Rhagovelia loriae, Polhemus, 2024

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 : 160-165

Rhagovelia loriae new species

(Figs. 54, 61, 145, 203, 212, 216, 267–272, 295)

Type material examined. Holotype, wingless male: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central Prov. , New Guinea, Owen Stanley Range, trib. to upper Mimani River, 0.8 km. W of Dorobisoro, 500 m., water temp. 23.5 °C., 9 October 2003, 08:30–12:30 hrs., 9°27'39.1"S, 147°54'56.2"E, CL 7264, D. A. Polhemus ( BPBM) . Paratypes: PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Central Prov., New Guinea: 2 winged males, 1 winged female, 72 wingless males, 69 wingless females, same data as holotype, CL 7264, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 3 wingless males, 2 wingless females, Eio Creek, nr. Baruanumu, E. of Port Moresby , 505 m., [vic. 9°25'27"S, 147°24'10"E], 22 September 1983, CL 1840, D. A. & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM ex JTPC, BPBM) ; 1 wingless male, 3 wingless females, Musgrave (Aieme) River at Awarere Plantation, E. of Port Moresby , 230 m., [9°26'12"S, 147°35'57"E], 22 September 1983, CL 1841, D. A. & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM ex JTPC) ; 2 wingless females, Laloki River, 2 km. W. of Sogeri, E. of Port Moresby , 500 m., [9°25'27"S, 147°24'10"E], 22 September 1983, CL 1844, D. A. & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM ex JTPC) ; 2 winged males, 1 winged female, 14 wingless males, 10 wingless females, Owen Stanley Range, upper Mimani River , 1.70 km. NE of Dorobisoro, 535 m., 9°27'25"S, 147°56'15"E, water temp. 23.5 °C., 7 October 2003, 13:00–15:00 hrs., CL 7260b, small flowing spring adjacent to main river channel, D. A. Polhemus ( BPBM, USNM) ; 9 winged males, 2 winged females, 5 wingless males, 2 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) ; 1 winged male, 15 wingless males, 15 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) ; 4 winged males, 1 winged females, 6 wingless males, 6 wingless females, Owen Stanley Range, trib. to upper Mimani River , 2.0 km. NE of Dorobisoro, 565 m., water temp. 22.5 °C., 7 October 2003, 13:40–14:20 hrs., 9°27'21"S, 147°56'25"E, CL 7261, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 2 winged males, 24 wingless males, 36 wingless females, 1 immature, Astrolabe Range, Varirata National Park, Narirogo Creek along Varirata Lookout trail, 755 m., 9°26'12"S, 147°14'11"E, water temp 24° C., 5 November 2016, CL 7590, D. A. Polhemus ( BPBM) . Milne Bay Prov.: 21 winged males, 10 winged females, 27 wingless males, 28 wingless females, headwater reach of Goilayoli River above crossing on road from Watunou to Huhuna , 11.5 mi. ENE of Alotau, 275 m., 6 April 2002, 10:00–13:00 hrs., CL 7161, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 9 winged males, 3 winged females, 22 wingless males, 10 wingless females, Upalai River at Haluwia, 8.5 mi. E. of Alotau on East Cape road, terminal reach, 0– 30 m., 10°20'28"S, 150°34'23"E, water temp. 26–26.5° C., 4 April 2002, 09:30–12:00 hrs., CL 7162, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 5 winged males, 19 wingless males, 14 wingless females, Upalai River at Haluwia, 8.5 mi. E. of Alotau on East Cape road, midreach and waterfall approx. 2.5 km. above mouth, 45– 75 m., 10°19'39"S, 150°34'36"E, water temp. 24.5° C., 5 April 2002, 09:45–16:30 hrs., CL 7163, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 11 winged males, 6 winged females, 58 wingless males, 63 wingless females, Cloudy Mountains, headwater tributary to upper Watuti River, S. of Gelemalaia , 715 m., 10°29'50"S, 150°13'58"E, water temp. 22° C., 10 April 2002, 16:00–17:30 hrs., CL 7175, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 20 winged males, 10 winged females, 25 wingless males, 26 wingless females, same locality as preceding but 6 April 2002, CL 7175, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 4 winged males, 8 wingless males, 2 wingless females, Tunaboga Creek at Awaiama mission station, N. side of East Cape peninsula, 10 m., 10°14'04"S, 150°31'38"E, water temp. 26.5° C., 11 April 2002, 12:30–13:30 hrs., CL 7171, J. T. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 14 wingless males, 16 wingless females, New Guinea, Pini Range, spring and streamlet nr. old Duabo mission station, 300 m., 10°25'05"S, 150°18'24"E, water temp. 25° C., 9 April 2002, 14:00–15:00 hrs., CL 7170, D. A. & J. T. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) ; 2 wingless males, 2 wingless females, clear rocky stream at Tautili , SW of Alotau, 30 m., 10°29'05"S, 150°06'33"E, water temp. 27° C., 31 January 2002, 10:30 hrs., CL 7159, D. A. Polhemus ( USNM) ; 1 winged male, 5 wingless males, 6 wingless females, same locality as preceding but 10 April 2002, CL 7159, J. T. Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM) .

