Hemipeplus microphthalmus ( Schwarz, 1878 )

Kc, Sajan & Pollock, Darren A., 2025, Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species, Zootaxa 5574 (1), pp. 1-140 : 25-28

Hemipeplus microphthalmus ( Schwarz, 1878)

(Figs 8, 61)

Nemicelus microphthalmus Schwarz, 1878: 360 .— Horn 1880: xiv [as a H. marginipennis synonym]; Casey 1884: 101, plate 8, Figs 7, 7a; Leng 1920: 200; Wheeler 1921: 183; Hetschko 1930: 90 [as a H. marginipennis synonym]; Schenkling 1934: 1; Blackwelder 1945: 423 [as a H. marginipennis synonym]; Thomas 1985: 371; Poole & Gentili 1996: 315; Pollock 1999: 68, Figs 3B, 6B, 8, 12; Hoffman 2006: 44, Fig. 1 .

Type Material. Holotype, sex unknown, in NMNH (Florida, Enterprise ); not studied, see Thomas (1985) for details.

FIGURE 7. Hemipeplus dominicensis Pollock, 1999 (Holotype). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Male genitalia dorsal view without spiculum gastrale; E. Tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view with one paramere removed.

Other Material Examined. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Alabama. Baldwin Co. Bon Secour NWR 30°14’31’’N 87°49’49’’W, 14.vi.1994. T . L. Schiefer leg., blacklight trap, ( MUIC, 2) . Florida. Brevard Co. Cocoa Beach, 12.v.2003., J. Brambila leg., in light, ( FSCA, 1) . Clay Co. Camp Blanding Training Site, ‘ Insect Survey Site 12 Cutover Sand Pine Scrub 29°55.895’N 81°59.940’W, 24.ix.1999, Marc & Maria Minno leg., light trap, ( FSCA, 2); Camp Blanding Training Site, ‘Insect Survey Site 11 Sand Pine Scrub 29°55.599’N 81°59.914’W, 24.ix.1999 ,

FIGURE 8. Hemipeplus microphthalmus ( Schwarz, 1878) (female). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Genitalia dorsal view without spiculum gastrale (from a male); E. Ditto, tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view with one paramere removed.

Marc & Maria Minno leg., light trap, ( FSCA, 3). Collier Co. Immokalee , SW FL REC, 14/ 22.vi.2007 , S. Halbert leg., suction trap ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 7–14.vi2.2012 , Susan Halbert leg., suction trap –short/north, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 24–31.v.2012, ( FSCA, 1) ; Big Cypress Nat’l Park, Bear Island 10.vi.1988 , Matthews & Lott leg., at M. V light, ( DAPC, 3); Ochopee , 26.v.1976 , C.W. O’Brien & Marshall leg., beating base cut sawgrass, ( DAPC, 1). Flagler Co. Palm Coast, 22.ix.1990 , P.E. Skelley leg., porch light, ( DAPC, 3). Franklin Co. East Point , 29.v.2002 , J. Brambila leg., at light, ( FSCA, 1♀). Highlands Co. Archbold Biol. Sta., 8 mi. S. Lake Placid ; 1–26.v.1997 , G. Steck & B. Sutton leg., flight intercept trap, ( FSCA, 1); Archbold Biol. Sta. Lk. Placid , 27.ii.1985 , M. Deyrup leg., on culm of Andropogon brachystachyus , ( DAPC, 1); Archbold Biol. Stat. 14–18.iv.1989 , Chen Wen Young leg., ( DAPC, 1). Hillsborough Co. Ruskin 13.vii.1997 , B. Stinson leg., Jackson trap, ( FSCA, 1). Lake Co. 4.ix.1954 ., H.A. Denmark leg., at light C.A. Frost collection 1962, ( MCZC, 1). Levy Co. 4.0 mi. SW Archer 16.v.2001 , P. Skelley leg., blacklight, ( FSCA, 2). Miami-Dade Co. Key Biscayne, Bill Baggs Cape Florida St. Ok. 25°40’08’’N 80°09’17’’W, 18.xii.2005 , Tremove Smith leg., sifting sand dune leaf litter, ( FSCA, 2); Everglades Natl. Pk., nr. Royal Palm Hammock , 10–11.v.1990 . E. Riley leg., in sawgrass prairie, ( TAMU, 2); Coopertown , 29.ii.1968 , A. Smetana leg., ( DAPC, 1). Okaloosa Co. Ft. Walton Bch. , 3.iii.1973 , E.J. Kiteley, ( DAPC, 1♀, 1 sex unknown); same locality, 29.i.1980, ( DAPC, 1♂) ; same locality, 10.ii.1975, ( DAPC, 1♀) ( Fig. 8) . Osceola Co. Kissimmee, Disney Wilderness Pres. , 19.xi.1998 ., A. Hamon et al. leg., on Andropogon glomeratus var. glaucopsis , ( FSCA, 1). Polk Co. Winter Haven, 3207 Lake Alfred Rd. , 13–20.ix.2012 , Susan Halbert leg., short suction trap, ( FSCA, 1). Putnam Co. 3 mi. E. Melrose, K. Ordway Pres. 25.iii–1.vi.1999 , P.E. Skelley, barrier pitfall, ( FSCA, 1); Crescent City , vi.1988 , C. T. Brues leg., ( MCZC, 1). St. Lucie Co. Ft. Pierce , 30.i.2003 , K. Hibbard leg., on grass, ( FSCA, 1). Sarasota Co. Myakka 16–18.i.1984 , R. Wharton leg., ( TAMU, 2). Georgia. Clinch Co. 15 km. w. Fargo Okefenokee Swamp , xi.1979 , D. Williams leg., ( DAPC, 2); Fargo 28.xii.1976 , W.E. Steiner leg., ( DAPC, 1). Fa [rgo?], 14.ii.1984 , R. Beshear leg., on Andropogon , ( FSCA, 1). Clinton Co. Berlese of sphagnum mat 25.iii.1973 , J.S. Ashe leg., ( DAPC, 2). Texas. Cameron Co. 1 mi. W Boca Chica Beach. , 19.x.1990 , T. Carlow & E. Riley, sweeping Salicornia etc. at night, ( TAMU, 1). Galveston Co. 13.v.1993 , P. Ireland leg., ( DAPC, 2); 3.5 mi. SW Jamaica Beach , 29.iii.1997 , E.G. Riley leg., night sweeping behind sand dunes, ( EGRC, 11); same locality, date and collector, ( TAMU, 10). Kennedy Co. 13.5 mi. S. Santa , 11.x.1994 , E. G. Riley-17 leg., ( EGRC, 8). Kleberg Co. ca. 1 mi S. Nueces County line, sweep near beach 15.v.1999 , E.G. Riley leg., ( TAMU, 6).

