Sternopriscus weiri
Ordo: Coleoptera
Familia: Dytiscidae
Genus: Sternopriscus
Name
Sternopriscus weiri Hendrich & Watts, 2004
Type locality
Drainage ditch, in an open peatland swamp near Pioneer, Tasmania.
Type material
Holotype: male, "6 km N Pioneer TAS 23.1.00. C.H.S. Watts" (SAMA). - Paratypes; 10 male and 13 female, same data as holotype (SAMA); 1 male and 3 female, "NSW 3k N Bulli, 2/11/97 C Watts" (CLH, SAMA); 1 female, "Berry NSW 1/68 C. Watts" (SAMA); 1 male, "North Stradbroke Island sedge pool Flinders Beach Road 4. Sept. 1974 A. Bensink" (ANIC); 3 female, "North Stradbroke Island perched swamp n. Ferny Gully Q. 15. Mar. 1975 A. Arthington" (ANIC).
DNA Sequences
European Nucleotide Archive (ENA)
Description
Measurements: Holotype, male: TL = 4.20 mm, TL-H = 3.90 mm; width = 1.96 mm. Paratypes, male: TL = 3.68 - 4.20 mm, TL-H = 3.40 - 4.00 mm; width = 1.84 - 2.10 mm; females: 3.28 - 3.60 mm, TL-H = 2.96 - 3.26 mm; width = 1.64 - 1.85 mm.
Colour: Head testaceous, with area inwards from eyes to level of antenna bases dark brown to black. Pronotum dark brown to black with central band across whole width testaceous, band undulating in thickness. Elytron dark brown to black with two subbasal, two central and two apical testaceous spots. The degree of colour pattern, particularly on elytra variable from virtually evenly dark brown to quite strongly marked. Ventral surface dark testaceous with appendages lighter. Antenna with segments 5 - 7 and apical slightly darker. Palpi with pale tips.
Sculpture: Prosternum moderately reticulate, closely and evenly punctate, punctures relatively weak for Sternopriscus. Pronotal plica obsolete, only traceable in certain lights. Elytral edge weakly serrate, narrowly but quite noticeable flanged in apical half, apex acuminate. Pronotal process narrow between procoxae then widening in front of them before narrowing to rounded tip, apical portion keeled flat in lateral view, just reaching metasternum. Midline of metasternum weakly raised in front; metacoxal lines raised, reaching mesosternum, moderately separated, weakly diverging in front half.
Male: Larger. Antennal segments 7 and 8 greatly expanded with segment 8 longer, segments 9 and 10 short and wide, apical segment wide, longer than segments 9 and 10 combined, segments 7 and 8 strongly concave beneath. Apical segment of labial palpus moderately expanded, moderately bifid. Pro- and mesotrochanters with thin ridge towards apex. Protarsus moderately expanded; protibia narrow, bent near base; profemur with small spine on front edge at extreme apex. Mesotarsi with basal three segments elongate, weakly asymmetrically expanded; mesofemur with small but well marked protuberance at base on inside. Tip of median lobe of aedeagus complex; lacking ventral finger-like projection.
Female: Smaller. Appendages simple; protarsus moderately expanded, symmetrical; basal segment of mesotarsus moderately expanded, other segments relatively thin.
Affinities
A member of the S. hansardi group. Large (TL = 2.9 - 4.2 mm), palpi with dark tips, dark ventral surface, pronotal plicae obsolete, segments 7 and 8 of male antenna similar in form, apical segment of male antenna with small protuberance near apex, small spine on inside of male profemur atop a small but prominent protuberance near apex.
Habitat
Probably a stenotopic species of peatland habitats. The specimens from Bulli were collected from an acidic pool in a small creek/drain in an area of open peaty heath. On Stradbrooke Island the species was found in a sedge pool and a perched swamp. In Tasmania the species was taken from the edges of moderately deep (to 1 m) drainage ditches through an open peaty swamp with low heathy vegetation. See also under Habitat of S. wallumphilia.
Etymology
Dedicated to Tom Weir of ANIC, Canberra, who was the first to recognise the species.
Distribution
Northeastern and southeastern coastal Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and 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.
