Hemipeplus heisenbergi

Hemipeplus heisenbergi
Dorsal habitus of the holotype, scale bar = 1 mm
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia
Family:	Mycteridae
Genus:	Hemipeplus
Species:	H. heisenbergi
Binomial name
Hemipeplus heisenbergi KC & Pollock, 2025

Hemipeplus heisenbergi is a species of beetle in the family Mycteridae, subfamily Hemipeplinae. The species is known from New Guinea, specifically the Eastern Highlands Province, where it was collected at an elevation of 1600 m near Nondugl. ^[1]

Taxonomy

The species was described in 2025 by KC and Pollock, with the type material consisting of a holotype (male) and several paratype specimens. The specific name heisenbergi is derived from the alias 'Heisenberg', a reference to the fictional character Walter White from the TV series Breaking Bad. ^{[1] [2]}

Description

Hemipeplus heisenbergi is characterized by its rufous to rufopiceous coloration, small eyes, and broad, round temples. The scape is submoniliform, dilated apically, and the antennae are shorter than the combined length of the head and pronotum. The pronotum is subcordiform with a deep anterior emargination, and the elytra are elongate and flat with a darker apical patch.

Distribution

Hemipeplus heisenbergi is widespread in New Guinea from east to west.

References

1. KC, Sajan; Pollock, Darren A. (2025-01-21). "Review of the Hemipeplinae (Coleoptera: Mycteridae) fauna of the world with descriptions of twenty-nine new species". Zootaxa. 5574 (1): 1–140. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5574.1.1. ISSN   1175-5334.
2. "Bugging Bad: Sajan KC's Continued Work on Entomological Research". Eastern New Mexico University. 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2025.