Pygatyphella okapa, Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2009

Ballantyne, Lesley A. & Lambkin, Christine, 2009, Systematics of Indo-Pacific fireflies with a redefinition of Australasian Atyphella Olliff, Madagascan Photuroluciola Pic, and description of seven new genera from the Luciolinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), Zootaxa 1997, pp. 1-188 : 96-97

Pygatyphella okapa sp. n.

( Figs 283, 285, 293–295, 302, 303, 309, 310, 314)

Holotype. Male. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: E Highlands Pr., 6.0 S, 147.0 E, Okapa , c 5000 ft, 20.xii.1964, R Hornabrook ( BPBM).

Paratypes (4). Female labelled as for holotype ( BPBM). Eastern Highlands Pr., 6.08S, 145.39E, 10.2 mi E Goroka, 22.x.1969, J Lloyd, males (G384, 385, 387) ( JEL) .

Diagnosis. One of the ‘ obsoleta complex’, distinguished by the trisinuate tip of the MPP, and the slightly projecting and angulate posterolateral corners of V7.

Male. 7.7–9.9 mm long; 2.8–3.6 mm wide; W/L 0.3–0.4. Colour ( Figs 283, 285): Pronotum pale brown, either with well–defined dark posteromedian brown area (Goroka), or with posteromedian area very slightly darker than rest of pronotum (Okapa); pronotum appearing paler than elytra because of semitransparency and underlying pale fat body, MN pale brown with median brown areas attaining anterior margin, not reaching inner margin; MS light brown with wide median dark marking; elytra pale brown, semitransparent, with broad triangular basal marking and two small spots preapically; fat body irregularly distributed in small clumps; head very dark reddish brown, antennae and palpi slightly lighter; under surface of thorax brownish with metasternum and metepisternal plates very dark brown, metepipleural plates pale; legs largely brown (fore and middle coxae pale, hind coxae brown), with paler apices of femora and base of tibiae (giving appearance of pale ‘knees’); apical 2/3 tibiae and tarsi very dark brown; ventrites 2–5 dark brown (basal ventrites irregularly lighter brown laterally; LO creamy white, posterior area of V7 yellowish, semitransparent (muscle impressions visible); tergites light brown, terminal two tergites semitransparent, yellow, heavily sclerotised. Pronotum ( Fig. 285): 1.4–1.9 mm long; 2.7–3.2 mm wide; W/L 1.7–1.9; lateral margins divergent posteriorly with angled convergence on both sides in 2/3 (Okapa 1, Goroka 1), rounded convergence in 1/3 (Goroka); posterolateral corners narrowly angulate, inclined obliquely to median line; slight kink in lateral margins on both sides in 2/3 (Okapa 1, Goroka 1), absent from either side in one Goroka male. Elytron: parallel-sided; 6.3–8.0 mm long; with 2 well–defined interstitial lines. Head: can be partially retracted within prothoracic cavity but remains moderately exposed from above; GHW 1.5–2.0 mm; SIW 0.15–0.2 mm; SIW/GHW 0.1; ASD<ASW (sockets very close but not contiguous). Abdomen, ventrites ( Figs 309, 310): LO in V7 reaching sides, not posterior margin and projecting posteriorly slightly in the middle of its posterior margin; posterior area of V7 arched not swollen; posterolateral areas of V7 narrowly rounded projecting slightly posteriorly (scored as PLP present). MPP as long as wide, dorsal surface lacking ridge; posterior margin trisinuate. Tergites ( Figs 313, 314): T8 width subequal to length, lateral margins converge gently posteriorly; median trough present on ventral surface of T8, slightly asymmetrically margined, margin more strongly thickened in anterolateral left; anterolateral prolongations elongate, narrow, expanded vertically and lacking flanges. Aedeagal sheath: emargination of right side of sternite begins at point of attachment of tergal arms laterally. Aedeagus ( Figs 293–295, 302, 303): L/W>3/1; LL/ML moderate; LL moderately divergent along their length dorsally, little shorter than ML at apices; outer preapical area of LL produced angulate; inner apical area of LL prolonged, elongate narrow; base of LL asymmetrically produced (to left); ML lacking lateral teeth.

Female. Associated by similarity of label data only. Coloured as for male with these exceptions: pronotum lacking defined brown markings (median area appears diffusely slightly darker); median dark marking on MS narrow and extends to mid-point only; fat body in elytra not obvious; V6 with creamy white LO; V7, 8 pale yellow and semitransparent; posterior margin of V7 widely emarginated with small narrow emarginations just inside lateral margin on each side across posterior margin; posterior margin of V8 narrowly emarginated; lateral margins of T8 converge posteriorly, posterior margin straight.

Larva. Not associated.

Etymology. The specific name, the type locality, is considered as a noun in apposition.

Remarks. Interpretation of the posterolateral ‘corners’ of ventrite 7 as slightly and narrowly prolonged was made when the shape was retained after soaking the abdomen in water.