Hemipeplus hemipterus Lacordaire, 1854

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 : 16-20

Hemipeplus hemipterus Lacordaire, 1854

(Figs 3.1, 3.2, 61)

Nemicelus hemipterus Dejean, 1835: 315 (nomen nudum).— Nemicelus hemipterus Dejean 1836: 340 (nomen nudum); Hemipeplus hemipterus Smith (1851:4) (nomen nudum)

Nemicelus marginipennis Dejean, 1835: 315 (nomen nudum).— Dejean 1836: 340 (nomen nudum); Horn 1880: xiv; Thomas 1985: 368.

Hemipeplus hemipterus Lacordaire, 1854: 405 .— Grouvelle 1896: 197; Arrow 1930: 226; Nevermann 1936: 198; Thomas 1985: 368.

Nemicelus marginipennis LeConte, 1856: 79 .— Horn 1880: xiii; Casey 1884: 100, pl. 8, Figs 6, 6a, b, c; Leng & Mutchler 1917: 210; Leng 1920: 200; Wheeler 1921: 183; Hetschko 1930: 90; Wilson 1930: 314, Fig. 16; Schenkling 1934: 1; Blackwelder 1945: 423; Thomas 1985: 368; Thomas & Woodruff 1986: 122; Poole & Gentili 1996: 315; Pollock 1999: 57, Figs 1B–C , 4B–C, 7, 11, 13.

Ochrosanis dohrnii Pascoe, 1866: 443 .— Horn 1880: xiv; Blackwelder 1945: 423; Leng 1920: 200; Hetschko 1930: 90; Thomas 1985: 368; Poole & Gentili 1996: 315. Junior synonym of Hemipeplus hemipterus as per Waterhouse (1876).

Hemipeplus dejeanii Waterhouse, 1876: 121 .— Horn 1880: xiv; Hetschko 1930: 90; Blackwelder 1945: 423; Thomas 1985: 368; Poole & Gentili 1996: 315. Junior synonym of Hemipeplus marginipennis as per Thomas (1985).

Taxonomic Note. Based on the description of H. hemipterus in Lacordaire (1854), it is conspecific with H. marginipennis ( LeConte, 1856) . Lacordaire’s taxon cannot be H. abditus because the latter is known to have temples and darker head and pronotum in all its examples and is not uniformly pale as the taxon described by Lacordaire (1854) who made no mention of temples either in his description. Furthermore, Lacordaire (1854) noted that the specimen on which H. hemipterus was described did not originate from Scotland, the type locality, and was “doubtless” imported by ship from another location. Thomas (1985) acknowledged the potential for synonymy but refrained from formally synonymizing owing to the absence of a type specimen for H. hemipterus , which is either lost or destroyed (see Arrow, 1930). We made further efforts to locate the type specimen, but these attempts were unsuccessful. Although LeConte presented the description of H. marginipennis in a meeting in 1854, it was not formally published until 1856 ( LeConte 1856). Hemipeplus marginipennis is a more popular name than H. hemipterus ; however, the latter has been used as a valid name by Nevermann (1936) and Thomas (1985), whereas the former, to the best of our knowledge, has not been used in at least 25 publications by ten authors over the past 50 years. Therefore, H. marginipennis does not meet the criteria in Article 23.9 of ICZN (1999) to warrant it a nomen protectum status. Thus, we treat H. marginipennis as a junior synonym of H. hemipterus . We designate the neotype from Florida that best aligns with Lacordaire’s (1854) description. Since the original type specimen was an introduced stray insect and its exact type locality cannot be traced, selecting a type from Miami-Dade County, Florida, where the insect has been frequently collected, seems appropriate. This designation serves to stabilize the taxonomy of H. hemipterus and provide a clear reference for subsequent studies.

FIGURE 3. 1. Hemipeplus hemipterus Lacordaire, 1854 (Neotype). (Form 1). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax.

