Aposthonia merdelynae Lucañas & Lit, 2018

Lucañas, Cristian C. & Lit, Ireneo L., 2018, Oligotomidae (Insecta: Embioptera) of Mt. Makiling, Los Baños, Philippines, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4415 (1), pp. 173-182 : 177-178

Species Aposthonia merdelynae Lucañas & Lit , n. sp.

Fig. 2

Material examined. Holotype male, Philippines, Luzon: Los Baños, Laguna, on Canarium ovatum Engl. , 22-x- 2014 (C.C.Lucañas, UPLBMNH EMB-00028 ♂); Paratypes, 2 males, 3 females, same data as holotype (UPLBMNH EMB-00029‒00030 ♂; 00031‒00033 ♀)

Diagnosis. This species is similar to A. borneensis except for its relatively smaller size, subcylindrical LC1 (distally dilated and lobed in A. borneensis ), and enlarged membranous area of the 10RP. It is also similar to A. problita Poolprasert, Sitthicharoenchai, Butcher & Lekprayoon 2011 in size and coloration, but differs in the presence of the hook-like LPPT (absent in A. problita ) and the shape of the hypandrium. It differs from A. oceania Ross 1951 in terms of the ovate head and submentum with rounded corners, and LC1 cylindrical (head elongate, submentum with acute corners and LC1 distinctly expanding distally in A. oceania).

Description. Size (mm): ♂ BL: 5.4 ± 0.44; HL × HW: 1.0 ± 0.15 × 0.7 ± 0.1; OR: 0.53 ± 0.01; Fw: 4.1 ± 0.1; Hw: 3.1 ± 0.12. ♀ BL: 5.2 ± 0.9; HL × HW 0.8 ± 0.12 × 0.7 ± 0.06.

Male alate ( Fig. 2A ). Small, generally light brown except for dark brown head. Antenna filiform, whitish proximally, brown distally. Submentum reniform, lateral margins entire ( Fig. 2C ). Pronotum chocolate brown, concolorous with rest of thorax and abdomen. Hind basitarsus with single indistinct papilla ( Fig. 2D ). Terminalia (Figure E-F): LC1 subcylindrical, not abruptly lobed. 10LP slightly constricted basally and medially, distally rounded ( Fig. 2G ). 10RP with membranous area enlarged, tip diverging as two similar-sized teeth. LPPT broad, basally ending with left-pointing hook ( Figure 2H ). HP broad basally leading to blunt HP that points to LC ( Fig. 2F ).

Female ( Fig. 2B ) slightly larger than male. Chocolate brown throughout except on integumental joints. Sternite 8 with right triangular patterns laterally, central region unpigmented ( Fig. 2I ). Sternite 9 medially unpigmented ( Fig. 2I ).

Etymology: Aposthonia merdelynae n. sp. species is named in honor of Dr. Merdelyn Caasi-Lit, in recognition of her contributions to the knowledge of insect-plant interactions and for her support for this study.

Remarks: This species is the third known member of Aposthonia sp. native to the Philippines, the others being A. japonica ( Okajima 1926) and A. oceania Ross, both reported from Davao ( Davis 1940; Ross 1955).

Figures

FIGURE2. Aposthonia merdelynae Lucañas and Lit n. sp.: habit of (A) male and (B) female; (C) male head with submentum; (D) male hind basitarsus; male terminalia, (E) dorsal and (F) ventral, (G) enlarged LPPT and (H) 10LP, (I) female abdominal sternites 9‒11.