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Two new damselfly species from Polillo Island, Philippines (Odonata:

Platystictidae)

Article  in  Zootaxa · September 2011

DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3017.1.2

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 Zootaxa 3017: 46–50 (2011) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)
www.mapress.com / zootaxa/
Copyright © 2011 · Magnolia Press
Article ZOOTAXA
ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)

Two new damselfly species from Polillo Island, Philippines

(Odonata: Platystictidae)

REAGAN JOSEPH T. VILLANUEVA1,3 & MARTIN SCHORR2

1
D3C Gahol Apartment, Lopez Jaena St., Davao City, 8000 Philippines. E-mail: rjtvillanueva@gmail.com
2
ÖSTLAP, Schulstr. 7B, 54314 Zerf, Germany. E-mail: bierschorr@online.de
2
Corresponding author

Abstract

Drepanosticta wildermuthi spec. nov. and Sulcosticta vantoli spec. nov. are described and illustrated. The two species are
compared with their nearest relatives, D. moorei van Tol & Müller and S. viticula van Tol, respectively. Drepanosticta
wildermuthi spec. nov has shorter anterior lobe processes compared to D. moorei. Sulcosticta vantoli spec. nov. has a sim-
pler paraproct structure compared to S. viticula.

Key words: New species, damselfly, Drepanosticta wildermuthi, Sulcosticta vantoli, Philippines

Introduction

Polillo Island (ca 600 km2) is the largest island of the Polillo group, and one of the largest islands of the Luzon bio-
geographic region. It is situated east of central Luzon. This flat to gently sloping island hosts several interesting
species, such as endemic species and subspecies of vertebrates (Manuel, 1957; Leviton, 1963; Bossuyt & Dubois,
2001). The presence of these remarkable species is documented quite recently, although the first biological survey
was conducted a century ago (McGregor, 1910; Robinson, 1911).
The first collection of Odonata in the island was made by Dr. G. Boetcher in 1915. This material was studied
only after 80 years (Hämäläinen & Müller, 1997). A male specimen from this collection was listed as ‘Protosticta
sp. n.’ by Hämäläinen & Müller (1997). In his revision of the Platystictidae of the Philippines, van Tol (2005)
described the characters of this specimen in detail as ‘Sulcosticta sp. A’, but he declined to give a formal name to
the species due to the poor condition of the single available specimen. The first author explored the island on two
occasions (Villanueva, 2010a; 2010b). The results significantly increased the knowledge of its odonate diversity,
and several new species were discovered. The present paper describes this unnamed Sulcosticta species and
another new platystictid species found during these collecting trips.

Material and methods

Measurements are given in mm; drawings were made with the aid of a stereomicroscope equipped with micro-ocu-
lar camera. Abbreviations used are as follows: Fw forewing, Hw hindwing, Ax antenodal crossveins, Px postnodal
crossveins, Pt pterostigma. S1–10 abdominal segments 1–10.

Acronyms for collections are as follows:

RJTV Collection of Reagan Joseph T. Villanueva

RMNH Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis (formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie),
Leiden, The Netherlands

46 Accepted by D. Paulson: 11 Aug. 2011; published: 7 Sep. 2011

Species description

Drepanosticta wildermuthi spec. nov.

(Figures 1–2)

Villanueva 2010a: Drepanosticta sp.n.; Villanueva 2010b: Drepanosticta sp.n.

Material studied. Holotype ♂, Pinaglubayan, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines, 27.iii.2010, Reagan Joseph T. Vil-
lanueva leg. (to be deposited in RMNH). Paratype 1 ♂, same label as the holotype, (RJTV). Other material 1 ♂
(not included in paratype due to poor condition), Salipsip, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines, 23.iv.2009, RJTV leg.,
(RJTV).
Diagnosis. This species belongs to the Drepanosticta moorei group. It differs from D. moorei van Tol & Müller
by the absence of elongated anterior lobe processes of the prothorax, and from D. luzonica van Tol by the very
broad posterior lobe of the prothorax and its smaller size.
Etymology. Named after Hansruedi Wildermuth, Rüti, Switzerland on the occasion of his 70th birthday on 27
February 2011. Dr. Wildermuth is a leading European odonatologist involved in the ecology and biology of Odo-
nata with special emphasis on Corduliidae and dragonfly conservation.
Description of male holotype. Head: Labium brownish except for blackish basal portion. Mandible with
whitish base and blackish apices. Labrum and anteclypeus white except for black outer margin of labrum. Rest of
head black except for dark brown antennae. Transverse occipital carina well developed with lateral extremities not
pronounced.