Description

Wingless male: Size: Length = 3.60–3.90 mm (x = 3.77, n = 5); width = 1.20–1.30 mm (x = 1.23, n = 5). Wingless female, length = 3.70–4.00 mm (x = 3.84, n = 5); width = 1.30–1.40 mm, (x = 1.38, n = 5). Winged male, length = 3.90–4.05 mm (x = 3.95, n = 3); width = 1.40–1.50 mm (x = 1.43, n = 3). Winged female, length = 4.10 mm (n = 1); width = 1.50 mm (n = 1).

Color: Dorsal ground colour black, marked with pale orange on anterior pronotum and connexiva, pale yellow to orange on basal antennae and legs ( Fig. 267 ). Head black; rostrum pale brown, piceous distally; eyes dark red. Pronotum yellowish-orange on anterior one-third, black on posterior two-thirds, the pale anterior coloration extending laterally and ventrally onto propleurae. Mesonotum, metanotum and abdominal tergites I–VI, VIII and IX black, tergite VII dark orange-brown anteromedially, all tergites except tergite VII uniformly dull and lacking shining areas, tergite VII broadly shining centrally, connexiva black on inner halves, dark orange on outer halves. Antennal segment I with basal two-thirds pale yellow, distal third, plus all of segments II–IV black. Legs generally black, with coxae, trochanters, basal half of fore femur, basal quarter of hind femur dorsally, majority of ventral fore and hind femur pale yellow. Venter dark orange, except acetabula pale yellow.

Structural characters: Head moderately short, declivant anteriorly, with weakly impressed median line; length 0.35, width 0.80; length of eye along inner margin 0.30, anterior/posterior interocular space, 0.20/0.45. Pronotum long, width 1.25, length along midline 0.90, much greater than dorsal length of head, leaving mesonotum barely exposed, posterior lobe lacking evident foveae; mesonotum exposed only as a small crescent posterior to pronotum, lacking foveae, length at midline 0.05; metanotum moderately exposed, length at midline 0.15. Lengths of abdominal tergites I–VIII, respectively: 0.20: 0.30: 0.25: 0.25: 0.25: 0.28: 0.45: 0.30. Connexiva with margins of even width throughout, nearly straight and evenly convergent posteriorly, posterolateral angles not modified, separated by entire width of tergite VIII.

