Vanuatubasis evelynae, Saxton & Marinov & Bybee, 2022

Saxton, Natalie A., Marinov, Milen G. & Bybee, Seth M., 2022, Revision of Vanuatubasis Ober & Staniczek, 2009 (Odonata, Coenagrionidae), with description of seven new species, ZooKeys 1128, pp. 129-169 : 129

Vanuatubasis evelynae sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 20B , 21C

Type material.

Holotype (1 ♂ BYU). "VANUATU: Santo Is: | Coulons, -15.2957 | 167.1616092, 28 v. 2018, | coll. S. Bybee and G. Powell’’.

Paratypes (1 ♂ 1 ♀ BPBM, 7 ♂♂ BYU, 3 ♂♂ NHM, 3 ♂♂ NZAC). (1 ♂ 1 ♀ BPBM, 3 ♂♂ BYU, 3 ♂♂ NHM, 3 ♂♂ NZAC) Same label data as holotype. (1 ♂ BYU) "VANUATU: Santo Is., | Coulons, May 20, 2019 | -15. 2955, 167.1614 | coll. SM. Bybee, GS. Powell | #BYU-VU-2019 ’’ “OD1710” (1 ♂ BYU cryo) "VANUATU: Santo Is: | Pelmol, -15.6078, 166.7849, | 4.vi.2018, |coll. S. Bybee and | G. Powell" “OD1709” (1 ♂ BYU cryo) same data as holotype; “OD1710” (1 ♂ BYU cryo) "VANUATU: Santo Is: | Coulons, -15.2957 | 167.1616092, 28 v. 2018, | coll. S. Bybee and G. Powell’’ “OD1711”.

Allotype (1 ♀ BYU). same label data as holotype.

Description of holotype.

Head: Labium overall pale beige; labrum blue-green, darkening posteriorly, with dark brown postero-lateral edges and medially, a black spot at posterior edge; anteclypeus dark green; genae, and mandibles (expect for reddish brown tips) green with paler anterolateral edges; postclypeus overall covered by a black bar that begins medially and extends to the anterior edge, not extending to the dark green, lateral corners; frons dark green, with medial black and extending posteriorly; scapes, and pedicels black, flagella dark brown and lightening apically; vertex and rear of head black with line of setae, a bronze shimmer, and white pruinescence; a pair of white post-ocular spots present; three pale ocelli with a yellow patch apical of the median ocellus; line of setae behind vertex; eyes yellowish green.

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally dark green to black with a bronze shimmer; laterally blue and green; pronotum black, latero-posterior corners rounded to obtuse angles and explanate, mid-line obviously indented across the pronotum, hind lobe with raised ridge that is shorter than the width of the pronotum, is curved outward medially, and extends to a sharp point that protrudes posteriorly; mesostigmal plate dark brown with yellow-green edges, interior edges raised to form protruding lobes. Pterothorax with black carina; laterally, mesepisternum with black stripe reaching the dorsal carina and extending to the mesopleural suture posteriorly across ~0.5 mm, but only reaching ~ 2/3 of the mesepisternum on the anterior and medial portion; green stripe located on latter 1/3 of mesepisternum and extending past the dark brown mesopleural suture; mesepimeron overall blue with green extending down from mesepisternum, metepisternum overall blue with short, brown line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~ 1/6 the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum bluish green with dark brown spot located medially; metepimeron pale blue with white pruinescence; coxae, trochanters, and femora dorsally brown to black and ventrally pale beige with black spines; tibiae pale brown with smaller spines than that of the femora; tarsi beige with dark brown edges and small, dense spines; pale brown tarsal claws that darken apically to reddish tips, claws with a small tooth located on the basal 1/4 of their length.

Wings: Hyaline; venation dark brown and thickening towards the dorsal edge; pterostigma dark brown and rhombus-shaped, with edges being the darkest; CuP slightly distal than halfway between antenodals in HW; arculus originates just distal of the second antenodal crossvein in HW and slightly proximal to it in HW; discoidal cells unequal with FW dorsal edge being 1/2 as long as HW. Nodal index: 12/2-2/12 in FW and 11/2-2/10 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall yellowish green with black dorsal stripe extending from S1-S9 and lightening to brown laterally, brown reaching ventrally at posterior edge of S1-S4, pale brown setae; segment 1 blue; S2 blue with patch of beige at anterior end; S3 anteriorly dark blue, turning yellow posteriorly, S4-S8 yellow with patches of blue on terminal end of each segment; S9 overall brown with blue dorsal stripe extending medially lengthwise, and light patch medially in lateral view; S10 with blue patch laterally that extends to ventral surface, terminal edge raised medially to form protrusion; cerci dark brown with gold setae and appearing as a curved crescent shape dorsally, excavated medially on each lobe and sloping posteriorly; paraprocts in dorsal view dark brown and darkening apically, with bumpy texture; in the lateral perspective the lobes are roughly triangular and tapering apically to form small, acutely rounded lobes, with dorsal edge slightly uneven and ventral edge expanded to form small “hump”, terminating in small, acutely rounded lobe.

Measurements (mm): total length 38 mm, abdomen 33 mm, HW 20 mm.

Description of allotype.

