Paroster baylyi sp. n., P. ursulae sp. n. (Col. Dytiscidae, Hydroporinae) and the water beetle diversity of pan-gnammas on isolated granite outcrops in the Mallee of south-western Australia

Abstract

Paroster baylyi sp. n. and P. ursulae sp. n. are described from south-western Australia, and compared with the similar P. michaelseni Régimbart, 1908. Their median lobes, parameres, gonocoxae, gonocoxosterna and habitus are illustrated, and details about their unique habitats and water beetle coenoses are given. The two new species are the first dytiscids to be known breeding solely in temporarily water filled rock-holes—so-called “pan-gnammas”—in the Mallee zone of south-western Australia. The total number of described species in the genus Paroster Sharp, 1882 is now 11. Eight aquatic Coleoptera of the families Dytiscidae and Hydrophilidae are recorded from 13 pan-gnammas on four granite outcrops in south-western Australia.

Larval morphology of Paroster Sharp, 1882 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae): reinforcement of the hypothesis of monophyletic origin and discussion of phenotypic accommodation to a hypogaeic environment

“…Larvae were collected at the following localities: Western Australia, 25 km NNW Morowa, Mullewa-Wubin Road, Bylya Rock, 6.IX.2003; Camel Soak, 31 km ENE Perenjori, Hendrich leg. All these localities are within the range of P. baylyi and outside of the range of the similar sized and CO1 sequenced P. michaelseni and P. ursulae (Hendrich & Fery 2008).…”

“…The larvae studied were determined by association with adults collected at the following locality: Western Australia, King Rock B5, rock pool, VIII.2004;Yannymooning rock, Department of Conservation and Land Management. All these localities are within the range of P. michaelseni and outside of the range of the similar sized P. baylyi and P. ursulae (Hendrich & Fery 2008).…”

“…Paroster Sharp, 1882 is an Australian endemic genus of 47 known species (Hendrich & Fery, 2008;Watts & Humphreys, 2009). Members of this genus are small (adult head length varying from 0.50 mm to 2.23 mm) and are comprised of 14 epigaeic and 33 hypogaeic (= stygobitic) species (most of these previously included in the genus Nirripirti Watts & Humphreys, 2001), which inhabit lentic, shallow ephemeral water bodies and calcrete aquifers in southwestern Australia respectively.…”

Unveiling the Diversification Dynamics of Australasian Predaceous Diving Beetles in the Cenozoic

“…We included 117 of the 147 described species (≈80%) and all genera of Australasian Hydroporini (Online Appendix 1 available on Dryad http://dx.doi.org/ 10.5061/dryad.c5g23, Nilsson 2001Nilsson , 2006Watts et al 2008;Humphrey 2006, 2009;Hendrich 2008;Hendrich and Fery 2008;Hendrich and Watts 2009;Hendrich et al 2014). Outgroups were 12 species of Bidessini, Hyphydrini, Laccornini, and Vatellini (Appendix 1): the closest tribes to Australasian Hydroporini within Hydroporinae (Ribera et al 2008).…”

“…The genera, Paroster (47 species) and Sternopriscus (29 species), are of particular interest because they represent the most species-rich hypogean and epigean Australian genera, respectively. Paroster contains species restricted to calcrete aquifers (underground water) of Western and Central Australia as well as epigean species distributed in mesic habitats of the southern part of the range Humphrey 1999-2009;Watts et al 2008;Hendrich and Fery 2008). Most authors aiming at deciphering the origin of hypogean taxa proposed that these lineages might have colonized underground ecosystems in response to climatic change (e.g., Leys et al 2003;Faille et al 2010).…”