Rhagovelia woa, 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 : 182

Rhagovelia woa subgroup

The R. woa subgroup contains two species occurring in the Louisiade Islands: R. woa , endemic to Rossel Island, and R. riu , endemic to Tagula Island. As noted previously, the mesonotal morphology in these species is diagnostic for the R. caesius group, but their body forms are more elongate than other members of this group, with the female connexiva folded inward posteriorly (Figs. 298, 304), and males are only slightly smaller than females, with both sexes having bodies of nearly equal width (Figs. 297, 298, 303, 304). This stands in sharp contrast to members of the R. grisea subgroup, where females are much larger than males ( Figs. 310, 311 , 316, 317 , 321, 322 ), with much wider, more ovate body shapes, and the female connexiva are not folded inward ( Figs. 311 , 317 , 322 ).

Figures

FIGS. 310–314. Rhagovelia grisea n. sp., structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Muguwe Creek, CL 7169. 310. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 311. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 312. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 313. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 314. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 316–320. Rhagovelia caesius Lansbury, structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Aleater River, CL 7241. 316. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 317. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 318. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 319. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 320. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 321–324. Rhagovelia cheesmanae n. sp., structural details; wingless and winged morphs; specimens from New Guinea, Udabe River, CL 7247. 321. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 322. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 323. Winged male, dorsal habitus. 324. Winged female, dorsal habitus.