The " minute diving beetles " of southern Australia - taxonomic revision of Gibbidessus Watts, 1978, with description of six new species (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Bidessini)
Author
Hendrich, Lars
SNSB - Zoologische Staatssammlung Muenchen, Muenchhausenstrasse 21, D - 81247 Muenchen, Germany
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8366-0749
hendrich1@aol.com
Author
Watts, Chris H. S.
South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia 5000, Australia
Author
Balke, Michael
SNSB - Zoologische Staatssammlung Muenchen, Muenchhausenstrasse 21, D - 81247 Muenchen, Germany
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3773-6586
text
ZooKeys
2020
975
11
49
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.975.55456
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.975.55456
1313-2970-975-11
785EDF225A3242178C9B6433E0AD199F
FE5DCB656614590DB4C35092D89F3F3D
Gibbidessus davidi
sp. nov.
Figs 3
, 4
, 12
, 16
, 23
, 27
, 28
Type locality.
Western Australia, Perth, suburb Success, Beeliar Regional Park, shallow peaty puddle [
32°8'4S
,
115°50'22E
].
Type material.
Holotype
,
male: "Australia, WA, Perth, Success, Beeliar RP, shallow peaty puddle
32°8'4.97"S
,
115°50'22.78"E
21.-31.10.2015 L. Hendrich (WA 1/15)", "Holotype
Gibbidessus davidi
Hendrich, Watts & Balke des. 2020" (WAM) [red printed label].
Paratypes
(370 exs.)
. 354 specimens with same data as holotype (ANIC, CGC, CLH, SAMA, WAM, ZSM); 4 exs, "Australia: SW WA,
D'Entrecasteaux
NP, 11 km S, Northcliffe, 77m, 4.I.2007, 34.44.048S, 116.05.354E [
34°44'0S
,
116°5'13E
], L. & E. Hendrich (WA 162)" (ZSM); 10 exs., "Australia, WA, Albany Hwy, Muir Lakes Nature Reserve, SW part of Byenup Lagoon, 4.& 5.1.2000,
34°30'4S
,
116°44'19E
, Hendrich leg. (loc. WA 11/157)" (CLH, ZSM); 1 ex., "Australia, WA, Barlee Brook Dickson Road (A) [
34°12'17S
,
115°46'18E
], DON03, 21/10/2005, South West Forest Monitoring" (DPAW); 1 ex., "Australia, WA, Fish Creek (A) [
34°37'29S
,
116°26'11E
], SHA22, 17/10/2010, South West Forest Monitoring" (DPAW); 4 exs., "Australia, WA, RVDLE03 Riverdale Wetland [
32°59'23S
,
115°47'23E
], 23/09/2008, South West Catchment Council Mon." (DPAW). All paratypes with red printed paratype labels.
Diagnosis.
Small species which externally is characterised by a wide rounded body, shiny non-microreticulate dorsal surface, vague testaceous markings on elytra, and without habitus disruption between pronotum and elytron. Dorsoventrally rather domed. Cervical line present (Fig.
3
).
Measurements.
Holotype: TL = 1.45 mm, TL-H = 1.35 mm, MW = 0.83 mm. Paratypes: TL = 1.35-1.5 mm, TL-H = 1.15-1.4 mm, MW = 0.8-0.9 mm.
Head
:
Ferruginous, around eyes almost black. Cervical line present (Fig.
12A
). Strongly and coarsely punctate, rather shiny, microreticulation present. Punctures weak anteriorly and strongly posteriorly between eyes. Antennae relatively short, stout. Antennomeres 1-8 ferruginous, 9-11 darkened anteriorly.
Pronotum
:
Ferruginous, anterior and posterior margins darker. Disc of pronotum somewhat darkened, broadest at posterior corners. Punctation of pronotum very weak, almost evenly distributed, shiny and microsculpture absent. Sides of pronotum margined and almost evenly rounded. Angle between pronotum and elytra less pronounced, basal pronotal plicae present. Striae moderately defined, almost 1/2 length of pronotum, strongly incurved.
Elytra
:
Dark brown with vague basolateral area ferruginous (Fig.
3
). Coarsely and densely punctate, shiny, microsculpture absent. Striae deeply impressed, straight but shorter than basal pronotal striae.
Ventral side
:
Ferruginous. Prothorax and abdomen paler than other parts. Metacoxae and metaventrite covered with larger punctures, surface shiny, without microreticulation. Abdominal ventrites with dense and finer punctures, shiny, microreticulation absent. Metacoxal lines almost straight, anteriorly not divergent. Epipleuron ferruginous, with few coarse punctures, shiny, lacking microsculpture. Legs ferruginous with meta-/mesotibia and meta-/mesotarsi set in black.
Male
.
Smaller and more elongate than female (Fig.
4
). Median lobe of aedeagus as in Fig.
16A, B
. Shape of median lobe in lateral view, straight and fairly uniform, in ventral view broad, with a thorn on each side, and rounded at apex. Parameres bi-segmented and elongated with few setae at apex (Fig.
16C, D
).
Affinities.
This species is similar to
G. atomus
sp. nov. but readily separated by its larger size, the different colour pattern and the form of the median lobe and parameres (Figs
14
,
16
). From
G. pederzanii
sp. nov. it can be distinguished by the less roundish body and the form of the median lobe and parameres (Figs
16
,
19
).
Etymology.
The beetle is named after the son of the first author, David Hendrich. The specific epithet is a substantive in the genitive case.
Distribution.
South-western Australia. From Perth in the north to
D'Entrecasteaux
National Park in the south (Fig.
23
).
Habitat.
In the Northcliffe area most specimens were obtained from an exposed, shallow and small roundish puddle, without any vegetation, except some algae. The other specimens were collected in a half-shaded pool in a
Melaleuca
blackwater swamp, with few clumps of
Juncus
spp. and extensive beds of macrophytes; depth up to 20 cm; bottom consisted of sedge-filled peat (pH 5.5), twigs and rotten leaves (Figs
27
,
28
). The whole area south of Northcliffe is seasonally flooded with some permanent central water bodies in summer. In the
D'Entrecasteaux
NP the species is syntopic with
G. atomus
sp. nov., and around Perth in the Beeliar Regional Park with
G. rottnestensis
sp. nov. At the Riverdale Wetland Reserve
G. davidi
sp. nov. was syntopic with
G. atomus
sp. nov. and
G. rottnestensis
sp. nov.
Apart from the
Gibbidessus
, the water beetle coenosis at Northcliffe included the following species:
Dytiscidae
:
Limbodessus inornatus
,
Antiporus hollingsworthi
,
A. mcraeae
,
Brancuporus gottwaldi
,
Sternopriscus minimus
,
S. eikei
,
Exocelina ater
;
Hydrophilidae
:
Enochrus eyrensis
,
Limnoxenus zealandicus
,
Paracymus pygmaeus
(see
Hendrich 2001a
). In the Beeliar Park the two
Gibbidessus
species share their habitat with
Limbodessus inornatus
,
Paroster insculptilis
(Clark, 1862),
Exocelina ater
,
Rhantus suturalis
(Macleay, 1825) and
Rhantus simulans
Regimbart
, 1908.