DNA Sequences
European Nucleotide Archive (ENA)
Description
Measurements: Holotype, male: TL = 2.96 mm, TL-H = 2.76 mm; width = 1.48 mm. Paratypes, males: TL = 2.68 - 2.96 mm, TL-H = 2.40 - 2.76 mm; width = 1.32 - 1.48 mm; females: 2.60 - 2.72 mm, TL-H = 2.36 - 2.48 mm; width = 1.36 - 1.40 mm.
Colour: Head dark brown to black, large triangular area from antennal bases to rear margin often testaceous; pronotum dark testaceous, disc and parts of front and rear margins diffusely darker; elytron dark brown to black, lateral margin and near apex with diffuse lighter areas; ventral surface dark testaceous, appendages lighter, tips of palpi dark, antennal variable from wholly testaceous to segments 4 - 11 dark.
Sculpture: Reticulate, punctures strong, close, even, sparser and weaker on head. Edge of elytron moderately to strongly serrate towards apex; weakly, broadly flanged. Pronotal plicae strongly raised, nitid, area between with slight transverse depression. Pronotal process narrow, sides subparallel, rugose-punctate, tip rounded, not reaching metasternum. Midline of metasternum ridged in front; metacoxal lines raised, relatively close, weakly diverging in front quarter.
Male: Larger. Antennal segment 7 weakly widened, segment 8 a little more so, segments 8 - 10 subequal, apical segment elongate triangular a little longer than segment 10. Protarsus with basal three segments moderately expanded; protibia bent, shallow notch on inside edge towards base. Mesotarsi greatly elongate, basal two segments about twice as long as wide, segments 3 and 4 same length. Median lobe of aedeagus broad, tip simple, apical portion broad in ventral view.
Female: Smaller. Appendages simple; protarsus moderately enlarged; mesotarsus with basal two segments somewhat enlarged.
Affinities
A member of the S. tarsalis complex. Large (TL = 2.6 - 3.0 mm), dark, reticulation and punctation strong, apical segment of male antenna widest at base then rapidly narrowing towards apex.
Habitat
Sternopriscus weckwerthi occurs in almost all kinds of standing water, but most commonly in open, peaty habitats with acidic water, such as small pools and lakes surrounded by Sphagnum and button-grass (Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus) or in open Eucalypt Forest, usually in areas with sparce to extensive amounts of submerged vegetation growing on a peaty to stony substrate.
Etymology
Named after Ingo Weckwerth (Berlin, Germany) who joined the Tasmanian field trip.
Distribution
Tasmania, the most common species on the Central Plateau and in Western Tasmania.
Images
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References
- Hendrich, L.; Watts, C.H.S. 2004: Taxonomic revision of the Australian genus Sternopriscus Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae). Koleopterologische Rundschau, 74: 75–142.
