Psyllipsocus radiopictus 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 : 234-236

Psyllipsocus radiopictus Lienhard n. spec. Fig. 13

HOLOTYPE: ISLA; damaged specimen of unknown sex lacking head, prothorax and abdomen (slide-mounted); BRAZIL (AL), Murici , Toca da Raposa 1 cave (granite), 13.i.2007, leg. R. L. Ferreira.

PARATYPE: MHNG, damaged specimen of unknown sex lacking head, prothorax and abdomen (slide-mounted) ; same data as for holotype .

FIG. 13 Psyllipsocus radiopictus Lienhard n. spec., holotype. (A) Forewing. (B) Hindwing.

DESCRIPTION: Pterothorax light to medium brown. Forewing with characteristic colour pattern (Fig. 13A). Tibiae without transversal bands. Pretarsal claws simple, symmetrical, with a small preapical denticle; hind legs with well-developed coxal organ. Macropterous (Fig. 13AB). Forewing: Rs and M fused for a length; distal closed cell very much longer than marginal length of pterostigma and slightly shorter than basal closed cell (bcc/dcc ≈ 1.1); first portion of pterostigmal R1 about equal in length to R1 -Rs crossvein; CuA1 abruptly curved, its distal portion straight or slightly concave; AP short and high (its height exceeding its marginal length). Hindwing: Basal portion of Rs not differentiated and R1 originating from R-M fusion, thus closed cell triangular; in both hindwings of holotype CuA angulate and with a long spur vein in middle (Fig. 13B), in paratype CuA strongly bent in middle and the spurvein minute .

MEASUREMENTS: Holotype: FW = 1920 µm; FWw = 733 µm; FW/FWw = 2.62; HW = 1495 µm; F = 310 µm; T = 690 µm; tarsus broken. – Paratype: FW = 1905 µm; FWw = 740 µm; FW/FWw = 2.57; HW damaged; F = 303 µm; T = 684 µm; t1 = 220 µm; t2 = 49 µm; t3 = 54 µm .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet refers to the characteristic colour pattern in the radial region of the forewing (Latin: pictus, - a, - um; painted, coloured).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: P. radiopictus is only known from the type locality, the Toca da Raposa 1 cave, in Murici municipality, Alagoas state. This small granite cave is a typical “talus” cave (formed due to sediment removal by water leading to spaces between rock blocks), characterized by the presence of very dry sediments. The few resources observed were guano piles from insectivorous bats (on which the specimens were observed). The original external vegetation was Brazilian Atlantic Forest, but the region is now almost completely deforested and mostly used for sugarcane plantations. There are few caves in the area, although many crevices may occur in the granitic outcrops. Therefore it is likely that P. radiopictus also occurs in other microhabitats in this area.

DISCUSSION: See discussion on P. fuscistigma .