Vanuatubasis kapularum, Saxton & Marinov & Bybee, 2022

Saxton, Natalie A., Marinov, Milen G. & Bybee, Seth M., 2022, Revision of Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 (Odonata, Coenagrionidae), with description of seven new species, ZooKeys 1128, pp. 129-169 : 129

Vanuatubasis kapularum sp. nov.

Fig. 6 , 20D , 21E

Type material.

Holotype (1 ♂ BYU). "VANUATU: Efate Is., | Ulei, June 11 2019; | -17.5768, 168.2960 | Coll: SM Bybee, GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019".

Paratypes (2 ♂♂ BPBM, 7 ♂♂ BYU, 3 ♂♂ NHM, 4 ♂♂ 1 ♀ NZAC). (6 ♂♂ BYU, 3 ♂♂ NHM, 2 ♂♂ NZAC). "VANUATU: Efate Is., | Ulei, June 11 2019; | -17.5768, 168.2960 |Coll: SM Bybee, GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ BYU, 2 ♂♂ NZAC) "VANUATU: Efate Is., | Mele Maat, June 11, 2019; -17.6754, 168.2559 | Coll: SM Bybee, GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♀ NZAC) "VANUATU: Efate Is., | Devil’s Point Rd., -17.684167 |168.253638, 12.vi.2018, | coll. S. Bybee & G. Powell".

Allotype (1 ♀ BYU). "VANUATU: Efate Is., | Mele Maat, June 11, 2019; -17.6754, 168.2559 | Coll: SM Bybee, GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019".

Description of holotype.

Head: Labium overall pale beige; labrum blue, with black latero-posterior edges and medially, a depressed black spot at posterior edge; anteclypeus blue; genae, and mandibles (expect for reddish brown tips) blue with dark brown anterolateral edges; postclypeus overall covered by a black bar that begins medially and extends to the anterior edge, not extending to the blue, anterior corners; frons black medially, with blue lateral edges, abruptly changing to black posteriorly; scapes, and pedicels black, flagella dark brown and lightening apically; vertex and rear of head black with line of setae, a bronze shimmer, and white pruinescence; a pair of white post-ocular spots present; three pale ocelli with beige patch apical of the median ocellus; eyes green.

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally black with a bronze shimmer; laterally mottled appearance with dark brown, blue and hints of green; pronotum black with white pruinescence, latero-posterior corners rounded to obtuse angles and slightly explanate, mid-line obviously indented across the pronotum, hind lobe with raised ridge that is shorter than the width of the pronotum, overall sinusoidal, is curved outward medially, and extends to a sharp point that protrudes posteriorly; mesostigmal plate black with blue edges, interior edges protruding posteriorly, and raised to form very short lobes. Pterothorax with black carina; laterally, mesepisternum with black stripe reaching the dorsal carina and reaching over 1/2 the mesepimeron; blue stripe across the interpleural suture; metepisternum overall dark brown with black line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~ 1/6 the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum black; metepimeron dark black and lightening anteriorly with white pruinescence; coxae, trochanters, and femora dorsally dark brown and ventrally beige with black spines; tibiae beige with smaller spines than that of the femora; tarsi beige with brown edges and small, dense spines; pale brown tarsal claws that darken apically to reddish tips, claws with a small tooth located on the basal 1/4 of their length.

Wings: Hyaline with dark brown to black venation that thickens dorsally; pterostigma pale brown and rhombus-shaped, darkest on the edges; CuP halfway between antenodals in both wings; arculus just distal of second antenodal crossvein in both wings; discoidal cells unequal with FW dorsal edge being 1/2 as long as HW. Nodal index: 15/2-2/13 in FW and 12/2-2/12 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall with dark brown to black dorsal stripe extending from S1-S10 and lightening to brown laterally, brown reaching ventrally at posterior edge of S3-S6, pale brown setae; S1 blue with white pruinescence; S2-S9 yellow; S9 with dorsal blue spot on posterior end; S10 with a pair of blue patches laterally; cerci dark brown with pale brown setae and appearing as a curved crescent shape dorsally, internal margins touching continuously with black, bulbous tips; paraprocts in dorsal view dark brown and darkening apically, with bumpy texture; in the lateral perspective the lobes are roughly triangular and tapering apically to form small, acutely rounded lobe, dorsal edge sloping ventrally and ventral edge expanding ventrally to form a small lump before abruptly tapering to rounded apex.

Measurements (mm): total length 41 mm, abdomen 35 mm, HW 21 mm.

Variation. Male. Blue dorsal patch on S9 variable in shape and size; S10 lateral blue spots appear cream colored in some specimens. Size of the brown stripe on the metepisternum is somewhat variable. Immature males are yellow to dark beige. Measurements (mm): total length 39-42 mm, abdomen 33-36 mm, HW 21-22 mm (n = 10).

Description of allotype.

