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

Rhagovelia loriae subgroup

The R. loriae subgroup is a set of species occurring in the south-flowing drainages of the eastern Papuan Peninsula, on the adjacent islands bordering the China Strait, and in the D'Entrecasteaux island group ( Fig. 295 ). It contains four species, R. loriae , R. guiagoila , R. basima and R. elongata , which are united within the context of the regional biota by unique features of the morphology of the female abdomen, and by their rather large and elongate body shapes in comparison to other members of the R. papuensis group. In particular, the female connexival margins are thinned and sometimes glabrous adjacent to abdominal tergites III and IV, clearly lacking the setiferation present on preceding basal connexival segments, and are bowed inward and concave to varying degrees ( Figs. 216–219 ). Female abdominal ventrites II and III are tumescent, and bear posteriorly-directed patches of golden setae posteromedially, with such setal patches also sometimes present on ventrite IV. Abdominal ventrite IV is either centrally depressed or transversely sulcate, with a similar central depression sometimes also present on abdominal ventrite V, with the golden setae on the posteromedial portions of the preceding segments projecting posteriorly over these depressions ( Figs. 203–206 ). Males are more slender and elongate than other members of the R. papuensis group occurring in the EPCT, with body length-to-width ratios greater than 3.0, and also have the hind femur highly incrassate, the hind tibia strongly sinuate in fully developed specimens, and the male hind trochanter, femur and tibia heavily armed with pegs and teeth ( Figs. 270 , 277 , 286 , 292 ). The male ventral abdomen has a well-developed longitudinal medial carina of triangular cross-section on male abdominal ventrites II–VI, and ventrite VII bears a shallow, tongue-shaped depression centrally. All the included species possess small black denticles ventrally on the prosternum adjacent to the rostrum, and often more extensively on the mesosternum, metasternum, acetabula, and basal abdominal ventrites ( Figs. 212–215 ).

The members of this subgroup are common on rocky streams at middle and lower elevations down to the heads of the estuaries ( Figs. 273 , 280 , 289 ), but are not generally found at higher elevations above 1000 m.

Figures

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

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.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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.