Wahnesia armeniaca ( Lieftinck, 1956 )

Polhemus, Dan A. & Kalkman, Vincent J., 2021, Four new species of Wahnesia Förster, 1900 from the D’Entrecasteaux, Louisiade and Woodlark island groups, Papua New Guinea (Odonata: Argiolestidae), Zootaxa 5004 (3), pp. 447-464 : 462-463

Wahnesia armeniaca ( Lieftinck, 1956)

( Figs 20–22 )

Argiolestes armeniacus Lieftinck, 1956: 70 , 90–93, figs 25–27 (original description male and female, type locality: Goodenough I. (D’Entrecasteaux Archip.), 900 m Camp)

Argiolestes armeniacus Lieftinck, 1971: 75 (note on holotype male and first described female, type locality, authority)

Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Milne Bay Prov.:

Fergusson Island: 2 ♂♂, mountains between Agamoia and Ailuluai, 3000 feet a.s.l., [vic. -9.598813, 150.642386], 7.VI.1956, leg. 5th Archbold Expedition ( RMNH) [the locality on the envelope reads: “ Fergusson I., Camp 4,” with additional locality details taken from Brass (1959)] ; 1 ♂, 13.VI.1956, idem ; 2 ♂♂, 15.VI.1956, idem ; 2 ♂♂, Agamoia village , [vic. -9.541151, 150.621119], 400 feet a.s.l., 20–21.VI.1956, leg. 5th Archbold Expedition ( RMNH) [the locality on the envelope reads: “ Fergusson I., Camp 5,” with additional locality details taken from Brass (1959); 2 ♀♀, 20.VI.1956, idem ( RMNH)] .

Goodenough Island: 6 ♂♂, 1 ♀, Waidala Creek , 3 km. E. of Bolubolu on road to Vivigani, 15 m a.s.l., 9°22’05”S, 150°21’14”E (-9.368028, 150.353972), water temp. 25°C., 27.VII.2002, 08:30–10:00 hrs., CL 7188, D.A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) .

Distribution. Wahnesia armeniaca was originally described from Goodenough Island ( Lieftinck 1956), and is apparently endemic to that island and adjacent Fergusson Island, both in the D’Entrecasteaux group ( Fig. 22 ).

Discussion. The following notes, taken from a living specimen, are provided for the mature color phase, in order to facilitate future identification: labrum cream white on basal half, dark metallic green on distal half; thorax dark brown with obscure, diffuse creamy white markings on lateral prothorax, interpleural suture, and metepimeron of synthorax; abdomen dark brown to black, with creamy white markings dorsally on posterior margin of abdominal tergite S8, and all of dorsal tergites S9–10; legs with upper surfaces dark brown to black, lower surfaces bright reddish orange.

Habitat and Ecology. Adults of this species were taken in moderate abundance along with those of Idiocnemis zebrina sufficiens Lieftinck, 1958 (Platycnemididae) in the understory of a swamp forest surrounding a set of springs at the head of the Waidala Creek, east of Bolubolu on Goodenough Island. Individuals perched on low vegetation surrounding the seeping spring outflows emanating from a sloping hillside amid the dappled shade from overstory trees, but were not encountered along the outflow creeks downstream of these spring sources. These observations reinforce the impression that Wahnesia species breed in groundwater discharges at the extreme headwaters of any given drainage network.

Figures

FIGURE 22. Distribution of Wahnesia species occurring in the D’Entrecasteaux Islands.

FIGURES 18–21. Wahnesia species, male terminal anal appendages. 18. W. annulipes (Lieftinck), dorsal view; specimen from Normanby Island, Yeluyelua, CL 7232. 19. W. annulipes (Lieftinck), left lateral view of same specimen as preceding. 20. W. armeniaca (Lieftinck), dorsal view; specimen from Goodenough Island, Waidala Creek, CL 7188. 21. W. armeniaca (Lieftinck), left lateral view of same specimen as preceding.