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus microphthalmus can be distinguished among US species by its small eyes, elongate temples, and pale color. Hemipeplus microphthalmus has the following diagnostic features: temples prominent and very elongate (more than 1/3 length of eye); scape submoniliform; eyes small (slightly longer than the scape), shallow to moderately wide and less convex to moderately convex; pronotum subcordiform, narrow and elongate with a slight and narrow anterior emargination; anterolateral angles produced, rounded; pronotal pad distinct; posterolateral angles obtusely rounded; pronotal lobe indistinct with median notch; scutellar shield subhexagonal to subpentagonal, transverse, less than twice to about twice as wide as long; elytra slightly convex; color uniformly testaceous to rufotestaceous; distribution: southeast USA extending west to Texas.

Male Genitalia (Figs 8D–F). (Tegmen length = 0.38 mm (n = 1)) Lobe of basale short and blunt; shoulders slanted and obtusely angled; apicale and basale with distinct suture; parameres almost straight with slightly arcuate apices; apices of parameres very pointed and thin; inner margin of parameres with separate sharp thin lines that arise from basale; penis longer than tegmen.

Variation. Specimens exhibit variability in size and morphology, with some having smaller bodies, less convex eyes, and longer temples, while others are larger, with more convex eyes and shorter temples ( Pollock, 1999).

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 61). Southeast USA (Alabama, Florida, Georgia; South Carolina, Mississippi ( Pollock 1999); Virginia ( Hoffman 2006)), extending west to Texas.

Natural History. Unlike the other congeners found in the USA, Hemipeplus microphthalmus has been found associated with various types of grasses, such as Andropogon brachystachyus Chapm. ( Poaceae ), A. virginicus L., Cladium P.Browne spp. ( Cyperaceae ), and Typha L. spp. ( Typhaceae ), instead of palms ( Arecaceae ); they have also been collected by sweeping Salicornia L. ( Amaranthaceae ) at night (Blatchley 1925; Thomas 1985; Thomas & Woodruff 1986; Pollock 1999). According to specimen label data, they were also collected from Andropogon glomeratus (Walter) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. Thomas (1985) mentioned that larvae of H. microphthalmus are found in the compressed leaf bases and stalks of various kinds of grasses. The larvae collected from Andropogon showed mostly fungal hyphae in their guts suggesting these beetles are primarily mycophagous ( Thomas 1985). Adults have been collected using various traps, including flight intercept traps, blacklight traps, and malaise traps, as indicated by specimen label data and Pollock (1999).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Measurements taken of Hemipeplinae specimens. GHW = greatest head width; HL= head length; GPW = greatest pronotum width; PL = pronotum length; GEW = greatest combined elytral width; EL = elytral length; B. Dorsal habitus of Hemipeplus microphthalmus, showing important anatomical features; C. Ventral habitus of Hemipeplus microphthalmus, showing important anatomical features; D. Male genitalia of Hemipeplus africanus, showing important anatomical features.