Enithares loria Brooks

Polhemus, Dan A., 2020, Nine new species of Enithares (Heteroptera: Notonectidae) from New Guinea, with distributional notes on other species and an updated world checklist, Zootaxa 4772 (1), pp. 132-182 : 167-168

Enithares loria Brooks

( Figs. 40 , 62 , 63 )

Enithares loria Brooks 1948: 45 .

Material examined. INDONESIA, Irian Jaya Prov. [Papua Prov.], New Guinea: 4 males, 1 female, ponds next to airstrip at PTFI Siewa exploration camp, 60 m., 3°02′13′′S, 136°22′34′′E, water temp. 28.5° C., 3 April 1998, 10:30–11:15 hrs. and 17 April 1998, 09:30–11:00 hrs., CL 7085, D. A . Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM); 4 males, 2 females, 1 immature, roadside pond, 1.2 km. N. of PTFI Siewa exploration camp along old logging road, 60 m., 3°01′45′′S, 136°22′08′′E, water temp. 30° C., 9 April 1998, 12:00–13:00 hrs., CL 7093, D. A . Polhemus ( USNM, BPBM); 1 female, pools in sandy overflow channel branching from Tiri River (trib. to Doorman River ), 4.5 km. SW of Dabra, 80 m., 3°17′30′′S, 138°34′53′′E, water temp. 25 °C., 9–13 September 2000, CL 7141, D. A . Polhemus ( USNM) . PAPUA NEW GUINEA, Western Prov.: 5 males, 6 females, 1 immature, Bossett’s Lagoon , 11 October 1985, K. Hortle ( USNM) . SOLOMON ISLANDS, Malaita Prov.: 4 males, 3 females, 1 immature , Malaita, pond in cattle pasture, 11 km. N. of Auki on road to Dala , 10 m., 8°40′23′′S, 160°40′57′′E, water temp. 31° C., 31 July 2005, 13:00–14:00 hrs., CL 7414, D. A . Polhemus ( USNM) . AUSTRALIA, Western Australia: 1 male, Kimberly Plateau, Drysdale River at Kalumburu Road , 395 m., 15°41′05′′S, 126°22′44′′E, 23 August 2004, CL 4993, D. A . Polhemus and J. T. Polhemus ( USNM) .

Discussion. Enithares loria is a small species with prominent, rounded eyes ( Fig. 62 ), and is easily recognized by the vertically produced PL of the male genitalia, which is covered with coarse spinules ( Fig. 40 ). In comparison to E. bakeri , the PL is elongate vertically in E. loria , versus broad and stout in E. bakeri (compare Figs. 39, 40 ), although bearing short, stout, spine-like setae in both species. In addition, the distal portion of the LABP, although showing some clear similarities, is more elongate and finger-like in E. loria .

This is the species treated as “ Enithares sp. undet #1′′ by D. Polhemus (2000) in the Conservation International rapid assessment report covering surveys in the Wapoga River Basin of north Indonesian New Guinea. It is also the species listed by D. Polhemus (2002) as “ Enithares sp. undet.′′ in the Conservation International rapid assessment report covering surveys in the Cyclops Mountains and Mamberamo River areas of north Indonesian New Guinea.

Ecological notes. Enithares loria is a widespread but localized lowland species ( Fig. 63 ) that was originally described from a series of 5 specimens taken by Lamberto Loria of the Genoa Museum in the Rigo district, southeast of Port Moresby, in what is now Papua New Guinea. Brooks listed additional material collected by L. E. Cheesman from Mafulu, in the Auga River basin to the northwest of Port Moresby, as well as from Australia, and Lansbury (1968) subsequently provided further records from the Solomon Islands ( Russell Island ) and other areas of Australia (Queensland, Northern Territory). The collections reported here from the Siewa and Dabra areas in Indonesian New Guinea, represent a considerable range extension within that island, given that this species had not been previously known from north of the island’s high central east-west drainage divide. New records are also provided for Western Australia , and the island of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. Despite its wide range, E. loria is only sporadically encountered in the Melanesian region , indicating it may have specialized habitat requirements

At the PTFI Siewa mineral exploration camp (CL 7085) in the Wapoga River basin, located at the former site of a defunct logging operation, E. loria was taken from rain-filled borrow pits next to a graded gravel airstrip. These ponds had an average depth of ~ 1.5 m, with the margins considerably shallower, and also harbored several species of Anisops notonectids, but were devoid of fish. The author’s field notes for the Tiri River locality (CL 7141), further to the east in the Mamberamo River basin, note that: “This small-sized species was present in low numbers in the uppermost pools along sandy side channels at the Tiri River. Both immatures and adults were present, indicating that the species is breeding in these habitats. The absence of fish, and possibly current, seems to be necessary for the presence of this species.′′

On the island of Malaita, in the Solomon Islands, E. loria was taken from an artificial pond in a grassy lowland cattle pasture. As at the Siewa airstrip, the species was again in this case utilizing an anthropogenically-created habitat, and thus seems tolerant of disturbance.

Figures

FIGURE 63. Distribution of species in the E. atra and E. bakeri groups on New Guinea and nearby islands. Circles = E. bakeri Brooks, square = E. bosavi, triangles = E. loria Brooks.

FIGURES 35–40. Enithares species in the E. atra and E. bakeri groups, male genitalic complex, left lateral view. 35. Enithares elongata Lansbury; specimen from Papua New Guinea, Morobe Prov., Wareo. 36. Enithares ziwa n. sp.; specimen from Indonesia, Papua Prov., Ziwa River, CL 7100. 37. Enithares stylata Lansbury; specimen from Papua New Guinea, Morobe Prov., Wau, CL 1817. 38. Enithares tagula n. sp.; specimen from Papua New Guinea, Milne Bay Prov. Tagula Is., CL 7190. 39. Enithares bakeri Brooks, specimen from Indonesia, West Papua Prov., Aimasi River, CL 2651. 40. Enithares loria Brooks; specimen from Indonesia, Papua Prov., Siewa, CL 7085.

FIGURES 56–62. Enithares species in the megalops and bakeri groups, dorsal habitus photographs. 56–57. Enithares bakeri Brooks; male specimen from Indonesia, Nusa Tenggara Timur Prov., Timor, Niki Niki, CL 2595, male specimen from Indonesia, West Papua Province, Kasim, Is., CL 2620. 58–59. Enithares vulgaris Lansbury, male and female; specimens from Indonesia, West Papua Province, Biak Is., CL 7039. 60–61. Enithares nigra n. sp., male and female; specimens from Indonesia, West Papua Province, Etna Bay, CL 7081. 62. Enithares loria Brooks, male; specimens from Indonesia, Papua Province, Siewa, CL 7085.