Head: Labium overall pale beige; labrum brown medially lightening towards the edges, except for dark brown postero-lateral edges and slightly indented medially dark brown spot at posterior edge; anteclypeus, genae, and mandibles (expect for reddish tips) pale brown; postclypeus translucent pale brown, with darker bar stretching across on the medial, anterior edge; frons pale brown abruptly changing to dark black posteriorly; scapes, and pedicels light brown, flagella pale brown and lightening apically; vertex and rear of head black with line of setae, a bronze shimmer, and faint white pruinescence; three pale ocelli with a beige patch apical of the median ocellus; eyes green.

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally black; laterally yellow with pale brown stripes; pronotum black medially with yellow lateral edges, latero-posterior corners rounded to obtuse angles and weakly explanate, mid-line obviously indented across the pronotum, hind lobe with raised ridge that is shorter than the width of the pronotum, is curved outward medially, and extends to a sharp point that protrudes posteriorly; mesostigmal black with yellow lateral edges, roughly triangular and not slightly raised medially. Pterothorax with black carina, laterally mesepisternum with black stripe reaching the dorsal carina and extending ~ 1/3 of the mesepisternum; latter 1/3 of mesepisternum yellow; mesepimeron yellow with short, black medial stripe; pale brown mesepisternum; metepisternum overall yellow, with short, black line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~ 1/6 the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum yellow with dark brown medial spot; metepimeron pale yellow and lightening ventrally; coxae, trochanters, and femora dorsally brown and ventrally pale beige with black spines; tibiae pale brown with slightly darker, and smaller, spines than that of the femora; tarsi beige with dark brown edges and small, dense spines; pale brown tarsal claws that darken apically to reddish tips, claws with a small tooth located on the basal 1/4 of their length.

Wings: Hyaline with dark brown venation; pterostigma pale brown and rhombus-shaped; CuP halfway between antenodals in FW, and slightly proximal to halfway in HW; arculus at second antenodal crossvein in both wings; discoidal cells unequal with FW dorsal edge being 1/2 as long as HW. Nodal index: 13/2-2/12 in FW and 12/2-2/11 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall yellow with black dorsal stripe extending from S1-S9 and lightening towards the edges, with pale brown setae; black carina stripe extending ventrally on terminal edges of S2-S6; S9 with pale dorsal patch extending 3/4 of its length; S10 pale dorsally. Ovipositor overall beige, with brownish red serrated ventral edge, and pale brown setae; stylus with rounded edges, pale brown and lightening apically; gonapophysis reddish brown with slightly serrated dorsal edge. Cerci roughly triangular, dark brown, and narrowing to a rounded, acute point, dorsal edge straight.

Measurements (mm): total length 37 mm, abdomen 32 mm, HW 21 mm.

Diagnosis.

Male. Vanuatubasis kapularum can be distinguished from all other Vanuatubasis , besides V. nunggoli by the presence of dark brown thoracic coloring on the metepisternum. It can be distinguished from V. nunggoli due to by having pale yellow paraprocts with dark tips, dorsally with inner angles forming ~ 90° angle and by the bright blue labrum. Female. Vanuatubasis kapularum can be distinguished from other Vanuatubasis females by having a black area dorsally on S9 with relatively straight edges, dark colored cerci, and having the dorso-posterior corners of the mesostigmal plates raised in a small auricle.

Variation.

Male. Blue dorsal patch on S9 variable in shape and size; S10 lateral blue spots appear cream colored in some specimens. Size of the brown stripe on the metepisternum is somewhat variable. Immature males are yellow to dark beige. Measurements (mm): total length 39-42 mm, abdomen 33-36 mm, HW 21-22 mm (n = 10). Female. S9 and S10 dorsal patch blue in some specimens; thoracic coloring more blue than yellow in mature specimens. Measurements (mm): total length 37-40 mm, abdomen 32-34 mm, HW 21-22 mm (n = 2).

Distribution.

Efate, Vanuatu.

Etymology.

The specific epithet Vanuatubasis kapularum is here treated as a noun in the genitive case, in honor of the Kapula family who were among the first to show us the wonders of Vanuatu.

Notes.

This species was observed feeding on spiders at the Ewor River locality. One male specimen was collected with a spider in its mandibles.

Figures

Figure 6. Vanuatubasis kapularum Holotype (♂ BYU) A dorsal thorax B lateral terminalia C dorsal terminalia D lateral habitus V. kapularum Allotype (♀ BYU) E dorsal thorax F lateral terminalia. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 20. Male dorso-posterior and dorsal terminalia of A V. bidens B V. evelynae C V. insularivorum D V. kapularum E V. malekulana F V. nunggoli G V. santoensis.

Figure 21. Female face and dorsal terminalia of A V. bidens B V. discontinua C V. evelynae D V. insularivorum E V. kapularum F V. malekulana G V. nunggoli H V. rhomboides I V. santoensis J V. xanthochroa.