Rhagovelia papuensis, Lundblad, 1936

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 : 127

Rhagovelia papuensis group

The R. papuensis group was originally proposed by J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus (1988) to hold R. papuensis from New Guinea, as well as an additional 20 species from Australia, the Philippines, the Moluccas, Celebes, Borneo, Formosa, Japan, India and Ceylon. Many additional species were subsequently added from the Philippines ( Zettel 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2007), Celebes ( Nieser & Chen 1993; Nieser et al. 1997), Vietnam ( Zettel & Tran 2004) and the Raja Ampat Islands (D. Polhemus & J. Polhemus 2011). Perhaps ironically, the R. papuensis group, although widespread and diverse in the central Malay Archipelago, is one of the less speciose groups in the New Guinea region, consisting of a limited suite of lowland species that often exhibit rather broad geographic ranges.

The R.papuensis group is characterized by relatively small size compared to the members of the R.novacaledonica group; the long pronotum in wingless forms that covers nearly all of the mesonotum, generally leaving only a narrow portion visible posteromedially ( Figs. 202 , 220, 221 , 227, 228 , 234, 235 , 241, 242 , 247, 248 , 253, 254 , 260, 261 , 267, 268 , 274, 275 , 281, 282, 283 , 290, 291 ); the small, often bean-shaped male paramere with setiferation on the distal half ( Figs. 224 , 231 , 237 , 245 , 251 , 257 , 264 , 271 , 278 , 287 , 293 ); the male proctiger with angular basolateral lobes of moderate size, and a distal cone also of moderate size with a rounded apex, and bearing large, rounded distolateral lobes that are often more prominent than the basolateral lobes ( Figs. 225 , 232 , 238 , 246 , 252 , 258 , 265 , 272 , 279 , 288 , 294 ); paired dorsal abdominal carinae in winged forms that are relatively long, reaching to the posterior margin of abdominal tergite III; and the forewing bearing 3 or 4 closed cells, with 1 or 2 posterior cells of variable size and extending into the distal half of the wing ( Figs. 12 , 108 ).

In the EPCT the members of this group are generally inhabitats of the lower midreaches of rocky streams at elevations below 500 m ( Figs. 40 , 47 , 187 , 226 , 233 , 239 , 259 , 273 , 280 , 289 ). Some of these taxa, such as R. loriae , have broad distributions in the lowlands of New Guinea. This is also the only Rhagovelia species group present in the Solomon Islands.

The male paramere shape does not show a large degree of interspecific variation in the R. papuensis group, and is of only moderate utility for species recognition. By contrast, the structure of the proctiger, in particular the shape and degree of development of the distolateral lobes, often provides good characters for species discrimination.

Within the species of the R. papuensis group occurring on the EPCT, four distinct subgroups can be recognized. The species included in each of these subgroups are as follows:

Rhagovelia yela subgroup: R. yela n. sp., R. tagula n. sp. and R. bwagabwaga n. sp.

Rhagovelia priori subgroup: R. priori Lansbury , R. suloga n. sp. and R. dinga n. sp.

Rhagovelia transbintuni subgroup : R. ivimkana n. sp., and the extralimital R. transbintuni D. Polhemus & J.

Polhemus from the Vogelkop Peninsula and the Raja Ampat Islands.

Figures

FIG 202. Rhagovelia yela, wingless female, dorsal habitus; specimen from Rossel Is., Woa River, CL 7196. Young Sohn illustration.

FIGS. 220–225. Rhagovelia yela n. sp., structural details; specimens from Rossel Is., Woa River, CL 7196. 220. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 221. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 222. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 223. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 224. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 225. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 227–232. Rhagovelia tagula n. sp., structural details; specimens from Tagula Is. 227. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 228. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 229. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 230. Male right hind leg, dorsal view; 227–230 from Kolukolu Creek, CL 7194. 231. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 232. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 231 and 232 from Kalitau Creek, CL 7190.

FIGS. 234–238. Rhagovelia bwagabwaga n. sp., structural details; specimens from Misima Is., Keyana Creek, CL 7206. 234. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 235. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 236. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 237. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 238. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 241–246. Rhagovelia priori Lansbury, structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Tufi, Kofure River, CL 7304. 241. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 242. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 243. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 244. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 245. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 246. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 247–252. Rhagovelia dinga n. sp., structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Kamiali. 247. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 248. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 249. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 250. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 251. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 252. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 247–250 from rocky stream at Kamiali, CL 7243, 251 and 252 from Aleater River, CL 7241.

FIGS. 253–258. Rhagovelia suloga n. sp., structural details; specimens from Woodlark Is., stream on Suloga Peninsula, CL 7217. 253. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 254. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 255. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 256. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 257. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 258. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 260–265. Rhagovelia ivimkana n. sp., structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Lakekamu River basin. 260. Wingless male, dorsal habitus; specimen from Sapoi River tributary, CL 7148. 261. Wingless female, dorsal habitus; specimen from Tekadu, CL 7157. 262. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 263. Male right hind leg, dorsal view; 262 and 263 from Sapoi River tributary, CL 7148. 264. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 265. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 264 and 265 from Tekadu, CL 7157a.

