Pygophora papuana Vikhrev, 2015

Pygophora papuana Vikhrev, 2015 View in CoL

Fig. 3 View Figs 1–3 .

Pygophora papuana Vikhrev, 2015 View in CoL .

MATERIAL. Holotype ♂: INDONESIA, W Papua prov., Lake Habbema , 3350 m asl, 4.14°S 138.71°E, 26.12.2014, N. Vikhrev. The same locality, 10.12.2017, N. Vikhrev, 1♂, 1♀. GoogleMaps

DISTRIBUTION. An endemic of the highlands of New Guinea.

NOTES ON MALE. This species was known from single male holotype [ Vikhrev, 2015], the second collected male generally fits well the description, but some points could be specified. Orbital chaetotaxy should be described as follows: apart from typical 2 inclinate and 2 reclinate setae there are 2– 3 strong supernumerary inclinate setae and 4–6 additional setulae around inclinate setae (1). Chaetotaxy of t2 of the holotype was described as “3 strong pd ”, the second male has 1 ad and 3 pd on left t2 and 4 pd on right t2 (2). Additional presutural dc seta is unusually strong for Pygophora , so it is better to describe dc as: 2+3 (3). The type locality was indicated as West Papua Province, actually it is Papua Province of Indonesia (4) .

FEMALE ( Fig. 3 View Figs 1–3 ) of this species was unknown. According to examination of the first female specimen collected in 2017, it differs from male as follows: body length larger: 7.7 mm; wings darkened on anterior half only; t1 with 2 pv; t2 with 4 pd and a dense row of 4–5 shorter ad setae in middle 1/3; t3 without apical lobe; shape of abdomen typical for Pygophora female, with pointed apex.

Pygophora unicolor Stein, 1920 REMARKS. In 1920 Paul Stein described a new species of Pygophora View in CoL by single female from Java. Crosskey’s [1962] diagnosis of P. unicolor was: “distinguished from all other species yet known by entirely dark … colour (of body)”. When Crosskey [1962] published his revision of the genus, the male of P. unicolor was still unknown, while females were recorded also from India ( Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states), Peninsular Malaysia ( Pahang state) and Papua New Guinea. A single male of P. unicolor was finally found in 1993 again in Tamil Nadu and described [ Shinonaga, Tewari, 2008]. In ZMUM collection P. unicolor is now represented by 18 males and 26 females. Such a rich material allows to specify the taxonomy of this species.

1. Diagnosis. ♂ ♀: Small Pygophora View in CoL with entirely black body. Frons not widened, supernumerary inclinate setae absent, arista long plumose in basal part and bare apically. ♀: Typical “ Pygophora View in CoL ” femoral chaetotaxy: 3 strong and long pv setae on basal half of f2 and f3 and a complete row of av on f3 of which 2–3 in apical third are long and strong. Postpedicel unmodified. All femora dark in basal 2/3. ♂: The most remarkable character of male P. unicolor is the reduced leg chaetotaxy: strong pv and av setae on f2 and f3 described for female are reduced to 1(2) short and fine setulae on each surface, except for 1 medium strong preapical av on f3 ( Figs 4–5 View Figs 4–7 ). Postpedicel long, almost reaching mouth-margin (failing short by about 0.1 of its length). Both calypters are hyaline brown ( Figs 4–5 View Figs 4–7 ).

2. The diagnosis given above quite contradicts the description of male P. unicolor by Shinonaga, Tewari [2008] which in my opinion has significant errors: “upper and lower squama creamy white … f2 with 2 long bristles on the middle of pv surface … f3 with a sparse row of long bristles on av surface…”. The most important error is that the most remarkable character of male P. unicolor , the reduced femoral chaetotaxy is missing.

3. Examination of our material of P. unicolor shows that there are 2 geographical forms which I regard here in the subspecies rank. The nominotypical P. u. unicolor Stein, 1920 is represented by larger specimens and males with all femora basally dark. Crosskey [1962] examined the holotype of P. unicolor (type locality: Indonesia, Java, Wonosobo ( 7.35°S 109.90°E, 750 m asl)) and described it as having body length 5 mm and abdomen entirely black. Our specimens from Borneo and Bali belong to the nominotypical subspecies, the geographical reason ( Java situating between Bali and Borneo) also confirms it. The South Asian mainland from India to Vietnam is inhabited by a subspecies described below as P. unicolor crosskeyi ssp.n. It has a smaller size and males with mostly or entirely yellow femora.