Thorax porcellana ( Saussure, 1862 )

Anisyutkin, Leonid N., 2014, On cockroaches of the subfamily Epilamprinae (Dictyoptera: Blaberidae) from South India and Sri Lanka, with descriptions of new taxa, Zootaxa 3847 (3), pp. 301-332 : 321-325

Thorax porcellana ( Saussure, 1862)

( Figs. 11 G–I, 12 A–N, 14 A–D, 15 A–D, 16 A–E)

Material. Male (lectotype of Thorax porcellana , here designated), " ♂, Indes Or. coll. Guerin", " Thorax porcellana ♀ Sauss. " ( MHNG).

Additional material. SOUTH INDIA, state Tamil Nadu: Anamalai Hills, Cinchona , 3500 ft., May 1959, coll. P.S. Nathan ( MMUM) — 2 males, 1 female ( MMUM, 1 male—ZIN); same data, but November 1959—1 male ( MMUM) , 1 female ( ZIN) ; same data, but May 1960— 3 females ( MMUM, 1 female—ZIN); same data, but Nilgiri Hills , Devala, 3200 ft., September 1960, coll. P.S. Nathan ( MMUM) — 1 male, 1 female ( MMUM) ; same data, but Gudalur , September 1960 — 1 female ( MMUM) .

Description. Male (lectotype) ( Figs. 11 G–I, 12B, E–K). Body convex ( Fig. 11 G). General color light yellowish brown ( Fig. 11 G–I), head, pronotum and tegmina with black punctures; facial part of head and mouthparts mostly black ( Fig. 11 G–I), eyes black; antennae dirty brownish, with exception of dirty yellowish scapuses; pronotum and tegmina yellow, with scattered black dots; thorax and abdomen blackish, partly dirty yellowish; legs dirty yellowish. Surfaces smooth and lustrous, distal parts of antennae (approximately from 13th segment) and distal segment of maxillary palps dull; head, pronotum and tegmina strongly punctured ( Fig. 11 G–I). Head damaged, slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 11 H); facial part with impression between eyes and transverse wrinkles above clypeus; ocellar spots distinct; distance between eyes 0.8 times of the eye length; distance between antennal sockets about 1.6 times of the scape length (0.6 mm); approximate length ratio of 3rd–5th segments of maxillary palps 1.5: 1: 1.4. Pronotum, widely rounded along cranial and lateral margins, caudal margin angulate ( Figs. 11 G, I, 12B). Tegmina and wings completely developed, surpassing abdominal apex ( Fig. 11 G). Tegmina distinctly convex and strongly sclerotized, acute at apex; venation obsolete, with exception of a distinctly reticulate area of the right tegmen overlapped by the left one at rest. Anterior margin of fore femora armed according to the type C, with single apical spine. Fore tibiae not thickened distally. Hind tarsi broken off, right tarsus of middle leg with claws symmetrical, very weakly serrated (visible on large magnification); arolium well developed. Abdomen without visible glandular specializations. Anal plate (tergite X) damaged. Hypandrium asymmetrical ( Fig. 12 E), antero-lateral parts comparatively long and symmetrical, as compared with majority of Rhabdoblatta and Morphna species ( Fig. 12 E, l.s.a.); caudal margin between styli projected and rounded; styli unequal.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 12 F–K). Right phallomere (R+N) with caudal part of sclerite R1T widely rounded ( Fig. 12 F, c.p.R1T), covered with few bristles; cranial part of R1T and sclerite R2 distinctly curved; R3 long, widened at cranial and caudal apices; R4 large, fused with cranial part of R1T; R5 longitudinally elongated, fused with sclerite R2. Sclerite L2D (L1) not divided into proximal and distal parts ( Fig. 12 G), long and rod-like; caudally with "curved upward subsclerite" ( Fig. 12 H, u.s.); "elongated sclerite" ( Fig. 12 I, e.scl.) located under caudal part of L2D; caudal part of L2D with two lobes: left lobe membranous, covered with papillae ( Fig. 12 H, I, l.l.), right lobe weakly sclerotized, densely covered with recumbent bristles ( Fig. 12 H, I, r.l.). Sclerite L3 (L2d) with weak basal subsclerite ( Fig. 12 J, K, b.L3); "folded structure" distinct, with bristles ( Fig. 12 J, K, f.s.); apex of L3 with distinct groove hge. Sclerite L4U (L3d) triangular in shape, well sclerotized.

