Clypeolus cineraceus Broun, 1909

Clypeolus cineraceus Broun

( Figures 24–44 View FIGURES 24–35 View FIGURES 36–44 )

Clypeolus cineraceus Broun, 1909: 143 . Type locality: Broken River .

= Tychanus complexus Broun, 1921a: 648 View in CoL New synonym. Type locality: Wadestown , Wellington.

= Acalles fuscidorsis Broun, 1909: 143 View in CoL New synonym. Type locality: Invercargill.

= Acalles notoporhinus Broun, 1914a: 132 View in CoL New synonym. Type locality: Mt Te Aroha .

= Tychanus simulans Broun, 1921a: 648 View in CoL New synonym. Type locality: Titahi Bay , Porirua.

= Tychanus squamosus Broun, 1914b: 239 View in CoL New synonym. Type locality: Pudding Hill, Methven.

= Tychanus terricola Broun, 1921a: 649 View in CoL New synonym. Type locality: Tauherenikau Bush, Featherston.

Diagnosis: Large, broadly rounded. Highly variable in colour pattern, dorsal surfaces clothed with scales in various shades of dark, yellowish and pale browns and tans. Pronotum with lateral margins strongly sinuous in dorsal view; disc flattened, with a strongly disjunct margin between the dorsum and pleural areas, made more pronounced by a fringe of erect scales along this margin; a short carina present on the base anterior of the scutellar area. Elytra strongly convex, summit substantially higher than disc of pronotum in lateral view; prominent tubercles on interstria 3 near the base and interstria 5 at the top of the declivity; numerous smaller tubercles near the base; the lateral pale patches usually contrast poorly against the base colour of the elytra and have a curved anterior margin that terminates at the base of interstria 5.

Distribution: North Island: WO, HB, RI, TK, WN. South Island: SD, NN, MC, DN, SL. Stewart Island: SI (including Codfish I.).

Remarks: This is the largest and most widespread species of Clypeolus , and is one of the most commonly encountered species. It is reasonably distinct and is unlikely to be confused with other species, except perhaps C. lachrymosus . The highly variable colouration of this species led Broun to describe six nominal taxa that we here synonymise with C. cineraceus . The type specimens of these nominal taxa all differ most conspicuously in the colour of the vestiture and the degree to which the elytral tubercles are developed: C. cineraceus Broun has the dorsum of the pronotum clothed with brown scales which do not strongly contrast with the scales on the pleural area, the scales on the disc of the elytra behind the middle are very pale, the tubercles on the elytra are low and poorly developed ( Figures 24 and 25 View FIGURES 24–35 ); T. complexus Broun has a yellowish tinge to the scales of the lateral areas of the pronotum and the posterior half of the elytra; the disc of the pronotum has darker brown scales, the tubercles on the elytra are rather strongly developed ( Figures 27 and 28 View FIGURES 24–35 ); A. fuscidorsis Broun has very dark scales on the pronotal disc and base of the elytra which contrast particularly strongly with very pale scales elsewhere on the body ( Figures 30 and 31 View FIGURES 24–35 ); A. notoporhinus Broun has the pleural area of the pronotum and the apex of the elytra roughly the same colour as the lateral pale patches and strongly developed elytral tubercles ( Figures 33 and 34 View FIGURES 24–35 ); T. simulans Broun has the pleural area of the pronotum clothed with pale brown scales and has dark scales on the discs of the pronotum and elytra, on the latter these scales have a relatively low contrast to those making up the lateral pale patches, though this is nonetheless distinct ( Figures 36 and 37 View FIGURES 36–44 ); T. squamosus Broun has the pleural area of the pronotum clothed with very dark brown scales, and a patch of paler brown scales around the scutellar region which are in turn surrounded by very dark brown scales ( Figures 39 and 40 View FIGURES 36–44 ); T. terricola Broun has, like A. notoporhinus , the pleural area of the pronotum and the apex of the elytra roughly the same colour as the lateral pale patches but has poorly developed elytral tubercles ( Figures 42 and 43 View FIGURES 36–44 ). However, none of these colour patterns are consistently expressed, with intermediates found in larger series between all these variants and others also; nor do they appear to be restricted to particular geographic areas. Moreover, as all these nominal taxa possess the distinct characters of C. cineraceus , namely the pronotum having a flattened disc with a short carina at the base, broadly rounded elytra possessing more or less prominent tubercles on interstria 3 near the base and interstria 5 at the top of the declivity, and a curved anterior margin to the lateral pale elytral maculae, we here consider them all to represent a single, variable, species.

The holotype of Tychanus terricola was one of the last specimens collected by the great beetle collector Thomas Hall, who collected extensively in the South Island and provided Thomas Broun with the bulk of the specimens that Broun held from the South Island. The holotype was collected from Tauherenikau Bush, Featherston, while Hall was undertaking military training at Trentham Camp, Upper Hutt, in preparation for joining the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd New Zealand (Rifles) Brigade ( Archives New Zealand 2010). Thomas Hall gave it to Broun in the only recorded meeting between the two men when Hall visited Broun in Mt Albert on 6 October 1916 ( Broun 1921a). Thomas Hall departed for Europe on 15 November 1916 on the troop ship “Tahiti” and did not return, dying during the Battle of Passchendaele on 20 August 1917. Note that Thomas Hall is no relation of Grace Hall.