Rhinocypha flavipoda, Jan van Tol & André Günther, 2018

Jan van Tol & André Günther, 2018, The Odonata of Sulawesi and adjacent islands. Part 8. Revision of the genus Rhinocypha Rambur, 1842 (Chlorocyphidae), Odonatologica 47 (3), pp. 299-386 : 318-323

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.1481114
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6485246
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0395A91C-AC62-FF9E-95E3-FF52FDB0FBC0
treatment provided by	PlaziZenodoSync
scientific name	Rhinocypha flavipoda
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Rhinocypha flavipoda View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 18–23 View Figure 18 View Figures 19–23 , 83 View Figure 83 )

Rhinocypha View in CoL monochroa Form b (pro parte). — RIS (1916): 312 (one specimen [Ris no. 1443] from »Takala-Gebirge«)

Rhinocypha View in CoL tincta semitincta [nec Selys]. — VAN TOL & GASSMANN (2007): 66 (in- cluded Sulawesi in range)

Material studied

Holotype ♂. » Indonesia. Sulawesi Selatan. E. of Malili, Crocodile river , 2°38’09’’S, 121°12’18’’E, Alt. 150 m, 21 Oct 1993, Leg. J. van Tol « ( JvT 0 1461 , in RMNH) ( Fig. 18 View Figure 18 ). GoogleMaps

Paratypes (30♂ 1♀)

Sulawesi Selatan

5♂, »Central Celebes. Luwu, [Kali] Lamangke, 17-viii-1932, leg. R. Woltereck«; 1♂, »Indonesia. Sulawesi. 4–5 km NW of Malili, Sg. Mahulu, 2°36’S, 121°05’E, 0–50 m asl., 30 Apr–1 May 1991, Leg. J. van Tol (Slowly flowing stream, width 4–6 m. Mainly through cultivated area, but bordered by a strip of disturbed forest. Bot- tom coarse sand, pebbles, some boulders. Half-shaded. Some small falls)«; 16♂, »Indonesia. Sulawesi, c. 15 km NNE Malili. 150 m asl. 2°38’[09”]S, 121°12’[18”]E. 2 May 1991 (sample 91JvT28). Leg. J. van Tol. Rivulet through disturbed tropical rain forest (tributary of Sg. Malili), Fast flowing clear water. Coarse pebbles, ponded sites with fine sand. Half shaded. Overhanging vegetation. Rapids. Crocodile«; 2♂, »Indonesia, Sulawesi Selatan. Timampu: Lamapu river near outlet Danau Towuti, 2°40’32”S, 121°24’53”E. 17 Oct. 1993. Leg. J. van Tol«; 2♂ 1♀, »Indonesia. Sulawesi Selatan. 45 km ENE of Malili, near Salura in easternmost part of Danau Matana, just N of outlet (2°31’47”S, 121°28’59”E), Alt 450 m. 19 Oct.1993. Leg. J. van Tol. Stream through disturbed primary forest. w[idth]=2–3 m, d[epth]=0.1 m. Clear water, boulders, shade«; 4♂, Same data as holotype.

Other material studied (excluded from type series; 6♂)

1♂, »Takala-Gebirge / Süd Celebes / d[urch] Rolle« (in SMFD) [Ris no. 1443]; 5♂, »Celebes. Luwu distr., Masamba, Zuid Tomoni, 12.vi.1940, Leg. L. L. A. Mauren- brecher«.

Etymology

Flavipoda, a noun in apposition, meaning ‘those with yellow feet’.

