Zelurus tambejua, Ferreira, Marina Izabel Grave, Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes & Gil-Santana, Hélcio R., 2016

Ferreira, Marina Izabel Grave, Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes & Gil-Santana, Hélcio R., 2016, The genus Zelurus Hahn, 1826, in Brazilian caves: description of new species and comments on the potential distribution of the genus in South America, Zootaxa 4170 (2), pp. 250-270 : 258-262

Zelurus tambejua sp. nov.

( Figs. 14–20 )

Diagnosis. This species can be separated from their congeneric by the following set of characters: general coloration dark brown, ochraceous brownish to bright ochraceous; hemelytra brownish, with the veins pale, somewhat yellowish ( Figs. 14–18 ). Pronotum: fore lobe with a pair of median long spines and short acute prominences laterally; a long and strong spine on each humeral angle of hind lobe ( Figs. 14, 17 ). Scutellum with an apical, long, strong and posteriorly curved spine ( Fig. 17 ). Legs: fore trochanters with two parallel rows of very short numerous brownish spines ventrally, a group of about thirty similar very short brownish spines on base of fore femora ventrally. Spongy fossa on ventral portion of apex of fore ( Fig. 18 ) and mid tibia somewhat longer than 1/3 of the length of the respective tibia.

Description. Female. MEASUREMENTS (holotype): Total length: 16.147; head: length (excluding collum): 2.382; width across the eyes: 1.640; antennal segments length: I: 1.621; II: 5.369; III: 4.417; IV: absent; labial segments length: II (first visible): 1.042; III: 1.104; IV: 0.564. Thorax: pronotum length: 3.013; maximum width: 4.962; length of median spine of fore lobe: 1.207; length of spine of humeral angles: 0.889; length of scutellar spine: 1.586. Legs length: fore legs: femur: 4.229; tibia: 4.241; spongy fossa on apex of tibia: 1.711; tarsus: 1.443; middle legs: femur: 4.330; tibia: 4.602; spongy fossa on apex of tibia: 1.729; tarsus: 1.501; hind legs: femur: 7.715; tibia: 9.194; tarsus: 2.225. Abdomen maximum width: 4.044. COLORATION: general coloration dark brown, ochraceous brownish to bright ochraceous ( Figs. 14–18 ). First and second antennal segments bright ochraceous, with the apex of the second segment darkened; third antennal segment darkened, fourth segment absent. Eyes blackish. Spines of pronotum and scutellum somewhat darkened ( Figs. 14, 17 ). Hemelytra brownish, with the veins pale, somewhat yellowish ( Fig. 14 ). Coxae, trochanters and femora ochraceous brown; apical portion of femora faintly darker; tibiae and tarsi clearer, with apex of the former and apices of third segments of the latter, darkened ( Fig. 18 ). VESTITURE: head: anteocular and ventral portions of head with numerous small adpressed golden setae; long fairly stout darkened setae scattered on labium, labrum, clypeus and some on lateral portions of head; antennifers with four stiff setae laterally; interocular region and dorsal surface of post-ocular region almost completely glabrous, with a group of small adpressed golden setae near posterior half of margins of eyes and some scattered ones posteriorly; lateral region of post-ocular region glabrous; antenna with somewhat long darkened stout setae, which are less numerous on first segment; second and third segments (fourth absent) covered with very numerous shorter, thinner, yellowish to whitish setae. Thorax: pronotum: numerous very short, thin, whitish setae on anterior margin of collar; anterior portion of fore lobe and lateral portions of pronotum with numerous small adpressed golden setae, which form a pair of lines on posterior portion of fore lobe; these setae are sparser and scattered on hind lobe, except on posterior margin, where they become more numerous; lateral portion of hind lobe with long fine sparse clear setae; long spines of pronotum almost glabrous, with few thin curved short yellowish setae. Scutellum: basal portion with numerous small adpressed golden setae; spine with long fine straight darkened setae on ventral portion and some few curved short yellowish setae on dorsal and lateral surfaces. Pleura, prosternum, median portion of mesosternum and metasternum covered with small adpressed golden setae; blunt tubercles on prosternum with approximately five stout straight darkened setae. Legs: coxae with scattered long and fine yellowish setae; fore and mid trochanters covered on ventral surface with very numerous long and fine yellowish setae; these setae, somewhat less numerously, are present on ventral surface of basal half to basal 2/3 of fore and mid femora; all femora covered with several stout darkened long setae; all tibiae covered with irregular rows of numerous stout darkened somewhat short to long setae, and with tufts of short clear setae apically; tarsi covered with darkened or clearer setae, more numerous on ventral surface. Hemelytra: corium almost glabrous, with few short curved yellowish setae on basal portion and lateral (costal) margin; membrane glabrous. Abdomen: sternites with scattered long, slender, erect, straight and yellowish setae. Genital segments covered with shorter and more numerous setae ( Fig. 19 ). STRUCTURE: Integument: opaque; moderately shiny on first two antennal segments, long spines of pronotum and scutellum, lateral portions of meso and metasternum, and legs; shiny on sternites. Head ( Figs. 15–16 ): approximately 1.5 times as long as wide across eyes, shorter than pronotum, anteocular portion somewhat longer than postocular and strongly declivous; mandibular and maxillary plates with apex rounded, the former more prominent. Eyes prominent, projecting laterally. Transverse sulcus shallow. Ocelli large and prominent; their anterior margin lies just behind transverse sulcus and posterior edge of the eyes. Antennifers somewhat elongated. Antenna: first segment somewhat curved, enlarged towards apex, thicker and shorter than others; second segment the longest, thinner than the first but thicker than the third, somewhat curved at median third. Labium ( Fig. 16 ): curved, thick; segments II and III (first two visible) subequal in length; segment IV somewhat half shorter than the previous segment, tapering. Thorax: Pronotum ( Figs. 14, 17 ): antero-lateral angles prominent, with apex acute; anterior collar moderately large; fore lobe with a pair of median long spines and short acute prominences laterally; transverse sulcus shallow; a distinct narrow longitudinal sulcus, which is absent on anterior collar and posterior portion of hind lobe; anterior portion of disc of hind lobe with faint transverse thin tortuous striations, which gives a subtle rugous aspect to this area; a pair of sublateral shallow sulci on posterior half of hind lobe; a long and strong spine on each humeral angle. Scutellum triangular, moderately large; disc with a somewhat rugous surface bordered by distinct carina, with an apical, long, strong and posteriorly curved spine ( Fig. 17 ). Stridulitrum elongate, occupying the entire median portion of prosternum; a pair of anterior blunt tubercles beside stridulitrum and anterior to fore acetabula. Legs: long and slender; hind femora and tibiae longer than the others; fore femora somewhat thicker than mid femora, which are somewhat thicker than hind femora too; tarsi three-segmented, in which the first segment is much shorter than the others, claws symmetrical and slender. All trochanters with a basal and strong spine on medial portion; fore trochanters with two parallel rows of very short numerous brownish spines ventrally; a group of about thirty similar very short brownish spines on base of fore femora ventrally. A small comb on mesal surface of apex of fore tibiae. Spongy fossa on ventral portion of apex of fore ( Fig. 18 ) and mid tibia somewhat longer than 1/3 of the length of each tibia. Hemelytra surpassing tip of abdomen for approximately 0.5 mm. Abdomen: moderately elongate, suboval, with a median keel on sternites II to IV, which is fainter on sternite IV; sutures between sternites thin, suture between II and III thicker and with small transverse striations along posterior margin; sternites with very fine transverse striations, somewhat more marked on sternite II and around genitalia on sternite VII, but fainter on anterior half of the latter. The midline of anterior half of sternite VII is somewhat elevated but without forming a distinct keel. Female genitalia: external genitalia as in Figs. 19 , A–B; gonocoxite and gonapophysis VIII, gonocoxite IX, and gonapophysis IX as shown in Figs. 20 A–B, 20C and 20D, respectively.

