Mesovelia melanesica J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus, 2000
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4651.3.4 |
publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D1C1327C-D098-499D-9A2F-81504ED52C0D |
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5930893 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/34238792-FFEE-7E48-FF3A-938CFA92F9A5 |
treatment provided by |
Plazi |
scientific name |
Mesovelia melanesica J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus, 2000 |
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Mesovelia melanesica J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus, 2000 View in CoL
( Figs. 10 View FIGURES 10 A–B)
2000. Mesovelia melanesica J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus, J. New York Entomol. Soc., 108(3–4), 211.
Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA, NEW GUINEA, Southern Highlands Province, 13 apt. ♂, 11 apt. ♀, 3 immatures, imponded roadside stream at Moro oil exploration camp, 840 m a.s.l., 6.35694 0 S, 143.2367 0 E, water temp. 25° C., 24.iii.1994, 14:00–15:00 hrs., CL 7024, Coll. D. A. Polhemus ( BPBM) . INDONESIA, NEW GUINEA, Irian Jaya Province [= Papua Province], 1 apt. ♂, 1 apt. ♀, tributary to Tirawiwa River , 4.5 km. N. of PTFI Siewa exploration camp along old logging road, 55 m a.s.l., 3.00972 0 S, 136.3494 0 E, water temp. 26° C., 12.iv.1998, 09:30–12:30 hrs., CL 7095, D. D. A. Polhemus ( BPBM) .
Comparative notes. Mesovelia melanesica conforms to our definition of the M. horvathi species complex, possessing character states definitive for the group including paired, sublateral setal tufts on the terminal male abdomen ( Fig. 10A View FIGURES 10 ); a strongly bent male paramere ( Fig. 10B View FIGURES 10 ); and an apicolateral excavation on the abdominal segment VIII of male ( Fig. 10A View FIGURES 10 ). The species was originally described from a series of 9 specimens taken on Biak Island, off northwestern New Guinea (J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus 2000), with paratypes from other scattered locations on New Guinea proper, both north and south of the central mountains, but excluding the Papuan Peninsula.
Although widespread, this species is generally localized and uncommon, being far less regularly encountered in New Guinea than is M. subvittata , with which it is syntopic. It can be easily distinguished from this latter species by its color pattern (J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus 2000), and by the much smaller number of spinelike setae (only 3–4) in each of the paired tufts on the male terminal abdomen (segment VIII), with the bases of these tufts being covered by the posterior margin of segment VII. Ecologically, M. melanesica seems to prefer lentic habitats, including rain forest pools, sago swamps, and imponded sections of streams between 0 and 850 m elevation.
Distribution. Australasian Region: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea (J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus 2000).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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