Nannophlebia leoboppi, Orr, Albert G. & Kalkman, Vincent J., 2015

Orr, Albert G. & Kalkman, Vincent J., 2015, Nannophlebia leoboppi sp nov., a new dragonfly species from New Guinea (Odonata: Anisoptera: Libellulidae), Zootaxa 3964 (3), pp. 391-395 : 391-393

Nannophlebia leoboppi sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 2 , 3, 5 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂, Indonesia, Papua Province, Star Mountains, Borme (Borme: 4°23.77’S, 140°26.020’E). Shaded streams a few km from village. 1000–1100m asl. 27.vii.2006, Leg. V.J. Kalkman. Exuvia = NG 107; DNA sample RMNH.INS.500534.

Etymology. The name leoboppi is a noun in the genitive case named after Leopold Bopp (born 1st July, 2014), the first grandchild of Hanns-Jürgen und Ursula Babette Roland, in gratitude for their generous support of research on New Guinea Anisoptera.

Description of holotype male. Head: labium uniformly pale greenish yellow. Mandibles same pale colour exteriorly with brownish tinge towards apical dentition. Labrum dark brown with very narrow basal yellowish band for about two-thirds its width, this expanding into a small triangular indentation medially. Face mostly pale, postfrons with a dark brown broad lateral band, more or less heart-shaped as it follows the contours of the dorsal median furrow. Vertex, occipital triangle and post genae dark brown-black. Eyes in life brilliant bottle green with bluish lights, dark russet to sepia dorsally and at margins.

Thorax: Prothorax strongly saddle shaped, with posterior margin raised to form a flattened, rounded pad bearing numerous long, strong pale brown setae; laterally with long posteriorly angled rounded flanges. Dorsum largely pale yellow grading to light brown at sides. Synthorax black to pale brown with pale greenish markings laterally and dorsally as shown in Figure 2 . Dorsally mesepisterna separated by fine pale yellow line along middorsal carina, this expanded to a small rounded-squarish spot apicad. Venter entirely pale. Legs long and thin bearing numerous short fine black spines; coxae pale with dark streaks on external anterior one third to half; trochanters and femora dark; tibiae pale, darker at extremities, overall with fine brownish outer streaks; tarsi dark. Wings broad and rounded, typical of genus. Hyaline with extensive basal yellow-amber tint extending beyond triangle in both wings; triangle in forewing irregular trapezoid; that in hindwing rather broad rhomboid. Forewing Ax 7; Px 6. Hindwing Ax 6, Px 6. Pterostigma light brown, about three and a half times as long as broad in both wings.

Abdomen: black with pale yellowish marking as shown in Figure 1 . S1 mainly pale with narrow dark saddle; S2 with broad posterior pale band; S3 with complete, wide, median band. S4–7 with median dorsolateral spots narrowly separated on dorsum by dark middorsal carina, thus appearing as paired spots when viewed from above, especially on S4 and S5. S8 and S9 with small, pale, lateral markings. Secondary genitalia as shown in profile ( Figure 3). Appendages ( Figure 5 ) pale; cerci arched gently downward with strong dorsal, pointed, terminal branch. Lower branch with fine terminal dentition, darkened and slightly more strongly developed on inner side. Epiproct narrow scoop-shaped, slightly bifid terminally.

Measurements (mm): hindwing 23.5; abdomen+appendages 24.5.

Variation: Another mature male and a female were taken at the same location and on the same day as the holotype. In addition, another male was taken on 27 October 2008 at Walmak (1650 m asl), some 50 km west of Borme, at an altitude of 1650 m. Unfortunately all these specimens were badly damaged by beetles (probably Reesa vespulae , Dermestidae ) and are unsuitable for designation as paratypes. However a photograph taken in life of the mature male from Borme shows the extent of yellow on the abdomen much reduced. In this specimen S7–9 are lacking greenish-yellow pale markings ( Figure 7 ). The extremities of the appendages are clearly darkened, as is also typical in N. antiacantha . Presumably some of this variation is age related, but it is of an order that suggests significant variation in pale marking irrespective of maturity. The pterostigmata of this specimen appear very dark brown in the photograph.

Diagnosis. A medium-small dainty libellulid with a slender, strongly arched abdomen, the arch especially evident in life. Pale markings pale green to pale yellow, fairly extensive on the thorax and well developed on the abdomen. Wings broad and rounded, strongly and broadly tinted amber-yellow basally; seven Ax in forewing. Appendages distinctive ( Figure 5 ); pale with cerci strongly arched downward and bearing a strong, vertical, dorsal process just before apex. Secondary genitalia, especially the form of the posterior hamule, also diagnostic.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Nannophlebia leoboppi sp. nov. lateral habitus, holotype.

FIGURE 2. Nannophlebia leoboppi sp. nov. lateral view synthorax and coxae, holotype.

FIGURE 5. Nannophlebia leoboppi sp. nov. Lateral view of left anal appendages (left), with inner detail of right cercus, and ventral view of epiproct showing bifid tip (right), holotype.

FIGURE 7. Photograph of male Nannophlebia leoboppi sp. nov., Indonesia, Papua Province, Star Mountains, Borme, 27 July 2006.