FIGURE 3. 2. Hemipeplus hemipterus Lacordaire, 1854 . (Form 2). 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.

Type Material. Lost/destroyed, see Arrow (1930) for explanation. Neotype (here designated following Article 75.3 of ICZN (1999)), sex unknown, labeled: ‘FLORIDA: DADE COUNTY EVERGLADES, NAT. PK. Long Pine Key 19-IV-1983 M. C. Thomas / Hemipeplus marginipennis (LeConte) det. D.A. Pollock / [red label] NEOTYPE ♂ Hemipeplus hemipterus Lacordaire des. KC & Pollock 2023’, in FSCA (Fig. 3.1); Nemicelus marginipennis LeConte , Holotype, ( Georgia, USA); not studied, see Thomas (1985) for details. Ochrosanis dohrnii Pascoe : Holotype, sex unknown, labeled: ‘[round label with red margin] Type / [oval pink label] West Indies / Ochrosanis dohrnii Type Pasc / [label upside down] Pascoe Coll. 93-60 / Hemipeplus marginipennis (LeConte) det. D.A. Pollock / [red label] HOLOTYPE Ochrosanis dohrnii Pascoe exam. DA Pollock ‘95 / [with a barcode] NHMUK 014663488’, in BMNH. Left maxilla and mentum separately mounted, labeled: ‘ Ochrosanis dohrnii Pasc. / [label upside down] Pascoe Coll. 93-60’, in BMNH. Hemipeplus dejeanii Waterhouse : Holotype, sex unknown, labeled: ‘[round label with red margin] Type / [upper side of round label] Florida [underside of round label] 44. 31. / Hemipeplus dejeanii , (Type.) C. Waterh. / Hemipeplus marginipennis (LeConte) det. D.A. Pollock [duplicate] / [red label] HOLOTYPE Hemipeplus dejeani; Waterh. exam. D.A. Pollock ‘95 / [with a barcode] NHMUK 014663486’, in BMNH.