Distribution. Brazil, state of Tocantins.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to "tambeju'a", an indigenous word (Guarani) whose meaning is insect, assassin bug.

Specimens examined. Zelurus tambejua sp. nov.: Holotype female: BRAZIL, Tocantins, Dianópolis, Toca da Onça / PCH Areia cave (11°42'25.84"S 46°42'42.57"W), 14.XI.2012, R.L. Ferreira leg., ISLA 9501 [ ISLA] .

Zelurus fosteri Lent & Wygodzinsky. [ BRAZIL], Mato Grosso [currently, Mato Grosso do Sul], Bodoquena , XI.1941, Com. I.O.C. [leg.] / “ Zelurus fosteri n. sp. ”, 6/[19]46, “ Wygod. + H. Lent det.” / N. 569, HEMIPTERA, Inst. Oswaldo Cruz / “ Holotipo ” [red label], [ CTIOC], Holotype male ; São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Faz. [farm] da Pedra, Rio [river] Tamanduá , 9/ 11.x. [1]953, Travassos & Barreto [leg.]/ N. 1364, HEMIPTERA, Inst. Oswaldo Cruz , 1 male, [ CTIOC] .

Discussion. Among all species of Zelurus , by external features of adults, Z. tambejua sp. nov. can be considered close to Z. fosteri Lent & Wygodzinsky, 1947 ( Fig. 21). Both species have a similar length; veins of hemelytra evident ( Figs. 14 , 21); fore lobe of pronotum with a pair of median long spines and short acute prominences laterally ( Figs. 14, 17 , 21); a long and strong spine on each humeral angle of hind lobe ( Figs. 14, 17 , 21); scutellum with an apical, long, strong and posteriorly curved spine ( Figs. 14, 17 , 21); legs: fore trochanters with two parallel rows of very short numerous brownish spines ventrally, a group of about thirty similar very short brownish spines on base of fore femora, ventrally; spongy fossa at apex of fore and mid tibiae longer than 1/3 of the length of the respective tibia.

On the other hand, these species can be promptly distinguished by the general coloration, which is dark brown, ochraceous brownish to bright ochraceous with hemelytra brownish, with the veins pale, somewhat yellowish in Z. tambejua sp. nov. ( Fig. 14 ), while Z. fosteri ( Fig. 21) has a reddish general coloration, the veins in hemelytra being concolorous with adjacent portions and without a contrasting clearer coloration as in the new species. In the latter the femora are faintly darker apically and tibiae are clearer with apex darkened ( Fig. 18 ), whereas in Z. fosteri the hind femora are darkened with a clearer reddish subapical band and the tibiae are almost all darkened ( Fig. 21).

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 18. Zelurus tambejua sp. nov., female holotype, 14, dorsal view, 15 – 16, head, 15, dorsal view, 16, lateral view, 17, pronotum and scutellum, dorsal view, 18, fore leg, lateral view.

FIGURES 19 – 20. 19 – 20, Zelurus tambejua sp. nov., female holotype, 19, apex of abdomen, including genital segments, A, ventral view, B, lateral view, 20, genital segments, A, gonocoxite and gonapophysis VIII, B, gonapophysis VIII, C, gonocoxites IX, D, gonapophysis IX.