Physopelta (Neophysopelta) sulawesiensis sp. nov.

(Figs 43–44)

Type locality. Indonesia, Sulawesi, Sulawesi Utara Province, Dumoga-Bone National Park.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♀, ‘ Indonesia: / Sulawesi Utara / Dumoga-Bone N.P. / January 1985 ’ [p, white label] // ‘ Ent. Soc. Lond. / Project Wallace B.M. 1985-10’ [p, white label] // ‘ ♀ ’ [p, white label] // ‘Holo- / typus’ [p, red label with black rectangle] // ‘ Physopelta / sulawesiensis / sp. n. [hw, underlined] / det. J.L. Stehlík [p] 2012 [hw, red label]’ (BMNH).The holotype is complete, pinned on black-enameled pin without head. PARATYPES: INDONESIA: SULAWESI: SULAWESI TENGAH: Nr. Morowali, Ranu River area, lowland forest, 27.i.–20.iv.1980, at light, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, M. J. D. Brendell lgt. (BMNH); Mt, Tambusisi, 4,000 ft [= 1219 m a.s.l.], 1°39′S 121°21′E, 3.–13.iv.1980, at light, 1 ♀, M. J. D. Brendell lgt. (MMBC).

Description. Colouration (Figs 43–44). Head dorsally and ventrally, antennae (except basal half of antennomere 4), pronotum (except anterior and lateral margins), scutellum, wide middle transverse band with indistinct margins on corium at posterior apex of clavus, apices of corium, membrane, labium, prosternal collar, pleura I–III (including supracoxal lobes), posterior pleural flanges I–III, middle and hind legs, and entire sternite II, black. Anterior and lateral margins of pronotum, clavus, corium (except middle transverse band and apices), hypocostal lamina, and pronotal epipleuron, red. Basal half of antennomere 4 whitish. Fore legs in females entirely red, in males red, but dorsal side of profemora black; abdominal sternites III–VII in males red, in females III–VI red with S-shaped black spots in intersegmental membranes, and sternite VII completely black.

Pilosity more prominent in females than in males. Entire dorsal surface of body (except membrane) covered with silvery, rather long pubescence, especially on posterior margin of pronotum and on scutellum (Figs 43–44); pubescence on ventral surface of head more prominent than on its dorsal surface; sternum and sternites II densely covered with silvery hairs, mostly covering its black background; silver pubescence on remaining sternites sparser, not covering the red background.

Punctation. Pronotal lobe and scutellum with dense concolorous punctation; clavus with disperse prominent black punctation anteriorly, and two rows of black punctures along outer margin; corium with two rows of black punctures along claval margin; middle transverse band of corium sparsely punctured.

Stucture. Body large, parallel-sided. Male fore femora strongly incrassate, with larger and smaller denticles ventrally along their entire length in both sexes. Labium surpassing metacoxae. Sternite II in both sexes swollen.

Measurements (in mm). Male (n = 1). Body length 14.85; head: width (including eyes) 2.16, interocular width 1.30; lengths of antennomeres: 1 – 2.65, 2 – 2.81, 3 – 1.62, 4 – 3.24; pronoturn: length 3.73, width 4.48; scutellum: length 2.43, width 2.48; corium: lenght 7.99, width 2.16.

Females (n = 3). Body length 15.48 (14.42–16.04); head: width (including eyes) 2.31 (2.29–2.32), interocular width 1.38 (1.35–1.40); lengths of antennomeres: 1 – 2.68 (2.59– 2.81), 2 – 2.88 (2.81–2.97), 3 – 1.51 (1.46–1.57), 4 – 3.20 (3.08–3.29); pronotum: length 3.55 (3.46–3.56), width 4.70 (4.64–4.75); scutellum: length 2.65 (2.38–2.81), width 2.59 (2.48–2.70); corium: length 8.77 (8.42–9.02), width 2.30 (2.21–2.38).

Differential diagnosis. Physopelta sulawesiensis sp. nov. is recognized by its large size, prominent pubescence, and the characteristic sexual dimorphism in colouration of the abdominal sternites: sternites III–VII red in males; but sternites III–VI red with black S-shaped markings in intersegmental sulci, sternite VII black in females.

Etyomology. The species epithet is an adjective, sulawesiensis, - is, - e, referring to Sulawesi Island, from which the new species is described.

Distribution. Indonesia (Sulawesi) (this paper).