Psyllipsocus falcifer Lienhard, 2014

Lienhard, Charles & Ferreira, Rodrigo L., 2014, New species of Psyllipsocus from Brazilian caves (Psocodea: ‘ Psocoptera’: Psyllipsocidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 121 (2), pp. 211-246 : 216-220

Psyllipsocus falcifer Lienhard n. spec. Figs 3-4

HOLOTYPE: ISLA; 3 (slide-mounted); BRAZIL ( MG), Pains , Gruta Ronco cave, 28.xi.1999, leg. R. L. Ferreira.

PARATYPES: ISLA and MHNG, slide-mounted or in alcohol ; BRAZIL, leg. R. L. Ferreira, from the following municipalities. – 13, Cordisburgo ( MG), Gruta Tão Lucas cave , 14.xi.2010. – 1♀, Cordisburgo ( MG), Lapinha do Atamis cave , 13.xi.2010. – 2♀ (one of them allotype), 1 nymph, Pains ( MG), Gruta Ronco cave , 28.xi.1999 (type locality). – 1♀, Pains ( MG), Gruta Paiol de Milho cave , 13.x.2003. – 1♀, Pains ( MG), Gruta dos Estromatólitos cave, 7.xi.2000. – 1♀, Sete Lagoas ( MG), Gruta Rei do Mato cave , 3.+ 4.xi.2011. – 13, 1♀, Vazante ( MG), Gruta da Escarpa cave, xi.2008. – 13, 1♀, Vazante ( MG), Lapa das Urtigas cave, 16.ix.2010 .

DESCRIPTION: General colouration yellowish, with some brown hypodermal pigmentation. Wings unmarked (Fig. 3A-C). Head with some small brown patches on frons between dark brown compound eyes and a patch at the antennal base. Legs whitish, tibiae with two light brown transversal bands (often weakly developed). Terminalia light brown.

Both sexes macropterous (Fig. 3AB). Forewing: Rs and M not fused for a length but joined by a crossvein (thus distal closed cell pentagonal); basal closed cell very much longer than distal closed cell (bcc/dcc ≈ 3), the latter also much shorter than marginal length of pterostigma; pterostigma long and triangular, first portion of pterostigmal R1 longer than R1-Rs crossvein and almost parallel to wing margin; CuA1 weakly curved (AP long and flat). Hindwing (Fig. 3BC): R1 originating basally of Rs-M fusion, thus closed cell quadrilateral. Some variation of venation observed: vein A of hindwing simple or forked (Fig. 3BC); right forewing of the female from

FIG. 3

Psyllipsocus falcifer Lienhard n. spec., female paratype from Gruta Paiol de Milho. (A) Forewing. (B) Right hindwing. (C) Left hindwing. (D) P2-P4 of maxillary palp. (E) P2-chaetotaxy. (F) Subgenital plate, left ovipositor valvulae and left hind corner of clunium. (G) Spermapore plate and spermatheca containing one spermatophore. (H) Spermathecal sclerotizations.

Gruta dos Estromatólitos cave (Pains, MG) lacking crossvein between pterostigma and Rs, thus lacking distal closed cell (left forewing with normal venation). Three ocelli present. Pilosity of frons and vertex almost uniform. Antennal flagellomeres with uneven surface (due to insertion points of long and relatively thick setae), in basal half of antenna maximal length of flagellar hairs about 5x greatest width of their flagellomeres. Pedicellar microspades organ weakly developed (at most with two units). P2 chaetotaxy as in Fig. 3E, stout sensillum well-differentiated; P4 slender hatchet-shaped (Fig. 3D). Lacinial tip as in Fig. 4C. Pretarsal claws simple, symmetrical, with a small preapical denticle; hind legs with well-developed coxal organ. Clunium and epiproct simple in both sexes (Fig. 4BD).

Male paraproct on its hind margin with two conspicuous non-articulated sickleshaped spines in addition to the normal anal spine (Fig. 4D), setal organ consisting of a short fine seta and a longer, somewhat thicker seta, sensorium with some fine trichobothria on weakly differentiated basal florets. Hypandrium and phallosome as in Fig. 4E; basal struts very short, not reaching anterior margin of hypandrium; phallic cradle broadly rounded, laterally reaching sclerotizations of posterior margin of hypandrium; endophallus with a pair of slender pore-bearing lobes.

Female paraproct lacking sickle-shaped spines, other paraproctal structures as in male (Fig. 4B). Subgenital plate and ovipositor valvulae as in Fig. 3F, v1 and v2 each with a sclerotized median axis, subgenital plate simple, with a row of six very long and relatively thick setae on posterior margin. Spermatheca and spermapore plate as in Fig. 3G (the figured spermatheca contains one characteristically shaped spermatophore; see also discussion, below); sclerotizations of spermathecal wall near duct very complicated (Figs 3GH, 4A), characterized by a conspicuous digitiform prominence (the latter usually already visible in undissected abdomen). Spermapore plate simple, lacking conspicuous sclerotizations (Fig. 3G).

MEASUREMENTS: Male holotype: BL = 1.5 mm; FW = 1750 µm; FWw = 650 µm; FW/FWw = 2.7; HW = 1410 µm; F = 342 µm; T = 677 µm; t1= 265 µm; t2 = 47 µm; t3 = 60 µm; IO/ D = 1.3. – Female allotype: BL = 1.6 mm; FW = 1750 µm; FWw = 663µm; FW/FWw = 2.64; HW = 1440 µm; F = 360 µm; T = 690 µm; t1 = 270 µm; t2 = 52 µm; t3 = 60 µm; IO/D = 1.4.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet refers to the presence of two sickle-shaped spines on the paraproct of the male (Latin: falx – sickle; suffix - fer, - fera, - ferum from ferre – to bear, carry).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: P. falcifer is known from 8 caves situated in 4 municipalities in Minas Gerais state. All these caves are located in the Brazilian Savanna (“Cerrado” vegetation). Ecological conditions are not the same in these caves but all of them are dry and rather small (less than 100 meters long). Specimens were always observed on or near guano piles, most of them produced by haematophagous bats ( Desmodus rotundus ).

DISCUSSION: P. falcifer differs from all other species of the genus by the presence of two sickle-shaped spines on the male paraproct and of a sclerotized digitiform prominence on the spermatheca near the origin of the spermathecal duct. The absence of wing markings clearly distinguishes it from the other two Brazilian Psyllipsocus species having an Rs-M crossvein in the forewing (i. e. P. marconii and P. thaidis , see

FIG. 4 Psyllipsocus falcifer Lienhard n. spec., female allotype (A-C) and male holotype (D-E). (A) Spermathecal sclerotizations. (B) Epiproct, right paraproct and right hind corner of clunium. (C) Lacinial tip. (D) Left and central part of clunium, epiproct, left paraproct. (E) Hypandrium and phallosome, ventral view (pilosity not shown).

below). In P. falcifer up to 3 spermatophores could be observed in the spermatheca of a single female; this indicates that the species is polyandrous. See also discussion on P. thaidis , below.