Rhagovelia kolukolu, Polhemus, 2024

Polhemus, Dan A., 2024, Thirty-four new species of Rhagovelia (Heteroptera: Veliidae) from the East Papua Composite Terrane, far eastern New Guinea, Zootaxa 5400 (1), pp. 1-214 : 99

Rhagovelia kolukolu subgroup

The R. kolukolu subgroup consists of two species, R. kolukolu and R. mbo , occurring on the islands of Tagula and Rossel respectively, in the Louisiade Archipelago. In many respects these two species are typical members of the R. novacaledonica group, having a short pronotum with a length subequal to that of the head; robust body shapes ( Figs. 154, 155 , 161, 162 ); incrassate and heavily armed male hind femora ( Figs. 156, 157 , 163, 164 ); a forewing with two long basal cells and two shorter distal cells; and a habitat preference for rocky, upland streams ( Figs. 160 , 167 ). The male genitalia, however, are quite different from other members of the group, with the paramere slender and elongate, tapering to a pointed apex ( Figs. 158 , 165 ), and the male proctiger massive and parallel-sided basally, with the basolateral and distolateral lobes basically combined, then tapering to a much narrower distal cone ( Figs. 159 , 166 ). As with other similarly anomalous members of the R. papuensis and R. caesius groups occurring in the Louisiades, it appears that these species are the products of prolonged isolation on these relatively old islands, which are of much greater age than those of the D'Entrecasteaux group immediately to the west. The species of this subgroup have been retained within the R. novacaledonica group for the present, for the sake of taxonomic utility, but with the full realization that they do not fit comfortably into this assemblage.

Figures

FIGS. 154–159. Rhagovelia kolukolu n. sp., structural details; specimens from Tagula Is., Kolukolu Creek, CL 7194. 154. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 155. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 156. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 157. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 158. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 159. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 161–166. Rhagovelia mbo n. sp., structural details; specimens from Rossel Is., Woa River, CL 7196. 161. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 162. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 163. Male right hind leg, posterior view. 164. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 165. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 166. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIG. 160. Kolukolu Creek headwaters, Tagula Is., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7194, habitat for R. kolukolu n. sp.

FIG. 167. Woa River tributary, Rossel Is., Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea, CL 7196, habitat for R. mbo n. sp.