Nososticta africana ( Schmidt, 1944 )

Theischinger, Günther, Mitchell, Andrew, Richards, Stephen J. & Polhemus, Dan A., 2023, Systematics of the Nososticta salomonis complex (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platycnemididae), Zootaxa 5296 (2), pp. 101-146 : 115

Nososticta africana ( Schmidt, 1944)

( Figs 17–23 , 55, 57 , Map 2 , Pl. 2)

Notoneura africana Schmidt, 1944: 43 .

Material examined. Holotype ♁ (photographs). The labels state: Massawa, Eritrea, 29-xii-1907 ( MfN Berlin). The specimen probably comes from Massua on New Britain Island , Papua New Guinea ( Gassmann 2015).

Papua New Guinea, West New Britain Province: 1 ♁, West New Britain Prov., spring and creek on E. slope of Mt Garbuna , 35 m a.s.l., 5°26’41”S, 150°05’10”E, water temp. 27° C, 15-i-2005, CL 7351 , D.A. Polhemus; 2 ♁♁, 1 ♀, West New Britain Prov., trib. to Kopiura River , SW of Ubai, 310 m a.s.l., 5°45’26”S, 150°34’50”E, water temp. 27° C, 12-i-2005, CL 7343 , D.A. Polhemus; 1 ♁, West New Britain Prov., freshwater swamp behind beach nr Walindi Plantation , sea level, 5°26’25”S, 150°05’19”E, water temp. 26° C, 11-i-2005, CL 7339 , D.A. Polhemus; all in BPBM; following all from New Britain Island: 1 ♀, Lindenhafen, Cocos Grove , 23-iv-1956, J.L. Gressitt ( RMNH) ; 1 ♁, 1 ♀, Metelen R. [Metelen River, trib. to upper Kopiura River ], 20 mi SE of Ruango, vii-1970, Jindrich leg. Ex coll. Donnelly ( RMNH). East New Britain Province: 1 ♁, 1 ♀, largely pulverised; 3 ♁♁, 6 ♀♀, Gazelle Pen., Kerawat , 60 m a.s.l., Primary bush, ix-1-55, JLG. ( RMNH) ; 1 ♁, 1♀, Gazelle Pen., Warongoi Valley , 24-v-1956; Bishop ( RMNH) ; 2 ♁♁, Vunabakan [Vunavakan Plantation], 16-20-xi-1959, J.L. Gressitt ( RMNH). Papua New Guinea, New Ireland Province: 2 ♁♁, 1 ♀, Lihir Island , town area, 3°03’S, 152°36’E, 20–26-x-2001, M. Humphrey & M. Moulds ( AM) ; 3 ♁♁, 1 ♀, Lihir Island , town area, 3°03’S, 152°36’E, 20-26-x-2001, M. Moulds & M. Humphrey ( AM); Morobe Province: 1 ♁, NE New Guinea, Morobe Dist. Bulolo , vi-1970, Jindrich; ex coll. Donnelly ( RMNH) .

Affinities. Based on the present study ( Fig. 6 ), N. africana is sister to the remaining taxa of the N. salomonis complex which can be subdivided into a northern and a southern group ( Fig. 6 ).

Differential diagnosis. Nososticta africana can be distinguished from all other members of the N. salomonis complex except N. tagula sp. nov. by having abdominal segment 2 marked with blue dorsally. It can be distinguished from N. tagula sp. nov. by having one or two blue antero-dorsal marks and one postero-dorsal mark on segment 2 (vs. only a blue postero-dorsal mark). Nososticta africana is known only from the Bismarck Archipelago, while N. tagula sp. nov. is known only from the Louisiade Archipelago.

Distribution. Most records of N. africana are from the islands of New Britain, New Ireland and Lihir in the Bismarck Archipelago, but there is a single record of this species from Bulolo in Morobe Province on mainland New Guinea ( Maps 2 , 4 , Pl. 2). It is an ecologically adaptable species that occurs along small, clear streams in primary forest, degraded forest, and heavily modified landscapes such as gardens and plantations. Gassmann (2015) provides the first record ([his Site 37]) from New Ireland (a male specimen reported from “New Ireland, between Lagagon and Fissoa, 93 km south to Kavieng, at East Coast Highway, 23.vi.1997, stagnant creek in forest (not very clean).”

Figures

MAP 2.—Distribution of Nososticta africana (Schmidt) in the Bismarck Archipelago and adjacent Huon Peninsula.

MAP 4.—Distribution of species of the Nososticta salomonis complex on mainland New Guinea.

FIGURE 6. Bayesian tree from concatenated (all genes) data set. Numbers above branches are BI posterior probabilities and ML bootstrap values shown only if ≥ 0.9 and 70%, respectively.

FIGURES 17–18. Nososticta africana (Schmidt). Male holotype plus labels. (17) dorsal; (18) right lateral.

FIGURES 19–23. Nososticta africana (Schmidt). (19–21) male: (19) in life; (20) synthorax, schematically; (21) abdominal segment 2, dorsal; (22–23) female: (22) synthorax, schematically; (23) in life.

FIGURES 55–65. Nososticta species. (55, 56) male abdominal segment 2, dorsal: (55) N. africana (Schmidt); (56) N. tagula sp. nov.; (57–65) synthorax, schematically: (57) N. africana (Schmidt), female; (58) N. tagula sp. nov., female; (59, 60) N. hedigeri sp. nov.: (59) male; (60) female; (61, 62) N. stueberi sp. nov.: (61) male; (62) female; (63) N. chrismulleri Theischinger & Richards, male; (64, 65) N. boonei sp. nov.: (64) female; (65) male.