Cnemoplites edulis Newman 1842

Cnemoplites edulis Newman, 1842

(Figs. 7 A–D, 14F, 15I, 16E)

Cnemoplites edulis Newman, 1842: 351. TL: Queanbeyan, NSW. Neotype in ANIC (designated here).

Diagnosis. C. edulis can be separated from other Cnemoplites species by the elytral apicosutural angle rounded, the hypomeron relatively narrow, about half the width of prosternal process and the tarsomere 3 with very broad lobe, about twice the width of tarsomere 2.

Description. Length 25–50 mm. Male. Antennae extending beyond the middle of elytra, antennal scape and antennomere 3 much thicker than the following segments; pro- and mesotibia strongly spinose on lateral margins, metatibia only with few spines; abdominal ventrites 1–4 with extensive setal patches. Female. Only antennal scape slightly thicker than the following segments; pro- and mesotibia with few spines, metatibia glabrous along external margin; sexual setae on abdominal ventrites absent.

Types. Newman (1842) described this species from a series of specimens purchased from Mr. Edmund Higgins from Port Phillip. Since no specimen from the original series has been found in the BMNH, the neotype of C. edulis is designated here to stabilise taxonomic status of this species. Neotype male deposited in ANIC, with the following labels “Queanbeyan, NSW, 30 Jan. 1992, A.M.E. Roach, at light | ANIC 25-066984 ”. The mitochondrial genome was generated for this type, NCBI Access ID as MK614556, and BioSample ID as SAMN11080884.

