Rhinocypha pelengensis, Jan van Tol & André Günther, 2018

Jan van Tol & André Günther, 2018, The Odonata of Sulawesi and adjacent islands. Part 8. Revision of the genus Rhinocypha Rambur, 1842 (Chlorocyphidae), Odonatologica 47 (3), pp. 299-386 : 349-354

Rhinocypha pelengensis sp. nov.

( Figs 54–59 , 83 )

Material studied

Holotype ♂. [Sulawesi Tengah], Banggai Archipel , Peleng , 31-vii –05 - - viii-1941, leg. J.J. van der Starre ( JvT 22905 , in RMNH; Fig. 54 ).

Paratypes (4♂ 3♀)

Sulawesi Tengah

3♂ 2♀, Banggai Archipel, Peleng, 31-vii–05-viii-1941, leg. J.J. van der Starre; 1♂ 1♀, Peleng Island, Luksaq [= Desa Luk Sagu], 25-ii–03-iii-1986, leg. S. Nagai (in NSMT).

Etymology

Pelengensis, an adjective based on the name of the island of the type locality.

Diagnosis

The male is characterized by a largely black head with small blue patch- es only on the mandibles and genae ( Fig. 55 ); there is no paired spot on the frons, as present in R. frontalis . The pronotum is black, with just a very

small pale marking on the lateral lobe; synthorax ( Fig. 57 ) with the blue stripe straight, without the characteristic projection on the dorsal side as in R. frontalis , or the ventral projection as in R. monochroa. Dorsum of abdomen fully black, not pruinose or with narrow dorsal transverse stripes as in R. phantasma or R. virgulata , respectively. It differs from R. flavipoda by having smaller blue or yellowish markings on the head (not extending from gena dorsad along the eyes), the absence of blue markings in the latero-ante- rior corner of the median lobe of the pronotum (extending in lateral corner of anterior lobe), and the absence of a distinct pale marking on the lateral lobe of the pronotum. The tibiae of mid and hind legs are white, rather than creamy white to yellow in R. flavipoda ; the opaque part of the wings of R. pelengensis is much smaller than in R. flavipoda , but the abdominal markings are similar. It seems to be closely related to R. togeanensis ; which, however, has fully black mandibles and pronotum, and a more irregular blue stripe over the synthorax. Dorsum of the head of females of R. pelengensis with a paired spot on the frons, while this structure is fully black in R. togeanensis . Male (Holotype; JvT 22905, Fig. 54 )

Head ( Fig. 55 ) — Black. Labium glossy black; labrum distinctly swollen, shiny but with fine transverse striae; mandibles black with triangular spot along outer distal margin; anteclypeus brownish black; remainder of dorsal side of head velvet black; genae with large, triangular blue spots below an- tennae; no stripe along the eye margins dorsad of antennae; very small oval spots behind lateral ocelli and in post-ocular area.

Thorax — Pronotum ( Fig. 56 ) predominantly black, anterior lobe with- out pale markings; median lobe with a very small crescent-shaped mark in latero-anterior corner; lateral lobe with oblong, irregular, creamy white spot; posterior lobe black. Synthorax ( Fig. 57 ) rather glossy with some purple sheen, with a longitudinal pale blue stripe starting anteriorly in ven- tro-posterior corner of mesokatepisternum, continuing on anterior side of mesosternum, running dorsad of metakatepisternum, over metasternum towards ventro-posterior corner of metepimeron; dorsal side of stripe rath- er irregular, but without dorsal projection.

Legs — Black; inner side of mid and hind tibiae almost completely white, including predominantly pruinose parts.

Wings — Opaque brown patches in costal and subcostal space distal to Px2, wedge-shaped with inner margin medially reaching level of nodus; ptero- stigma of fore and hind wings brown

Abdomen ( Fig. 58 ) — Dorsum black with purple sheen, no transverse blue rings anteriorly in any segment; sides of tergites with extensive blue mark- ings as follows: S1 largely blue, but blue marking dorso-anteriorly emar- ginate, with a small ventro-posterior projection; lateral part of tergite 2 blue, with small, ventro-anterior emargination; S3 blue; S4 largely blue with small, subterminal ventro-posterior emargination; S5–S8 with increasingly smaller blue markings, anteriorly broad, tapering caudad more strongly on successive; S9 with small, crescent-shaped blue marking along anterior mar- gin, S10 black.

