Rhagovelia peggiae Kirkaldy

Polhemus, Dan A., 2024, Thirty-four new species of Rhagovelia (Heteroptera: Veliidae) from the East Papua Composite Terrane, far eastern New Guinea, Zootaxa 5400 (1), pp. 1-214 : 88-93

Rhagovelia peggiae Kirkaldy

( Figs. 140–145 , 153 )

Rhagovelia peggiae Kirkaldy, 1901: 805 . Type-locality: Moroka, Central Prov., Papua New Guinea.

Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central Prov., New Guinea: 1 wingless female, Moroka , 1300 m., VII-XI-93, Loria (holotype, MSNG) ; 6 winged males, 3 winged females, 31 wingless males, 36 wingless females, Owen Stanley Range, trib. to upper Mimani River , 2.7 km. NE of Dorobisoro, 580– 685 m., water temp. 21.5 °C., 8 October 2003, 09:30–12:30 hrs., 9°27'23"S, 147°57'03"E, CL 7262, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 4 wingless males, 2 wingless females, Owen Stanley Range, trib. to upper Mimani River , 2.9 km. NE of Dorobisoro, 640– 670 m., water temp. 22.5 °C., 8 October 2003, 12:45–13:30 hrs., 9°27'19"S, 147°56'53"E, CL 7263, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 44 winged males, 43 winged females, Owen Stanley Range, Mas River , 2.0 km. SW of Fane, 1235 m., 8°33'25"S, 147°04'04"E, water temp. 20 °C., 5 October 2003, 10:00–13:30 hrs., CL 7257, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) .

Description.

Wingless male: Size: Length = 3.95–4.15 (x = 4.02, n = 5); width = 1.30–1.42 (x = 1.36, n = 5). Wingless female, length = 4.20–4.30 (x = 4.26, n = 5); width = 1.50–1.60 (x = 1.53, n = 5). Winged male, length = 4.20 mm (n = 1); width = 1.60 mm (n = 1). Winged female, length = 4.00 mm (n = 1); width = 1.60 mm (n = 1).

Color: Dorsal ground color black, sparingly marked with dark yellow to orange-brown on basal antennae, anterior pronotum, connexiva and basal femora ( Fig. 140 ). Head black, tylus dark brown, jugae and basal rostrum yellowish-brown, rostrum fuscous ventromedially, piceous distally; eyes dark red.Pronotum black,with a transversely ovate dark yellowish-orange spot anteromedially behind vertex, this pale coloration bounded laterally by pruinose areas, narrowly confluent anterolaterally with pale areas on propleurae. Mesonotum, metanotum and all abdominal tergites black, abdominal tergites I–VI and VIII uniformly dull and lacking glabrous areas, tergite VII semi-shining centrally; connexiva black on inner halves, dark orange on outer halves, ventral faces yellowish-brown. Antennal segment I with basal one-third dark yellow, distal two-thirds plus all of segments II–IV black. Legs generally black dorsally except basal half of fore femur yellowish brown; all coxae and trochanters, fore and hind femora ventrally yellowish-brown. Venter black, except prosternum and proacetabula dark yellow, lateral portions of mesosternum brown, ventral margins of middle and hind acetabula dark yellow, central portions of abdominal ventrites VII and VIII embrowned.

Structural characters: head moderately short, declivant anteriorly, with weakly impressed median line; length 0.35, width 0.85; length of eye along inner margin 0.35, anterior/posterior interocular space, 0.25/0.50. Pronotum short, width 1.05, length along midline 0.30, less than dorsal length of head, leaving mesonotum broadly exposed; mesonotum smooth, lacking deep foveae, humeri depressed, length 0.70. Metanotum barely exposed, length 0.05. Lengths of tergites I–VIII, respectively: 0.20: 0.25: 0.20: 0.20: 0.20: 0.25: 0.45: 0.50. Connexiva with margins of even width throughout, gradually and evenly convergent adjacent to abdominal tergites I–IV, very slightly more convergent adjacent to tergites V–VII, posterolateral angles not modified, separated by entire width of tergite VIII, bearing long, curving, dark setae.

