Crassabwa ameliae, Kluge & Gattolliat & Salles, 2017

Kluge, Nikita J., Gattolliat, Jean-Luc & Salles, Frederico F., 2017, Redescription of the Afrotropical genus Crassabwa Lugo-Ortiz & McCafferty 1996 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae: Protopatellata), Zootaxa 4350 (3), pp. 401-435 : 428-432

Crassabwa ameliae sp.n.

( Figs 114–132 )

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Amélie Gattolliat, daughter of the second author.

Material examined. Holotype: L/S ♂, ZAMBIA, Lwakela river 22 km N Mwinilunga, 18–21.VIII.2014, 11°32'S / 24°25'E, coll. N. Kluge and L. Sheyko ( ZIN) . Paratypes: the same locality and date as holotype, 4 larvae ( ZIN) ; West Lunga river near Mwinilunga , 11°45'S / 24°26'E, 14–17.VIII.2014, coll. N. Kluge & L. Sheyko: 7 larvae ( ZIN). MALI: Koulikoro, Loc. Tienfala , Niger river , 20.III.1985, coll. J.- M. Elouard: 2 larvae ( MZL) . GUINEA: Loc. Sassambaya , basin of Niger, Niandan river, 25.I.1985, coll. J.-M.. Elouard: 3 larvae ( MZL) ; same data but 19.IV.1986: 3 larvae ( MZL) .

Descriptions. Larva. CUTICULAR COLORATION. As characterized above [see Crassabwa (1)]. Cuticle of fore protoptera in last larval instar with dark lines along all veins: convex longitudinal veins, concave longitudinal veins and cross veins ( Figs 114–116 , 124 ); in previous larval instars, dark lines only along convex longitudinal veins ( Figs 117–118 ). Coloration of thorax and abdomen varies from nearly uniform ( Figs 116 , 119 ) to light with very contrastingly darkened posterior part of mesonotum and abdominal terga III, VI and IX ( Figs 114–115 ).

HYPODERMAL COLORATION As characterized above [see Crassabwa (2)], always without red coloration of proximal parts of cerci (see below) ( Fig. 121 ).

STRUCTURE. Head and mouth parts as characterized above [see Crassabwa (3)–(10)]. Left mandible without setae between prostheca and mola; its mola proximad of distal molar projection forms 3 or 4 transverse ridges, which in dorsal or ventral view look as protuberances; fine molar processes do not form integral row, but are concentrated on tops of these protuberances ( Fig. 128 ). Right mandible with dense setae between prostheca and mola; its mola bears separate distal protuberance and 4 or 5 transverse ridges, which in dorsal or ventral view look as protuberances ( Fig. 127 ). Inner-apical projection of 2nd segment of labial palp large, nearly as large as 3rd segment ( Fig. 131 ).

Legs as characterized above [see Crassabwa (12)–(16), (19)] ( Figs 122 , 125 ). Fine colorless setae forming cross row near base of tibia and dispersed along posterior side of tibia and tarsus [see Crassabwa (14)] simple (non-bifurcate). Claw relatively long, with distal portion (from distal denticle to apex) longer than remainder part (from base to distal denticle); denticles on claw equal in two rows [see Crassabwa (19)]: two enlarged distal denticles in posterior row as large as two enlarged distal denticles in anterior row ( Fig. 126 ).

Abdomen as characterized above [see Crassabwa (22)–(24)]; all scales of terga short (as in Fig. 94 ); sterna I– III without denticles, sternum IV with small denticles, sterna V–IX with regular row of pointed denticles (as in Fig. 104 ). Tergalius of first pair wide, asymmetric, with anal margin more convex than costal margin (as in Fig. 85 ); in last larval instar nearly half of tergalius is bent ventrally (as in Fig. 84 ) [see Crassabwa (25)]. Tergalii II–V subequal (as in Figs 86–89 ), tergalii VI–VII gradually smaller, with anterior margin more convex (as in Figs 90– 91 ). Brown band on dorsal cuticle of tergalius [see Crassabwa (26)] either poorly developed and invisible on background of main trachea, or absent. Tenth abdominal segment and caudalii as described above [see Crassabwa (28), (29)] ( Fig. 119 ).

Winged stages. Unknown. Judging by male subimago extracted from mature larva, leg structure and subimaginal microlepides as characterized above [see Crassabwa (17), (18)] ( Fig. 122 ). Judging by mature female larva with hypoderm started to get subimaginal shape, winged female also has shape of legs as characterized above [see Crassabwa (17)]. Subimaginal hind wing, being extracted from larva and incompletely spread on slide in glycerine, has folds at base of costal projection ( Fig. 123 ), which testify that in spread condition its costal projection is long and directed perpendicular to the wing [see Crassabwa (21)]. Abdominal terga of male with reddish coloration, sterna much lighter, without dark sigmoid maculae ( Fig. 120 ); cerci entirely light ocher, without red coloration ( Fig. 121 ).

Eggs. Unknown.

Dimension. Length of last instar larva 7–8 mm.

Comparison. Larva of the new species C. ameliae sp. n. is very similar to C. ludmilae sp.n., having the same unusual structure of mandibular mola, the same peculiar cuticular coloration of protoptera in last instar and the same structure of tergalii. Larva of C. ameliae sp. n. differs from C. ludmilae sp. n. by long claws and by absence of setae between prostheca and mola of left mandible. Judging by subimaginal parts extracted from mature larva, winged stages of C. ameliae sp. n. differ from C. ludmilae sp. n. and C. flava by absence of red coloration at bases of cerci.

Figures

FIGURES 114 – 118. Crassabwa ameliae sp. n. 114 – 116, last instar larvae; 117 – 118, larva of penultimate instar.

FIGURES 119 – 124. Crassabwa ameliae sp. n., holotype. 119, larval exuviae of abdominal terga and caudalii; 120 – 121, abdomen and cercus of male subimago extracted from larva; 122, larval hind leg with subimaginal leg inside (triangle shows point where patella-tibial suture crosses inner margin); 123, subimaginal hind wing extracted from larva; 124, larval exuviae of pronotum and mesonotum.

FIGURES 125 – 132. Crassabwa ameliae sp. n., larva. 125, fore leg (anterior view); 126, claw; 127 – 128, right and left mandibles, ventral view; 129, labrum (at left ventral view, at right dorsal view); 130, maxilla; 131, labium (at left ventral view, at right dorsal view); 132, hypopharynx and superlinguae.

FIGURES 84 – 95. Crassabwa ludmilae sp. n. 84, tergalius I of last instar larva in natural condition; 85, tergalius I spread on slide; 86 – 91, tergalii II – VII; 92, tergalius V with part of dorsal cuticle detached; 93, enlarged fragment of its detached cuticle; 94, part of cuticle from abdominal tergum III; 95, claw (84 – 93 and 95, holotype).

FIGURES 104 – 107. Crassabwa ludmilae sp. n., male genitals. 104, subimaginal genitals developing under larval cuticle; 105, exuviae of subimaginal genitals; 106, genitals of male imago, ventral view (unistyligers and gonostyli unnaturally brought together because of wrong fixation; internal sclerites and muscles shown by interrupted lines, right gonostylar muscle not shown; large arrow shows median projection of dorsal wall of unistyliger); 107, penis enlarged, ventral view (gonoducts shown by dotted lines). Abbreviations: gs 1, gs 2, gs 3, segments of gonostylus; gv, gonovectis; mIX-X, places of attachment of muscles running to common base of paraprocts; pb, paired internal projection of penial bridge; usg, unistyliger.