Hydrosmilodon gilliesae Thomas & Peru , 2004, in Thomas et al. 2004

Salles, Frederico F., Dominguez, Eduardo, Mariano, Rodolfo & Paresque, Roberta, 2016, The imagos of some enigmatic members of the Hermanella complex (Ephemeroptera, Leptophlebiidae), ZooKeys 625, pp. 45-66 : 46-48

Taxon classification Animalia Ephemeroptera Leptophlebiidae

Hydrosmilodon gilliesae Thomas & Peru, 2004, in Thomas et al. 2004 Figures 1, 2

Diagnosis.

The male imago of Hydrosmilodon gilliesae can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characters: 1) Eyes separated on meson of head by a short distance - less than 0.5 times width of median ocellus (Fig. 1a); 2) Fore wings hyaline, slightly tinged with brown at base (Fig. 2a); 3) Coloration of abdominal segments II - IX with blackish anterior and posterior stripes, and variable submedial marks as in Fig. 1a, b; 4) Styliger plate with two wide projections that nearly cover the penis (Fig. 2d); 5) Penis lobes totally divided with distomedial spines converging medially (Fig. 2d).

Description of male imago

(in alcohol). Lengths: body, 4.1-5.5 mm; fore wings: 5.4-5.8 mm; hind wings: 0.7-0.9 mm.

Head (Fig. 1a, b): brown, upper portions of eyes light orange-brown, lower portions blackish. Eyes separated on meson of head by short distance - less than 0.5 times width of median ocellus. Ocelli white surrounded with black. Antennae: light brown.

Thorax (Fig. 1a, b): brownish with lighter sutures, mesoscutellum darker, and white spot on each anterolateral corner of posterior scutellar protuberance. Prosternum (Fig. 1c) similar to Hydrosmilodon primanus and Hydrosmilodon saltensis , but with carina longer and slightly wider. Pleurae yellowish and heavily washed with black. Wings (Fig. 2a, b, c): membrane of fore and hind wings hyaline, slightly tinged with brown at bases, longitudinal veins yellowish-brown, cross veins yellowish. Fork of MA asymmetrical and fork of MP slightly asymmetrical (MP2 connected to MP1 by crossvein); crossvein above MA not slanted; vein ICu2 attached at base to ICu1 by crossvein. Legs: fore leg yellowish-brown, with apex of femur and base of tibia darker; mid and hind legs generally lighter.

Abdomen (Fig. 1a, d): terga light yellowish-brown, translucent on segments I–VII, segment I completely washed with black, segments II–IX with blackish anterior and posterior stripes, and variable submedial mark as in Fig. 1a; sterna translucent. Genitalia (Fig. 2d, e): styliger plate yellowish-brown, posterior margin blackish; two wide projections nearly covering penis. Forceps yellowish-brown, lightly washed with grey. Penis: yellowish; totally divided with distomedial spines converging medially. Caudal filaments: yellowish.

Material examined.

Four ♂ imagos: Brazil, Mato Grosso State, Ribeirão Cascalheira, Gleba Maria Tereza, córrego “corgão”, S12°43.040, W52°03.345, 09.x.2007, light trap, Pinho L.C., Mateus S., Torali L. & Silva F.R. (MZUESC). Two ♂ imagos: Brazil, Mato Grosso State, Nova Xavantina, córrego Ponte de Pedra, 06-XII-2006, light trap, Mariano, R., Calor, A.R. & Mateus, S. (MZUESC). Three ♂ imagos: Brazil, São Paulo State, Luis Antonio, Estação Ecológica de Jataí (PEJ), córrego Beija-Flor, 03.II.2004, Melo A. S. & Ferro V. G. (MZUESC). One ♂ imago: Brazil, São Paulo State, Santa Rosa do Viterbo, Fazenda Águas Claras, 12.XI.2000, light trap, Mendes H. F. & Andersen T. (MZUESC). One ♂ imago: Brazil, São Paulo State, Ribeirão Preto, Rio Pardo, próximo Ponte velha Jardinópolis, rancho Cesar & Nê 06.IX.2008, Calor A. (MZUESC). Eight ♂ imagos: Brazil, Bahia State, Lençois, Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, Rio Santo Antônio, 12°29'579"S, 41°19'752"W, 340m, 26.X.2008, Mariano, R., Calor, A.R. & Mateus, S. (MZUESC). Two ♂ imagos: Brazil, Bahia State, Barreiras, Rio das Ondas, 15.X.2008, Mariano, R., Calor, A.R. & Mateus, S. (MZUESC). 25 ♂ imagos: Brazil, Pernambuco State, Petrolina, rio da Vitória, afluente do Rio São Francisco, 09°21'814"S, 40°35'409"W, 440m, 22.X.2008, Mariano, R., Calor, A.R. & Mateus, S. (MZUESC). Ten nymphs, Brazil, Roraima, Boa Vista, Rio Cauamé, 2°52'5.30"N / 60°44'25.40"W, 76 m asl, 20.iii.2014, F.F. Salles, E. Domínguez, R. Boldrini, J. Gama-Neto col. (five nymphs CZNC, five nymphs IBN). One nymph: Brazil, Espírito Santo, Serra, 20°3'33"S / W40°22'42', 20 m asl, 05/xi/2011, F. Massariol col. (CZNC). One nymph: Brazil, Espírito Santo, Bom Jesus do Norte, 21°6'53"S / 41°41'31"W, 31/vii/2012, F. Massariol col. (CZNC). One nymph: Brazil, Espírito Santo, Iúna, 20°21'06"S / 41°31'58"W, 08/v/2013, F. Massariol col. (CZNC).

Comments.

The wide projections of the styliger plate readily distinguish Hydrosmilodon gilliesae from all other members of the complex except for Leentvaaria palpalis , but this latter species has the projections fused (see “Discussion” below).

Variation in body lengths and colouration were encountered among specimens, with some individuals clearly darker than others. The overall shape of genitalia, however, was the same, and thus we are concluding for now that all of this material belongs to a single species. Unfortunately, since it could help in the identification of potential cryptic species, we were unable to extract and/or amplify DNA from all localities (see COI divergence section below).

Hydrosmilodon gilliesae was found to occur in several localities in Brazil, ranging from relatively close to its type-locale in French Guiana (state of Roraima), to central (Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul), Northeast (Pernambuco and Bahia) and southeast parts of the country ( Espírito Santo and São Paulo) (Fig. 9).

With the description of this species, the diagnoses of the adults of the genus must be expanded in the following way: 1) Forks of veins MA and MP of fore wings asymmetrical; 2) cross vein close to MA fork slanted or not; 3) vein Sc of hind wings ending in transverse vein near base of costal projection; 3) vein MP of hind wings unforked; 4) costal projection of hind wings acute or rounded at apex; 5) tarsal claws of a pair dissimilar, one apically hooked, other blunt; 6) penis divided in apical 1/2 to totally divided, each lobe with median spine-like projection; 7) styliger plate with spines close to base of forceps or with two wide projections; 8) prosternum with short to long median carina; and 9) female sternum IX apically cleft.