Diploptera maculata Hanitsch 1925

Diploptera maculata Hanitsch, 1925

(Figs. 14, 66–68)

Diploptera maculata Hanitsch, 1925: 104, figs. 17, 18, locality Borneo; Bruijning, 1948: 152, locality Borneo.

Male unknown.

Taxonomic notes. Hanitsch (1925) has proposed an interesting likelihood that D. maculata is the female of D. bicolor based on the two holotypes being almost the same except for the gender and the markings on the pronotum; even their different markings share the same contour. A second specimen of D. maculata was recorded by Bruijning (1948) but “unluckily” was the same gender, female, as the holotype. Similarly, a second specimen of D. bicolor (see below for details) is a male. So the hypothesis that they are the same species has not yet been proven or refuted.

In addition, it is noteworthy that Hanitsch’s illustration was drawn by Mr. V. Knight instead of Hanitsch himself. This is probably why the image has something discrepant with the true insect, e.g., the size of head, the shape of pronotum, and the seam between tegmina. A similar situation occurs in D. bicolor.

Type material examined. HOLOTYPE (OUM) fixed by monotypy, female, “ Pah Trap, Kalabit, Sarawak, x.1922 – i.1923, Coll. by Dr. E. Mjöberg ”.

Other material examined. 1 female (RMNH), “Z. Kenepai, 1894, Jan”, coll. “Borneo Exped. Dr. Nieuwenhuis”.