Psyllipsocus spinifer 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 : 212-216

Psyllipsocus spinifer Lienhard n. spec. Figs 1-2

HOLOTYPE: ISLA; 3 (slide-mounted); BRAZIL ( CE), Ubajara , Gruta de Ubajara cave, 30.xii.2006, leg. R. L. Ferreira.

PARATYPES: ISLA and MHNG, slide-mounted or in alcohol ; BRAZIL, leg. R. L. Ferreira (unless other collector mentioned), from the following municipalities. – 1♀, Campo Formoso (BA), Toca do Morrinho cave , i.1997. – 23, 3♀, 1 nymph, Campo Formoso (BA), Toca do Angico cave , 9.i.2008. – 13, 3♀, Curaçá (Patamuté) (BA), Toca d'agua de Patamuté cave, 6.i.2008. – 13, São Desidério (BA), Gruta do Sumidouro do João Baio cave, 29.vii.2006. – 33, 4♀, Araripe ( CE), Gruta do Brejinho cave , 1.v.2007. – 13, 1♀, Tejuçuoca ( CE), Gruta do Veado Campeiro cave , 16.ix.2008. – 43, 5♀ (one of them allotype), Ubajara ( CE), Gruta de Ubajara cave , 30.xii.2006 (type locality). – 13, 1♀, Ubajara ( CE), Gruta do Morcego Branco cave , 3.i.2007. – 13, 2♀, Ubajara ( CE), Gruta do Araticum cave , 1.i.2007. – 13, 2♀, Damianópolis (GO), Lapa do Ribeirão dos Porcos cave, 5.x.2001. – 1♀, Januária ( MG), Gruta Caboclo cave, 27.vii.2003. – 1♀, Januária/Itacarambi ( MG), Gruta Janelão cave, 28.vii.2003. – 13, 2♀, Pains

FIG. 1

Psyllipsocus spinifer Lienhard n. spec., male holotype (C-J) and female allotype (A-B). (A) Macropterous female, forewing. (B) Ditto, hindwing. (C) Brachypterous male, forewing. (D) Ditto, hindwing. (E) Lacinial tip. (F) Right paraproct, right postero-ventral part of clunium, ventral part of left paraproct. (G) Maxillary palp. (H) P2-chaetotaxy. (I) Hypandrium and phallosome, ventral view. (J) Antenna (scape, pedicel and basalmost 12 flagellomeres; pilosity not shown).

(MG), Gruta Paiol de Milho cave, 13.x.2003. – 23, Chapada dos Guimarães ( MT), Gruta Kiogo Brado cave , 27.x.2006 . – 1♀, 1♀, Coronel José Dias ( PI), Toca das Moendas cave , 10.ix.2008 . – 13, 2♀, Coronel José Dias ( PI), Toca do Inferno cave , 12.ix.2008 . – 23, 4♀, Governador Dix-Sept Rosado ( RN), Gruta do Lagedo Grande cave , 21.vii.2010, leg. D. M. Bento. – 13, 1♀ Altinópolis (SP), Gruta do Paraná cave, 1.iii.2006 . – 13, Altinópolis (SP), Gruta Olho de Cabra cave , 2.iii.2006 . – 13, 1♀, Altinópolis (SP), Gruta Edgar 1 cave, 28.ii.2006 .

DESCRIPTION: General colouration yellowish to light brown. Wings with a large brown transversal band (Fig. 1A-D), in brachypterous individuals usually more contrasting with the remaining hyaline membrane than in macropterous ones. Head dark brown around antennal base and in genal region; compound eyes dark brown; ventral half of postclypeus medium brown, darker than dorsal half; labrum dark brown; antenna and maxillary palpus brown. Scutum of mesothorax dark brown, mesoscutellum and metathorax yellowish; legs brown. Abdomen yellowish, with broad dark brown transversal band of hypodermal pigment in middle; terminalia medium to dark brown.