Measurements [mm] — Hind wing length 23.0; hind wing width 6.0; abdomen (including appendages) 20.0.

Female (JvT 17077)

Head ( Fig. 59 ) — Black. Labium glossy black; labrum distinctly swollen; mandible with squarish yellow spot against lower (distal) margin, sur- rounded by black margin on other sides; gena with triangular creamy yel- low spot below antenna; narrow pale line along eye margins, not connected with spot below antenna; small irregular paired marking on frons; small spots lateral of lateral ocelli and in post-ocular space; all markings creamy yellow.

Thorax — Pronotum black, somewhat glossy, without pale markings. Syn- thorax rather glossy black with some metallic sheen; mesepimeron with inconspicuous short and narrow pale stripe in distal half along humeral suture; stripe over metathoracic spiracle narrow (as compared with other Rhinocypha of Sulawesi), more or less straight, starting in ventro-posterior corner of mesokatepisternum, continuing over metathoracic spiracle to- wards posterior corner of metepimeron, not covering metakatepisternum, shortly interrupted on metepimeron.

Legs — Black.

Wings — With distinct brown opaque transverse band, in fore wing from nodus to ca four Px basal to pterostigma, in hind wing basal to pterostigma, but extending to halfway pterostigma in space below R2; wings basal to transverse bands enfumed, but transparent; hind wing tip distal to ptero- stigma opaque white; pterostigma of fore and hind wings basal ²/₅ brown, rest grey-white, darker against veins.

Abdomen — Dorsum black, tergites with pale, creamy yellow markings rather similar to R. frontalis : S1 with small triangular spot medio-posteri- orly; S2 anteriorly with sub-triangular spot with short ventral projection, sub-oval spot medioventrally, ca three times as long as high, covering ca 60 % of segment length, and triangular spot medio-posteriorly against seg-

ment margin; S3–S7 each with two longitudinal markings, one along ante- rior border of each segment, just above lateral margin of tergite, about 50% of the height of tergite in lateral view, the other spot medially against ventral margin of each segment, about 50% of segment length of S3, decreasing in length to ca 25 % on S7; S8 with a short marking along anterior margin, S9–S10 black.

Variation in paratypes

Measurements of male specimens [mm] — Hind wing length (n = 4) x= 23.5 (23.0–24.0); hind wing width (n = 4) x= 6.0 (5.5–6.0); abdomen length (in- cluding appendages) (n = 3) x= 20.0 (19.5–20.0).

Measurements of female specimens [mm] — Hind wing length (n= 2) 24.5–25.0; hind wing width (n= 2) 5.5–6.0; abdomen length (n= 2) 18.5–19.0.

Distribution and habitat

Rhinocypha pelengensis has only been recorded from Peleng Island in the Banggai archipelago ( Fig. 83 ). We have no further data on the locality ‘Luksaq’. According to data and photographs on internet, a small waterfall is located close to the village of Luk Sagu. These specimens were entrusted by the late Dr S. Asahina to JvT in 1993, when JvT had the opportunity to study parts of the Asahina collection.

Figures

Figure 54. Rhinocypha pelengensis sp. nov. Male, holotype. Sulawesi Tengah, Banggai Arch., Peleng, 31-vii–05-viii-1941 [JvT 22905]. Photo: JvT

Figures 55–59. Rhinocypha pelengensis sp. nov. All from Sulawesi Tengah. 55 – Male, head, frontal view. Pulau Peleng, 31-vii–05-viii-1941 [JvT 22905]; 56 – Male, pronotum, lef lateral view. Same locality [JvT 22904]; 57 – Male, synthorax, lef lateral view. Same locality [JvT 22906]; 58 – Male, abdomen, lef lateral view. Same locality [JvT 22898]; 59 – Female, head, dorsal view. Peleng Island, 25­ii–03­ -iii-1986 [JvT 33003]. Artwork by JvT

Figure 83. Distribution of Rhinocypha flavipoda sp. nov., R. pelengensis sp. nov. and R. togeanensis sp. nov.