Vanuatubasis santoensis Ober & Staniczek, 2009

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 santoensis Ober & Staniczek, 2009

Figs 10 , 20G , 21I

Vanuatubasis santoensis Ober & Staniczek (2009): 487-490.

Remark.

Vanuatubasis santoensis was known by males only. Here we describe the female.

Material examined.

Holotype (1 ♂ SMNS). "Vanuatubasis santoensis ♂ HOLOTYPE | Ober and Staniczek 2009 | Vanuatu, Sanma Province | Espiritu Santo , surroundings of | Penaoru, Penaoru River |leg. A.H. Staniczek and M. Pallmann, 13.XI.2006 | det. S.V. Ober, 21.VII.2008 | coll.- | Ober and Staniczek 2009 | 14.96105°S, 166.63316°E 90 m | ODO 000242 K." (4 ♂♂ BYU) " VANUATU: Santo Is: | Wailapa, -15.5781 | 167.0024, 6.vi.2018, coll, | S. Bybee and G. Powell " (1 ♂ BYU) " VANUATU: Santo Is: | Narango, -15.6274 | 166.8535, 4.vi.2018, | coll, S. Bybee and G. Powell " (2 ♂♂ BYU) " VANUATU: Santo Is: | Narango, -15.5538 | 166.9814, 4.vi.2018, | coll, S. Bybee and G. Powell " (12 ♂♂ 4 ♀♀ BYU) " VANUATU: Santo Is: | Ipayato, -15.6296| 166.8426, 4 vi.2018. | coll. S. Bybee and G. Powell " (5 ♀♀ BYU) " VANUATU: Santo Is: Felea | -15.3839 166.8426, 4.vi.2018, | coll, S. Bybee and G. Powell "

Paratypes (2 ♂♂ SMNS). same label data as Holotype with the following barcode numbers: ODO 000246 K, ODO 000247 K. (1 ♂ SMNS). " Vanuatu, Sanma Province | Espiritu Santo, surroundings of Tasmate, Pae River , 15.2175°S, 166.68706°E, 139 m, 11.XI.2006, leg. A.H. Staniczek and M. Pallmann ", with the following barcode number: ODO 000245 K. (2 ♂♂ SNMS, 2 ♂♂ MNHN). " Vanuatu, Sanma Province, Espiritu Santo, surroundings of Tasmate, Mamasa River , 15.20976°S, 166.67705°E, 20 m, 9.XI.2006, leg. A. H. Staniczek and M. Pallmann ", SNMS specimens with the following barcodes: ODO 000243 K, ODO 000244 K .

Description of the female.

Head: Labium overall pale beige; labrum pale green with brown latero-posterior edges and small, slightly indented medially brown spot at posterior edge; anteclypeus, genae, and mandibles (expect for reddish tips) pale green; postclypeus translucent brown with green lateral edges; frons pale green, turning black posteriorly; scapes, pedicels, and flagella pale brown; vertex and rear of head black with line of setae and a bronze shimmer; three pale ocelli with small beige patch apical of the median ocellus; two white post-ocular spots; eyes pale green.

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally black; laterally green; pronotum black medially with brown edges, latero-posterior corners rounded to acute 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, rounded point that protrudes posteriorly; mesostigmal plate black with green lateral edges and not significantly raised. Pterothorax with black carina; laterally mesepisternum with black stripe reaching the dorsal carina and extending more than 3/4 of the mesepisternum, pale green on latter 1/4 of mesepisternum; mesepimeron overall pale green with hints of yellow; metepisternum overall green with short, brown line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~ 1/6 the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum pale green with apical brown spot; metepimeron green, with beige anterior portion; coxae and trochanters beige, femora dorsally dark brown and ventrally 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; pterostigma dark 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: 13/2-2/12 in FW and 12/2-2/11 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall beige yellow with black dorsal stripe from S1-8 and lightening towards the edges, with pale brown setae; S1 and S2 green laterally; S3-S8 yellow laterally; S9 with pale dorsal stripe; S10 pale brown; ovipositor overall beige, with darker serrated ventral edge; 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 apex, dorsal edge straight a ventral edge slightly rounded ventrally.

Measurements (mm): total length 36-39 mm, abdomen 29-33 mm, HW 22-24 mm (n = 9).

Diagnosis.

Male. Vanuatubasis santoensis can be distinguished from other Vanuatubasis by its black pterostigma, pale blue postclypeus without any bars or maculations, dorso-posterior corner of mesostigmal plate not raised in an auricle (or if elevated, only slightly so). Female. Vanuatubasis santoensis can be distinguished from other females in this genus, by its dark brown to black pterostigma, uniformly colored postclypeus (sometimes with pale spots), frons with a dark triangle extending from the base of the median ocelli, and the dark area on the mesepisternum reaching the black spot at the posterior end of the mesopleural suture.

Variation.

Male. Postclypeal maculation more prominent than in some individuals. Pterothorax sometimes with variable short black stripes. Female. Thoracic coloring varies from yellow to green, presumably due to the age of the individual.

Distribution.

Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

Figures

Figure 10. Vanuatubasis santoensis (♂ BYU) A dorsal thorax B lateral terminalia C dorsal terminalia D lateral habitus V. santoensis (♀ 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.