Other Material Examined. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Florida. Alachua Co. Gainesville Airport, 25.vi.1987, ( FSCA, 1); Gainesville ( SE), Kincaid Rd., 10–17.iv.1999, B.D. Sutton leg., in edge old field & dry oak hamm., 6 m malaise trap, ( FSCA, 1). Brevard Co. Titusville, 19.vii.1949, W.F. Chamberlain leg., at light, ( TAMU, 1). Broward Co. Hollywood, 19.vi.1989, D. Crane leg., on Sabal palmetto , ( DAPC, 2). Collier Co. Big Cypress Nat. Pk. Bear Island, 5.iii.1988, D.L. Matthews & T.A. Lott leg., mercury vapor light, ( DAPC, 1); Immokalee, SW FL REC 27.x.2011 – 3.xi.2011, Susan Halbert leg., in suction trap–Short/North, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 3.xi.2011 – 10.xi.2011, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 15.xii.2011 – 22.xii.2011, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 17–24.vii.2014, ( FSCA, 2); same locality, 27.xii.2012 – 3.i.2012, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 24–31.x.2016, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 16–23.x.2014, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 15–22.x.2015, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 15–22.x.2015, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 24–31.x.2013, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 3–10.v.2012, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 19.vii.2012 – 26.vii.2012, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 2–9.iv.2015, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 2–9.iv.2015, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 18– 25.ix.2014, ( FSCA, 1); same locality, 22–29.ix.2011, ( FSCA, 1). Duval Co. Jacksonville Fla, vii.1958, D.W. Ribble leg., J.F. Lawrence collection, ( MCZC, 1). Flagler Co. 4 mi. S Washington Oaks Gardens St. Pk., 20.vii.1991, P.E. Skelley & L. Heyer leg., light trap nr. Beach, ( DAPC, 1♂, 1 sex unknown). Franklin Co. St. George Island, 20, 23.v.1986, H. & A. Howden leg., ( DAPC, 1). Gulf Co. 3 mi. W. jct 30–C&30–E, Cape San Blas, 4.vii.1982, E.G. Riley leg., ( EGRC, 1). Hamilton Co. Hamilton, Fredrick Blanchard collection, ( MCZC, 2). Hendry Co. nr. La Bele, 20–27.viii.2001, N. Terrell leg., suction trap, ( FSCA, 2). Highlands Co. Archbold Biol. Sta. 8 ml. S. Lake Placid, 29.vi.1988, P. Skelley leg., blacklight trap, ( DAPC, 1); Archbold Biol. Sta. 8.iii.1983, UVL, L.L. Lampert Jr. leg., ( FSCA, 1); Sebring. Xii. C. T. Parsons leg., ( MCZC, 2); same locality, 1–16.ix., ( MCZC, 1); same locality, 1–11.ix., ( MCZC, 1); same locality, 1–18.ix., ( MCZC, 1). Hillsborough Co. Ruskin, 17.ix.2008, S. Halbert & D. Ziesk leg., on Sabal palmetto , ( FSCA, 4). Indian River Co. 8/4/ [8.iv?] W.G. Dietz leg., ( MCZC, 1). Jefferson Co. Aucilla Wldlf. Mgt. Area jct. hwys. 59 & 98, 11.vi.1988, R. Turnbow leg., ( TAMU, 2). Miami-Dade Co. Everglades Nat. Pk. Long Pine Key, 19.iv.1983, M.C. Thomas leg., ( DAPC, 1); Everglades Nat. Pk. Long Pine Key 16.v.1991, E. Morris leg., in halogen light, ( FSCA, 1); Camp Mahachee Hammock,?. v.1991, J. Gleason leg., blacklight trap, ( FSCA, 1); Coral Gables, Girl Scout Camp Mahachee 9950 Old Cutler Road, 27–28.ii.1998, R.M. Baranowski leg., blacklight trap, ( FSCA, 1). Monroe Co. Big Pine Key Alligator Point nr. 1–2.vii.1978., L. Stange leg., blacklight trap, ( DAPC, 1); Everglades Nat. Pk. Pineland Trail, 14.v.1977, R. Turnbow leg., ( TAMU, 1); Everglades Nat. Pk. 13.v.1977, R. Turnbow leg., ( FSCA, 1). Pinellas Co. W.S. Blatchley leg., ( BMNH, 19). Polk Co. Winter Haven, 30.vi.–7.vii.2006., Susan Halbert leg., short suction trap, ( FSCA, 1). Putnam Co. Georgetown Fla, iv.1948, C. T. Bruce leg., ( MCZC, 2). Seminole Co. Econ Wild Area, 8.iv.2000, Trevor Smith leg., in scrub oak/saw palmetto (burned), malaise trap, ( FSCA, 1). St. John’s Co. Farer-Dykes State Park, 21.iv.1996, R.A. Androw leg., UV, ( DAPC, 1♂). Volusia Co. Enterprise, 15.v.? G. Lewis leg., ( BMNH, 1♂, 1♀, 1 sex unknown); Enterprise, 10.x.?, on Sabal palmetto , ( MCZC, 1); same locality, 3.vi.?, Liebeck collection, ( MCZC, 8); same locality, H.G. Hubbard & Roland Hayward leg., ( MCZC, 4); same locality, F.C. Bowditch collection, ( MCZC, 1); Florida Westgate, 20.xi.1963, J.F. Brimley leg., ( DAPC, 2). Unknown locality. ( BMNH, 3); G. Lewis leg., ( BMNH, 1); ( MCZC, 2); collection of Fredrick Allen Eddy, collected on S. palmetto leaves, ( MCZC, 4); 2613,?. v.1980 [3 collected on palm] collection of Fredrick Allen Eddy, ( MCZC, 4); 1980, collection of Fredrick Allen Eddy, ( MCZC, 7). Georgia. Tybee Is, 1.vi.?, Liebeck collection, ( MCZC, 2); 27.vi.?, ( MCZC, 1). Illinois. Cook Co. 29.iii.1980, leg., R. El-Mal, on palm frond, ( DAPC, 1). COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS. South Bimini Isl. B.W.I.,?. vii.1951., C. & P. Vaurie leg., ( DAPC, 1♂); 5.vii.1951, C. & P. Vaurie leg., ( DAPC, 1) (Fig. 3.2); same locality,?. vi.1951, ( DAPC, 1♂, 1 sex unknown); same locality, B.W.I. v.1951, Cazier & Gertsch leg., ( DAPC, 1♀). CANADA. Québec Montreal?. iv.1933, ex. Palms from Jacksonville, Fla, ( DAPC, 1). CUBA. Cayamas, 5.i.?, ( DAPC, 2); same locality, 3.vi.?, ( DAPC, 1). UNKNOWN LOCALITY. ( BMNH, 3).

