Arsipoda geographica Gómez-Zurita, 2010

Figs 1G, 6B, 8H, 11G, 14A

Arsipoda geographica Gómez-Zurita in Gómez-Zurita et al., 2010: 2564 .

Arsipoda species A – Samuelson 1989: 409.

Arsipoda sp. – Samuelson 1994: 181.

New material

NEW CALEDONIA: 1 specimen, Mt Humboldt, -21.87930 166.42320, 1500–1618 m, montane maquis, 13 Nov. 2010, M. Wanat and R. Ruta leg. (MNHW); 11 specimens, ditto, a 1400 m (MNHW); 1 specimen, ditto, -21.88120 166.41770, 1400–1500 m (MNHW); 2 specimens, ditto, -21.88210 166.41290, 1400 m, night beating, mont. maquis (MNHW); 4 specimens, ditto (S track), Botanical Reserve, -21.88267 166.39968, 1130–1280 m, moss forest, 10 Nov. 2008, M. Wanat leg. (MNHW); 1 specimen, Haute Rivière Bleue, track La Tranchée-Hte Pourina, 22°04.0' S 166°37.4' E, 330–560 m, 21 Dec. 2006, M. Wanat leg. (MNHW); 1 specimen, Dzumac Mts (Mt Ouin road junction), 22°01.9' S 166°28.0' E, 900 m, beating, 28 Dec. 2006, R. Dobosz and M. Wanat leg. (USMB); 1 specimen, ditto (base), km 1.5–3 E of Ouin rd jct [= road junction], -22.03710 166.49570, 800 m, rainforest, 6 Dec. 2010, R. Ruta and M. Wanat leg. (USMB); 2 specimens, Mt Ouin Rd, km 0– 0.5 N of Dzumac jct, -22.03180 166.46740, 900 m, 4 Dec. 2010, R. Ruta and M. Wanat leg. (USMB); 5 specimens, Montagne des Sources [-22.12227 166.59613], 650–700 m, gallery forest, on Zygogynum bicolor Van Tiegh. flowers, 24 Nov. 1976, L.B. Thien leg. (BPBM).

Taxonomic notes

Arsipoda geographica is, along with A. gressitti sp. nov. and A. shirleyae, one of the yellowish species lacking external morphological characters that allow a reliable identification, even though A. geographica generally displays elytral interstriae slightly more convex (Fig. 6B); pronotal antebasal sulcus more deeply impressed (Fig. 6B); elytral suture and lateral margin often darkened (Fig. 1G). These species can be distinguished by relying on the morphology of genitalia (Figs 8 H–I, 9I, 11G–H, O).

Median lobe of aedeagus (Fig. 8H) in ventral view thickset, laterally parallel, apically widely rounded, with a thin median tooth laterally parallel and apically truncate; ventral surface with a deep median groove in the middle third; in lateral view median lobe distinctly curved; dorsal ligula short, from half length to pre-apical part of median lobe of aedeagus, triangular, with wide base. Spermatheca (Fig. 11G) with large, pyriform basal part; collum elongate, thickset and wrinkled; apical part distinctly shorter than collum; ductus short, thin, apically inserted.

Biometry

Male (n = 10; mean and standard deviation; range): LE = 1.96 ± 0.09 mm (1.85 Ĺ LE Ĺ 2.10 mm); WE = 1.28 ± 0.07 mm (1.18 Ĺ WE Ĺ 1.40 mm); LP = 0.58 ± 0.04 mm (0.54 Ĺ LP Ĺ 0.65 mm); WP = 0.93 ± 0.05 mm (0.85 Ĺ WP Ĺ 1.03 mm); LAN = 1.71 ± 0.08 mm (1.60 Ĺ LAN Ĺ 1.83 mm); LAED = 1.03 ± 0.03 mm (0.99 Ĺ LAED Ĺ 1.09 mm); LB = 2.77 ± 0.13 mm (2.56 Ĺ LB Ĺ 2.94 mm); LE/LP = 3.38 ± 0.15 (3.13 Ĺ LE/LP Ĺ 3.68); WE/WP = 1.38 ± 0.03 (1.34 Ĺ WE/WP Ĺ 1.45); WP/LP = 1.60 ± 0.08 (1.46 Ĺ WP/ LP Ĺ 1.75); WE/LE = 0.65 ± 0.02 (0.63 Ĺ WE/LE Ĺ 0.67); LAN/LB = 0.62 ± 0.02 (0.58 Ĺ LAN/LB Ĺ 0.64); LE/LAED = 1.91 ± 0.05 (1.84 Ĺ LE/LAED Ĺ 1.99).

Female (n = 10; mean and standard deviation; range): LE = 2.02 ± 0.06 mm (1.95 Ĺ LE Ĺ 2.15 mm); WE = 1.33 ± 0.07 mm (1.28 Ĺ WE Ĺ 1.48 mm); LP = 0.59 ± 0.04 mm (0.55 Ĺ LP Ĺ 0.68 mm); WP = 0.95 ± 0.04 mm (0.90 Ĺ WP Ĺ 1.05 mm); LAN = 1.54 ± 0.06 mm (1.48 Ĺ LAN Ĺ 1.68 mm); LSPc = 0.20 ± 0.01 mm (0.19 Ĺ LSPc Ĺ 0.22 mm); LB = 2.82 ± 0.15 mm (2.69 Ĺ LB Ĺ 3.16 mm); LE/LP =

3.42 ± 0.12 (3.19 Ĺ LE/LP Ĺ 3.59); WE/WP = 1.39 ± 0.03 (1.32 Ĺ WE/WP Ĺ 1.44); WP/LP = 1.62 ± 0.06 (1.56 Ĺ WP/LP Ĺ 1.71); WE/LE = 0.66 ± 0.02 (0.64 Ĺ WE/LE Ĺ 0.69); LAN/LB = 0.55 ± 0.02 (0.53 Ĺ LAN/LB Ĺ 0.59); LE/LSPc = 9.93 ± 0.38 (9.32 Ĺ LE/LSPc Ĺ 10.61).

Distribution

Southern Grande Terre (Fig. 14A).

Ecological notes

Collected in montane maquis, moss forest, rainforest, and gallery forest, mostly from 800 to 1400 m a.s.l. Found on flowers of Zygogynum bicolor (Winteraceae) . Gómez-Zurita et al. (2010) report molecular evidence associating this species with the genus Ardisia ( Myrsinaceae; following the APG III Classification, this family is now included within the Primulaceae). Pollen found in the gut of some specimens.