Polyplectropus vanua, Oláh & Johanson, 2010

Oláh, János & Johanson, Kjell Arne, 2010, Generic review of Polycentropodidae with description of 32 new species and 19 new species records from the Oriental, Australian and Afrotropical Biogeographical Regions 2435, Zootaxa 2435 (1), pp. 1-63 : 38-39

Polyplectropus vanua , new species

Figures 59–60

Diagnosis: This species from the Fiji Islands ( Vanua Levu ) resembles P. fijianus , but is easily distinguished by the presence of monolobed cerci; the longer dorsal lobe of each gonopod; and absence of a mesoapical projection on sternite IX.

Description: Male. Body uniformly brown. Maxillary palp formula (I,II)-IV-III-V; 3rd segment of each maxillary palp originating subapically on lateral face of segment 2. Forewing length 6 mm; each with discoidal cell and median cell closed; apical forks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 present. Hind wings each with discoidal cell open; apical forks 1, 2, and 5 present.

Male genitalia. Sternite IX ( Fig. 59 ) obliquely elongated to fulcrum on each side, with broad basal part; without prominent mesoapical projections in ventral view; tergum IX membranous above fulcra; each fulcrum comprising bases of cercus and paraproctal complex, membranous band of segment IX connecting fulcra with membranous segment X. Segment X transparent, membranous, continuous with tergum IX; segments IX and X and sclerotized part of tergite VIII covering dorsal part of phallic apparatus. Cerci almost parallel-sided along their entire length; geniculate, bending posterad shortly after mid-length; shorter than dorsal processes of gonopods. Paraproctal complexes fused with cerci, projecting anterad well before fulcra; dorsal paraproctal processes slender, arising from anterad-projecting bases of paraprocts, and bending down to gonopods; paraproctal subphallic sclerite modified into pair of clavate processes each with setose apex having enlarged setal alveoli; apical half broadening ventrally. Gonopods very robust, horizontally long, with bilobed apex; dorsal lobe slender, spine-like, arcuate ventrad, longer than broad and blunt ventral lobe; backward-directed, basomesal spine and subbasomesal small lobe visible through sternite IX and gonopod in cleared preparations. Phallic apparatus ( Fig. 60 ) located dorsally in genitalia, guided by dorsal paraproctal processes and modified processes of subphallic sclerite; phallic apparatus comprising arching, tube-like, sclerotized phallotheca with dorsad-curving dorsal lobe and membranous endotheca or endophallus, without visible additional sclerites.

Holotype male: FIJI ISLANDS: Vanua Levu : Nuivanda Forest , 3–5.ix.1975 [H.S. Robinson & P.A. Maddison]—( BMNH).

Paratypes: same data as holotype— 2 males ( BMNH), 2 males ( OPC) .

Distribution: Fiji Islands.

Etymology: Vanua , named after the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 59–60. Polyplectropus vanua, new species, holotype. 59—genitalia, left lateral; 60—phallic apparatus, left lateral.