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus hemipterus is distinguished by three key characters: the absence of temples, truncate elytral apices, and pale coloration. Hemipeplus hemipterus has the following diagnostic features: temples absent (in some specimens appear as short and rounded extensions behind eyes); scape elongate; eyes large (as long as the scape), wide (convex) to moderately wide; pronotum elongate with a deep anterior emargination throughout the width of anterior margin; anterior half gradually wider than posterior half; anterolateral angles indistinct, rounded; pronotal pad slightly raised on lateral view; posterolateral angles obtuse, roundish; pronotal lobe short with median notch; scutellar shield subpentagonal, transverse, less than twice as wide as long; elytra very flat, truncate at the apices exposing most of the last visible abdominal tergite; color uniformly pale brown; distribution: southeast USA, Bahamas, Canada (accidental introduction on palm), Cuba, Mexico ( Pollock 1999).

Male Genitalia (Figs 3. 2D–E). (Tegmen length = 1.05–1.18 mm (n = 6)) Lobe of basale long and blunt; shoulders very slanted and not angulate; apicale and basale fused without a distinct suture; parameres elongate, slightly arcuate apically; penis shorter than tegmen.

Variation. Specimens remarkably vary in size and width of the pronotum; some specimens have slightly produced temples which appear rounded but not angulate; elytra of some specimens appear slightly sinuate and not truncate at apices.

Remarks. At least Hemipeplus hemipterus , H. abditus ( Mexico), and H. rodericensis (Africa) most likely deserve a separate placement, perhaps a genus, for their unique male genitalic structure (elongate tegmen with apicale and basale fused), and external morphology (very long subquadriform pronotum, and a long and narrow prosternal process that extends to the posterior of procoxae). Apart from the long subquadriform pronotum, H. egregius and H. gounellei should also belong to this group. These species are also truly flat while most other species have a slightly convex elytral disc apically. The apicale and basale of the tegmen are separated with distinct suture in almost all other Hemipeplus whose male specimens were studied, none of them have pronotum that long and subquadriform, and the prosternal process is short and limited to the anterior of procoxae. A more reliable separation of these species into a distinct genus may be achievable following molecular analysis in the future.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 61). Southeast USA, Bahamas, Canada (stray), Cuba, Mexico ( Pollock 1999).

Natural History. Hemipeplus hemipterus is associated with Sabal palmetto ( Arecaceae ); however, upon inspection of larval gut contents, fungal components ( Alternaria Nees ex Wallroth sp. , Curvularia Boedijn sp. , and Ulocladium Preuss sp. ) were found and no damage to the palm fronds was seen ( Thomas 1985). Adults have been collected from unopened fronds and decaying stumps of the palmetto; they have also been collected from Acoelorraphe wrightii (Griseb. & H.Wendl.) H.Wendl. ex Becc. ( Arecaceae ) ( Thomas 1985; Thomas & Woodruff 1986; Pollock 1999). According to specimen label data, adults have been collected from light traps, malaise traps, and suction traps.

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.