Lepanus illawarrensis description

Dung
Beetles
of eastern NSW

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Lepanus illawarrensis

Distribution
From the central Blue Mountains south to Clyde Mountain, New South Wales. In rainforest.

Description
Total length 4.2-5.3mm. Black.

Head: Clypeal teeth small. Surface glabrous and very densely punctate with moderately sized punctures. Dorsal part of eyes very small.

Prothorax: Pronotal surface shiny and glabrous, densely covered with small punctures.

Elytra: Striae distinct, slightly to moderately impressed, with very minute punctures. Intervals shiny, slightly uneven, feebly convex, glabrous and minutely punctured.

Sterna: Mesosternum with large, shallow cicatrices, leaving median area smooth. Median lobe of metasternum impunctate, lateral lobes with numerous cicatrices. Low tubercle near posterior edge of metasternum.

Legs: Fore tibiae with straight distal edge, nearly transverse, with the inner apical angle produced inward into a broad lobe. A broad, short triangular spur above tarsal insertion. Outer margin of fore tibiae with 3 small teeth, inner edge concave distally. Distal ends of middle and hind tibiae with a short, inwardly directed process. Hind tibiae slightly bent and twisted. Tarsal claws dentate.

Abdomen: Pygidium with a deep transverse groove along upper marginal line, which is unusually thick. Rest of pygidium smooth and glabrous.

Sexual dimorphism
Female: Fore tibiae with inner apical angle less produced, the spur slightly longer. Middle and hind tibiae without small process on inner apical angles. No tubercle on metasternum.

References
Matthews, E.G. (1974) A revision of the Scarabaeine dung beetles of Australia. II. Tribe Scarabaeini. Aust. J. Zool. Suppl. Ser. 24: 1-211.
Williams, G. A. & Williams, T. (1982) A survey of the Aphodiinae, Hybosorinae and Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from small wet forests of coastal northern New South Wales. Part 1: Nowra to Newcastle. Aust. ent. Mag. 9: 42-48.