Both sexes usually brachypterous (Fig. 1CD) (venation often somewhat reduced, forewing at most reaching tip of abdomen), rarely macropterous (Fig. 1AB). Forewing of macropterous individuals (Fig. 1A): Rs and M fused for a length; distal closed cell longer than marginal length of pterostigma but slightly shorter than basal closed cell (bcc/dcc ≈ 1.3); first portion of pterostigmal R1 longer than R1-Rs crossvein, not parallel to wing margin but backwards directed; CuA1 almost straight basally, abruptly curved distally and meeting wing margin in an almost right angle. Hindwing of macropterous individuals (Fig. 1B): R1 originating basally of Rs-M fusion, thus closed cell quadrilateral. Female figured in Fig. 1AB with a minute spur-vein basally on R1 and distally on CuA1 of forewing and on vein A of hindwing. Three ocelli present. Pilosity of frons and vertex almost uniform. Antennal flagellomeres not strictly cylindrical but with uneven surface (due to insertion points of long and relatively thick setae) or slightly club-shaped (Fig. 1J), in basal half of antenna maximal length of flagellar hairs about 3x greatest width of their flagellomeres (NOTE: for comparison, cylindrical flagellomeres with almost even surface due to finer and shorter pilosity are figured by Lienhard & Fereira, 2013b: fig. 4H; maximal length of their hairs about 2x width of flagellomeres). Pedicel lacking microspades organ. P2 chaetotaxy as in Fig. 1H, internal seta in basal half normal (i. e. not thicker than other setae of similar length), not differentiated as a stout sensillum; P4 slender hatchet-shaped (Fig. 1G). Lacinial tip as in Fig. 1E. Pretarsal claws simple, symmetrical, with a small preapical denticle; hind legs with well-developed coxal organ. Clunium, epiproct and paraproct simple in both sexes (Figs 1F, 2A); the latter bearing a relatively short anal spine and a setal organ consisting of a short fine seta and a longer, somewhat thicker seta; paraproctal sensorium with 4-5 fine trichobothria on basal florets and one normal seta.

Hypandrium and phallosome as in Fig. 1I. Hypandrium dorsad curved in lateral view, with bifid apical lobe (angulate ventral part of this lobe slightly longer than rounded dorsal part, see Fig. 1I); dorsal (inner) side of hypandrium with a conspicuous transversal sclerite (continuous or medially interrupted, see Fig. 1I) just basally of the complex phallosomal sclerotizations. Basal struts long and slender; endophallic tube on each side with a longitudinal pore-bearing zone; phallic cradle not clearly recognizable.

FIG. 2

Psyllipsocus spinifer Lienhard n. spec., female allotype (A-D), female paratype from type locality (E). (A) Epiproct and left paraproct. (B) Subgenital plate. (C) Left ovipositor valvulae and left hind corner of clunium. (D) Spermapore plate and spermatheca containing one spermatophore. (E) Spermatheca containing four spermatophores (three of them in lateral optical section, one in terminal view).

Female genitalia as in Fig. 2B-E. Sclerotized zone of subgenital plate distally slightly bilobate (Fig. 2B). Ovipositor valvulae (Fig. 2C): v1 membranous, v2 with slerotized median axis, v3 with two conspicuous stout apical spines. Spermatheca, spermatophores and spermapore plate as in Fig. 2DE. Transition zone between spermathecal duct and sac slightly swollen, adjacent part of spermathecal wall sclero-

tized and thickened; spermatophore bulbous, strongly sclerotized, dark brown (usually already visible in undissected abdomen).

MEASUREMENTS: Male holotype (brachypterous): BL = 1.1 mm; FW = 750 µm; FWw = 268 µm; FW/FWw = 2.8; HW = 520 µm; F = 248 µm; T = 453 µm; t1= 200 µm; t2 = 43 µm; t3 = 54 µm; IO/D = 1.7. – Female allotype (macropterous): BL = 1.2 mm; FW = 1380 µm; FWw = 510 µm; FW/FWw = 2.7; HW = 1060 µm; F = 293 µm; T = 515 µm; t1 = 215 µm; t2 = 45 µm; t3 = 55 µm; IO/D = 1.7.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet refers to the presence of two stout spines on

v3 (Latin: spina – spine; suffix - fer, - fera, - ferum from ferre – to bear, carry).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: P. spinifer is known from 20 caves situated in eight Brazilian states. It is one of the most common species of this genus in Brazilian caves. This wide geographic distribution in very different cave types may indicate that this species is opportunistic or euryecic.

DISCUSSION: P. spinifer differs from all other species of the genus by its wing pattern, by the presence of two stout spines on v3 of the female and by the characteristic male genitalia (in particular by the presence of a transversal internal hypandrial sclerite). 1-2 heavy setae on v3 are also known in the closely related genera Dorypteryx Aaron , Pseudorypteryx Garcia Aldrete and Psocathropos Ribaga (see Mockford, 1993 and Lienhard, 1998). Several spermatophores (4 observed in the paratype figured in Fig. 2E) may be present in the same female, indicating that the species is polyandrous.