The Platystictidae of the Moluccas and Misool (Odonata)

The Platystictidae of the Moluccas and Misool (Indonesia) are revised. All species are assigned to Drepanosticta Laidlaw. Representatives of this genus are known from the larger islands in the region, viz. Halmahera, Bacan, Obi, Ambon, Buru, Seram, and from the Kai island group. Aru is poorly studied for odonates, and no platystictids are known. Nine new species are described, viz. Drepanosticta halmahera sp. n., D. rudicula sp. n., D. sembilanensis sp. n. and D. siu sp. n., all from Halmahera; D. bifida sp. n. and D. psygma sp. n. from Bacan; D. misoolensis sp. n. from Misool; D. amboinensis sp. n. from Ambon and D. obiensis sp. n. from Obi. Two previously described species, D. robusta Fraser (Kai) and D. moluccana Lieftinck (Buru), are redescribed and illustrated. A key to all species is provided, as well as preliminary notes on phylogenetic relationships and biogeography. Halmahera platystictids show sister-group relationships with species from Bacan or, remarkably, Misool. The Moluccan Drepanosticta species are assigned to the D. lymetta and D. megametta species groups, which are also known from the Philippines and the Papuan region, and the D. moluccana group, presumably confined to the southern Moluccas. The role of the middle Eocene South Caroline Arc in the distributional history of the Drepanosticta species is discussed. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)