Rhagovelia grisea, 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 : 189

Rhagovelia grisea subgroup

The R. grisea subgroup contains the majority of species from the greater New Guinea region currently held in the R. caesius group, including, R. salawati and R. styx from the Raja Ampat Islands, and R. caesius , R. grisea , and R. cheesmanae from the EPCT. Additional undescribed species in this subgroup are also at hand from other parts of New Guinea. All the included species have strong sexual dimorphism, with males being much smaller than females ( Figs. 310, 311 , 316, 317 , 321, 322 ), and females having broadly ovate body shapes, with the connexiva not infolded or touching, leaving all the abdominal tergites fully exposed ( Figs. 311 , 317 , 322 ). The general coloration is silverygrey, with bristly black setae present on the male abdominal dorsum, and sometimes on the lateral portions of the female thorax as well.

Figures

FIGS. 310–314. Rhagovelia grisea n. sp., structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Muguwe Creek, CL 7169. 310. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 311. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 312. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 313. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 314. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 316–320. Rhagovelia caesius Lansbury, structural details; specimens from New Guinea, Aleater River, CL 7241. 316. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 317. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 318. Male right hind leg, dorsal view. 319. Male left paramere, outer lateral view. 320. Male proctiger, dorsal view.

FIGS. 321–324. Rhagovelia cheesmanae n. sp., structural details; wingless and winged morphs; specimens from New Guinea, Udabe River, CL 7247. 321. Wingless male, dorsal habitus. 322. Wingless female, dorsal habitus. 323. Winged male, dorsal habitus. 324. Winged female, dorsal habitus.