Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola, Rodrigues & Nascimento & Raimundi & Lima, 2023

Rodrigues, Jackson A. O., Nascimento, Stênio R. S., Raimundi, Erikcsen A. & Lima, Lucas R. C., 2023, New species and new records of Miroculis Edmunds, 1963 (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) from Chacoan Domain in northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 5230 (1), pp. 27-47 : 38-44

Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov.

( Figs 9A–E , 10A–D , 11A–D , 12A–F , 13A–D ).

Diagnosis: Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characteristics. In the nymph: 1) anterolateral margin of labrum rounded ( Fig. 12A ); 2) posterolateral spines present on segment IV or V–IX, more developed on VII–IX ( Figs 9A, C ); 3) gills with trachea unbranched, lengths of inner and outer margin of lamella subequal ( Fig. 11D ). In the male: 1) dorsal portion of compound eyes on a short stalk (1.2× longer than wide), with eight facets on the longest row ( Figs 9A–C ); 2) fore- and hind wing with membrane hyaline ( Figs 9A, C ); 3) posterior margin of styliger plate with a shallow medial excavation ( Fig. 9D ); 4) Penes brown approximately the length of forceps segment I, tubular, apically curved and excavated in ventral view, with about ten irregular spines on basal half in lateral view, gonopore on inner margin with ventral sulcus in the apical half ( Figs 9D, E , 10C, D ).

Description. Male imago ( Figs 9A–E , 10A–D )

Measurements (n=2). Body: 4.5 mm; forewing: 4.4 mm; angularity of CuA portion: 98°; hind wing: 1 mm. Foreleg: 4.1 mm; mid leg: 2.2 mm; hind leg: 2.4 mm. Caudal filament: broken.

Ratios. Wings: forewing width 0.3× fore wing length; hind wing length 0.2 fore wing length; hind wing width 0.5× hind wing length; fork on MA 2 of fore wing 0.4× total length of MA. Legs: segments of foreleg: 0.67: 1.00 (1.48 mm): 0.05: 0.21: 0.17: 0.14: 0.1; mid leg: 1.09: 1.00 (0.81 mm): 0.05: 0.05: 0.05: 0.12: 0.04; hind leg: 0.94: 1.00 (0.93 mm): 0.05: 0.05: 0.08: 0.09: 0.05. Genitalia: medial length of styliger plate 1.3× maximum width; lateral length of styliger plate 0.7× medial length of styliger plate. Forceps segment III 0.5× forceps segment II; forceps segment III 0.25× forceps segment I; forceps segment II 0.4× forceps segment I. Penis length approximately 1.06× forceps segment I.

Coloration. General coloration: dark brown. Head. dark brown. Compound eye with stalk orange, facets of upper portion light brown, separated by dark grooves ( Figs 9A–C ). Ocelli white, surrounded with dark gray.Antenna, scape whitish, pedicel and flagellum dark gray. Thorax ( Figs 9A, C ). Pro, -meso and metanotum dark brown. Pleura dark brown, sterna light brown. Wings ( Figs 9A–C ). Fore- and hind wing with hyaline membrane; cross and longitudinal veins brown. Legs: foreleg with coxa and trochanter light brown; femur and tibia white washed with brown, femur and tibia with apical blackish band; tarsi light brown. Mid and hind legs with coxa and trochanter light brown; mid legs with femur and tibia apical blackish band; dorsal portion of midfemur with median brown mark; tibiae with apical blackish band. Abdomen ( Figs 9A–C ). Terga light brown with blackish marks on medial area from I–III and VI, VII segments; terga I to VI light brown washed with black, terga VII to IX brown washed with black; terga I to VI with sublateral dark brown transversal band. Sterna light brown ( Fig. 9A ). Genitalia ( Figs 9D, E ). Styliger plate brownish translucent. Forceps segment I light brown, darker toward apex; segments II gray; and segment III gray, lighter toward at apex. Penis brown. Caudal filament: light brown.

Morphology. Head. Posterior margin medially triangular. Compound eye with upper portion on stalk of short length (1.2× longer than wide), separated from each other by distance subequal to the maximal width of an upper portion; dorsal surface circular, with eight facets in longest row ( Figs 9A–C ). Thorax. Wings: forewing with 2 cross veins basal to bulla between C and Sc; MP2 not connected to base of MP1 by cross vein; IMP connected to MP1 at base; CuA connected to CuP by one cross vein; ICu1 and ICu2 connected by one cross vein; two A veins ( Fig. 10A ). Hind wing with fork of R+MA symmetric; CuP present; costal projection poorly developed; distal margin rounded ( Fig. 10B ). Abdomen. Genitalia: posterior margin of styliger plate with shallow medial excavation. Forceps segment I narrowing gradually toward apex ( Fig. 9D ). Penis long, tubular, wider at base; medially wider with about ten irregular spines on basal half, narrowing gradually toward apex on lateral view; gonopore on inner margin of each lobe with ventral sulcus in apical half of each lobe; apically curved and excavated in ventral view ( Figs 9D, E , 10C, D ).

Mature nymph ( Figs 11A–D , 12A–F , 13A–D )

Measurements (n=3). Body: 5.2 mm. Foreleg: 2.8 mm; mid leg: 2.9 mm; hind leg: 3 mm. Caudal filament: broken.