Material examined (Fig. 16E). Victoria: ANIC (19 ♂♂; 12 ♀♀): 5: Red Hill, Jan. 1974, D.R. Holmes; 3: Mizpah Rd., Jan. 1977, C. Elton; 2: Hazelwood, Feb. 1949, J.H. Courtenay; Gould, Tyers River, Feb. 1960, G.T. Coulson; Hazelwood, Feb. 1948, J.H. Courtenay; Hazelwood, Feb. 1950, J.H. Courtenay; Malvern, Ferr; Maryvale, Feb. 1969, G. May; Moe, Feb. 1948, C.G.L. Gooding; Moe, Feb. 1949, C.G.L. Gooding; Mt. Beauty, Dec. 1960, C.E. Wilkinson; Mt. Cannibal, Feb. 1987, W.N.B. Quick; Newboraugh, Jan. 1956, G.T. Coulson; Orrvale, Mar. 1969, H. Carins; Red Hill, Mar. 1958, B.P. Moore; Warragul, Feb. 1959, L. Thar; Warragul, Feb. 1961, C.G.L. Gooding; Warragul, Feb. 1963, P.J; Warragul, Feb. 1963, R.P.W; Warragul, Feb. 1963, R.R.W.; Warragul, Feb. 1965, C.G.L. Gooding; Warragul, Feb. 1969, F. Zinner; Warragul, Jan. 1968, Woods and Reeves; Warragul, Jan. 1972, J.G. Brooks; MV (10 ♂♂; 14 ♀♀): 2: Mitcham, Jan. 1946; 2: North Melbourne; 2: [no data]; Cranbourne, Dec. 1947, E. Smith; Croydon; J.E. Dixon; Macedon, Jan. 1903; Meredith, Feb. 1959; Montmorency, Feb. 1969, L.J. Cookson; Montmorency, Mar. 1969, L.J. Cookson; Mordialloc, Jan. 1895; Mordialloc; nr. Melb, Feb. 1937; nr. Melb, Jan. 1923; Porepunkah, Jan. 1960; The basin, Feb. 1958; Tyabb, Jan. 1919; Warrandyte, Feb. 1996, L.J. Cookson; Warrandyte, Feb. 1998, L.J. Cookson; Warrandyte, Feb. 2002, L.J. Cookson; Woori Yallock, Dec. 1939; QM (4 ♂♂; 4 ♀♀): 2: Ferntree Gully; 2: Maffra, Jan. 1966, B. Cantrell; Ferntree Gully, Mar. 1932, A.H. Westley; river x-ing, 10 miles N of Valencia Ck via Maffra, Jan. 1966, T. Weir; Winchelsea; Yallourn; RDK C (1 ♂): Airey’s Inlet, Jan. 1998, P.J. Krake. Australian Capital Territory: ANIC (19 ♂♂; 3 ♀♀): 14: Black Mt., {from 1965 to 1974}, {E. Britton; B.P. Moore; K.R. Pullen; I.F.B. Common; E. Nielsen; M. Neave and M. Yee}; Acton, Feb. 1949, W. Price; Canberra, Dec. 1988, J. Cotterill; Canberra, Jan. 1958, W.J.M. Vestjens; Lyneham, Feb. 1974, B.P. Moore; Mt Majura, Feb. 1998, A. Polak; No.9 glasshouse, CSIRO, Black Mt., Feb. 1969, J.A. Bull; Orroral Vally, Feb. 1969, M. Carins; Red Hill, Feb. 1974, H. Rozdarz; OAI (1♂): Canberra, Mar. 1992, A.E. Westcott. New South Wales: AM (4 ♂♂; 1 ♀♀): 2: Barren grounds, Jan. 1966; 7.4km W of Tomerong, Jan. 1979, G. Daniels; Bald Rock Nat. Park, Jan. 1978, G. Daniels; Hanging Rock, Jan. 1966, C.N. Smithers; ANIC (22 ♂♂; 31 ♀♀): 10: Bawley Point, {from 1995 to 1999}, D.C.F. Rentz and K. McCarron; 3: Cumberland NF, {from 1988 to 1990}, {E.E. Taylor; R.H. Eldridge}; 2: “Warragun” nr Braidwood, Jan. 1984, M. Whitten; 2: Armidale, Feb. 1961, A. Glover; 2: Burra Burra Pnt., Dec. 1972, Coulson; 2: Burrewarra Pt., Jan. 1978, M.J. Coulson; 2: Durras Nth, Nov. 1964, I. Cameron; 2: Fairfield, Dec. 1923, M. Fuller; 2: Ogilvie Trall, Barryabba SF, N of Grafton, Dec. 1997, Watkins; 3.3km SSWest on North Belmore Rd., Busby’s Flat, Dec. 2000, Watkins; Armidale, Jan. 1964, J. Frazier; Barrewarra Pt., Jan. 1978, M.J. Coulson; Beecroft, Jan. 1966, M.R. Allen; Broulee, Jan. 1969, W.J.M. Vestjens; Cambridge Plateau, Jan. 1996, J. Bugeja; Carlingford NE Parramatta, Dec. 1973, J. Walk- er; Chiswick Expt Stn, Dec. 1965, R.J. Roberts; Congo, Dec. 1981, Upton, M.S.; Fortis Creek SF, N Graton, Dec. 1996, S. Watkins; Hornsby Heights, Feb. 1972, J. King; Lilyvale, Dec. 1971, D.A. Doolan; Lisarow, Jan. 1958, K.M. Moore; London Foundation, Kioloa, Jan. 1981, J. Conran; Mt. Wilson, Jun. 1967, R.A. Faragher; Powerful Owl Resv., Girand SF, West of Drake, Dec. 1998, Watkins; MV (1 ♂; 2 ♀♀): Dorrigo; Sydney; Sydney, Dec. 1902; OAI (10 ♂♂; 9 ♀♀): 6: Barren Ground Nature Reserve, Jan. 1966, C.E. Chadwick; 2: Kosciusko, Waste Point, Jan. 1966, C.E. Chadwick; Arding, 10- 15km S/ SW Armidale, Jan. 1987, C.R. Haywood; Armidale, Dec. 1980, C.R. Haywood; Borenore, Feb. 1998, P. Thornberry; Cabramatta, near Sydney, Jan. 1958, M.I. Nikitin; Meryla, Jan. 1950, J.E. Wells; Normanhurst, near Sydney, Oct. 1958, F. Bagshaw; Orange Agricultural Institute grounds, Orange, Dec. 1998, P. Slattery; Orange Agricultural Institute grounds, Orange, Feb. 1992, L. Penrose; Orange, Mar. 1982, W.G. Thwaite; Patonga, near Woy Woy, Mar. 1966, N. Douglas; Swallowfield, [14.5km E by N of] Armidale, Dec. 1980, C.R. Haywood; QM (3♂♂): Glencoe, Jan. 1990, M. Goombs; Rivertree, E. Sutton; Woodford, Jan. 1909, G.A. Waterhouse. Queensland: ANIC (1 ♂; 2 ♀♀): 3: Binna Burra, Lamington Nat. Pk., {from 1972 to 1973}, R.J. Kohout; QM (1 ♂; 1 ♀): 2: Brisbane; QVMAG (2 ♀♀): The Gap, Brisbane, {from 1994 to 1995}; S. Fearn.

Molecular data. BioSample ID: SAMN11080884 (Neotype), SAMN12650094.

Remarks. This species is very common in southern part of Australia (VIC, ACT, NSW), usually found under the bark of Eucalyptus and attracted to MV light. During the sample examinations and molecular data analyses, we found out that some specimens collected in Queensland (i.e. Cnemoplites sp 6 in Jin et al. 2020) are morphologically similar but can be separated from C. edulis by sp6 with smaller lobe on tarsomere 3 and less spinose tibiae. Molecular data also supported sp6 being distant to C. edulis, but more specimens and molecular data are needed to resolve the status of the Queensland populations.