Pseudagrion halmaherae, Seehausen & Kalkman & Bedjanič, 2025

Pseudagrion halmaherae sp. nov.

Figures: 33 (habitus holotype ♂); 34–36 (S9–10, caudal appendages holotype ♂); 37 (head holotype ♂); 38 (pronotum holotype ♂); 39 (habitus paratype ♀); 40 (head paratype ♀); 41 (pronotum paratype ♀); 42 (S9–10, ovipositor paratype ♀); 86 (head ♂); 103 (pterothorax ♂); 120a, b (abdomen ♂); 137a–c (caudal appendages ♂).

? Pseudagrion coriaceum View in CoL : Selys (1878): 296 (Halmahera);— Selys (1879): 290 (Halmahera).

Holotype: ♂, 7.–12.x.1951, Biaur , Halmahera Island , North Maluku province, Indonesia, 600 m a.s.l, approximately 1.3°N, 127.7°E, no. 1519084. Deposited at Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden, the Netherlands. GoogleMaps

Paratype (1♀): 1♀, 7.–12.x.1951, Biaur , Halmahera Island, North Maluku province, Indonesia, 600 m a.s.l., approximately 1.3°N, 127.7°E, RMNH, no. 1519084 GoogleMaps .

Etymology: Named with regards to the type locality Halmahera Island.

Remarks: Further specimens from Halmahera were discovered among unidentified material at the RMNH by V.J. Kalkman just prior to submission. For this reason we have not included them in the type series.

Description of holotype male

Head ( Fig. 37, also compare Fig. 86): Labium, mandibles, genae, labrum, anteclypeus, postclypeus, antefrons, and postfrons yellow; colour of postfrons sharply separated from black vertex at level of anterior margin of lateral ocelli; median ocellus with a small black spot posteriorly; vertex with a small yellowish spot situated at centre of occipital bar area; postocular spots orange-reddish, rectangle-like with posterior edge somewhat serrated, bordered by black; rear of head black, but yellowish along the eye margins; base and scape of antennae yellow, following segments ochre-brownish.

Thorax ( Figs 33, 38, also compare Fig. 103):Anterior lobe of pronotum with its centre orange, broadly surrounded by black, and orange patches laterally; middle pronotal lobe black with two parallel elongate orange patches in centre, and on each side a subtriangular orange spot dorsolaterally; propleuron black above, broadly orange below and to rear; posterior lobe of pronotum black, with an elongate orange spot in centre and broadly orange at each lateral margin; apical edge of posterior lobe convex. Pterothorax orange-reddish with its posterior margins black; a broad black middorsal stripe; a broad black humeral stripe, broadened posteriorly; interpleural suture with a black stripe reaching to metathoracic spiracle, broadened around its middle; metapleural suture with a black stripe, broadened posteriorly; mesinfraepisternum with a broad black diagonal stripe, lower margin pale orange; venter of pterothorax pale yellow-orange, covered with whitish pruinosity. Coxae and legs pale yellow-orange; outer side of femora with a washed-out blackish stripe along posterior two-third at foreleg, along posterior half at midleg and lacking at hindleg; tibiae with blackish along the black spines; tarsi washed-out blackish; tarsal claws ochre.

Wings ( Fig. 33): Membrane hyaline; veins brown to black; 16.0–16.5 px in forewing; 14.5–15.0 px in hindwings; Pt dark reddish-brown, overlying one cell.

Abdomen ( Figs 33, 34, 35, also compare Figs 120a, b): S1 orange, dorsally with a goblet-like black patch; S2 orange, dorsally black, black colour expanded laterally at posterior end; S3–8 black dorsally; yellow-orange laterally; S9 orange, with a black middorsal stripe, and a quadrangle-like black patch covering posterior two-thirds of segment; laterally with the posterior third black; S10 orange, dorsally black.

Caudal appendages ( Figs 34, 35, 36, also compare Figs 137a–c): Cercus washed-out blackish, slightly shorter than S10, inferior lobe shorter than superior lobe; cercus in lateral view subtriangular due to an almost straight upper margin of the cercus, and a convex lower margin; lower margin with a narrow but deep inter-lobe notch subapically; in dorsal view cercus almost straight, then turned slightly inward with its apex narrowly rounded and in dorsolateral view curved inward; in dorsal and dorsolateral view a cleft is visible between superior and inferior lobe; inferior lobe projected shelf-like to inward, a forward and inward directed subbasal interior projection is present, appearing larger in dorsolateral view; paraproct pale yellow-ochre, slightly longer than half of cercus; in lateral view subtriangular and tapered with a rounded apex; in dorsal view broadly rounded, concave bowl-like; with a small black tooth at medial edge.