Variations. The description of the lectotype can be supplemented with the following details.

Males. Lateral sides of pronotum and costal margin of tegmina sometimes bordered with thin more or less expressed whitish stripe. Head as in Figs. 12 A, 16A, distance between eyes 0.8–1.0 times of the eye length; distance between antennal sockets about 1.5–1.6 times of the scape length (0.8–1.0 mm); approximate length ratio of 3rd–5th segments of maxillary palps 1.2–1.5: 1: 1.2–1.4. Tegmina strongly sclerotized ( Fig. 14 A, B), with venation obsolete, mostly visible only in transmitted light (in Fig. 14 A, B, D shown with dotted lines) or in the area of the right tegmen overlapped by the left one at rest; costal field long and narrow; Sc thickened (visible only on ventral side of tegmen), apically branched; R with numerous anterior rami; CuP completely reduced. Wings sclerotized along anterior margin ( Fig. 14 C); Sc interrupted at basal part, apically fused with anterior rami of R; RA with numerous veins; RS with about 6–7 apical veins; CuA pectinate, with 1–2 complete (reaching the wing margin) veins; behind CuA situated long, simple and incrassated in proximal part vein ( Fig. 14 C, 1pl.), probably corresponding to 1st plical vein sensu Rehn (1951) or CuP [probably CuP + A1 sensu Bey-Bienko (1950)]; anal fan consisting of about 20 veins reaching margin of wing; 2–3 possibly jugal veins situated behind anal fan (not shown in Fig. 14 C). Anterior margin of fore femora armed according to the type C or B, in latter case with 2 spines, including 1 apical one. Structure of hind tarsi ( Fig. 12 C): metatarsus distinctly shorter than other segments combined, with euplantula along lower margin slightly shorter than one half of metatarsus length; euplantulae of segments 2nd–4th large; spines along lower margins of tarsal segments absent, replaced by long and flexible hairs; claws symmetrical, very weakly serrated (visible on large magnification); arolium about as half as of the claw length. Anal plate (tergite X) trapezoidal, projected caudally, with triangular median incision on caudal margin ( Figs. 12 D, 16C). Cerci fusiform, long, weakly depressed, with distinct segments ( Figs. 12 D, 16C). Paraprocts as in Fig. 16C ; pv —sclerites indistinct, situated on pillow-like membranous structures, densely covered with very small chaetae ( Fig. 16C , pv.). "Elongated sclerite" located under caudal part of sclerite L2D ( Fig. 12 I, e.scl.), sometimes it indiscernible.

Females. Similar to males, but more robust, body convex and ovoid ( Fig. 16E ). Head with eyes comparatively smaller ( Fig. 12 L), as compared with male; distance between eyes 1.1 times of the eye length; distance between antennal sockets about 1.6 times of the scape length (0.8–1.0 mm); approximate length ratio of 3rd–5th segments of maxillary palps 1.3: 1: 1.2. Tegmina shorter and wider, as compared with male ( Fig. 14 D); wings completely developed. Anal plate and cerci shorter ( Fig. 12 M), as compared with male. Paraprocts fused with anal plate (X, ultimate tergite) ( Fig. 15 A, Par., X). Genital plate transverse, with caudal margin medially protruded ( Fig. 12 N).

Ovipositor and adjacent structures ( Fig. 15 A–D). Intercalary sclerite absent. Tergal processes of abdominal segment VIII reduced, not reaching the paratergites of VIII tergite ( Fig. 15 A, teVIII.); tergal processes of abdominal segment IX completely developed ( Fig. 15 A, teIX.). Gonangulum distinct ( Fig. 15 B–D, gg.). First valves of ovipositor large, mostly membranous, with numerous setae along inner side ( Fig. 15 B, C, v.I.). Base of 2nd and 3rd pairs of valves as in Fig. 15 C, D, with large sclerotized lobes ( Fig. 15 B–D, pl.). Anterior arch of second valvifer as in Fig. 15 C, D, a.a.). 2nd valves of ovipositor small, completely hidden under 1st ones ( Fig. 15 C, v.II.). 3rd valves of ovipositor (gonoplacs) wide, mostly membranous ( Fig. 15 B, C, v.III.). Basivalvulae transformed into two lateral short and wide slightly asymmetrical sclerites ( Fig. 15 B, bsv.). Vestibular sclerite semicircular, medially membranous ( Fig. 15 B, vs.). Brood sac large, without sclerotized structures ( Fig. 15 B, bd.s.).