Entire dorsum thickly covered with fine, appressed pale pubescence, intermixed with scattered very long, semi-erect, slender black setae on lateral pronotum and mesonotum, and along posterior halves of all abdominal tergites; legs and antennae thickly clothed with short appressed pale setae, with scattered long, erect, bristly black setae on anterodorsal faces of antennal segments I and II, and anterior margins of all femora, regularly spaced long, slender, straight dark setae along posterior margins of fore and middle femora, and long, pilose, pale brown setae along posterior margin of hind femur, lengths of these long setae equal to or exceeding the thickness of the respective femora on which they occur; fore and middle trochanters lacking pegs or teeth; fore and middle femora and middle tibia with margins straight, not flattened or otherwise modified; fore tibia flattened ventrally on distal third, shallowly channelled near apex adjacent to grasping comb; hind trochanter with 12 very small dark pegs ventrally; hind femur moderately incrassate, bearing two rows of teeth and pegs lying in area covered by infolded hind tibia, ventral row consisting of ~20 tiny black spinules of very gradually increasing size running from base of femur to near midpoint, followed by a much larger dark yellowish spine with a black apex, then 9 much smaller black spines of gradually decreasing size to femoral apex, dorsal row commencing at about one-half distance from femoral base with a large yellowish-brown spine with a black apex, followed 5 similar spines of steadily decreasing size running to femoral apex ( Fig. 127 ); hind tibia straight, inner surface bearing a single row of 15 small, stout black teeth, the 2–3 most distal teeth often enlarged.

Venter of head with juga and adjacent propleura bearing small black denticles; mesosternum slightly depressed centrally, margins of this depression bearing long, fine gold setae; metasternum broadly and gently tumid, with fine, erect pale setae along posterior margin; abdominal venter set with short appressed pale setae intermixed with longer, fine, semi-erect pale setae laterally and posteromedially; basal abdominal ventrites highly sculptured, ventrite I lying in vertical orientation and bearing a small, rounded bump centrally, remaining ventrites horizontal and all in similar plane, ventrite II with a sharply raised longitudinal carina medially, this carina continuing incipiently onto base of ventrite III, with remainder of ventrite III and ventrites IV–VI slightly swollen, unmodified, ventrite VII deeply depressed and concave centrally, lateral margins of this central depression strongly raised, both central concavity and margins thickly covered with moderate length recumbent gold setae, ventrite VIII strongly constricted basally, lacking longitudinal carina centrally.

Male paramere with basal section thick, bearing stout setae ventrally, tapering distally to a sharply upturned, truncate apical process ( Fig. 143 ). Male proctiger with basolateral lobes well developed, angular; distolateral lobes not evident; distal cone dome-shaped, with a small, nipple-like process at apex ( Fig. 144 ).

Lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 1.00: 0.50: 0.75: 0.65.

Lengths of leg segments as follows: femur, tibia, tarsal 1, tarsal 2, tarsal 3 of fore leg, 1.15: 1.25: 0.02: 0.02: 0.35; of middle leg 1.75: 1.35: 0.05: 0.65: 0.75; of hind leg, 1.60: 1.70: 0.05: 0.20: 0.35.

