Antroxestoblatta Vélez & Daza, 2021

Vélez-Bravo, Andrés & Daza, Juan M., 2021, Molecular systematics and genital morphology of the Neotropical cockroaches from the genus Xestoblatta (Blattellidae), Zootaxa 5057 (3), pp. 301-328 : 313

Antroxestoblatta Vélez & Daza , gen.n.

( Figs 3A–H )

Type species. Xestoblatta immaculata Hebard 1920 , 4: 7.

Diagnosis. Adults of Antroxestoblatta gen.n. can be distinguished by the presence of the following combination of characters: divergent inner ocular margins. Tergal modification on the abdominal segment I. This as two central pits separated by a septum and with a patch of dense and long bristles into each pit. Hind wings no pigmented and ulnar vein from 8 to 10 total branches. Male genitalia with subregion R1v of the sclerite R1 extending anteriorly almost up to R 1t. Subregion R2i without projections in comparison to Sinatablatta gen.n. and Xestoblatta (sensu stricto). Region R4 as an elongated plate. The species can be differentiated from similar species of genera Sinatablatta gen.n. and Xestoblatta (sensu stricto) by the location of the tergal modification. In these last genera the tergal modification is on the abdominal segment VII. Although Sinatablatta gen.n has an tergal modification on the abdominal segment I, it is different, as a whitish central area.

Description. Species of medium size (20–21 mm ♂, 19–22 mm ♀) with body and legs pale orange. Head uniformly colored and antennae entirely brown. Pronotum and tegmina glossy in appearance and pale orange ( Fig. 3A ).

Head triangular with big reniform eyes not globose. Eyes extending postero-laterally beyond the antennal sockets. Divergent inner ocular margins, closer to each other in the ocellar fenestra area than in the vertex. Globose face. Face and gena with short sparse bristles. Antennae filiform with short setae along their length, first flagellar segment of the same length that the pedicel.

Pronotum parabolic with anterior margin convex and posterior margin obtuse-angulate produced, lateral margins weakly angulated. The two pairs of wings surpassing the cerci apexes. Fore wings with base of the remigium narrower than base of vanal region, with discoidal sector longitudinal and rounded apex. Hind wings no pigmented and with small intercalated triangle, ulnar vein branches vary from 8 to 10.

Legs long and slender.Antero-ventral margin of front femur with a row of heavy spines which decrease gradually in size and with two terminal spines. Postero-ventral margin of front femur with four heavy spines and one terminal spine. Both margins of middle and hind femora with heavy spines of almost the same length, with genicular spine. Tarsomeres I–IV with small pulvilli. Tarsal claws simple and symmetrical, arolium present.

Abdomen often convex and long. Tergal modification in the abdominal segment I as two central pits. There is a septum between the pits and a patch of dense and long bristles into of each pit ( Fig. 3B ). Tergite VII with laterocaudal angles sharply angulated. Supra-anal plate semi-triangular with posterior margin slightly bilobed ( Fig. 3D ). Long and thin cerci. In males, both paraprocts transverse and specialized ( Fig. 3C ). Male subgenital plate slightly symmetrical. Right style short, blunt and with a basal spiniform projection directed into the plate. Apex with a crest of stout spines. Left style small and located medially on the posterior margin ( Fig. 3E ).

Genital sclerites. Sclerite L2 thin and elongated. Sclerotized region L2a and process “via” merged ( Fig. 3F ). Process “via” slender, elongate and with the distal extreme acuminate. The sclerotized region of hla-hook (sclerite L3) with distal area narrow and elongated. In addition to the notch “45”, the hook also exhibits groove “hge” along of its lower margin ( Fig. 3G ). Basal area of L3 almost the same length than their apical area. Membranous tube of hla-hook bare.

Genital sclerite R formed by the sclerotized regions R1, R2, R3 and R4 ( Fig. 3H ). Region R1 as a large and bulky structure at the right postero-lateral region of sclerite R. Regions R1 and R3 articulated (articulation A3) by posterior right corner of R3 and upper right corner of R1 (R1c). Subregion R1v extends anteriorly reaching almost to apex of R 1t. Subregion R1d not sclerotized. Subregion R 1t merged with region R2, forming the complex R 1t +R2. R2 longer than R 1t. Both elongated and pointed but only apex of R2 extending beyond posterior margin of R3. Subregion R2i articulated with posterior left corner of R3. This subregion as an elongated plate and without long projections. Region R3 as a slightly sclerotized triangle shaped plate ( Fig. 3H ). Corners of posterior margin of R3 aligned or nearly aligned, both on the same horizontal axis. Region R4 as an elongated dorsal plate, articulated with lateral right margin of R1.

Etymology. The generic name refers to the habitat where their species inhabit, generally in caves and hollows in trees. Antrum (latin) = hole, cave.

Distribution and biology. Currently, Antroxestoblatta species range from Panama to French Guiana ( Fig. 1B ). Specimens of Antroxestoblatta immaculata comb. nov. and specimens of Sinatablatta gen.n. and Xestoblatta (sensu stricto) were collected in a same locality in the Magdalena river valley, Colombia. A. immaculata comb. nov. was collected within a cave inhabited by Steatornis caripensis Humboldt during the day, unlike specimens of the other two genera that were collected at night on litter or low-lying vegetation within the forest. A. cavicola comb. nov. exhibits the same lifestyle, inhabiting caves or hollows in living or dead trees ( Grandcolas 1992).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Geographic sampling for genetic and morphology data. (A) Genetic sampling for Xestoblatta (sensu lato). (B) (C) (D) correspond to morphology data obtained from either specimen examination or literature records. Colors correspond to clades shown in Fig. 2.

FIGURE 3. The genus Antroxestoblatta gen.n. A–H, Antroxestoblatta immaculata (Hebard) comb.nov. (male) (BLA 222). A, Habitus (dorsal); B,Abdominal segment I; C, Left paraproct (ventral); D, Supra-anal plate (dorsal); E, Subgenital plate (ventral), Left style = L, Right style = R. F–H, Genital sclerites, (F) L2 (dorsal), (G) L3 (ventral) and (H) R (dorsal). Scale bar 1mm.