Hemipeplus nuciferae Arrow, 1930

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 : 113-115

Hemipeplus nuciferae Arrow, 1930

(Figs 52, 65)

Hemipeplus nuciferae Arrow, 1930: 229 .— Kamiya, 1963: 14.

Taxonomic Note. Although the second author designated the lectotype in 1997, the designation was never published. This designation serves to stabilize the taxonomy of H. nuciferae and provide a clear reference for subsequent studies.

Type Material. Lectotype (here designated; Article 74 ( ICZN 1999)), male, labeled: ‘[round label with red margin] Type / DUTCH E. Indies, Sangi. 1928. A. Ryne. On unfolded leaves of coconut. / Pres. By. Imp. Bur. Ent. Brit. Mus. 1926—376 / Hemipeplus Coll. 4087 Det. G.E. Bryant / Hemipeplus nuciferae , type arrow / [red label] LECTOTYPE Hemipeplus nuciferae Arrow Designated by D.A. Pollock 1997 / [with a barcode] NHMUK 014663489 / [green label] ♂ ’, in BMNH. Paralectotype, sex unknown, labeled: ‘[round label with yellow margin] Co-type / DUTCH, E. Indies, Sangi. 1928. A. Ryne. On unfolded leaves of coconut. / Pres. By. Imp. Bur. Ent. Brit. Mus. 1926—376 / Hemipeplus sp. [something illegible] marginipennis, LEC Det. G.E. Bryant / Hemipeplus nuciferae co-type arrow’, in BMNH.

Other Material Examined. INDONESIA. Northern Sulawesi. Dumoga-Bone NP (now Bogani Nani Wartabone National Park ),? 19.vii.1985, Tray 35, Fog 15, 400 m, BMNH , Plot C, E. Ent. Soc. London. Project Wallace, BM 1985–10 , ( BMNH, 1♀, 1♂) . South East Sulawesi. Kolaka ,?. xi.1930, R. Awibowo leg. , on coconut leaves, ( BMNH, 2).

Diagnosis. Hemipeplus nuciferae can be distinguished from the similar-appearing H. enarotaliensis sp. nov. (Fig. 51) by its wider, more emarginate anterior pronotal margin and paler color. Hemipeplus nuciferae has the following diagnostic features: temples short and angulate; scape short, moniliform; eyes large (longer than scape + pedicel), wide and convex; pronotum subcordiform; anterior emargination shallow but distinct; anterior half produced, much wider than posterior half; pronotal pad distinct; pronotal angles rounded; pronotal lobe truncate without median notch; body long; elytra slightly convex; color dull, rufotestaceous; distribution: Indonesia (Sulawesi).

Re-description. Measurements (in mm)—GHW: 0.54–0.60; HL: 0.47–0.57; AL: 0.80–0.90; GPW: 0.58–0.64; PL: 0.47–0.52; GEW: 0.67–0.73; EL: 2.63–2.72; TL: 3.57–3.81.

Head (Fig. 52B) wide (GHW/HL: 1.05–1.15); eyes large (longer than scape + pedicel), wide and convex; temples short and angulate; occiput with raised areas; antennae shorter than head and pronotum length combined; antennal scape moniliform, apically dilated; pedicel small moniliform; antennomere III more elongate and apically dilated; IV shorter and moniliform, apically dilated; V larger, moniliform; VI–X subtriangular or bowl shaped, each wider than the next; XI subpyriform with apex narrowed after the notch; lateral mandibular tooth absent. Pronotum (Fig. 52B) wide (GPW/PL: 1.23); anterior margin with shallow emargination; anterolateral angles rounded, produced; posterior half contracted; posterolateral margins subparallel; posterolateral angles obtuse, rounded, not produced; pronotal lobe indistinct/truncate without median notch; pronotal pad (Fig. 52C) distinct; pronotal pits moderately deep with moderate grooves. Scutellar shield transverse, elliptical to

FIGURE 52. Hemipeplus nuciferae Arrow, 1930 (Lectotype). A. Dorsal habitus (with scale bar); B. Dorsal head and prothorax; C. Lateral view of head and prothorax; D. Male genitalia dorsal view with spiculum gastrale; E. Tegmen dorsal view (with scale bar); F. Tegmen lateral view.

subpentagonal, less than twice as wide as long. Elytra (Fig. 52A) long (EL/GEW: 3.73–3.93), slightly convex; vestiture short and dense; apical patch long and broad, rufopiceous. Ventral surface. Prosternal process short, not extending posterior of procoxae; hypomeral edges fused; mesosternal process narrow and linear. Color dull, uniformly rufotestaceous, head and pronotum darker in one specimen; ventrally uniformly rufotestaceous with palpi, glossal sclerite, galea, and tarsi paler.

Male Genitalia (Figs 52D–F). (Tegmen length = 0.33 mm (n = 1)) Lobe of basale moderately long, apically dilated and narrowed at the tip; shoulders slanted, obtusely angled; parameres sinuate with apical half slightly bulged, tips moderately sharp and narrowed, subtriangular; penis longer than tegmen.

Variation. One specimen from Sulawesi has a darker head and pronotum and slightly darker elytra than the other specimens examined.

Geographical Distribution (Fig. 65). Indonesia (Sulawesi).

Natural History. According to specimen label data and Arrow (1930), H. nuciferae was found associated with young unexpanded coconut leaves.