Potua morbillosa PPLUG.
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Potua morbillosa (Walker, 1871) (Figs 1–9) Tettix morbillosa Walker, 1871: 832. Potua morbillosa (Walker, 1871) — Kirby, 1910: 11; Blackith, 1992: 144; Tumbrinck, 2014: 388; Tan & Wahab, 2018: 123. Potua coronata Bolívar, 1887: 208 — Hancock, 1907a: 18; Hancock, 1907b: 216; Willemse, 1930a: 10; Willemse, 1930b: 207; Günther, 1938: 343; Blackith, 1992: 144; Paris, 1994: 235. Potua coronata coronata Bolívar, 1887 — Günther, 1942: 340; Tumbrinck, 2014: 388. Potua coronata var. sumatrensis Bolívar, 1898: 66. Potua coronata sumatrensis Bolívar, 1898 —Hancock, 1907: 19; Willemse, 1930a: 11; Tumbrinck, 2014: 388. Potua sumatrensis Bolívar, 1898 — Blackith, 1992: 145; Paris, 1994: 251. Type material examined. Holotype. ♂ (holotype of P. morbillosa (Walker, 1871)); EAST MALAYSIA, Sarawak; NHMUK10924419 (NHMUK) (Fig. 3). Syntype. MALAYSIA: • ♂ (syntype of P. coronata coronata Bolívar, 1887);Malacca; N2.190031, E102.247726; coll. Staudinger; NRM-ORTH0012933 (NHRS) (Fig. 4A–C) • ♂; Sarawak; N1.553278, E110.359214; coll. Stevens; 5242 (NMW) (Fig. 4D–F) • ♀; Sarawak; N1.553278, E110.359214; coll. Higgins; 6623 (NMW) (Fig. 4 G-I). INDONESIA: • ♀; Sumatra, Si-Rambé; XII.90–III.91; coll. E. Modigliani; 387 (MCSN) (Fig. 4J–L) • 4♀; Sumatra, Si-Rambé; coll. E. Modigliani (MCSN). New material examined. PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: • ♂; Selangor, Ulu Gombak Field Studies Centre; N3.323656, E101.752719, 265.6 m.a.s.l; 28 January 2025, 20h01; coll. A.A. Muhammad & N.A. Abdullah; PPLUG.004 (MZUM) • ♂; Selangor, Ulu Gombak Field Studies Centre; N3.323656, E101.752719, 265.6 m.a.s.l; 28 January 2025, 20h01; coll. A.A. Muhammad & N.A. Abdullah; PPLUG.005 / ZRC_ENT00075624 (ZRC) • ♂; Selangor, Ulu Gombak Field Studies Centre; N3.325311, E101.749954, 241.8 m.a.s.l; 13 February 2025, 02h35; coll. A.A. Muhammad; PPLUG.110 / ZRC_ENT00075623 (ZRC) • ♂; Johor, Mersing, stream at Gunung Arong Forest Reserve (Trail 3); N2.56599, E103.80106, 87.1± 11.3 m.a.s.l; 12 April 2025, 22h09; on dead branch near stream; coll. M.K. Tan & A.A. Muhammad; HSGA.018 / ZRC_ENT00075616 (ZRC) • ♂; Johor, Mersing, swamp forest in Gunung Arong Forest Reserve; N2.55465, E103.76415, 72.7±9.0 m.a.s.l; 14 April 2025, 21h03; on tree trunk; coll. M.K. Tan & A.A. Muhammad; HSGA.023 / ZRC_ENT00075617 (ZRC) (Fig. 5) • 3♂; Johor, Mersing, swamp forest in Gunung Arong Forest Reserve; N2.55465, E103.76415, 72.7±9.0 m.a.s.l; 14 April 2025, 21h03; coll. M.K. Tan & A.A. Muhammad; HSGA.024, HSGA.025, HSGA.026 (MZUM) • ♀; Johor, Mersing, swamp forest in Gunung Arong Forest Reserve; N2.55465, E103.76415, 72.7±9.0 m.a.s.l; 14 April 2025, 21h03; on tree trunk; coll. M.K. Tan & A.A. Muhammad; HSGA.027 / ZRC_ENT00075615 (ZRC) • ♂; Selangor, Hulu Langat, Gunung Nuang Forest Reserve; N3.221797, E101.884221, 181.8 m.a.s.l; 5 September 2024, 11h16; on mossy rock; coll. A.A. Muhammad; HGN.041 (MZUM). BRUNEI: • ♀; Kuala Belalong, Ashton Trail; N4.54648, E115.15675, 138.9±10.0 m.a.s.l; 23 September 2016, 21h54; under rotten log; coll. M.K. Tan; KB.16.21 / ZRC_ENT00074425 (ZRC) • ♀; Kuala Belalong, Ashton Trail; N4.54703, E115.15714, 97.6± 8.1 m.a.s.l; 8 January 2017, 08h03; on tree trunk; coll. M.K. Tan; KB.17.31 / ZRC_ENT00074423 (ZRC) • ♂; Kuala Belalong, Ashton Trail; N4.54643, E115.15682, 128.3± 7.9 m.a.s.l; 7 January 2017, 19h46; on dead log; coll. M.K. Tan; KB.17.29 / ZRC_ENT00074424 (ZRC) • ♂; Kuala Belalong, Jln Labi near Andulau Forest Reserve; N4.63357, E114.51093, 70.6± 7.2 m.a.s.l; 24 February 2019, 20h04; on tree trunk; coll. M.K. Tan & H. Yeo; KB.19.8 (ZRC). Diagnosis (new). See Table 2. group. The key is suitable for future cladistic analysis and is more accurate than any provisional identification key that could be provided. ......continued on the next page ......continued on the next page Redescription. Male. Body of small size (BL = 8–10 mm) and robust (Fig. 3A). Body dark brown with speckles of lighter brown. Head. In frontal view (Fig. 7A): Head rugose, with sparse short setae. Face dark brown with speckles of light brown. Antennal groove inserted 0.15–0.20 mm below lower margin of eyes. Fastigium with lateral carinae elevated above dorsal margin of compound eyes. Frontal costa stout. Bifurcation of frontal costa in line with lower margin of eyes. Fascial carinae below lower margin of eyes, in line with antennal groove, in between antennal groove. Scutellum 0.3–0.4 mm wide, wider than antennal groove, most widened at the level of dorsal margin of antennal groove. Compound eyes ovoid, not exerted above vertex, dark coloured, 1.2–1.6 times taller than