Measurements (mm). Head length: male 2.6–3.1(2.6), female 3.4–3.8; head width: male 2.4–2.8(2.4), female 3.0–3.5; pronotum length: male 3.7–4.9(3.7), female 5.0–6.4; pronotum width: male 5.0–5.8(5.0), female 6.9–8.1; tegmen length: male 12.5–18.6(12.5), female 14.8–18.2; maximal tegmen width: male 5.0–6.0(5.0), female 7.0–9.2. Measurements in parenthesis are those of the lectotype.

Note. The Guerin's series of T. porcellana was labelled as "possible syntypes " by Dr. J. Hollier (MHNG).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Thorax porcellana (Saussure, 1862), males [A–K (B, E–K—lectotype)] and females (L–N). A, L—facial part of head; B—pronotum from above; C—right hind tarsus from outside; D, M—abdominal apex from above; E—hypandrium from below; F—right phallomere from above; G—sclerite L2D from above; H, I—apical part of sclerite L2D from above (H) and below (I); J, K—sclerite L3; N—genital plate from below. Dotted area shows membranous parts. Abbreviations: b.L3; c.p.R1T; f.s.; hge.; l.l.; l.s.a.; r.l.; R1T; R2; R3; R4; R5; u.s.—see text. Scale bar 1 mm: a = A; b = B; c = C; d = D; e = E; f = F, H, I; g = G; h = J, K; i = L; j = M; k = N.

FIGURE 14. Thorax porcellana (Saussure, 1862) [male (A–C) and female (D)] and Phlebonotus pallens (Audinet-Serville, 1831) (E, F—male). Tegmina (A, B, D, E) and wings (C, F) from above. Dotted area shows sclerotized parts, membrane reticulations partly omitted. Dotted lines show veins visible only in transmitted light. Dashed line in Fig. E shows line of right tegmen overlapped by left one. Abbreviations: 1pl.; A1; CuA; CuP; M; R; RA; RS; Sc—see text. Scale bar 1 mm: a = A; b = B; c = C; d = D; e = E; f = F.

FIGURE 15. Thorax porcellana (Saussure, 1862) (A–D) and Phlebonotus pallens (Audinet-Serville, 1831) (E), females. A—abdominal apex from below, genital plate and genitalia removed, with exception of tergal processes; B, E—genital complexes; C, D—basal part of ovipositor from below (C) and within (D). Dotted area shows membranous parts. Abbreviations: IX, X—9th and 10th abdominal tergites respectively; a.a.; bd.s.; bsv.; gg.; par.; pl.; pv.; teVIII.; teIX.; v.I.; v.II.; v.III.; vs.—see text. Scale bar 1 mm: a = A; b = B; c = C, D; d = E.

FIGURE 16. A, F, H—facial part of head; B, E, G, I—general view from above; C—abdominal apex from below (hypandrium and genitalia removed); D—hypandrium and genitalia from above. A–E—Thorax porcellana (Saussure, 1862) [male (A–D) and female (E)]; F, G—Phlebonotus pallens (Audinet-Serville, 1831) (male); H–I—P. anomalus (Saussure, 1863) (female). Abbreviations: L2D; L3; L4U; pv.; r.plm.—see text. All specimens are kept in alcohol.

FIGURE 11. A, F, H—facial part of head; B, C, G—general view from above; D, E, I—anterior part of body from below (D) and above (E, I). A, B— Rhabdoblatta praecipua (Walker, 1868) (male); C – F— Calolamprodes characterosa (Walker, 1868) (males), specimens from Sri Lanka (C, D) and South India (E, F); G – I – Thorax porcellana (Saussure, 1862) (male, lectotype). In Fig. B abdominal apex removed. Specimens in Figs. A, B, G – I are pinned, those in Figs. C – F are kept in alcohol.