Olonia rubicunda (Walker, 1851)

Figs 6A, 25

Eurybrachys rubicunda Walker, 1851: 391 (described).

Olonia rubicunda – Stål 1862: 488 (transferred to Olonia). — Distant 1906: 206 (type-species of Olonia). — Metcalf 1956: 65 (catalogued). — Constant 2018: 69 (description), figs 3 (distribution map), 44 (type illustrated). — Constant & Semeraro 2020: 6 (keyed), 7 (redescribed, compared with O. picea, biology), figs 1–7 (male, female, male terminalia, host plants, habitat, distribution map).

Eurybrachys rubicunda – Kirkaldy 1906: 445 (listed as belonging to Olonia).

non Olonia rubicunda – Jacobi 1928: 4 ((re)described from Kimberley district (erroneous, based on misidentified specimens!)). — Lallemand 1935: 675 (mentioned from Northern Territory (erroneous, based on misidentified specimens!)).

Diagnosis

The species can be recognized by the following combination of characters:

(1) disc of hind wings without orange marking but sometimes with a yellow-brown marking on disc (Constant & Semeraro 2020: figs 1e, 2e);

(2) pro- and mesofemora and tibiae largely black-brown (Constant & Semeraro 2020: figs 1a–d, 2a–d);

(3) anal tube of male obovate, narrowing at basal ⅓ (Constant & Semeraro 2020: fig. 3e);

(4) centroventral part of gonostyli with strong, elongate process curved lateroventrally and pointed apically (Constant & Semeraro 2020: fig. 3a–b);

(5) laterodorsal part of gonostyli strongly bifid, with processes in a nearly horizontal plane, and projecting posteroventrally under the centroventral part in lateral view (Constant & Semeraro 2020: fig. 3a–b);

(6) medium size: 6.1–9.3 mm.

Material examined

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 2 nymphs; Macrossan Park Camping Area; 20°0′06″ S, 146°26′20″ E; 19–20 Apr. 2022; elev. 250 m; J. Constant and L. Semeraro leg.; Leopold III Funds exped.; on Indigofera australis (Fabaceae); QM • 2 ♂♂, 2 nymphs; same data as preceding; RBINS • 1 ♂; Dalrymple N.P.; 19°48′30″ S, 146°05′25″ E; 20–21 Apr 2022; elev. 300 m; J. Constant and L. Semeraro leg.; Leopold III Funds exped.; on Crotalaria novae-hollandiae (Fabaceae); QM.

Distribution and biology

Olonia rubicunda was known from several coastal localities in the southern half of Queensland, where host plants were recorded in the families Convolvulaceae (Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br.), Fabaceae (Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC., Canavalia sericea A.Gray, Clitoria ternatea L.) and possibly Euphorbiaceae Juss. (Euphorbia heterophylla var. cyathophora (Murray)) and Lamiaceae Martinov (Vitex trifolia L.) (Constant & Semeraro 2020). The species distribution is here expanded inland to the west of the Great Dividing Range, and to the north to Dalrymple National Park (Fig. 6A). Two additional host plants are recorded in the family Fabaceae: Indigofera australis Willd. and Crotalaria novae-hollandiae DC. (Fig. 25). As adults and nymphs at all stages were found at the end of April, adding to similar records in December and March, it makes it even more likely that adults of the species can be found all year round.