FIGURES 1–2. Drepanosticta wildermuthi. 1. Prothorax oblique lateral view, 2. Cerci lateral view.

Thorax: Prothorax yellow except for blackish streaks at middle portion of posterior lobe. Anterior lobe short
and erect, its lateral portion shortly elongated and twisted, depressed in middle. Posterior lobe (Fig. 1) equipped
with large lateral processes, inner portion raised dorsad, and outer part broadly rounded and directed caudad. Syn-
thorax with greenish to blackish mesepisternum and mesepimeron. Broad yellow stripe occupies metepisternum
except for brownish posterior margin. Metepimeron with anterobasal half blackish brown, posterodistal half white.
Legs entirely yellow brown except for brown spines and black-tinged knees. Wings hyaline with brown veins. Ac
and Ab veins present, forming characteristic Y. Arculus arising beyond Ax2; Px 11/10 in Fw and Hw respectively;
R4+5 at subnodus and IR3 a little further distad. Pt light brown, rectangular.
Abdomen: Generally blackish brown to black except for yellow ventrolateral portion of S1 and whitish basal
rings on S3–7. Cerci (Fig. 2) dark brown and dorsoventrally flattened. Basal one-fourth directed dorsad in lateral
view, distally ventrocaudad with large ventral tooth in middle. In dorsal view, apical portion of basal one-fourth
twisted such that lateral portion becomes ventral margin, and medial margin occupies dorsum of distal three-
fourths. Tip smoothly rounded. Paraprocts surpassing cerci, blackish basally and brownish distally. Basal half
robust, distally flattened and directed dorsad, then bent ventrad, its rounded tip curved dorsad.

PHILIPPINE PLATYSTICTIDAE Zootaxa 3017 © 2011 Magnolia Press · 47

 Measurements of holotype: abdomen + cerci 32, Hw 19.
Variation in male paratype. Paraprocts just reach end of cerci on paratype. Paraproct base robust, distal por-
tion subcylindrical and directed dorsocaudad. The last abdominal segment of the third specimen is damaged and
cannot be described.
Measurements: abdomen + cerci 30, Hw 19.
Female unknown.

Sulcosticta vantoli spec. nov.

(Figures 3–5)

Protosticta sp. n. Hämäläinen & Müller, 1997, p. 258, 277, 290 [name only; no description].
Sulcosticta sp. A. Van Tol, 2005, p. 277–279 [including description].

Materials examined. Holotype ♂, Tamulaya area, Polillo Is., Philippines, 25.iv.2009, Reagan Joseph T. Villan-
ueva leg. (to be deposited in RMNH). Paratypes: 8 ♂ 3 ♀, same labels as holotype, (RJTV). Other materials (all
in RJTV): 1 ♂ 1 ♀, Anawan area, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines, 24.iv.2009, RJTV leg.; 1 ♀ (teneral), same labels
as holotype; 1 ♂, Tamulaya, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines, 30.iii.2010, RJTV leg.; 1 ♀, Malat River, Burdeos,
Polillo Is., Philippines, 23.iv.2009, RJTV leg.; 1 ♀, Sibulan watershed, Sibulan, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines,
1.iv.2010, RJTV leg.; 1 ♂, Pinaglubayan area, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines, 17.iv.2009, RJTV leg.; 3 ♂, Pina-
glubayan area, Polillo, Polillo Is., Philippines, 18.iv.2009, RJTV leg.
Diagnosis. The posterior lobe with broadly rounded lateral portion places this species as most similar to S.
viticula van Tol, 2005. It differs from that species in having a simpler paraproct which is broad basally and distally
flattened, its tip acutely curved anterodorsad.
Etymology. Named after Dr. Jan van Tol, Leiden, Netherlands who published the preliminary description of
this species. He established the genus of the present species and contributed several significant papers including
description of several dozen new species of the family from the oriental region.
Description of male holotype. Head: Labium and mandible pale with brownish variegated specks more dis-
tinct at distal portion. Labrum, anteclypeus, and genae bluish white. Rest of head black except for brownish anten-
nae. Transverse occipital carina distinct but without lateral extremities.
Thorax: Prothorax pale except for brownish lateral lobes and black paired circular spot at medial portion of
posterior lobe. Lateral portion of anterior lobe slightly elongate, not reaching middle portion of median lobe. Poste-
rior lobe (Fig. 3) collar-like with lateral portion produced into a smoothly rounded lateral projection. Synthorax
mostly pale except for mesepisternum with large greenish patch covering entire dorsum, although not reaching
anterior and lateral margins. Humeral suture with narrow black humeral stripe, a darkened streak at the anterior
margin of mesepimeron. Metepisternum with rectangular blackish median patch and another vague circular spot
distal to it, broad black streak across second suture connected to black distal portion of metepimeron, another black
streak at anterior portion of metepimeron. Legs generally pale yellow except for blackish coxae, brownish spines
and tarsi, and small black specks at knees. Wings hyaline with dark brown veins. One postcubital vein situated
between base of wing and level of Ax1. Ac nearer to Ax2, Ab vein absent, Arculus at level of Ax2, Px 11 and 10 in
Fw and Hw, respectively; R 4+5 arising distal to subnodus, IR3 a little distal to that. Pt brownish, rectangular.
Abdomen: Abdominal segments generally pale except for brownish basal half of S1, and S2 with broad light
brown tinge across middle and narrow blackish apical ring. S3–6 with narrow apical and basal blackish rings, S7
with distal half brownish, S8–10 black with brownish tinge on ventral portion of S10. Posterior abdominal seg-
ments grossly swollen; basal portion of S7 somewhat more robust than S6, then gradually broadening, achieving its
broadest width at S8,which is almost five times width of S3–6, and slowly tapers to S10, which is about three times
width of S3–6. Cerci (Figs. 4–5) pale yellow, longer than S10. In lateral view, basal half of cerci sharply directed
dorsad, distal portion slightly bent ventrad; small dorsal tooth situated at base of distal portion, inner angle of tip
distinctly angulate and directed ventromedially. Viewed dorsally, basal half broad, sub-cylindrical; distal portion
dorsoventrally flattened with ventromedial portion triangularly produced and slightly concave medially. Paraprocts
similar to cerci in length, pale yellow except for dark brown tip; basal four-fifths robust, distally flattened and
acutely curved anterodorsad, tip slightly serrate.
Measurements of holotype: abdomen + cerci 26, Hw 16.

