Pseudoteratura ( Pseudoteratura ) maliau, Tan & Damit & Japir & Chung & Robillard, 2025

Pseudoteratura ( Pseudoteratura) maliau View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 10B, 10F, 10J View FIGURE 10 , 11 View FIGURE 11 , 12 View FIGURE 12 )

Material examined. Holotype: EAST MALAYSIA; Sabah State • ♂; Maliau Basin, along trail from Agathis– Nepenthes camps at 2 km; N4.70723 E116.89538, 954.4± 5.3 m.a.s.l.; 12 November 2024, 18h00; coll. M.K. Tan; SBH.24.38 ( FRC). GoogleMaps

Diagnosis. The new species is characterised by the shape of the cercus, particularly in the shape of the proximal medial process ( rl) (elongated and rectangular, with its apex truncated and strongly sclerotized, with the surface finely denticulated) and inner-ventral lobe ( fl) (elongated and extending to apex, its margin finely denticulated, at the anterior end with blunt triangular lobe pointing internally), and the shape of the genitalia (with a lamellar dorsal plate ( pd) and an elongated shaft ( vs) ventrad of the dorsad plate, surpassing the dorsal plate, its apex with two dorsal ( dlb) and two ventral ( vlb) lobules).

The new species is most similar to Pseudoteratura ( Pseudoteratura) lambir Gorochov, 2014 from Lambir Hills (in Sarawak) and Pseudoteratura ( Pseudoteratura) kenuan Tan, Gorochov & Wahab, 2017 from Brunei Darussalam by the pronotum disc with the longitudinal stripe somewhat broken at the base of metazona, the shapes of the male cercus, male genitalia and male subgenital plate; but differs by the male cercus with its proximal medial process more elongated, apex of this process reaching basal parts of its inner-ventral lobes and at its apex not inflated (slightly inflated in P. ( P.) lambir and distinctly inflated in P. ( P.) kenuan ); and the inner-ventral lobe more rectangular (instead of triangular in P. ( P.) kenuan or rounded in P. ( P.) lambir ) with its proximal inner angle with a lobule; the apex of its cercus in lateral view subobtuse, intermediate between being truncated in P. ( P.) kenuan and being more acute in P. ( P.) lambir ) and the male genitalia having the dorsal ( dlb) lobules more triangular with more acute apices (instead of rounded with more obtuse apices). The new species is also similar to P. ( P.) lambir in the exposed part of the hindwings with two black spots close together (whereas P. ( P.) kenuan only has one spot); but differs from both species by the fastigium of its vertex not black.

The new species somewhat resembles Pseudoteratura ( Pseudoteratura) mittena Liu, 2020 from Sarawak (Matang) and Sabah ( Tawau Hills ) by the shape of the cercus (presence of a proximal medial process); but differs by the cercus having a distinct, large and rectangular inner-ventral lobe (instead of a small mitten-like fold). The new species also somewhat resembles Pseudoteratura ( Pseudoteratura) aglaia (Hebard, 1922) from Zamboanga (Mindanao) by the shape of the cercus and longitudinal stripe of the pronotal disc; but differs by the cercus with its inner-ventral lobe more elongated than wide (instead of almost as elongated as wide) and the shape of the genitalia.

Etymology. The species is named after the type locality, Maliau Basin; noun in apposition.

Description. Male ( holotype). Relatively small and very slender Meconematini with habitus typical of this genus ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ). Eyes globular and slightly protruding ( Figs 10B, 10F View FIGURE 10 ). Frontal rostrum conical, moderately small with apex somewhat blunt, with dorsomedian sulcus present ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ). Fifth (apical) segment of maxillary palpus slender but slightly and obliquely widened apically. Fifth, fourth and third segments of subequal length, all longer than second segment. Pronotum covering tegminal mirror ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ). Dorsal disc roundly turned into lateral lobes, without distinct transverse sulcus ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ); pronotum barely inflated in posterior half (when viewed in profile) ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ); anterior margin of pronotal disc straight, posterior margin broadly rounded ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ); humeral sinus indistinct ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ); ventral margin of pronotal lateral lobe mostly straight ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Thoracic auditory spiracle (= thoracic foramen) large, with ventral half elongated and dorsal half widened and rounded, not covered with pronotal lateral lobe ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Macropterous; tegmen extending well behind hind knees; hindwing distinctly extending beyond tegmina. Coxal spur of foreleg relatively short and small. Fore tibia with both tympana elongated oval and open; fore tibiae each with 4 outer and 4 inner subapical spines; middle tibiae each with 4 outer and 4 inner subapical spines.

Tenth abdominal tergite with posterior margin deeply and triangularly emarginated widely in median part ( Figs 12A, 12B View FIGURE 12 ). Epiproct small and broadly rounded tongue-shaped ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE 12 ). Cercus generally flattened ( Figs 12A–I View FIGURE 12 ). Basal part of cercus with small inner flattened and rectangular proximal medial process ( rl), this process elongated and pointing inner-posteriorly, with apex truncated and strongly sclerotized, with surface finely denticulated. Posterior of basal lobe along inner ventro-margin with rectangular dorso-ventrally flattened inner-ventral lobe ( fl) extending to apex, margin finely denticulated, at anterior end with blunt triangular lobe pointing internally. Cercus at apical end forming elongated triangular flattened lobe ( al), at dorsal margin slightly notched, apex blunt. Subgenital plate ( sgp) elongate trapezoidal, longer than broad; apical margin truncated; with styli short and stout ( Fig. 12I View FIGURE 12 ). Genitalia weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 12J View FIGURE 12 ); with lamellar dorsal plate ( pd), at posterior end triangularly emarginated at middle, forming two stout and fairly broad tongue-shaped lateral lobes, these lobes not surpassing proximal medial process of cercus; elongated shaft ( vs) ventrad of dorsad plate, surpassing dorsal plate, apex with two dorsal ( dlb) and two ventral ( vlb) lobules; dorsal lobules triangular with subacute apices pointing latero-posteriorly, margin broadly emarginated between the lobules; ventral lobules more broadly rounded.

Female. Unknown.

Colouration. Green when alive; yellow (discoloured) in alcohol ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ). Head dorsum, including fastigium, orange at middle ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ); otherwise, pale coloured ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Scapus with inner side orange; pedicel with basal half orange and apical half black ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ); antennae yellow brown with intermittent black rings. Apical part of apical segment slightly darkened ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ). Pronotal disc at prozona having orange longitudinal median stripe with margins parallel, at metazona stripe very faint and narrow, near posterior margin with small black patch and white spot within black patch ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ) Tegmen with numerous large black infumated dots; anal tegminal margin orange ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ). Exposed apical part of hindwing with three round black spots closely spaced together ( Fig. 10J View FIGURE 10 ). Legs generally very pale green; apical half of tarsus black; ventral spines darkened. Fore tibia with tympanum black. Abdomen generally pale green.

Measurements (in mm). See Table 1.