Polyplectropus palma, Oláh & Johanson, 2010

Oláh, János & Johanson, Kjell Arne, 2010, Generic review of Polycentropodidae with description of 32 new species and 19 new species records from the Oriental, Australian and Afrotropical Biogeographical Regions 2435, Zootaxa 2435 (1), pp. 1-63 : 35-36

Polyplectropus palma , new species

Figures 53–55

Diagnosis: This species is easily distinguished from the other species in the P. fijianus diagnostic species group by the apical part of the phallic apparatus being downwardly directed; the ventral lobe of the cerci being serrated; and the gonopod apices each splitting the dorsal lobe into 3 small processes.

Description: Male. Body uniformly brown. Maxillary palp formula (I,II)-IV-III-V, 3rd segment of each maxillary palp originating subapically on lateral face of segment 2. Forewing length 5.4 mm; each with discoidal cell and median cell closed; apical forks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 present. Hind wings each with discoidal cell open; apical forks 1, 2, and 5 present.

Male genitalia. Sternite IX elongated obliquely on each side to fulcrum, with broad basal part and long, slender mesoapical projection ( Fig. 53 ); sclerotized part of tergum IX absent above fulcra; fulcra comprising bases of cerci and paraproctal complexes, membranous band of segment IX connecting fulcrum with membranous segment X. Segment X transparent, membranous, continuous with tergum IX; segment X and sclerotized part of tergite VIII covering dorsal part of phallic apparatus. Cerci nearly triangular and geniculate, each with dorsal lobe; apicoventral lobe ventrally serrate; cerci as long as gonopods. Paraproctal complexes fused to cerci, projecting slightly anterad before fulcra; dorsal paraproctal processes slender, arising from anterad-projecting bases of paraprocts, S-shaped, bending downwards to gonopods; paraproctal subphallic sclerite modified into pair of clavate processes with setose apices and with enlarged setal alveoli, each apex with 4 short processes in lateral view. Gonopods ( Fig. 54 ) horizontal, each with bilobed apex in lateral view; dorsal lobe divided into 3 small processes scarcely visible in lateral view ( Fig. 54 ); backward-directed basomesad pair of spines visible through gonopod in cleared preparation. Phallic apparatus ( Fig. 55 ) located dorsally in genitalia, guided by dorsal paraproctal processes and modified processes of subphallic sclerite. Phallic apparatus comprising straight, tube-like sclerotized phallotheca; distal 1/3rd directed downwards, supplied with upcurving dorsal lobe; membranous endotheca or endophallus located ventrally, additional sclerites not visible.

Holotype male: FIJI ISLANDS: Vanua Levu : Nuivanda Forest , 3–5.ix.1975 [H. S. Robinson & P. A. Maddison]—( BMNH).

Paratypes: same data as holotype— 5 males ( BMNH) , 3 males ( OPC) ; Niuvudi Navonu forest area, 3– 6.ix.1975, M.V. light FUA 1255 [P.A. Maddison]— 2 males ( BMNH) ; Govenors Pool Navonu Ck. , ca 5 km W. of Buca Bay, 8.ii.1971, M.V. light [G.S. Robinson]— 1 male ( OPC) .

Distribution: Fiji Islands.

Etymology: Palma, hand in Latin, referring to the hand-shaped bilobed gonopods in lateral view.

Figures

FIGURES 53–55. Polyplectropus palma, new species, holotype. 53—genitalia, left lateral; 54—left gonopod, ventral; 55—phallic apparatus, left lateral.