Zorotypus brasiliensis Silvestri, 1947

Rafael, José Albertino, Marques, Dayse Willkenia Almeida & Engel, Michael S., 2017, The first gynandromorph of a zorapteran and potential thelytokous parthenogenesis in a population of Zorotypus brasiliensis Silvestri (Zoraptera: Zorotypidae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 61 (4), pp. 318-322 : 319-320

Zorotypus brasiliensis Silvestri, 1947

Gynandromorph ( Figs. 1–3 )

Description

Gynandromorph (left half male, right half female); apteron morph (i.e., blind, wingless morph). As generally described for normal Z. brasiliensis except as follows: Body brown to dark brown; right antenna with nine antennomeres, left antenna with 7 antennomeres (apical most two flagellomeres lost during preparation), antennomeres 2–5 on male half reduced (likely not fully developed, with antennomeres prior to elongation and subdivision), antennomeres 1, 6, and 7 on male half longer than corresponding antennomeres of female half ( Fig. 1a ). Left metafemur (male half) with posteroventral row of ten stout, erect setae, gap between median series (four setae) and subapical series (five setae), those most subapical setae reclined apically ( Fig. 1b ). Right metafemur (female half) also with posteroventral row of ten setae with slightly different arrangement, with gap between median series (six setae) and subapical series (three setae). Abdominal terga each with uniserial posterior row of 12–14 setae, and generally 2–3 more anterior, smaller, posterolateral setae near border; tergum X, left of midline (male half), with two groups, anterior and posterior, of two thick, black sensilla basiconica ( Fig. 2a and b ) (male of Z. weidneri New and an undescribed species from Espírito Santo have three anterior and two posterior sensilla basiconica in males); right side (female half), with uniserial transverse row of elongate setae ( Fig. 2b : as in normal-type females, cf. Fig.2c and d ). Epiproct somewhat squarish to subtrapezoidal, inconspicuously divided along midline proximally ( Fig. 2b ) (in males of Z. weidneri and the undescribed species from Espírito Santo the epiproct is entirely divided into hemitergites along the midline, while in females the halves are fused along the midline, implying that the form of the gynandromorph is intermingled between male and female traits, i.e., partially fused), lateral portions of epiproct extending around cercal base; small mating hook (=anal sclerite) (present only in males) somewhat straight (rather than curved), directed upward, medially placed ( Fig. 2a and b ) (in males of zorapterans the mating book is usually placed more medioposteriorly relative to tergum X; in males of Z. weidneri , the undescribed species from Espírito Santo, and most other Zoraptera the hook is distinctly upcurved distally). Paraproct somewhat thin, slightly sclerotized, extending from cercal base to midline, with 2–3 stout setae at medial margin. Sternum VIII ( Fig. 3a ) with shallow, broadly concave medial emargination (as in females), albeit entire sternum not as enlarged as in normal-type females. Sternum IX reduced, juxtaposed to sternum VIII, lightly sclerotized over much of disc (normal-type sternum IX in Figs.2c, d and 3d ), basally with broad, shallow medial concavity; apical margin slightly folded ventrally as thin lip to meet margin of sternum VIII, allowing for aperture of gonopore. Gonopore positioned between sternum VIII and IX. Sternum X (usually identified as sternum IX in earlier papers) of normal-type form ( Silvestri, 1947: as sternum IX). Internal genital pouch ( Fig. 3b and c ) with typical arrangement of lobes in normal-type females (vide Silvestri, 1947), albeit somewhat degenerate: median, posterior, inferior, convergent, sublateral, and lateral lobes present ( Fig. 3c ). Spermatheca slightly pyriform (more ovoid in normal-type females), with long, thin duct extending to genital fork (vulva) ( Fig. 3b ).

Material examined

Gynandromorph apteron morph: Brasil, Paraná, Londrina, Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoi , 23 ◦ 27 Ɩ 18 ƖƖ S – 51 ◦ 14 Ɩ 19 ƖƖ W, 02.ii.2003, J.A. Rafael and J. Lopes, sob casca de árvore [underbark of rotting wood] ( INPA) .

Normal adult female specimens, all collected under bark of rotting wood and to be deposited at INPA, MPEG, MZSP, and MNRJ.: Four samples of 17♀♀ (15 apterons, 2 dealates), Brasil, Paraná, Londrina, Parque Estadual Mata dos Godoi , 23 ◦ 27 Ɩ 18 ƖƖ S – 51 ◦ 14 Ɩ 19 ƖƖ W, 02.ii.2003, J.A. Rafael and J. Lopes; 2♀♀ (apterons), Paraná, Terra Boa, Sitio Indaiá, 23.xii.2002, J.A.Rafael; three samples with 27♀♀ (25 apterons, 2 dealates), Paraná, Tijucas do Sul , 25 ◦ 50 Ɩ 13 ƖƖ S – 48 ◦ 56 Ɩ 22 ƖƖ W, 750 mts [Serra do Mar], 04.xii.2006, J.A.Rafael; five samples with 9♀♀ (7 apterons, 2 dealates), Santa Catarina, Itapoã, 26 ◦ 05 Ɩ 32 ƖƖ S – 48 ◦ 38 Ɩ 23 ƖƖ W, 16.i.2003, J.A.Rafael .

Figures

Fig. 1. Bilateral gynandromorph of Zorotypus brasiliensis Silvestri from near Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. (A) Antennae. (B) Left metafemur (male side). Scale =0.2mm.

Fig. 2. Abdominal apex of gynandromorph and normal-type female of Zorotypus brasiliensis Silvestri. (A) Left lateral view of abdominal apex of gynandromorph depicting male traits typical of many species of Zorotypus (i.e., mating hook and sets of sensilla basiconica). (B) Dorsal view of abdominal apex of gynandromorph (left half is male, right half is female). (C) Apical abdominal view of normal female. (D) Apical view of abdominal apex of normal female with sternum VIII removed to show remnant of sternum IX. Scale = 0.2mm, except for D =0.1 mm.

Fig. 3. Apical abdominal sclerites and genitalia of gynandromorph and normal-type female of Zorotypus brasiliensis Silvestri. (A) Ventral view of sternum VII and sternum VIII of gynandromorph. (B) Dorsal view of genitalia of gynandromorph, showing spermatheca, spermathecal duct, and genital fork (vulva). (C) Ventral view of genitalia of gynandromorph, with lobes labeled according Delamare Deboutteville (1956) and Silvestri (1947). (D) Dissected sternum IX, largely desclerotized, of normal-type female. Scale = 0.1mm.