Wingless female: Similar to wingless male in general structure and coloration, with following exceptions: long, semi-erect dark setae absent on posterior margins of abdominal tergites III–VII; abdominal tergite I transversely tumid; tergite II angled strongly downward; tergites III–VII horizontal, tergites III–V slightly raised along their longitudinal midlines, these raised central sections bearing patches of short gold setae, lateral sections of all these tergites dull grey and lacking setae; connexival margins convergent posteriorly, angled strongly inward adjacent to abdominal tergites I and II, then converging more gradually adjacent to tergites III–VI, meeting over posterior half of tergite VII and leaving only small anteromedial portion of this tergite visible when viewed dorsally ( Fig. 141 ), posterolateral angles forming right angles when viewed laterally, bearing small, acuminate tufts of short, stiff, posteriorly-directed black setae at apices, these tufts projecting over central section of tergite VIII when viewed dorsally; abdominal tergite VIII and proctiger angled downward at 45°, proctiger longer than wide; ventral surface of middle tibia slightly flattened; hind trochanter lacking small black pegs; hind femur only weakly incrassate, area along ventral midline in area covered by infolded hind tibia bearing a single spine row consisting of one small, triangular, black tooth basally arising near two-thirds distance to apex, followed by a single moderately long, slender, sharp, backwardly-angling black spine, followed by 3 much smaller spines of progressively decreasing size to femoral apex; hind tibia straight, inner surface lacking teeth; ventral coloration predominantly dull blackish-grey, abdominal sternites VII–IX semi-shining brown; jugum and proepisternum bearing numerous tiny black denticles; all abdominal ventrites lying in similar horizontal plane, ventrites IV–VII flattened centrally, posterior margin of abdominal sternite VII unmodified; commisure of first gonocoxae forming a sharply raised longitudinal ventral carina with concave depressions to either side.

Winged male: Similar to wingless male in general structure and coloration, with following exceptions: pronotum greatly enlarged, width 1.60, length 1.50, completely covering meso- and metanotum; anterior lobe with transverse ovate brown patch along anterior margin in area behind head vertex, this patch overlain and bounded laterally by silvery pruinosity, separated by dark coloration behind eyes from paler coloration on propleurae, lateral margins with scattered long, slender black setae; humeri enlarged, slightly protrusive laterally; posterior pronotal lobe black, broadly domed, posterior half with small, obscure foveae, posterior margin broadly angular, bearing a few moderate length, gently curving, semi-erect black setae; forewings uniformly matte black, wing apices extending past apex of abdomen when intact, bearing 4 closed cells consisting of two elongate cells in basal half of wing followed by two smaller cells of subequal size distally near center of wing. Hind femur less incrassate than in wingless male, with armature reduced.

Winged female: Similar to winged male in general body form and coloration, pronotum width 1.60, length 1.55.

Distribution. Southeastern New Guinea; endemic to the Papuan Peninsula ( Fig. 153 ). The species range as presently known occupies the South Papuan Peninsula Foreland area of freshwater endemism (Area 30) as delineated by D. Polhemus & Allen (2007).

Discussion. Kirkaldy (1901) described R. peggiae based on a wingless female specimen taken in 1893 by Loria at “Moroko, 1300 m ” in what is now the Central Province of Papua New Guinea. This is also the type-locality for certain rodent species, and was discussed in that context by Helgen et al. (2008). Based on this, the type series of R. loriae was probably collected somewhere along the course of the upper Aieme (Musgrave) River, between Iawarere plantation and Vori Vori Bluff, in the vicinity of 9°24'38"S, 147°36'02"E.

The author was able to pesonally examine the holotype of R. peggiae during a 1996 visit to the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale G. Doria in Genoa. The specimen is in a reasonable state of preservation, and glued onto a card, which precludes examination of the ventral surface, but the major diagnostic characters are visible, as indicated in the description of the wingless female provided above.

Lansbury (1993), in his paper describing additional species of Rhagovelia from New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, made only passing mention of R. peggiae . He noted that he had not examined the female holotype, but stated that “The description suggests that peggiae shares some features with hirsuta sp. n. ” The current comparison of the wingless female of R. hirsuta to the holotype of R. peggiae indicates that the two species are indeed similar, but that in the female of R. peggiae the posterior half of abdominal tergite VIII that projects beyond the posterolateral angles of the connexiva is not as densely pilose, lacking the brushy, outwardly-directed tufts of black setae seen in R.

hirsuta, and the inner margins of the connexiva bordering tergite VI also lack a fringe of long setae as illustrated in Lansbury (1993, Fig. 90 ). Both species do have similar overall female abdominal morphology, with the connexival margins meeting posteriorly over tergite VII, and possess denticles on the prosternum and adjacent proacetabula.