FIGS. 267–272. Rhagovelia loriae n. sp., specimens from eastern New Guinea. 267. Wingless male, dorsal habitus; specimen from Dorobisoro, CL 7260. 268. Wingless female, dorsal habitus; specimen from the Cloudy Mountains, CL 7175. 269. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 270. Male right hind leg, dorsal view; 269 and 270 from Dorobisoro, CL 7264. 271. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 272. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 271 and 272 from Dorobisoro, CL 7263.

FIGS. 274–279. Rhagovelia guiagoila n. sp., structural details; specimens from the China Strait islands. 274. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 275. Wingless female, dorsal habitus; 274 and 275 from Sideia Is., Kwabunamoa River, CL 7287. 276. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 277. Male right hind leg, dorsal view; 278. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 279. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 276–279 from Basilaki Is., Kalawai River, CL 7294.

FIGS. 281–284. Rhagovelia basima n. sp., dorsal habitus photographs showing different color forms and morphs; specimens from the D’Entrecasteaux Islands. 281. Wingless male, orange-brown color form, dorsal habitus; specimen from Normanby Is., Dibuwa River, CL 7230. 282. Wingless female, orange-brown color form, dorsal habitus; specimen from Normanby Is., Dibuwa River, CL 7230. 283. Wingless female, dark color form, dorsal habitus; specimen from Fergusson Is., Yaya River, CL 7178. 284. Winged male, dark color form, specimen from Fergusson Is., Mebulibuli Creek, CL 7180.

FIGS. 290–294. Rhagovelia elongata n. sp., structural details; specimens from Goodenough Island. 290. Wingless male, dorsal habitus; specimen from Kuliana Creek, CL 7185. 291. Wingless female, dorsal habitus; specimen from Matalamoia River, CL 7187. 292. Male left hind leg, dorsal view; specimen from Kuliana Creek, CL 7185. 293. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 294. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 293 and 294 from Matalamoia River, CL 7187.

FIGS. 285–288. Rhagovelia basima n. sp., structural details; specimens from the D’Entrecasteaux Islands. 285. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 286. Male right hind leg, dorsal view; 285 and 286 from Normanby Is., Dibuwa River tributary, CL 7230. 287. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 288. Male proctiger, dorsal view; 287 and 288 from Fergusson Is., Yaya River, CL 7178.

FIGS. 12, 13. Rhagovelia suloga n. sp., wings; specimen from Woodlark Island, CL 7217. 12. Forewing, showing the presence of two distal closed cells of unequal size, with the outer cell much shorter than the inner, and in this case the incipient development of a third cell. 13. Hind wing.

FIGS. 106–109. Rhagovelia dibuwa n. sp., dorsal habitus photos, specimens from Normanby Island. 106. Wingless male, dark form, dorsal habitus. 107. Wingless female, dark form, dorsal habitus; 108. Winged male, dark form, dorsal habitus; 106–108 all from Bunama, Apatabuia River, CL 7228. 109. Wingless female, orange-brown form, dorsal habitus, specimen from Dibuwa River, CL 7230.

FIG. 40. The midreach of the Kofure River upstream of its estuary, northwest of Tufi, Oro Prov., Papua New Guinea, CL 7304, type-locality for R. tufi n. sp. and habitat for R. priori Lansbury.

FIG. 47. Rocky tributary to middle Aleater River, Morobe Prov., Papua New Guinea, CL 7245, locality for R. bowutu n. sp.

FIG. 187. A small headwater tributary to the Yaniwe River near Tekadu, Morobe Prov., southern Papua New Guinea, CL 7157a, type-locality for R. tekadu n. sp. and habitat for R. ivimkana n. sp.

FIG. 226. Woa River, Rossel Is., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7196, type-locality for R. yela n. sp., and habitat for R. woa n. sp. and R. mbo n. sp.

FIG. 233. Kolukolu Creek, Tagula Is., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7194, habitat for R. tagula n. sp.

FIG. 239. Keyana Creek, Misima Is., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7206, type-locality for R. bwagabwaga n. sp.

FIG. 259. Stream entering Suloga Harbor, Woodlark Is., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7217, type-locality for R. suloga n. sp.

FIG. 273. Narirogo Creek, Astrolabe Range, Central Prov., Papua New Guinea, CL 7590, habitat for R. loriae n. sp.

FIG. 280. Kalawai River, Basilaki Is., Milne Bay Prov., Papua New Guinea, CL 7294, habitat for R. guiagoila n. sp.

FIG. 289. Lower midreach of the Awaetowa River, near Basima, Fergusson Is., Milne Bay Prov., Papua New Guinea, CL 7183, type-locality for R. basima n. sp.