Polyplectropus canastra, Rocha, Isabela Cristina, Dumas, Leandro Lourenço & Nessimian, Jorge Luiz, 2016

Rocha, Isabela Cristina, Dumas, Leandro Lourenço & Nessimian, Jorge Luiz, 2016, A new species of Polyplectropus Ulmer 1905 (Trichoptera: Polycentropodidae) from Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 4072 (3), pp. 391-395 : 392-393

Polyplectropus canastra sp. nov.

( Figures 2 A–F)

Polyplectropus canastra sp. nov. is a member of the P. annulicornis Group, as defined by Chamorro & Holzenthal (2010), by having (1) the mesoventral process of each preanal appendage with a digitate dorsal projection, (2) the intermediate appendage digitate and bearing apical setae, (3) each inferior appendage bilobed basally, and (4) the phallic endothecal membrane with embedded sclerotized spines. The new species resembles P. matatlanticus Chamorro & Holzenthal 2010 and P. annulicornis Ulmer 1905b in the shapes of the inferior appendages and the mesoventral process of each preanal appendage. Polyplectopus canastra sp. nov. can be distinguished from these species by having, in lateral view, sternum IX subtrapezoidal and the mesolateral process of each preanal appendage thumb-like, but both structures are deltoid in the other species. Another useful character to separate the new species from these two species is the ventral branch of the inferior appendage, which is rectangular in ventral view in the new species, but it is digitate in P. matatlanticus and oblong in P. annulicornis . Furthermore, all species have two stout endothecal phallic spines. However, P. canastra sp. nov. can be distinguished by the presence of strongly curved claw-like endothecal spines in the phallus, while in both of the other species the spines are not strongly curved. The new species shares with P. profaupar Holzenthal & Almeida 2003 the short spinules on the dorsolateral process of each preanal appendage. However, in P. profaupar the spinules are disposed in a mesal row, whereas in P. canastra sp. nov. the spinules surround the distal half of the lateral branch. Among all species of the P. annulicornis Group, P. canastra sp. nov. is unique, with the dorsolateral process of each preanal appendage bifid and bearing spinules on the distal half of the rod-like lateral branch.

Adult. Length of each forewing 5.0–6.0 mm (n=38). In alcohol, head and thorax chestnut with setal warts yellowishbrown, antennae and legs yellowish-brown, legs with short dark brown setae; cervical warts with long, brown setae. Wing venation typical for genus, except that forewing fork I absent.

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view subtrapezoidal, with anterolateral margin slightly projected in ventral half, posterolateral margin extending almost linearly from dorsum very nearly to middle, then sinuous to venter; in ventral view, anterior margin strongly concave, posterior margin slightly convex, posterolateral margins slightly projected. Tergum X membranous, oblong in lateral view, bearing dorsal microsetae. Intermediate appendages almost equal in length to inferior appendages, digitate, each with pair of short apical setae; in dorsal view apex truncate; in caudal view, directed lateroventrad. Preanal appendages each tripartite: (1) dorsolateral process bifid, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, curved posterad near base; mesal branch highly curved in lateral view, expanded apically; lateral branch much shorter than mesal branch, strongly sclerotized, lanceolate in lateral view, rod-like in dorsal view bearing short spinules on distal half; (2) mesolateral process setose, in dorsal view oblong, in lateral view thumb-like; (3) mesoventral process setose, in lateral view produced into digitate lobe dorsally, directed ventrad and sclerotized and pointed apically, basal third of posterolateral margin sinuous, ventral margin slightly concave, posterior margin angled; in caudal view mesoventral processes with ventrolateral margins folded. Inferior appendages with anterior basal plate extending anterad, but not beyond anterior margins of sternum IX; bilobed: (1) dorsal branch setose, in lateral view about 2X as long as tall, subrectangular, apically subtruncate, narrow at base; in ventral view, club-like; (2) ventral branch setose, elongate, in lateral view rounded apically, bearing acute, dorsomesal, darkly sclerotized projection; in ventral view, rectangular, truncate at apex. Phallus elongate; phallobase tubular, with phallic apodeme long, curved anteroventrad; endothecal membrane with two stout, sclerotized, strongly curved claw-like paramere spines (endothecal spines); dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuous; phallotremal sclerite indistinct.

Holotype male: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , Cachoeira Capão Forro (confluência dos rios do Peixe e Rolador), 20°15’10.0”S, 46°24’24.0”W, el. 936 m, 31.iii.2014, JL Nessimian, LL Dumas, ALH Oliveira & SP Gomes leg. ( DZRJ).

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , afluente do Rio do Peixe, 20°15’29.5”S, 46°24’54.7”W, el. 1282 m, 30.iii.2014, JL Nessimian, LL Dumas, ALH Oliveira & SP Gomes leg., 1 male ( DZRJ); São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , nascente do Rio São Francisco, 20°14’37.2”S 46°26’47.2”W, el. 1364 m, 30.iii.2014, JL Nessimian, LL Dumas, ALH Oliveira & SP Gomes leg., 1 male ( DZRJ); São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , Cachoeira Capão Forro (Rio do Peixe e Rolador), 20°15’10.0”S, 46°24’24.0”W, el. 936 m, 17.xi.2014, JL Nessimian, ALH Oliveira, IC Rocha & PM Souto leg., 5 males ( DZRJ); São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , parte alta da Cachoeira Casca D’anta (Rio São Francisco), 20°14’37.3”S, 46°38’42.7”W, el. 956 m, 15.xi.2014, JL Nessimian, ALH Oliveira, IC Rocha & PM Souto leg., 3 males ( DZRJ); São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , Cachoeira Rolinho (Ribeirão da Mata), 20°10’29.9”S, 46°33’36.1”W, el. 1193 m, 16.xi.2014, JL Nessimian, ALH Oliveira, IC Rocha & PM Souto leg., 1 male ( DZRJ); São Roque de Minas, Parque Nacional da Serra da Canastra , Cachoeira Jota (Rio Araguari), 20°08’50.0”S, 46°40’12.8”W, el. 1141 m, 16.xi.2014, JL Nessimian, ALH Oliveira, IC Rocha & PM Souto leg., 22 males ( DZRJ); same data, 4 males ( MZSP).

Distribution. Brazil (Minas Gerais).

Etymology. The epithet of the specific name refers to the Serra da Canastra , the mountain range where the type specimens were collected. The Canastra mountain range is an important area in the central-western part of Minas Gerais state, which provides the headwaters of São Francisco and Paraná Rivers. Canastra is an ancient Portuguese vocabulary word of Greek origin, used to name a type of mobile ark, rustic, rectangular, shaped like the mountain.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male genitalia of Polyplectropus canastra sp. nov., holotype: A, left lateral; B, dorsal; C, caudal; D, ventral; E – F, phallus: E, left lateral; F, dorsal. ant. bas. pl. = anterior basal plate of inferior appendage; d. br. = dorsal branch of an inferior appendage; d. pha. scl. = dorsal phallic sclerite; dl. pro. pre. app. = dorsolateral process of a preanal appendage; end. spi. = endothecal spine; inf. app. = inferior appendage; int. app. = intermediate appendage; lat. br. = lateral branch of dorsolateral process of a preanal appendage; mes. br. = mesal branch of dorsolateral process of a preanal appendage; ml. pro. pre. app. = mesolateral process of a preanal appendage; mv. pro. pre. app. = mesoventral process of a preanal appendage; pha. apo. = phallic apodeme; phaba. = phallobase; s. IX = sternum IX; t. X = tergum X; v. br. = ventral branch of an inferior appendage.