Thalassisobates almeriensis, Enghoff, 2013
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222933.2012.759289 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03A387A0-FF83-FFB9-1AE2-C33DFC78FF13 |
treatment provided by |
Felipe |
scientific name |
Thalassisobates almeriensis |
status |
sp. nov. |
Thalassisobates almeriensis View in CoL sp. nov.
( Figs 4A, B View Figure 4 , 5B View Figure 5 )
Material studied
Holotype male SPAIN, Andalucía, Almería, T. M. de Almería, Cueva Nueva , 4 January 2002, P. Barranco and J.G. Mayoral leg. ( ZMUC).
The mouthparts of the unique holotype were not dissected.
Diagnosis
A blind species of Thalassisobates . Differs from the other blind congener, T. ememesensis , in being thicker, and in having more setae on the anterior gonopod coxal processes.
Derivatio nominis
Named after its type locality.
Description
As T. emesesensis , except as follows:
Male 38 + 1 + T, length 11 mm, height 0.87 mm.
Colour of preserved specimen whitish-transparent. Length of metazonital setae 0.13 × body height. Antennae: length 176% of body height, with four apical sensilla, relative length of antennomeres 2–8 (8 = apical sensilla) 20/20/18/18/16/7/3, apical sensilla 3.4 times longer than wide. Legs ( Figure 5B View Figure 5 ): length 86% of body height in male, relative length of podomeres (prefemur-claw) 17/23/14/13/20/13. Length of claw = 0.63 × length of tarsus. Claw very slender, length/height ratio 7.4; no accessory claw.
Anterior gonopods ( Figure 4A View Figure 4 ) as in T. emesesensis sp. nov., but slenderer and with four setae on each coxal process.
Posterior gonopods ( Figure 4B View Figure 4 ) as in T. emesesensis sp. nov.
Habitat
The type locality is a cave situated c. 5 km from the sea at 560 m above sea level ( Ribera et al. 2003). The habitat of T. almeriensis is therefore very different from that of the widespread T. littoralis , just as is the case for T. emesesensis sp. nov.
Notes on T. littoralis
For comparison with the new species, some details of a male from Sweden (ZMUC) are given here:
Male 50 + 2 + T, height 0.57 mm.
Antennae: length 213% of body height, with four apical sensilla, relative length of antennomeres 2–8 (8 = apical sensilla) 17/20/17/18/18/6/3, apical sensilla 3.8 times longer than wide. Legs ( Figure 5C View Figure 5 ): length 104% of body height, relative length of podomeres (prefemur-claw) 16/21/12/13/20/18. Length of claw = 0.87 × length of tarsus. Claw very slender ( Figure 5C View Figure 5 ), length/height ratio 7.8; no accessory claw.
Gonopod variation: Enghoff (1985) discussed variability of the posterior gonopods of T. littoralis . The anterior gonopods also exhibit variability, notably in the setation of the coxal processes. In the Swedish specimen illustrated in Figure 3B View Figure 3 each process carries two stout, curved setae on the posterior surface at about two-thirds of the process’s length from its basis. Exactly the same pattern was illustrated by Schubart (1934: fig. 296), based on a specimen from the same population, and by Blower (1985: fig. 31). However, Silvestri (1903: fig. 7) illustrated a group of five straight setae on each process, also on the posterior surface at about two-thirds of the process’s length from its basis. Verhoeff (1908: fig. 3) showed three straight setae in this position, apparently on the anterior surface of the coxal process (but this could be an error of interpretation – the gonopods are very small). Strasser (1933) found from two to four setae per process in a large series.
Since Enghoff (1985) published a distribution map for T. littoralis , the species has been recorded from a couple of additional countries: Ireland ( Cawley 1997) and Norway ( Meidell and Djursvoll 2005; Djursvoll 2007). Two further European countries can be added to the list based on so far unpublished material: GREECE: Cyclades, Syros Island, Finikas, 14 December 1989, S. Sfendourakis leg., M. Karamaouna det. ( ZMUC), Boeotia, Loukisia , 13 June 1984 (beach), Sette leg. , H. Enghoff det. ( MCSNV); and SPAIN: Galicia, Province of Pontevedra, rocky shore south of Baiona , 1 March 1993, D. T. Bilton leg. , R. D. Kime det. (coll. Kime) .
There are also several additional records from countries from where the species was already known. European records are shown in Kime and Enghoff (in preparation). See http://insects.oeb.harvard.edu/boston_islands/bugmonth/0908_beach_milli.htm for new information on the species’ occurrence in North America.
T |
Tavera, Department of Geology and Geophysics |
ZMUC |
Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen |
R |
Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile |
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