Genus Rhagovelia Mayr, 1865

Species Groups

For the sake of organizational utility, the treatment of Rhagovelia species assemblages in various regions of the world has involved their subdivision into species groups (J. Polhemus & D. Polhemus 1988, D. Polhemus 1995, 1997; D. Polhemus & Andersen 2010, 2014; Zettel 1994, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2006, 2007). These species groups have been proposed on the basis of shared character states, and in many cases are likely to represent monophyletic clades within the genus, although not all have been phylogenetically validated, nor do they have any formal taxonomic standing under the current Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The Rhagovelia fauna of the EPCT may be assigned to three of these previously defined groups, the species within which are easily recognizable on the basis of their morphology and ecological preferences. Additional subgroups now recognized within these larger species groups are discussed in the present paper.

Key to the Species Groups of Rhagovelia occurring in the EPCT

Males

Female characters also provided where useful.

1. Pronotum short, length along midline shorter than or subequal to length of head as viewed from directly above, leaving mesonotum broadly exposed (Figs. 15, 296); forewing with two elongate basal cells, followed by two distal cells of similar length and size (Figs. 10, 14)............................................................................ 2

- Pronotum longer, length along midline significantly greater than length of head as viewed from directly above, leaving only extreme posteromedial margin of mesonotum exposed (Fig. 202); forewing with two elongate basal cells, followed by two smaller distal cells of unequal length and size, with the outer distal cell smaller than the inner (Fig. 12)................................................................................................. R. papuensis group

2. General coloration black, brown, or orange-brown (Figs. 15, 35, 41, 48, 55, 63, 70, 77, 85, 99, 106, 118, 125, 133, 140, 146, 154, 161, 169, 171, 181, 189, 194); anterior pronotum often with broad transverse band of yellowish coloration extending across entire width of pronotum and onto propleurae; males and females of similar size; male paramere large and elongate, often with distal section expanded (Figs. 38, 45, 52, 59, 67, 74, 81, 89, 103, 114, 122, 129, 137, 143, 150, 158, 165, 176, 178, 185, 192, 198); male proctiger with well-developed basolateral lobes (Figs. 39, 46, 53, 60, 68, 75, 82, 90, 104, 115, 123, 130, 138, 144, 151, 159, 166, 177, 179, 186, 193, 199); male hind femur incrassate to varying degrees, armed with numerous teeth and spines (Fig. 37); forewing with two elongate basal cells, followed by a one or two shorter distal cells, when two cells present both are of similar length but with the outer distal cell being narrower than the inner (Fig. 10).................................................................................................... R. novacaledonica group

- General coloration silvery grey; anterior pronotum with only a small transversely ovate spot of orange-brown coloration immediately behind head vertex, flanked laterally by grey coloration, orange-brown coloration never extending laterally onto propleurae; sexually dimorphic in terms of size, with males usually smaller than females (except in R. riu) (Figs. 297, 303, 310, 316, 321); male paramere small and ovate (Figs. 300, 306, 313, 319, 327); male hind femur slender or at most weakly incrassate, armature absent, or limited to a few small teeth (Fig. 326); forewing with two elongate basal cells, followed by one or two much smaller and shorter distal cells of subequal size (Fig. 14)............................... R. caesius group