Pygatyphella tomba, 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 : 102-103

Pygatyphella tomba sp. n.

( Figs 456–466)

Holotype. Male. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Western Highlands Pr., 5.49S, 144.1E Tomba, slopes of Mt Hagen , 2450m, 23–25.v.1963, JS ( BPBM).

Paratypes (10). Same data as for holotype, 9 males. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Southern Highlands Pr., 6.4S, 143.4E, Dimifa, SE Mt Giluwe , 2200m, 11.x.1958, JLG, male ( BPBM) .

Diagnosis. Elytra pale brown, semitransparent, with wide inner margin along suture darker brown; interstitial lines not well developed; MPP symmetrical, quite broad, with apex rounded or slightly pointed; posterolateral pronotal corners rounded; outer and inner preapical areas of LL not produced.

Male. 8.6–9.8 mm long; 3.2–4.0 mm wide; W/L 0.4. Colour ( Figs 456–461): Pronotum ( Fig. 462) pale yellowish brown, very semitransparent in lateral areas, with median area widely marked in dark brown (extending almost to posterior margin and narrowly retracted from anterior margin), with irregular darker brown areas in 6/11; lateral margins of median dark area converging slightly posteriorly and edged with thin line of fat body corresponding to the area on the hypomeron where the lateral flattened area slopes vertically; MN whitish yellow (underlying fat body contributes to apparent colour), with sparse and very pale brown median areas in 6/11, brown area expanding almost to posterior margin and slightly darker brown in 4/11; MS light brown with narrow to wide median dark marking; elytra pale brown, very semitransparent especially at edges where colour not confused by underlying hind wing and body outline, with an extensive (semitransparent) darker brown area extending from and adjacent to MS laterally to humerus and anteriorly to elytral base, and posteriorly along suture almost to apex ( Figs 458–461); apical area extending across to outer margin near apex in 4/11 ( Fig. 459), or separated from an outer brown area in 7/11 ( Fig 461); basal brown area restricted to basal half of elytra in 1/11 ( Fig 460) with brown apical area continuous obliquely from suture to lateral margin; head very dark reddish brown, antennae and palpi slightly lighter; under surface of thorax light brown; metasternum darker brown, metapleural plates yellow (underlying dried muscles may show through cuticle and appear darker brown); legs with bases light brown, all tibiae and tarsi dark brown; basal ventrites very dark brown, LO in V6, V7 creamy white, remainder of V7 yellowish, whitish yellow if an underlying cluster of fat body; basal tergites dark brown, T7, 8 and 9 light brown semitransparent. Pronotum ( Fig. 462): 1.6–1.7 mm long; 2.8–3.0 mm wide; W/L 1.7; lateral margins strongly divergent posteriorly with angled convergence on both sides in 3/11, one side angled one side rounded in 1/11, and rounded convergence in remainder; indentation of lateral margin apparent on left side only of 1/11 (scored as absent); posterolateral corners approximately 90° and angulate, inclined obliquely to median line; anterior area of hypomeron flattened and curved, not differentiated from widely flattened posterior area. Elytron: parallel-sided; 7.2–8.2 mm long; no interstitial lines well–defined. Head: can be retracted partially within prothoracic cavity; GHW 1.6–1.7 mm; SIW 0.25 mm; SIW/GHW 0.15; ASD<ASW (sockets close not contiguous). Abdomen, ventrites ( Figs 463, 464): LO in V7 not reaching sides or posterior margin, entire across posterior margin; posterior area of V7 is scored as (very gently) arched but does not have obvious underlying muscle impressions (fat body covers much of the posterior area of V7); posterolateral areas of V7 rounded or pointed (pointed MPP and rounded T 8 in 6/11; pointed MPP and angulate posterior margin of T 8 in 2/11, rounded MPP and rounded margin of T 8 in 3/11). Tergites: T8 longer than wide, lateral margins rounded or converging slightly posteriorly, and posterior margin rounded in 9/11, with angulate posterolateral ‘corners’ and a short, pointed median posterior margin in 2/11; ventral surface with a shallow median longitudinal trough which is finely margined; anterolateral prolongations shorter than posterior (entire) area T8, narrow, not obviously expanded, lacking ventrally directed pieces. Aedeagal sheath: emargination of right side of sternite begins at point of attachment of tergal arms laterally. Aedeagus ( Figs 465, 466): L/W>3/1; LL/ML moderate; LL divergent along their length dorsally, a little shorter than ML, LL apices subequal in width to ML; outer preapical area of LL not produced, inner apical area of LL not prolonged; base of LL asymmetrically produced (to left); ML lacking lateral teeth. MPP as long as wide, dorsal surface lacking ridge.

Female, Larva. Not associated.

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