Medeopteryx similispupillae Ballantyne & Lambkin 2013, sp. nov.

Medeopteryx similispupillae sp. nov.

[Figs 164–167, 177–182)

Holotype. Male. NEW GUINEA: Madang District, Alexishafen at bridge, 10.x.1969, (G206) J E Lloyd (ANIC).

Paratypes (68) NEW GUINEA: Madang District, Alexishafen, at bridge, 1969, J.E. Lloyd, Oct. 9 3 males (G184, 193, 198*); Oct. 10 3 males (G204, 211, 215); Oct. 12 4 males (G218, 219, 222*, 224); x/9/1969, SEK 12, J Buck male (ANIC). Madang District, Sek Harbor, 10 mi N Madang; Oct. 7 male (G174); Oct. 29 male (G448).(JELC). All but * have associated flashing data.

The following ethanol preserved paratypes have associated flashing data with labels quoted exactly as written to permit association with Buck's field records (KK= Kar Kar Island followed by tube number). Collector is J. Buck and specimens are in ANIC unless otherwise indicated

NEW GUINEA: 4.40S, 146.00E, Kar Kar Island: 2 males, xi/ II/1969, KK/1; male, female xi/13/1969 KK#1; male xi/14/1969 phase shift, bat house, KK/1; male, xi/14/1969, phase shift bat house, KK/2; male, xi/15/1969 phase shift bat house, KK/3; male, xi/15/1969 phase shift, bat house, KK/4; mating pair xi/11/1969 KK/4; male, xi/ 11/1969 phase shift, bat house, KK/5; male, xi/15/1969 phase shift, bat house KK/6; male, xi/16/1969 phase shift, bat house, KK/7; male, xi/15/1969 phase shift, bat house KK/8; male, xi/16/1969, phase shift, bat house KK/9*; 2 males, xi/11/69 KK/9*; male, xi/11/1969, KK/11; male, xi/11/1969 KK/12*; male, xi/11/1969, KK/13*; 2 males, xi/11/1969, KK/14*; male, female, xi/11/1969, KK/15; 4 males, xi/11/1969 KK/16; male, xi/11/1969 KK/16; 2 males, xi/11/1969 KK/16; 4 males, xi/11/1969, KK/16; male, xi/11/1969 KK/16; male, female Kar Kar morgue, xi/ 11/1969, KK/21; male, X/23/1969; male, xi/11/1969 used by Eldon Ball Tube KK/E41; male, xi/11/1969. Collector Eldon Ball: 2 males, 22 Nov. 1973 KK/1–1,1–21 Tube 18; male, Tube 5A (no other data); male, (used for temperature coefficient work), Tube Ball 4; 3 males, 22 Nov 1973, KK–3, 1–23, Tube 8; 3 males, specimens #2, #6 and #8 respectively, labelled Kar Kar, near Kurum school, to accompany tapes 1A & 1B of 25/xi/1973. (ANIC).

Code name. Luciola 11 (Lloyd, 1973a).

Diagnosis. One of two species of Medeopteryx with trisinuate V7 but without deflexed elytral apices; most obviously distinguished from the similar M. pupilla by the dark brown T6–8 (those of pupilla are pale).

Male. 6.5–7.3 mm long; Colour (Fig. 177–179) pronotum bright clear orange, fat body evenly distributed beneath; MN cream; MS transparent, orange in anterior half, brown in posterior half in holotype, orange in G204, dark brown in G184, 193, 218, 219, 222, 224; elytra dark brown, (lateral margin may appear paler because of golden hairs); head between eyes with a triangular very dark brown area on vertex, remainder medium brown; median fine dark sulcus apparent through posterior dark triangle on head; labrum transparent, dingy orange; apices of palpi dark brown; antennae dark brown (as dark as vertex), scape and pedicel largely glabrous, appearing slightly darker than hair covered FS or much darker in G193, 184; ventral surface of pro and mesothorax, coxae 1 and 2 and bases of femora 1 and 2 orange; rest of legs 1 and 2 brown; all of metathorax and legs 3 brown (except for orange trochanters); basal abdominal ventrites brown, V5 with very narrow cream band across midposterior margin; V6 and 7 creamy yellow; all tergites, and dorsally reflexed lateral margins of ventrites, brown (Fig. 179). Pronotum: 1.3–1.6 mm long, 1.3–2 mm wide, W/L = 1.2; punctures small, shallow, irregularly distributed, contiguous or separated by up to their width; midanterior margin rounded, projecting moderately beyond acute anterolateral corners; lateral margins converging in anterior and posterior areas; midposterior margin indented. Head: GHW 1.5–1.6 mm; SIW 0.3–0.4 mm; ASD = ASW. LOs: occupying V6 and 7 entirely except for narrow posterior band of 7; MPP of V7 moderately broad, apically truncate (Fig. 178) projecting a little beyond the broadly rounded LPP, and separated from them by moderately deep excavations; dorsal face of V7 bearing 2 elevated cuticular strips; T8: median posterior margin emarginated (Fig. 179); with lateral ridges and flanges similar to those of M. pupilla. Aedeagus: (Figs 180–182): elongate, slender; ML narrowed in middle third, ¼ as wide as LL at this point.

Female. 6.3–7.2 mm long; coloured as for M. pupilla and not further distinguished here.

Remarks. This species was initially identified by LB as Luciola pupilla and references to L. pupilla in Ballantyne (1987a:164, 165, 167, Fig. 14k; 1987b:177, 185), Buck and Buck (1978:486, 487), and Hanson (1978:2158) are to this species (See Table 1). Lloyd (1973a) described the flash pattern "Males flew slowly around and through the bushes and trees, emitting single, short flashes at periods of ca 1 sec".