wide. Lateral ocelli just above fascial carinae. In dorsal view (Fig. 7B): Fastigium of vertex slightly concave behind lateral carinae, not produced in front of eyes. Vertex wide, 2.0–3.0 times wider than eye width. Lateral and median carinae of fastigium distinct; produced in front of anterior margin of fastigium. Lateral ocelli between apex of fastigium and antennal groove, located posterior of fascial carina. In lateral view (Fig. 7C): Frontal costa protruding in front of eyes. Mouthparts dark brown. Maxillary palps elongated, sparsely covered with setae, with apical (fifth) segment longest. Antennae filiform,12-segmented, basal of first segment and 9th to 12th segment light brown. Apical (12th) antennal segment very short, forming acute apex. Pronotum. Pronotum 1.5–1.8 times longer than wide (pronotal lateral lobe width), sparsely covered with setae (Fig. 7B). In frontal view: Anterior hump on median carina protrudes above vertex as an acute, blunt projection. In dorsal view (Fig. 7B): Prozonal carinae distinct. Anterior part of median carina elevated between posterior end of prozonal carinae and ventral margin of pronotal lateral lobes, forming first and highest peak. Interhumeral carinae slightly elevated. Middle of anterior carinae slightly elevated after interhumeral carinae, forming second peak. Along each interhumeral carina with two tooth-like tubercles, anterior one lateral of first peak of median carina, another posterior of second peak; posterior projection larger than anterior tubercle. Lateral lobe with apex produced laterally, rounded. Apical end of pronotal disc narrow and pointed, forming acuminate shaped; slightly surpassing abdominal apex. In lateral view (Fig. 7C): Anterior half with two peaks (anterior peak higher than second peak); first peak in line with pronotal lateral lobes, large (largest tubercle on pronotal disc); second peak in line with anterior margin of posterior femur, much smaller, same level as prozonal carinae. Interhumeral carinae in between both elevated median carinae. Posterior half mostly flat, rugose. Prozonal carinae slightly elevated. Legs. Fore and middle legs (Fig. 7C): Fore and middle femora dark brown with speckles of light brown; covered in setae, undulated and finely serrated along dorsal and ventral margins, with a denticle on ventral margin. Fore and middle tibia dark brown with light-brown ring in the middle, covered with fine setae. Posterior article of fore and middle tarsus with light-brown ring in the middle. Claws light brown. Posterior legs (Figs 7C, 7D): Posterior femur about 2.0–2.4 times longer than wide, 1.2–1.4 times longer than posterior tibia, covered with setae. External surface of posterior femur with three tubercles. Dorsal margin of posterior femur serrated, with a large denticle towards apex; ventral margin finely serrated, without denticle. Knee of posterior femur with a denticle on dorsal margin. Posterior tibia dark brown with two light-brown rings; with three dorsal spines on both lateral margins; with many yellow spinules between these dorsal spines. Basal article of posterior tarsus as long as apical article; middle article very short. Abdomen. Tergites and sternites dark brown, with speckles of light brown (Fig. 7E). Subgenital plate dark brown and smooth, with setae along lateral margins (Fig. 7F). Subgenital plate about as long as wide; in ventral view truncated, in lateral view slightly convex; with sparse setae (Figs 7E,7F). Cercus stout basally with pointed apex, with long setae (Fig. 7E). Female. Similar to male, but larger (BL = 9.0– 10.5 mm). Abdominal apex (Figs 7G, 7H): Ovipositor brown. Dorsal valve thicker than ventral valve, dorsal surface serrated, apex acute. Ventral valve reaching apex of dorsal valve, ventral surface serrated, apex acute. Subgenital plate brown and truncate, finely nodulose, with setae along lateral and apical margins, median carinae distinct. Type locality. EAST MALAYSIA, Sarawak Distribution. Borneo (Brunei Darussalam, Sarawak), Malay Peninsula (Gunung Arong in Johor, Ulu Gombak and Gunung Nuang in Selangor, Melaka), Sumatra. Ecology. Although species from this genus tend to be solitary, we observed at least five individuals congregating on a single tree trunk in Gunung Arong (Fig. 9).
Authors: Muhammad, Amira Aqilah, Tan, Ming Kai, Puniamoorthy, Jayanthi, Adžić, Karmela, Deranja, Maks, Neo, Ivan, Loh, Rebecca Ker, Damit, Dayang Fazrinah Binti Awg, Japir, Razy, Chung, Arthur Y. C., Suhaili, Awangku Shahrir Naqiuddin Awg, Gunsalam, Geofarry, Wahab, Rodzay Bin Haji Abdul, Abdullah, Nurul Ashikin, Skejo, Josip
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7167239265