Ratios. Mouthparts: segment III of maxillary palp 0.6× segment II; segment II 0.9× segment I; segment III of labial palp 0.6× segment II; segment III 0.6× segment I; segment II 0.9× segment I. Legs: width of forefemur 0.3× length; width of mid-femur 0.3× length. Abdomen: width of lamella of gill in its wider part 0.3× length of gill; length of medial filament of gill 0.6× length of lamella.

Coloration. Body. Light brown. Head: dark brown, brown marks along epicranial and frontal sutures, grayish between compound eye and lateral ocellus; grayish mark among lateral and medial ocelli and antenna; antenna brown with flagellum grayish ( Figs 11A, B ). Labrum dark brown basally, lighter toward apex. Mandible yellowish brown, darker sub-basally; maxilla, hypopharynx, and labium washed with grayish brown ( Figs 12A–F ). Thorax: pro- and mesonotum brown white washed with gray, except for blackish brown marks on sublateral margins of mesonotum. Fore and hind wingpads yellowish brown ( Figs 11A, B ). Sterna pale yellow ( Fig. 11C ); mesosternum with dark gray marks on posterior margin.. Legs: pale yellow. Femora with subapical blackish mark on dorsal and ventral surfaces; tibiae with incomplete brown band sub-basally, and complete blackish band apically; tarsi washed with light brown ( Figs 13A–D ). Abdomen: terga brown; terga I–X with longitudinal grayish brown stripe anterosubmedially, terga I–III washed with gray, terga VII and VIII on submedial margin washed with grayish brown, terga IX and X slightly pale brown ( Fig. 11A ). Sterna pale yellow. Gills with membrane grayish and trachea gray ( Fig. 11D ).

Morphology. Head: clypeus anteriorly concave; anterolateral margin of labrum rounded ( Fig. 12A ). Legs: subapical denticle of tarsal claws larger than remaining denticles ( Fig. 13D ). Abdomen: posterolateral spines present on segment IV or V–IX, more developed on VII–IX ( Figs 9A, C ); gills with trachea unbranched; lengths of inner and outer margin of lamella subequal ( Fig. 9D ).

Life cycle association. Rearing.

Biology. The nymphs were collected inhabiting leaves in a stream with about 6 m wide, moderate flow, and under an open canopy.

Etymology. In Brazil, quilombolas are communities of descendants of enslaved Africans who have maintained cultural, religious and subsistence traditions for a few centuries. The new species was found in a stream from the quilombola community S„o Benedito dos Colocados. Noun in apposition.

Distribution. Brazil: Maranh„o State.

Type material. Holotype: Ô imago (reared, exuviae and male imago preserved in alcohol), Brazil, Maranhão State, Codó municipality, Rio Saco , S4°31″53.9″, W43°54′49.5″, 52m, 22.viii.2020, Nascimento, S.R.S. col. (INPAEPH000037). Paratypes: one Ô imago, same data as holotype ( INPA-EPH000038 ); three Ô nymph, same data as holotype ( INPA-EPH000039 ).

Comments. Male imagos of Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. are morphologically similar to M. (M.) fittkaui , by sharing similar posteromedian margin of styliger plate expanded with a shallow medial excavation, inner basal margin of forceps segment I corrugated, length and apex excavated of penes (or hooked). However, the male imago of the new species differs by having a forewing less wide basally and with membrane hyaline; penes with ten irregular spines basally in lateral view ( Fig. 10C ), opposed to basally with shallow crenulation in M. (M.) fittkaui (Fig. 58 in Savage 1983); and having the inner margin of forceps segment I without distomedial projection ( Fig. 9D ).

Nymphs of M. (M.) quilombola sp. nov. resemble those of M. (M.) azevedoi sp. nov. because of tarsal claws with subapical denticle larger than the remaining denticles and anterior margin of labrum angular. However, M. (M.) quilombola sp. nov. has the color pattern of the abdomen without marks along the posterior margin on terga and gills with trachea unbranched ( Fig. 11D ), opposed to M. (M.) azevedoi sp. nov. that presents dark brown marks on abdominal terga I–VIII and gills with trachea branched.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. male imago: A, habitus, lateral view; B, head, front view; C, habitus, dorsal view; D, genitalia, ventral view; E, detail of penes, ventral view. (Scale: Figs 9A, C = 1 mm, Fig. 9B = 0.5 mm; Fig. 9D = 0.2 mm; Fig. 9E = 0.1 mm).

FIGURE 10. Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. male imago: A, forewing; B, hind wing; C, penes, lateral view; D, detail of penes, ventral view. (Scale: Figs 10A, B = 1 mm; Fig. 10C = 0.2 mm; Fig. 10D = 0.1mm).

FIGURE 11. Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. nymph: A, habitus, dorsal view; B, habitus, lateral view; C, habitus, ventral view; D, gill IV. (Scale: Figs 11A–C = 1 mm; Fig. 11D = 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 12. Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. nymph: A, labrum, dorsal view; B, hypopharynx, ventral view; C, labium, dorsal view; D, maxilla, ventral view; E, left mandible; F, right mandible. (Scale: Figs 12A–F = 0.2 mm).

FIGURE 13. Miroculis (Miroculis) quilombola sp. nov. nymph: A, foreleg; B, middle leg; C, hind leg; D, anterior tarsal claw. (Scale: Figs 13A–C = 0.5 mm; Fig. 13D = 0.05 mm).