Diagnosis

Among the Rhinocypha species of Sulawesi the males can be recognized from the pale-yellow tibiae of the mid and hind legs. However, this char- acter is not always clearly visible in museum specimens, in which the tibiae may be faded to white. Males have a small triangular marking on the man- dibles, and a black frons lacking a blue spot; the anterior lobe of the prono- tum has distinct pale oblong spots in the lateral corners, extending on the median lobe ( Fig. 20 View Figures 19–23 ); the synthorax has no ante-humeral stripe, and the long pale stripe over the synthorax is dorsally somewhat irregular in some specimens, but lacks the distinct projection running posteriad over the met- episternum found in R. frontalis ( Fig. 21 View Figures 19–23 ); abdomen with a small triangular spot anteriorly on S9 ( Fig. 22 View Figures 19–23 ); dorsum of abdomen black.

The yellowish white tibiae are similar to R. semitincta from Halmahera (Moluccas); see also the remarks below. However, the head of R. semitincta, including the genae, is entirely black, except for very small paired spots on the post-ocular lobe behind the lateral ocelli. Rhinocypha flavipoda also dif- fers from R. semitincta by (i) the anterior lobe of the pronotum, which lacks the paired median spot, (ii) the blue marking of median lobe of pronotum, which extends on the lateral corners of the anterior lobe, (iii) the shape of the blue stripe over metepisternum and metepimeron, which lacks the dor- sal projection, and (iv) the size of the blue markings on the abdomen, which are small, particularly visible on S9.

Description

Male (holotype, Fig. 18 View Figure 18 ) [JvT 01461]

Head ( Fig. 19 View Figures 19–23 ) — Labium with mentum pale, median and lateral lobes brownish black; labrum shiny brownish black; mandibles with pale trian- gular marking with its base at lower basal side; anteclypeus shiny brown- ish black; postclypeus and rest of dorsum of head, including post-ocular lobes velvet black; frons with long setae; small pale spots behind later- al ocelli and a similar paired spot on post-ocular lobe; gena with bluish white marking, widest at eye margins, continuing as a narrow cream line along eye margins to the level of anterior ocellus; post-ocular area with oval pruinose spot.

Thorax — Pronotum ( Fig. 20 View Figures 19–23 ) dull black with more developed pale mark- ings than R. frontalis : anterior lobe with narrow lateral markings (a paired spot in R. frontalis ), continuing onto median lobe and running above lateral lobes, not reaching posterior margin; lateral lobes with pale median spots.

Synthorax ( Fig. 21 View Figures 19–23 ). Mesopreepisternum blue. Mesepisternum black; remainder black with large bluish stripe, starting anteriorly in posterior cor- ner of mesokatepisternum, dorsally irregular, ending at two-thirds of length of suture between metepisternum and metepimeron, continuing onto met- epimeron, running posteriorly, but bent ventrally just before hind margin, where it ends ca halfway of posterior margin of metepimeron; ventral mar- gin also irregular, from lower anterior corner of metepisternum running just under metathoracic spiracle, continuing towards posterior border, but not touching ventral side of synthorax.

Legs — Black, with inner side of mid and hind tibiae and femora entirely pale; pale coloration creamy yellow in live, faded to nearly white after treatment in acetone.

Wings — Transverse opaque brownish black patch distal to nodus anteri- orly, at level of nodus at posterior margin, extending further basad in mid- dle of wing, especially below Rs. Metallic sheen on underside of hind wing bluish from base of opaque band to level of Px14 bluish, golden brown from Px14 to wing tip; pterostigma of fore and hind wings brownish black.

Abdomen ( Fig. 22 View Figures 19–23 ) — Dorsum velvet black with very small paired, pale spots anteriorly on S4–S8; S1 with large sub-quadrangular blue mark, anteriorly rounded; S2 with similar broad mark obliquely truncated ventro-anterior- ly; S3–S8 with large blue oblong marks, more or less rectangular in S3–S4, on other segments more strongly tapered posteriorly, ventrally more or less complete, although leaving a narrow black ventral line on all segments; S9 with a small, bluish white anterior marking; S10 and anal appendages black.

Measurements [mm]. Hind wing length 24.0; hind wing width 6.5; abdomen (including appendages) 20.0.

