Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 79. (Budapest 1987)

Merkl, O.: A review of the Australian species of the subtribe Lagriina (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae)

3. South-west of Western Australia (Fig. 87). — Only one species is confined to this region: Ecnolagria aeneoviolacea. 4. South-eastern Australia (Figs 86, 88, 89-91). — Seven species occupy the area extending from the Gulf St. Vincent along the Great Dividing Range to north of Brisbane. Several of them, however, has sporadical recordes northwards to Cairns. Most widespread is Ecnolagria rufescens, which occurs from the Mt. Lofty Ranges to Cairns and this is the only species spreading over Tasmania. Ecnolagria grandis has a similar distribution but does not occur in Tasmania. The remaining species are more restricted. Ecnolagria aurofasciata apparently inhabits the southern rainforest spots from Mackay to Barrington Tops. Ecnolagria monteithi has probably a similar pattern of distribution but it is known only from the type locality (Kroombit Tops) up to the present. There is a specimen belonging to an undescribed species with the following data: 0.5 mis E Iron Range, N. Q., 100', 13. V. 1971, J. G. Brooks. It is deposited in ANIC. The specimen certainly represents a new species and obviously does not belong to any described genera. As it is female, the lack of the male characters does not allow the erection of a new genus. —- This specimen also demonstrates that our knowledge of the Australian fauna of Lagriina cannot be considered complete. It is very likely that further collectings will result in several species new to science. Nor is it less probable that some species already known to occur in New Guinea will turn up in Australia and vice versa. These species are expected to come to light in north Queensland and in the Northern Territory. Explorations in the future may also rectify our knowledge about the more exact distributional pattern of the species. There remains very much to be studied on ecology, development and early stages as well as phylogenetics of the Australian Lagriina. * * * ADDENDUM After having seen the proof of this paper, Dr. G. Holloway (Australian Museum, Sidney) informed me that the types of Lagria azureipennis MACLAEY, 1886 have been found in "the material collected by W. W. Frogatt from the Fly River in New Guinea whilst he was with the Australian Geographical Society in 1885" (Holloway in litt.). The two syntypes were immediately sent to me. One glance was enough to recognize that the specimens identified as L. azureipenntis in this paper are not conspecific with the types in question and represent a new species. Unfortunately, there was no possibility to correct this error — all descriptions and figures thus concern this undescribed species. To avoid more confusion, the new species will be described in the next volume of this journal (Annls hist.-nat. Mus. natn. hung., 80,1988). References ARMSTRONG, J. W. T. (1948): On Australian Coleoptera. Part I. — Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 72: 292-298. BLACKBURN, T. (1889): Notes on Australian Coleoptera, with Descriptions of new species. — Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. 4: 445-482. BLAIR, K. G. (1920): Further notes on the Fabrician types of Heteromera (Coleoptera) in the Banks Collection. — Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. Ser. 9., 5: 153-163. BOISDUVAL, J. B. A. D. DE (1835): Faune entomologique de l'Océanie comprenant les Coléoptères, les Hémiptères, les Néuroptères, les Hyménoptères et les Diptères. — Roret, Paris: 705 pp. BORCHMANN, F. (1910): Nilionidae, Othinidae, Aegialitidae, Petriidae, Lagriidae. — In: JUNK, W. & SCHENKLING, S. (eds): Coleopterorum Catalogus, Pars 3. W. Junk, Berlin, pp. 1-32. BORCHMANN, F. (1911): Neue asiatische und australische Lagriiden hauptsächlich aus dem Museum in Genua. — Bull. Soc. ent. ital. 41: 201-234. BORCHMANN, F. (1915): Die Lagriinae (Unterfamilie der Lagriidae). — Arch. Naturg. 81A (6): 46-186. BORCHMANN, F. (1924): Neue Lagriiden von Neu-Guinea (Nebst einer neuen Art aus Australien). — Nova Guinea 15: 61-64. 11 Term. Tud. Múz. Évk. 1987.