Entire dorsum and laterotergites covered with fine, appressed pale pubescence, intermixed with scattered longer, semi-recumbent setae, a few stout black setae present anterolaterally on pronotum; legs and antennae thickly clothed with short appressed gold setae, with scattered long, erect black setae on anterodorsal faces of antennal segments I and II, anterior margins of all femora, posterior margins of fore and middle femora; fore tibia with a brush of semi-erect brown setae along posterior margin; hind femur with a few long, pilose, brown setae along posterior margin; fore and middle trochanters lacking pegs or teeth; fore and middle femora straight, with ventral faces slightly flattened; fore tibia slightly expanded and ventrally flattened on distal one-fourth; middle tibia straight, cylindrical, not modified; hind trochanter bearing 5 small dark pegs ventrally; hind femur highly incrassate for most of its length but markedly constricted just before distal apex, bearing two parallel rows of teeth, ventral row lying in area covered by infolded hind tibia and consisting of approximately 18 tiny black pegs basally, followed by 3 subequal sized small black teeth, then a much larger tooth, then three much smaller teeth of progressively decreasing size toward apex; dorsal row of teeth commencing near middle of femur with two small teeth preceding a much larger, acute orange-brown tooth with a black apex, followed by 3 smaller black teeth of subequal size, then another large, robust orange-brown tooth with a black apex, then 3–4 small black teeth of progressively decreasing size; hind tibia broadly and gently sinuate, inner surface bearing 2 parallel rows of 10–12 small dark teeth on basal two-thirds, then a dorsal row of 7 larger black teeth of gradually decreasing size approaching tibial apex, plus a ventral row of 2 moderate sized black teeth followed by 4 smaller teeth running to apex ( Figs. 269, 270 ).

Venter of head and thorax with jugum, entire lateral width of propleura, lateral portions of meso- and metasterna, all acetabula, and central portions of abdominal ventrites II, III and basal portion of IV bearing numerous small black denticles ( Fig. 212 ); mesosternum slightly depressed centrally, margins of this depression and central metasternum bearing long, fine, erect gold setae; abdominal venter set with short appressed gold setae, patches of longer, fine, erect gold setae present along longitudinal midline of abdominal ventrites II–VI; basal abdominal ventrites highly sculptured, ventrite I lying in vertical orientation, remaining ventrites horizontal and all in similar plane, ventrite II with an acute longitudinal carina of V-shaped cross section medially, this carina continuing in less pronounced form onto ventrites III–VI, ventrite VII broadly and shallowly depressed centrally, ventrite VIII longitudinally carinate medially, with a pair (1+1) of shallow, concave depressions to either side of this raised midline.

Male paramere small, bean-shaped, distal section upturned, apex angular ( Fig. 271 ). Male proctiger with basolateral lobes well developed, angular; distolateral lobes large, broadly rounded; distal cone blunt, with apex rounded ( Fig. 272 ).

Lengths of antennal segments I–IV: 0.80: 0.50: 0.65: 0.55.

Lengths of leg segments as follows: femur, tibia, tarsal 1, tarsal 2 of fore leg, 1.00: 1:10: 0.03: 0.02: 0.25; of middle leg, 1.85: 1.30: 0.07: 0.55: 0.80; of hind leg, 1.75: 1.55: 0.05: 0.10: 0.35.

Wingless female: Similar to wingless male in general structure and coloration, with following exceptions: abdominal tergites V–VII orange-brown and shining centrally; connexival margins strongly convergent posteriorly adjacent to abdominal tergites I–IV, then nearly parallel with only slight posterior convergence adjacent to tergites V–IX, margins slightly infolded so as to cover extreme lateral sections of tergites V–IX, connexival margins adjacent to tergites III and IV narrowed and glabrous, shining gold in colour ( Fig. 216 ); posterolateral connexival angles forming right angles, bearing dense tufts of moderately long black setae, these tufts posteriorly angular in lateral view; abdominal tergite VIII and proctiger deflected downward 45° from vertical, bearing tufts of golden-brown setae laterally; hind femur only weakly incrassate, posterior margin bearing a single row of teeth, consisting of a three small black teeth, then a large, slender, sharp tooth with a black apex, followed by 4 smaller black teeth of progressively decreasing size to tibial apex; hind tibia straight, inner surface lacking teeth or pegs; ventral coloration predominantly orange-brown, with meso- and metasternum plus abdominal ventrites I and II darker reddish brown; all abdominal ventrites lying in similar horizontal plane; metasternum and abdominal ventrites I–III medially tumescent, with patches of short, dense gold setae centrally, ventrites IV and V depressed basomedially ( Fig. 203 ).

