Heterolepisma sclerophylla Smith, 2014

Smith, Graeme B., Mitchell, Andrew, Lee, Timothy R. C. & Espinasa, Luis, 2019, DNA Barcoding and Integrative Taxonomy of the Heterolepisma sclerophylla species complex (Zygentoma: Lepismatidae: Heterolepismatinae) and the Description of Two New Species, Records of the Australian Museum 71 (1), pp. 1-32 : 14

Heterolepisma sclerophylla Smith, 2014

Fig. 7

Heterolepisma sclerophylla Smith, 2014: 9 .

Type material examined. Holotype. 1♀ ( HW 1.28 ) ( AMS K.260990, K.260991 on two slides) NSW: Broulee, 35.8578°S 150.1621°E 15 m asl, 17.xi.2010, Graeme Smith . Paratypes. 1♀ ( HW 1.23 ) ( AMS K. 377563 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1♀ ( HW 1.25 ) ( AMS K.261218, K.261219 on two slides) same data as holotype ; 1♂ ( HW 1.25 ) ( AMS K.260992, K.260993 on two slides) same data as previous ; 1♂ ( HW 1.23 ) ( AMS K. 377565 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1♂ ( HW 1.13 ) ( AMS K. 377566 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1♀ ( HW 1.15 ) ( AMS K. 377567 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1 juvenile ♀ ( HW 0.84) ( AMS K. 377568 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1♂ ( HW 1.15 ) ( AMS K. 377569 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1♂ ( HW 1.10 ) ( AMS K.261074, K.261075 on two slides) same data as holotype ; 1♀ ( HW 1.08 ) ( AMS K. 377570 in ethanol) same data as holotype ; 1♀ ( HW 1.20 ) ( AMS K. 377561 in ethanol) same locality and collector as holotype 19.xi.2010; 1♀ ( HW 1.40 ) ( AMS K. 377562 in ethanol) same data as previous .

Other topotypic material examined. 1♀ ( HW 1.20 ) ( AMS K.261216, K.261217 two slides) same locality as holotype , 18.ii.2016, Graeme Smith; 1♀ ( HW 1.10 ) ( AMS K.261142 head, thorax and abdominal segments I–IV on one slide) ; 1♀ ( HW 1.10 ) ( AMS K.261143, K.261144 on two slides) same data as previous ; 1♂ ( HW 1.13 ) ( AMS K.261145, K.261149 on two slides) same data as previous ; 1♀ ( HW 1.13 ) ( AMS K.261152, K.261153 on two slides) same data as previous ; 1♀ ( HW 1.18 ) (gbs004988 in 100% ethanol) same data as previous ; 1♀ ( HW 1.03 ) ( AMS K.261150, K.261151 on two slides) same data as previous .

Material from other localities of the same lineage. 1♂ ( HW 1.18 ) ( AMS K.260994, K.260995 two slides) NSW: Guerilla Bay headland, 35.8321°S 150.2313°E 87 m asl, 17.xi.2010, Graeme Smith ; 1♀ ( HW 1.23 ) ( AMS K.261202, K.261203 on two slides) NSW: Jibbon , 34.0781°S 151.1674°E 18 m asl, 1.i.2016, Graeme Smith ; 1♀ ( HW 1.00) ( AMS K.261184, K.261185 on two slides) same data as previous .

Comments. The Broulee group has a comparatively short ovipositor both relative to head width (1.49–1.95 HW) and in the number of divisions (32–37). Most other lineages have ovipositors in mature specimens exceeding twice the head width and with 35–41 divisions. It also seems to have lower levels of pigment overall and the density and strength of the macrochaetae on the head and notal collar is less than for other lineages ( Fig. 7 ). The Nowra lineage has a similarly short ovipositor but appears to have much darker pigment on the labial and maxillary palps and to a lesser extent on the legs. It has denser chaetotaxy along the sides of the head near the eyes (2–4 rows wide versus 2–3 rows wide).

The ovipositor length was reported in Smith (2014) as up to 2.09 times head width. This was based on the result from a specimen (originally recorded as K. 377564 in ethanol but now replaced by K. 261219 as slide) and was quite different to other specimens measured (range 1.49–1.79). This specimen was re-measured and the measurement is here corrected to 1.95 times HW. This is still much longer than other specimens from Broulee but the specimen only has 35–37 divisions which is within the normal range for the Broulee specimens (32–37). Each individual division is longer than seen with other specimens of this lineage.

The lineage has been collected from three localities along the central and southern coasts of New South Wales. All localities listed have sandy soils, but this may represent a sampling bias rather than be a true indication of habitat. In the type locality it is quite common among dry Eucalypt leaves caught between the fronds of cycads ( Macrozamia sp. Zamiaceae ). At Guerilla Bay it was collected within abandoned termite galleries on a standing tree and at Jibbon it was collected from dry leaf litter protected from rain beneath a fallen tree or in a large hollow at the base of the tree. It was occasionally found hiding within the bark of certain spongy-barked Eucalyptus or Corymbia trees using pyrethrum sprays, where it was usually collected together with a more abundant (but not yet described) species related to Heterolepisma highlandi Smith.

One Broulee specimen (K. 261145) was unusual in that one of its maxillary palps was shorter than usual and had several plumose sensilla along its length rather than the usual three, as found on the other palp where they were more evenly spaced along the article rather than in the distal half. In all specimens examined the plumose sensilla on the palps of the males are much larger (2–3 times larger diameter) and more elaborate than those on the female.

Figures

Figures 7–14. Heterolepisma sclerophylla Smith and Heterolepisma coorongooba sp. nov. (7) Heterolepisma sclerophylla Smith, holotype ♀, medial section of pronotal collar. (8–14) Heterolepisma coorongooba sp. nov. holotype ♀ (8) medial section of pronotal collar; (9) lateral bristlecomb of urotergite III and adjacent scale; (10) head; (11) scape, pedicel and basal interval of flagellum, from above; (12) antenna, most distal surviving annuli; (13) maxilla, only larger setae of palp illustrated; (14) labium, setae of palp not strong so not illustrated. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.