Head: Labium overall pale beige; labrum blue-green, with black latero-posterior edges and a medially black spot at posterior edge; anteclypeus, genae, and mandibles (expect for reddish tips) blue-green; postclypeus darker blue with a small bar located on the medial, anterior edge; frons blue-green, abruptly changing to black posteriorly; scapes, and pedicels black, flagella dark brown and lightening apically; vertex and rear of head black with line of setae, a bronze shimmer, and white pruinescence; a pair of white post-ocular spots present; three pale ocelli with a yellow patch apical of the median ocellus; eyes green.

Thorax: Prothorax dorsally dark green to black with bronze shimmer; laterally blue; pronotum black medially with blue edges, latero-posterior corners rounded to obtuse angles and weakly explanate, mid-line obviously indented across the pronotum, hind lobe with raised ridge that is shorter than the width of the pronotum, is curved outward medially, and extends to a sharp point that protrudes posteriorly; mesostigmal plate black with green lateral edges, roughly triangular and not significantly raised. Pterothorax with black carina; laterally, mesepisternum with black stripe reaching the dorsal carina and reaching the mesopleural suture, but only reaching ~ 2/3 of the mesepisternum; dark green stripe located on latter 1/3 of mesepisternum, not quite reaching mesinfraepisternum, turning yellow as it passes the mesopleural suture; mesepimeron overall blue with yellow extending down from mesepisternum; dark brown line on posterior end of mesopleural suture extending ~1/6 the sutures length; metepisternum overall blue with short, black line located on metapleural suture near the base of the wings, extending ~the suture’s length; mesinfraepisternum blue; metepimeron blue; coxae, trochanters, and femora dorsally pale brown with blue patches, and ventrally pale beige with black spines; tibiae pale brown with slightly darker, and smaller, spines than that of the femora; tarsi beige with dark brown edges and small, dense spines; pale brown tarsal claws that darken apically to reddish tips, claws with a small tooth located on the basal 1/4 of their length.

Wings: Hyaline with dark brown venation, thickening towards the dorsal edge. Pterostigma dark brown and rhombus-shaped, with edges being the darkest; CuP slightly distal than halfway between antenodals in HW, and approximately halfway in FW; arculus originates at the second antenodal crossvein in front wings and slightly distal to it in HW; discoidal cells unequal with FW dorsal edge being 1/2 as long as HW. Nodal index: 13/2-2/11 in FW and 13/2-2/11 in HW.

Abdomen: Overall yellow with black dorsal stripe extending from S1-S9 and lightening laterally, with pale brown setae; S1 and S2 blue laterally; S3 blue anteriorly but turns to pale yellow posteriorly; S4-S8 pale yellow laterally; S9 with dorsal blue patch extending ¾ of its length; S10 blue dorsally and laterally. Ovipositor overall pale yellow and reddish brown ventrally, with serrated ventral edge; stylus with rounded edges, dark brown and lightening apically; gonapophysis dark reddish -brown with slightly serrated dorsal edge. Cerci roughly triangular, dark brown, and narrowing to a rounded apex, dorsal edge slightly rounded.

Measurements (mm): total length 35 mm, abdomen 28 mm, HW 20 mm.

Diagnosis.

Male. Vanuatubasis evelynae can be distinguished from other Vanuatubasis species by a black pterostigma, forked (longer than wide) lateral lobes of the genital ligula, cerci curving medially their entire length, and black postclypeus with green lateral margins. Female. Vanuatubasis evelynae can be distinguished from other females in this genus, by their dark colored cerci, postclypeus with dark maculation, and uneven dorsal black area on S9 appearing almost sinusoidal.

Variation.

Male. Immature specimens are pale blue with less thoracic coloring. Measurements (mm): length 37-38 mm, abdomen 29-33 mm, HW 19-20 mm (n = 5). Female. The color of the pterostigma is lighter. Measurements (mm): total length 35-36, abdomen 28-29 mm, HW 20-21 (n = 2).

Distribution.

Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

Etymology.

The specific epithet of this species is a Latinized noun in the genitive case of the name ‘Evelyn’ in honor of L. Evelyn Cheesman, a prominent female entomologist whose early expeditions in Vanuatu significantly paved the way for future work in this region.

Notes.

This species is likely the one referred to as " Vanuatubasis sp." in Staniczek (2011). With the exception of one individual, all specimens were collected at the same site (Coulons, Espiritu Santo). One individuals’ label data reflects a locality on the other side of the island (Pelmol, Espiritu Santo). While this disjunct range is possible, it does seem suspect and is likely an error.

Figures

Figure 4. Vanuatubasis evelynae Holotype (♂ BYU) A dorsal thorax B lateral terminalia C dorsal terminalia D lateral habitus V. evelynae Allotype (♀ BYU) E dorsal thorax F lateral terminalia. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 20. Male dorso-posterior and dorsal terminalia of A V. bidens B V. evelynae C V. insularivorum D V. kapularum E V. malekulana F V. nunggoli G V. santoensis.

Figure 21. Female face and dorsal terminalia of A V. bidens B V. discontinua C V. evelynae D V. insularivorum E V. kapularum F V. malekulana G V. nunggoli H V. rhomboides I V. santoensis J V. xanthochroa.