Vanuatubasis insularivorum, 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 insularivorum sp. nov.

Figs 5 , 20C , 21D

Type material.

Holotype (1 ♂ BYU). Male. "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Betarara, May 23, 2019; | -15.1130, 168.0926 | Coll: SM Bybee, GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019".

Paratypes (2 ♂♂ 1 ♀ BPBM, 12 ♂♂ BYU, 3 ♂♂ 1 ♀♀ NHM, 4 ♂♂ 1 ♀♀ NZAC). (1 ♀ BPBM, 1 ♀ BYU, 1 ♂ NHM) same label data as holotype. (2 ♂♂ BPBM, 2 ♂♂ BYU, 1 ♂ NHM) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Betarara, May 21, 2019 | -15.1263, 168.0937 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (3 ♂♂ BYU) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Betarara, May 21, 2019 | -15.1191, 168.0891 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ BYU, 1 ♂ NHM) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Naone, May 24, 2019; | -15.01197, 168.0667 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (3 ♂♂ BYU, 1 ♂ NHM) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Marino, May 23, 2019; | -14.9616, 168.0605 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ BYU) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Baitora, May 22, 2019 | -15.1980, 168.1138 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ BYU, 1 ♂ NZAC) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Marino, May 23, 2019; | -14.9654, 168.0604 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ NZAC) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Marino, May 23, 2019; | -14.9600, 168.0614 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♀ NZAC) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Betarara, May 23, 2019 | -15.1130, 168.0926 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ NZAC) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Betarara, May 21, 2019 | -15.1263, 168.0937 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019" (1 ♂ NZAC) "VANUATU: Maewo Is., | Baitora, May 22, 2019 | -15.1901, 168.1107 | Coll:SM Bybee,GS Powell | #BYU-VU-2019".

Allotype (1 ♀ BYU). same label data as holotype.

Description of holotype.

Head: Labium overall pale beige; labrum blue, with dark brown latero-posterior edges and a medial brown spot at posterior edge; anteclypeus, genae, and mandibles (expect for reddish tips) blue; postclypeus blue, with a dark brown bar extending laterally, reaching the posterior edge medially, and not quite extending to anterior corners; frons greenish blue abruptly changing to black posteriorly; scapes, and pedicels greenish blue, flagella dark brown and lightening apically; vertex and rear of head dark brown; three pale ocelli with a beige patch apical of the median ocellus; eyes green.

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally dark brown; laterally blue; pronotum dark brown medially lightening towards the edges, latero-posterior corners rounded to obtuse angles and explanate, mid-line obviously indented across the pronotum hind lobe with raised ridge that is shorter than the width of the pronotum, appears sinusoidal with a median that extends to a sharp point that protrudes posteriorly; mesostigmal plate dark brown with blue lateral edges, roughly quadrilateral, and not raised. Pterothorax with dark brown carina; laterally, with dark brown stripe that extends laterally over the mesepisternum, reaching the mesopleural suture posteriorly across ~ 0.5 mm, but only reaching ~ 2/3 of the mesepisternum on the anterior and medial portion; pale brown stripe beginning at the mesopleural suture and extending to mesepimeron; mesepimeron overall blue with brown extending down from mesepisternum on first 1/3; metepisternum overall blue with short, dark brown line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~ 1/6 the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum with dark brown spot that encompasses all but the blue posterior ventral corner; metepimeron blue and turning beige dorsally; coxae, trochanters, and femora dorsally pale brown and ventrally pale beige with dark brown 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 brown venation. Pterostigma pale brown and rhombus-shaped; CuP halfway between antenodals in HW, and slightly proximal to halfway in FW; arculus originates just distal of the 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 11/2-2/11 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall beige with brown dorsal stripe extending from S1-S10 and lightening laterally, brown reaching ventrally at posterior edge of S4-S6, pale brown setae; S1 and S2 blue with beige patches; S3 blue at anterior 1/3, and beige for latter 2/3; S4-S7 beige with dark brown dorsal strip reaching ventrally at posterior edge of segments; S8 brown; S9 brown with dorsal medial blue patch; S10 pale brown with darker edges. Cerci pale brown with gold setae and appearing as a curved sinusoidal shape dorsally, with abrupt ridge medially; in the lateral perspective the lobes are roughly triangular, with dorsal edge slightly sloped ventrally and appearing hooked apically. Paraprocts with dense pale brown setae that thins apically across the appendages.

Measurements (mm): total length 38 mm, abdomen 32 mm, HW 19 mm.

Description of allotype.

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

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally dark brown; laterally pale brown with hints of green; pronotum dark brown medially with beige 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 brown with green lateral edges, roughly triangular and not significantly raised. Pterothorax with dark brown carina; laterally, mesepisternum with dark brown stripe reaching the dorsal carina and reaching approximately 1/2 the mesepisternum; pale green on latter 1/3 of mesepisternum; mesepimeron overall pale green with hints of blue; dark brown line on posterior end of mesopleural suture extending ~ 1/6 the sutures length; metepisternum overall blue with short, brown line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~ 1/6 the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum pale brown; metepimeron beige; coxae, trochanters, and femora dorsally pale 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 brown venation; pterostigma pale brown and rhombus-shaped; CuP halfway between antenodals in both wings; arculus at second antenodal crossvein in both wings; discoidal cells unequal with FW dorsal edge being 1/2 as long as HW. Nodal index: 15/2-2/14 in FW and 12/2-2/11 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall beige with brown dorsal stripe extending from S1-S8 and lightening laterally, with pale brown setae; S1 and S2 with hints of blue laterally; S3-S8 pale beige laterally, with dorsal stripe reaching ventral at terminal ends of S3-S7; S9 with pale dorsal patch extending ¾ of its length; S10 pale brown; ovipositor overall beige, with 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.

Measurements (mm): total length 38 mm, abdomen 31 mm, HW 23 mm.

Diagnosis.

Male. Vanuatubasis insularivorum can be distinguished from all other species of Vanuatubasis by its distinctly pointed posterior edge of the pronotum, mesostigmal plates with dorso-posterior corner not raised in an auricle, and a postclypeus with a transverse bar on the anterior edge. Female. Vanuatubasis insularivorum can be distinguished from other Vanuatubasis females by a postclypeus with pale maculation, a frons with dark triangle extending from base of the median ocelli, and a distinctly pointed posterior edge of the pronotum.

Variation.

Male. This species is highly variable in overall color. Some specimens are dark brown to black dorsally. Wings with dark brown venation and pterostigma. Wings with brown pigmentation. Shape of maculation on S9 somewhat variable. Measurements (mm): total length 37-41 mm, abdomen 31-35 mm, HW 19-23 mm (n = 12). Female. Overall color varies the same as in males. Measurements (mm): total length 38-41 mm, abdomen 31-35 mm, HW 23-24 mm (n = 5).

Distribution.

Maewo, Vanuatu.

Etymology.

The specific epithet of this species a combination of the Latin words insula, meaning island, and rivorum (genitive plural noun) meaning of small streams, which accurately describes the island of Maewo.

Figures

Figure 5. Vanuatubasis insularivorum Holotype (♂ BYU) A dorsal thorax B lateral terminalia C dorsal terminalia D lateral habitus V. insularivorum 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.