Papuanatula (Papuanatula) balkei, Kaltenbach & Kluge & Gattolliat, 2025

Papuanatula (Papuanatula) balkei sp. nov.

Figs 26 View Figure 26 , 27 View Figure 27 , 28 View Figure 28 , 29 View Figure 29 , 30 View Figure 30 , 31 View Figure 31

Etymology.

The species is dedicated to Michael Balke ( ZSM / SNSB), the collector of an important part of the material used in this study.

Material examined.

Holotype. Papua New Guinea • larva; Eastern Highlands Prov., Marawaka, Ande ; near 07°01'42"S, 145°49'48"E; 1700–1800 m, 9. xi. 2006, leg. M. Balke & Kinibel; (PNG 87); on slide; GBIFCH 00592545 , GBIFCH 00592547 ; ZSM / SNSB GoogleMaps . Paratypes. 20 larvae; same data as holotype; 5 on slides; GBIFCH 00592544 , GBIFCH 00592546 , GBIFCH 00592626 , GBIFCH 00975797 , GBIFCH 00975798 , GBIFCH 00976040 ; MZL; 15 in alcohol; GBIFCH 00975770 , GBIFCH 00976050 , GBIFCH 00976108 , GBIFCH 00976141 ; MZL GoogleMaps .

Other material.

Papua New Guinea • 26 larvae; Western Highlands Prov., Simbai ; 05°16'20"S, 144°33'11"E; 1800–2000 m; 25. ii. 2007; leg. Kinibel; (PNG 133); 2 on slides; GBIFCH 00976049 , GBIFCH 00976095 ; MZL; 24 in alcohol; GBIFCH 00975786 , GBIFCH 00976043 , GBIFCH 00976096 , GBIFCH 00976097 ; MZL GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Larva. The following combination of characters distinguishes P. balkei sp. nov. from other species of Papuanatula s. str.: body dorsally with irregular row of long, fine, simple setae along midline; abdominal terga without protuberances; femur proximally with wedge-shaped blank, overlaid with scattered brown color; abdominal terga brown, laterally darker, terga V, VI, and X brighter; tergalii with pigmented tracheation; paracercus with seven or eight segments; abdominal terga with triangular, apically rounded denticles on posterior margin; small scattered scales on abdominal terga elongate, slightly trapezoid.

Description.

Larva (Figs 26 View Figure 26 – 31 View Figure 31 ). Body length 4.2–5.6 mm, cerci much longer than body length (~ 1.5 ×).

Cuticular coloration (Fig. 26 a – c View Figure 26 ). Head, thorax and abdomen dorsally brown; thorax with complex pattern; abdominal segments laterally darker, V, VI, and X brighter. Femur proximally with wedge-shaped blank, overlaid with scattered brown color; medial area grey-brown, distal area yellow-brown to grey-brown; tibia grey; tarsus grey, distally brown. Head, thorax and abdominal segment I ventrally ecru, protuberances of thoracic sterna brown; abdominal segments II – X ventrally pale brown, darker toward end of abdomen. Cerci grey-brown.

Hypodermal coloration. Each abdominal tergum I – IX with wide dark brown transverse band close to anterior margin and with narrower dark brown transverse band close to posterior margin (Fig. 26 a View Figure 26 ).

Head (Figs 26 b View Figure 26 , 29 h View Figure 29 ). Dorsally with irregular row of long, fine, simple setae along midline. Antenna. Length ~ 1.5 × head length. Otherwise, as typical for subgenus. Developing turbinate eyes in last instar male larva (Fig. 29 h View Figure 29 ) ovoid, with large distance to each other. Labrum (Fig. 27 a, b View Figure 27 ). Length 0.5 × maximum width, laterally convex. Dorsal, sub-marginal arc with 24–29 feathered setae. Right mandible (Fig. 27 d, e View Figure 27 ). Margin between prostheca and mola with row of minute denticles. Otherwise, as typical for subgenus. Left mandible (Fig. 27 f, g View Figure 27 ). Margin between prostheca and mola with row of minute denticles. Otherwise, as typical for subgenus. Hypopharynx (Fig. 27 c View Figure 27 ). As typical genus. Maxilla (Fig. 28 c, d View Figure 28 ). Maxillary palp subequal in length to galea-lacinia; palp segment II slightly longer than segment I. Otherwise, as typical for genus. Labium (Fig. 28 a, b View Figure 28 ). As typical for genus. Paraglossa dorsally with two spine-like setae near inner, distolateral margin. Labial palp with segment I subequal in length to segments II and III combined. Segment II with minute distomedial protuberance, dorsally with row of four spine-like setae near outer, distolateral margin. Segment III slightly pentagonal, pointed; 0.7 × length of segment II; inner dorsal margin with few feathered setae.

Thorax. Sterna. With small protuberances on sides of prosternum and close to openings of mesothoracic and metathoracic sternal apodemes (as in Fig. 108 a View Figure 108 ). Terga (Fig. 26 b View Figure 26 ) without protuberances; with irregular row of long, fine, simple setae along midline. Metanotum without hind protoptera or their vestiges. Legs (Fig. 29 a – g View Figure 29 ). Ratio of leg segments: fore leg 0.8: 1.0: 0.4: 0.1, middle leg 0.9: 1.0: 0.3: 0.1 and hind leg 1.0: 1.0: 0.4: 0.2. Femur. Length ~ 3.7 × maximum width. Claw with one row of 5–7 denticles and one or sometimes two posterior setae.

Abdomen. Terga (Figs 30 a View Figure 30 , 31 a – c View Figure 31 ) with irregular row of long, fine, simple setae along midline. Terga without protuberances, terga I – IV with slight, paired medioposterior elevations. Posterior margin of terga: I with rudimentary denticles, II – IX with triangular, apically rounded denticles. Surface with scattered small, elongate, slightly trapezoid, striated scales. Tergalii (Fig. 30 d, e View Figure 30 ). Broad ovoid, tracheation well pigmented; margins smooth, with few short, fine, simple setae. Paraproct (Fig. 30 f View Figure 30 ). Posterior margin with prolongation and row of minute denticles. Caudalii (Fig. 30 b, c View Figure 30 ). Cerci apart from basal and distal part with 1–7 swimming setae per segment, initially increasing and then again decreasing toward distal part. Paracercus with seven or eight segments.

Pose of subimaginal gonostyli under larval cuticle. Unknown.

Subimago. Unknown.

Imago. Unknown.

Egg. Unknown.

Distribution.

New Guinea (Fig. 146 View Figure 146 ).