Winged male: Similar to wingless male in general structure and coloration, with following exceptions: pronotum greatly enlarged, width 1.40, length 1.35, completely covering meso- and metanotum, anterior lobe orange-brown faintly covered with frosty silver pruinosity, divided by narrow dark brown stripe along longitudinal midline; humeri enlarged, slightly protrusive laterally; posterior pronotal lobe black, broadly domed, posterior half with obscure dark fovae, posterior margin broadly angular, bearing scattered long, gently curving, semi-erect black setae; forewings uniformly dark blackish-brown, 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 distally near center of wing, with outer distal cell smaller than inner. Hind femur less incrassate that in male, hind tibia straight, not sinuate.

Winged female: Similar to winged male in body form and coloration, with following exceptions: body size larger, pronotum width 1.50, length 1.40.

Etymology. The name “loriae ” honors Italian entomologist Alberto Loria, who made early collections of aquatic Heteroptera and other insects in New Guinea.

Distribution. The Papuan Peninsula of eastern New Guinea ( Fig. 295 ). The species range as presently known occupies the South Papuan Peninsula Foreland and Cloudy Mountains areas of freshwater endemism (Areas 30 and 34) as delineated by D. Polhemus & Allen (2007).

Discussion. Rhagovelia loriae and allied species are relatively large, elongate members of the R. papuensis group, and have the female connexival margins thinned, glabrous, and bowed inward to varying degrees adjacent to abdominal tergites III and IV ( Figs. 216–219 ). Females of R. loriae may be recognized within this subgroup by the form of the basal abdominal ventrites, with ventrites II and III bearing thick tufts of posteriorly-directed golden setae centrally along their longitudinal midlines, with the latter tuft projecting over the anterior portion of ventrite IV ( Fig. 203 ). Ventrite IV in turn bears a transverse sulcus on its anterior half, which is most evident when viewed laterally, while ventrite V has a transversely ovate depression centrally.

The males of the R. loriae subgroup may be separated on the basis of male genitalic characters. The parameres of all four species are bean-shaped as is typical in the R. papuensis group, but show small variations in the shape of the dorsal apex, this being angular in R. loriae ( Fig. 271 ); rounded and slightly tapered in R. elongata ( Fig. 293 ); slightly indented in R. guiagoila ( Fig. 278 ); and short and truncate in R. basima ( Fig. 287 ). The proctiger in R. basima is more elongate than in the other three species ( Fig. 288 ); these latter all have similarly angular basolateral lobes with slight differences in the expansion and shape of the distolateral lobes (compare Figs. 272 , 279 , 294 ).

Males of R. loriae subgroup can also be separated by the density and distribution of small black denticles on the venter, these being more dense and extensive in males than in females. In males of R. loriae such denticles are present on all sterna and acetabula as well as abdominal ventrites II, III and the basal half of ventrite IV, being particularly dense on the propleura and mesopleura ( Fig. 212 ). In lateral view the denticles are present in varying density across the entire width of the propleura, extending upward and laterally, although somewhat sparser centrally.

In R. elongata from Goodenough Island the denticles do not extend upward along the propleura except immediately adjacent to the eye, nor are they present on the mesopleura ( Fig. 215 ). When viewed laterally, a patch of denticles is present on at the posteroventral corner of the propleural area where it adjoins the proacetabula. They are also often absent on the mesoactebula, with at most a very few present on the inner margin, and sparsely present on the adjacent lateral mesosternum, but absent on the central mesosternum, as well as on the metasternum and basal abdominal ventrites.