Female [JvT 0 1403, supposition]

Head ( Fig. 23 View Figures 19–23 ) — Labium shiny black. Labrum swollen, black with a few short stout setae. Mandibles mainly black, but triangular cream spot along outer margin. Anteclypeus black, shiny, with transverse striae. Postclypeus and remainder of dorsum of head velvet black; genae with sub-triangular cream spot, the widest part bordering the eyes; narrow stripe along the eye margin to level of lateral ocelli, separate from triangular spot on genae; very small cream spots beside lateral ocelli,and similar spots on post-ocular lobes.

Thorax — Pronotum with anterior lobe black, except for very small pale spot in lateral corners; this spot connected with a short cream spot in an- terior part of median lobe; remainder of median lobe and posterior lobe black; lateral lobe with small, irregular, pale median spot.

Synthorax. Mesopreepisternum with cream triangular spot. Synthorax predominantly black with purple sheen; the longitudinal cream stripe rath- er straight, starting in ventro-posterior corner of mesokatepisternum, con- tinuing (after a narrow interruption) over ventral side of the mesepimeron, running dorsad of metakatepisternum, over metathoracic spiracle towards posterior corner of metepimeron, where it is narrow and interrupted.

Legs — Dull black, without pale markings.

Wings — Base and anterior part of fore wings transparent, enfumed with brown; hind wing basal to Arculus transparent with brown tint; remainder of fore wing to the level of Px16 opaque dark brown; wingtip clear, ptero- stigma brown with white centre; hind wing opaque dark brown between Arculus and distal side of pterostigma, distal part transparent; pterostigma as in fore wing.

Abdomen — Black with subtle purple sheen; pale cream markings on sides of tergites as follows: S1 with sub-quadrangular medioposterior spot, not touch- ing hind margin of segment; S2 with very small anterior spot, a short stripe nearly touching ventral margin of tergite, ca half the length of tergite, and an irregular medioposterior spot, approximately the size of the spot on S1; S3–S7 each with a thin stripe against the anterior border, and a ventral stripe medi- ally against ventral border of segment, that on S3 distinctly more robust and also longer than on other segments; small subcircular spots on S3 and S4, dis- tinctly smaller than similar spot on S2. S8–S10 black without pale markings.

Measurements [mm]. Hind wing length 24.0; hind wing width 6.0; abdomen length 23.5.

Variation in paratypes

Males

Measurements [mm]. Hind wing length (n = 5) x= 23.5 (23.0–24.0); hind wing width (n = 5) x= 6.0 (6.0–6.0); abdomen (including appendages) (n =5) x= 20.0 (19.0–20.0).

Distribution and habitat

Only known from the area around and just west of the so-called Malili lakes of Central Sulawesi (Matana, Mahalona and Towuti; Fig. 83 View Figure 83 ), where it oc- curs in small, rather open streams ( Fig. 12 View Figure 12 ). The soil in this region is poor in nutrients and frequently has high levels of toxic minerals hence only well- adapted plants can survive, e.g., Nepenthes species. The banks of the streams are overgrown with impoverished kerangas (heath forest).

Five specimens collected in ‘South Tomoni’ in 1940 seem to have white, rather than yellowish tibiae, but agree with the other specimens in other characters. They are provisionally assigned to this taxon, but we have not included them in the type series. We have also excluded from the type series one male from the Takala Mountains (in SMFD), apparently collected to- gether with a small series of R. virgulata sp. nov.

Remarks

This species initially confused us. The yellowish tibiae of the mid and hind legs were very conspicuous in the field, and appeared very similar to R. semitincta from Halmahera (northern Moluccas); hence we identified these specimens as R. semitincta (see VAN TOL & GASSMANN 2007). How- ever, after careful re-evaluation of all material, we concluded that these populations represent an undescribed species. We have not studied molecular characters, but the coloration of head and pronotum suggests a closer rela- tionship with R. monochroa than with R. frontalis .

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