48 · Zootaxa 3017 © 2011 Magnolia Press VILLANUEVA & SCHORR

 Variation in males. Tip of paraproct smooth and triangularly blunt in some specimens. Metepisternal dark
marking more extensive in some individuals, perhaps an age-related character.
Measurements: abdomen + cerci 26–28, Hw 16–17.
Female. Similar to male in coloration, venation and prothoracic structure, except for short, erect anterior lobe
of prothorax. Abdomen starts to expand at apical four-fifths of S6 and reaches maximum width on basal portion of
S7, about 3.5 times width of S3–5. Basal third of S8 slightly constricted, about three times width of S3–5. S10
twice width of S3–5.
Measurements: abdomen 25–26, Hw 16–17.

FIGURES 3–5. Sulcosticta vantoli. 3. Prothorax oblique dorsal view, 4. Cerci lateral view, 5. Cerci mediolateral view.

Discussion

The present new species, collected at two brief trips in an understudied region, further increases the number of
known species occurring in the archipelago. This presents additional evidence for the limited knowledge of Philip-
pine Odonata and emphasizes the need for more field work, especially in several unexplored islands and moun-
tains. Mallari et al. (2004) listed over a dozen poorly explored areas with regard to resident birds, a group attractive
to both biologists and ecotourists. Given the number of poorly studied regions for vertebrates, this implies that
many more areas are poorly known for invertebrates, including Odonata.
Sulcosticta vantoli is the fourth species described of this recently erected genus. It is a very local species but
occurs in significant numbers in sites where it was found. This species is quite close to S. viticula van Tol, 2005, a
species found in Zambales province on the western side of Luzon, but it differs from its two other congeners, which
occur in the eastern part of Luzon. Further studies are needed to understand the distributional pattern of each spe-
cies in this genus, considering that other undescribed species are expected to be encountered when more field work
is done on various areas in the Luzon biogeographic region.
Drepanosticta wildermuthi is the third species of the Drepanosticta moorei group (see van Tol, 2005: 222–
227). This species is by far one of the most difficult to find in the island. Like its congener D. moorei, it occurs sin-

PHILIPPINE PLATYSTICTIDAE Zootaxa 3017 © 2011 Magnolia Press · 49

 gly and shies away from seepage and running waters as preferred by other members of the genus. It was found
perching on twigs or leaves along the stream bank.

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Dr. Matti Hämäläinen for his review of the manuscript. Hilario Cahilog provided valu-
able help in the field. The field trips of the first author were promoted by the International Dragonfly Fund e.V.,
Germany.

References

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50 · Zootaxa 3017 © 2011 Magnolia Press VILLANUEVA & SCHORR

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