In R. guiagoila from Basilaki and Sideia islands the denticles on the prosternum, mesosternum, and associated acetabula are similar in density and distribution to the state seen in R. elongata , except that they are absent at the posteroventral margin of the propleural area, but by contrast are present on abdominal ventrites II and III ( Fig. 213 ).

In R. basima from Normanby Island the denticles on the prosternum, mesosternum, and associated acetabula are similar in density and distribution to the state seen in R. guiagoila , except that they are very sparse on the propleura, being absent posterodorsally, although they are present at the posteroventral corner. On the abdomen they are sparsely present on abdominal ventrites II and III, but only centrally, adjacent to and on the flanks of the longitudinal medial carina ( Fig. 214 ).

For other character systems separating these species refer to the key.

Ecological notes. As indicated in the listing of material examined, Rhagovelia loriae is nearly ubiquitous on rocky streams at low to intermediate elevations in the southward-flowing drainages of the Papuan Peninsula from the Astrolabe Range near Port Moresby eastward to Milne Bay (Figs. 54, 61, 145), and is the most commonly encountered Rhagovelia species in this area. By contrast, it is not present in any of the proximal island groups, where other members of the R. loriae subgroup occur instead. The species has been taken at elevations up to 715 m in the Cloudy Mountains, but more typically occurs on stream midreaches at elevations between 10– 500 m.

The type-locality for R. loriae was a tributary to the Mimani River lying west and downstream of Dorobisoro (CL 7264). This was a cool, clear, moderately swift creek (Figs. 54), which made an abrupt transition from a rocky upland hill stream to a valley floor stream with an alluvial bed. The stream was 3–5 m in width, flowing in a channel of clean, mixed metamorphic rock types via small cascades, riffles and pools, with the water depth varying from 0.3–0.7 m in the latter. Rhagovelia loriae was more abundant here than on the rocky, higher gradient mountain creeks several kilometers upstream in the Mimani River valley.

Figures

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. 212–215. Rhagovelia loriae subgroup, ventral thorax showing distribution and density of black denticles on the fore and middle acetabula. 212. Rhagovelia loriae n. sp.; specimen from New Guinea, Dorobisoro, CL 7260. 213. Rhagovelia guiagoila n. sp.; specimen from Basilaki Is., Kalawai River, CL 7294. 214. Rhagovelia basima n. sp.; specimen from Fergusson Is., Yaya River, CL 7178. 215. Rhagovelia elongata n. sp.; specimen from Goodenough Is., Kuliana Creek, CL 7185.

FIGS. 216–219. Rhagovelia loriae subgroup, female dorsal abdomen showing central portion of the connexival margin, with varying degrees of flexure and thinning. 216. Rhagovelia loriae n. sp.; specimen from New Guinea, Watuti River, CL 7175. 217. Rhagovelia guiagoila n. sp.; specimen from Sideia Is., Kwabunamoa River, CL 7287. 218. Rhagovelia basima n. sp.; specimen from Fergusson Is., Yaya River, CL 7178. 219. Rhagovelia elongata n. sp.; specimen from Goodenough Is., Matalamoia River, CL 7187.

FIGS. 203–208. Rhagovelia papuensis group, female ventral abdomen showing locations of depressions and patterns of setiferation. 203. Rhagovelia loriae n. sp.; specimen from New Guinea, Dorobisoro, CL 7260. 204. Rhagovelia guiagoila n. sp.; specimen from Basilaki Is., Kalawai River, CL 7294. 205. Rhagovelia basima n. sp.; specimen from Fergusson Is., Yaya River, CL 7178. 206. Rhagovelia elongata n. sp.; specimen from Goodenough Is., Matalamoia River, CL 7187. 207. Rhagovelia bwagabwaga n. sp.; specimen from Misima Is., Keyana Creek, CL 7206. 208. Rhagovelia priori n. sp.; specimen from New Guinea, Kofure River, CL 7304.

FIG. 295. Distributions of species in the R. loriae subgroup on eastern New Guinea and adjacent islands.

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. 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. 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.