In 2003, the author was able to collect several long series of R. peggiae from various localities on the southern flank of the Owen Stanley Range, including sites in the vicinity of Dorobisoro, only 35 km east of the original type-locality. Based on these new collections, it has now been possible to associate the previously unknown male and analyze its character states. This has shown that R. peggiae may be easily diagnosed by the shape of the male paramere, which bears an upturned, truncate apical process ( Fig. 143 ) that is unique among Rhagovelia species occurring on the EPCT. By contrast, the male paramere of R. hirsuta is of a very different shape, being roughly rectangular, with a small notch on the ventral margin ( Fig. 150 ).

The morphology of male abdominal ventrite VII is also distinctive in R. peggiae , being depressed centrally as in R. obscura , with the adjoining lateral margins strongly raised. In comparison to R. obscura , however, the centrally depressed area and raised margins are thickly covered with shining gold setae in R. peggiae , and the posterior apices of the raised lateral margins lack posteriorly projecting setal tufts.

Ecological notes. Rhagovelia peggiae was abundant along a tributary to the upper Mimani River (CL 7262) lying upstream of the village of Dorobisoro ( Fig. 145 ). It occurred here in company with R. mimani and R loriae ; for a more detailed description of this locality see the discussion under R. mimani . A few additional specimens were also taken at another similar tributary entering slightly further upstream (CL 7263).

Another long series of R. peggiae , consisting entirely of winged individuals, was taken on the Mas River (CL 7257), near the village of Fane in the upper Auga River basin to the west of Port Moresby. The stream here was cool and clear, flowing with a moderate current through a bed of cobbles, rocks and sand, with the central portion of the channel unshaded. Rhagovelia peggiae occurred here in company with R. auga , R. goilala , and R. cheesmanae . The Mas River valley lay to the west of Fane at 1300 m, and was slightly lower and warmer than the other catchments sampled in that area. In addition to being the only site where R. peggiae was encountered, this was also the upper elevational limit in the Auga basin for the gerrid genera Ptilomera and Limnometra .

Based on these limited records, R. peggiae has a rather broad, though potentially discontinuous, distribution at elevations between 550 and 1300 m along the southern flank of the Owen Stanley Range. It is irregularly met with throughout this geographic range, although abundant where present.

Figures

FIGS. 140–144. Rhagovelia peggiae Kirkaldy, structural details; specimens from Dorobisoro, Papua New Guinea. 140. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 141. Wingless female, dorsal habitus 127. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 128. Male left hind leg, ventral view; 140–142 from tributary to Mimani River, CL 7262. 143. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 144. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 143–144 from tributary to Mimani River, CL 7263.

FIG. 145. Tributary to the upper Mimani River, near Dorobisoro, Central Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7262, habitat for R. peggiae Kirkaldy, R. mimani n. sp., and R. loriae n. sp.

FIG. 153. Distributions of species in the R. auga and R. peggiae subgroups in eastern New Guinea.

FIGS. 125–130. Rhagovelia torrenticola n. sp., structural details; specimens from Goodenough Island. 125. Wingless male, dorsal habitus, specimen from Yalaauau, CL 7186. 126. Wingless female, dorsal habitus, specimen from Tuabeda River at Kalauna, CL 7184. 127. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 128. Male right hind leg, dorsal view; 127 and 128 from Yalaauau, CL 7186. 129. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 130. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 129 and 130 from Tuabeda River at Kalauna, CL 7184.

FIGS. 85–90. Rhagovelia watuti n. sp., structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Cloudy Mountains, CL 7175. 85. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 86. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 87. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 88. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 89. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 90. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 146–151. Rhagovelia hirsuta Lansbury, structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Morobe Prov., Kamiali, CL 7241. 146. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 147. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 148. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 149. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 150. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 151. Male proctiger, dorsal view.