Pygatyphella wisselmerenia, Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2009

Ballantyne, Lesley A. & Lambkin, Christine, 2009, Systematics of Indo-Pacific fireflies with a redefinition of Australasian Atyphella Olliff, Madagascan Photuroluciola Pic, and description of seven new genera from the Luciolinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), Zootaxa 1997, pp. 1-188 : 105-106

Pygatyphella wisselmerenia sp. n.

( Figs 479–487)

Holotype. Male. IRIAN JAYA: 3.55S, 136.21E Moanemani, Kamo Valley , 1500m, 15.viii.1962, JS ( BPBM).

Paratypes (22). Same data as holotype, 14 males, 2 females. IRIAN JAYA: 3.55S, 136.21E Wisselmeren: Itouda , Kamo valley , 1500–1700 m, 18.viii.1962, JS , male; 13.viii.1955, JLG, male. Enarotadi , 1500m, 14.viii.1962, JS , 3 males. Urapura– Itouda, Kamo Valley , 12.viii.1955, JLG, male ( BPBM) .

Diagnosis. Similar to the ‘ obsoleta ’ complex in its dorsal colouration, distinguished from all other Pygatyphella by the extensive LO in V7 which reaches to sides and almost to the posterior margin, and the lack of any arching of the area posterior to the LO.

Male. 8.2–10.2 mm long; 3.4–4.0 mm wide; W/L 0.4. Colour ( Fig. 479, 480): Pronotum pale yellowish, posteromedian area with subtriangular brown area (extending to posterior margin) in one Itouda male, entirely pale in one Itouda male, and with median brown area restricted and somewhat irregular in remainder; semitransparent, underlying pale fat body makes pronotum appear slightly paler than elytra, MN pale with faint traces of median brown areas not reaching inner and anterior margins in 4/11 (Moanami); MN entirely pale (Itouda male); MN with median brown areas dark brown in 5/11 (Itouda and Moanami); MS light brown with narrow median dark marking in all but 2 Itouda males where median marking is 1/2 width of MS and ¾ its length; elytra pale brown, semitransparent, with fat body fairly regularly distributed in small clumps; subtriangular basal dark area is darker along extreme base of suture, not approaching outer margins of MS, reaching to anterior margin of elytron, not covering outer anterior edge of humerus, and is paler brown in outer half; head very dark reddish brown, antennae and palpi slightly lighter, under surface of thorax light brown except for very dark brown metasternum and apparently pale metepipleural plates (underlying fat body confuses interpretation); legs pale with dark brown tibiae and tarsi; basal ventrites very dark brown; LO creamy white, occupying almost all of V7 with narrow posterior margin semitransparent (muscle impressions not visible here); basal tergites light brown with paired darker spots in lateral areas, T7 pale brown semitransparent, T8 yellowish semitransparent. Pronotum: 1.7–2.0 mm long; 3.0– 3.5 mm wide; W/L 1.7; lateral margins divergent posteriorly with rounded convergence on both sides in all but one male where R side is angulate; posterolateral corners approximately 90° and angulate, inclined obliquely to median line; slight kink in lateral margins on both sides. Elytron: parallel-sided; 6.5–8.2 mm long; with 2 well–defined interstitial lines. Head: can be retracted partially within prothoracic cavity, usually visible from above; GHW 1.8–2.1 mm; SIW 0.25 mm; SIW/GHW 0.1; ASD<ASW (sockets very close not contiguous). Abdomen, ventrites ( Fig. 487): LO in V7 reaching to sides and almost posterior margin, not emarginated across posterior margin; posterior area of V7 very narrow, not arched or swollen; posterolateral areas of V7 rounded, corners not obvious. MPP short, dorsal surface lacking ridge; posterior margin rounded. Tergites: T8 longer than wide, not strongly sclerotised, posterior margin rounded; ventral surface lacking median longitudinal groove; anterolateral prolongations elongate (shorter than posterior entire portion), narrow, not obviously expanded vertically and lacking projections from their bases. Aedeagal sheath ( Figs 483, 484): emargination of right side of sternite begins at point of attachment of tergal arms laterally; anterior margin of tergite darker than rest, all of tergite component quite short. Aedeagus ( Figs 485, 486): L/W>3/1; LL/ML moderate; LL divergent along length dorsally, a little shorter than ML at apices; outer preapical area of LL slightly produced and rounded; inner apical area of LL prolonged, short and narrow; preapical inner margin of LL with very small tooth; base of LL not asymmetrically produced; ML lacking lateral teeth.

Female. 9.5–10.0 mm long. Coloured ( Fig 481, 482) as for male with these exceptions: pronotum pale with no dark markings in one, with very faint brown markings in second female; MS with short narrow median dark line half as long as MS and not extending to posterior margin; elytra almost entirely pale in one, second female with irregular and very pale markings at elytral base along inner two interstitial lines and a single brown preapical spot near elytra apex; second female has extensive basal colour of male but considerably paler brown; V7,8 light brown semitransparent; V7 with posterior median emargination and posterolateral corners broadly rounded; posterior margin of V8 with narrow medial emargination; lateral margins of T8 converge posteriorly with a small emargination in each side just before the straight posterior margin.

Larva. Not associated.

Etymology. The specific name, the type locality, is considered as a noun in apposition. This species exhibits the characteristic dorsal colouration of the ‘ obsoleta complex’ and the distinctive aedeagal modifications but ventrite 7 is neither arched nor swollen and the LO occupies most of this ventrite.