Measurements (mm): Total length (with appendages) 51.3; abdomen length (without appendages) 42.3; hindwing 28.8; forewing 30.5; Pt in forewing 0.8; cercus 0.6.

Description of female paratype

Head ( Fig. 40): Labium, mandibles, genae, labrum, and anteclypeus yellowish-ochre; postclypeus black; antefrons, and postfrons yellowish with a large black patch at centre; yellow colour of postfrons sharply separated from vertex at level of anterior margin of lateral ocelli; vertex black; a black stripe expanded towards each antenna, and broadly towards the median ocellus, reaching level of lateral ocelli; occipital bar thin yellowish, its centre slightly expanded anteriorly; postocular spots yellow-orange, rectangle-like with their posterior edge somewhat serrated, bordered by black; rear of head black, but yellowish along the eye margins; base and scape of antennae yellowish-ochre, following segments brownish.

Thorax ( Figs 39, 41): Anterior lobe of pronotum yellowish, yellowish colour expanding in centre towards middle lobe, its anterior margin black; middle pronotal lobe black, with a centrally divided large yellowish patch in the middle, and on either side a yellowish spot dorsolaterally; propleuron black above, broadly yellowish below and to rear; posterior lobe of pronotum black; a yellowish spot in centre, and washed-out dark yellowish at each lateral margin; apical edge of posterior lobe convex, bearing two darkish horns directed towards the head, almost reaching the centre of the middle lobe. Pterothorax yellowish with its posterior margins black; a broad black middorsal stripe; a broad black humeral stripe, broadened posteriorly; interpleural suture with a black stripe reaching to half of the pterothorax, its anterior terminus broadened; metapleural suture with a black stripe, broadened posteriorly; mesinfraepisternum with a broad black diagonal stripe, lower margin pale yellowish; venter of pterothorax pale yellowish, covered with whitish pruinosity. Coxae and legs pale yellowish; outer side of femora partly with a washed-out blackish stripe along posterior half; tibiae blackish along the black spines; tarsi obscure blackish; tarsal claws ochre.

Wings ( Fig. 39): Membrane hyaline; veins brown to black; 17.5–18.5 px in forewing; 15.5 px in hindwings; Pt pale reddish-brown, overlying one cell.

Abdomen ( Figs 39, 42): S1–8 dorsally black, laterally pale orange; each basal annulus pale yellowish-orange; S9 dorsally black, laterally pale yellowish-orange, this pale colour expanded dorsally in centre of segment; S10 dorsally black, laterally pale yellowish. Cercus in lateral view straight and tapered, blackish, about half as long as S10; paraproct pale yellow-brownish, short, in lateral view rounded; ovipositor yellowish-orange, not reaching posterior end of S10, two yellow-brownish styles reaching beyond S10; inferior edge of ovipositor bearing several very small teeth.

Measurements (mm): Total length (with appendages) 50.7; abdomen length (without appendages) 40.5; hindwing 31.6; forewing 33.0; Pt in forewing 0.9.

Diagnosis

The morphology of the male cercus ( Figs 137a–c) is distinct compared to all congeners. There are superficial similarities to the male cercus of P. coriaceum ( Figs 132a–c), but P. halmaherae differs from the latter by the clearly visible inter-lobe notch in lateral view ( Figs 132a, 137a). Additionally the rectangular postocular spots of P. halmaherae , with their somewhat serrated posterior margin, separate this species in both sexes from congeners ( Figs 33, 40, 86). Both sexes also have an obvious colour pattern of the pterothorax, in some aspects similar to that of P. crocops , but the antehumeral stripe of males is red in P. halmaherae ( Fig. 103) versus greenish in P. crocops ( Figs 99, 154).

Distribution

Probably endemic to Halmahera ( Fig. 3). But as this region is little explored, it is possible that this species occurs on adjacent islands as well.