Proekes tetracaphalis sp. n.

(Figs 27A–D, 28A–I, 29A–H)

Material examined.

Type locality. Holotype male, South Africa, Western Cape province, Grootwinterhoek Nature Reserve, Porterville, -32.997, 19.059, 8.ii.2022, M. Stiller; sweeping Erica or Salaxis spp Ericaceae; CCDL28616, SANC.

Type specimen. Holotype male, glued to triangle card, pinned, with genitalia in a separate microvial. Original label: “ R.S. A. Groot- / winterhoek / Nature Reserve / -32.997 / 19.059 8.ii. / 2022 M. Stiller” “sweep / Erica or Salaxis spp Ericaceae ” “ SANC Pretoria Dbase# CCDL 28616”.

Paratypes. 33♂♂, 41♀♀

South Africa, Western Cape province.

1♂; Cedarberg near Clanwilliam; -32.35, 18.98; 21 Dec. 1976; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL 28208; SANC.

32♂♂, 41♀♀; Grootwinterhoek, Porterville; -32.997, 19.059; 8 Feb. 2022; M.Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica or Salaxis spp Ericaceae; CCDL 28616; SANC.

Diagnosis. Crown angle in male 83–86°, female 82–85°. Length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen in male 3.66–3.83 mm, female 3.73–3.91 mm. Subgenital plate with 13–19 macrosetae in distal half. Aedeagus with shaft in lateral view curvate, cross section triangular; apex of shaft with two paired, tubular, elongate teeth, orientation dorsad and ventrad respectively; base of shaft, anteriorly with basal to subbasal paired, furcate, elongate tooth (Fig. 28B–D, F–L); dorsal apodeme short, transverse, laterally desclerotized; preatrium short, 0.17–0.33 as long as greatest width across base of aedeagus. Connective articulated with preatrium (Fig. 28E).

Etymology. Named in Greek for the apex or head, cephalis, of the aedeagus that has four, tetra, teeth, acaina, contracted to tetra-ca-phalis. Gender feminine.

Description.

Male and female.

Morphology.

Head. Male head width/pronotum width=1.13–1.17, female head width/pronotum width=1.14–1.16; crown angle in male 83–86° and female 82–85°; crown length/crown length next to eye in male=1.67–1.75, female=1.65– 1.75.

Ocellus. Male ocellus diameter 25–29 µm; interocular distance 62–73 µm, female ocellus diameter 26–29 µm; interocular distance 60–71 µm; ocellus diameter/interocular distance in male 0.35–0.46, female=0.38–0.47.

Tegmina. Male length/width=2.36–2.55, female length/width=2.46–2.75.

Hind wing. Male length/width=3.29–3.67. Female length/width=3.43–3.81.

Tegmina-hind wing relation. Male ratio of length tegmina/length hind wing=1.19–1.24; width tegmina/width hind wing=1.60–1.85.

Measurements.

Male (n=32). Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 3.66–3.83 mm; apex of crown to apex of abdomen 3.55–3.82 mm; crown length 0.73–0.77 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.43–0.45 mm; pronotum length 0.42–0.44 mm; head width 1.34–1.39 mm; pronotum width 1.15–1.22 mm; ocellus diameter 25–29 µm; interocular distance 62–73 µm; crown angle 83–86°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.67–1.75; head width/pronotum width=1.13–1.17; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.35–0.46; crown length/pronotum length=1.69–1.82; pronotum length/ pronotum width=0.35–0.37; length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina/length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen=0.98–1.05.

Female (n=41). Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 3.73–3.91 mm; apex of crown to apex of abdomen 4.28–4.75 mm; crown length 0.77–0.80 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.45–0.48 mm; pronotum length 0.43–0.45 mm; head width 1.38–1.43 mm; pronotum width 1.20–1.25 mm; ocellus diameter 26–29 µm; interocular distance 60–71 µm; crown angle 82–85°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.65–1.75; head width/pronotum width=1.14–1.16; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.38–0.47; crown length/pronotum length=1.73–1.84; pronotum length/ pronotum width=0.30–0.40.

Terminalia.

Male.

Segment 10. Narrowly conical in dorsal view, lateral margins straight, greatest width/least width=1.50–1.79, greatest length/greatest width=1.06–1.32 (Fig. 28A); greatest width segment 10/width across pygofer at point greatest width segment 10=0.51–0.53.

Pygofer lobe. 2–3 short macrosetae (44–69 µm long).

Subgenital plate. Length/width=1.25–1.52; 13–19 macrosetae in distal half, length 105–166 µm.

Valve. Length/width=0.19–0.22.

Style. Greatest length/greatest width=2.86–4.22, length apophysis/greatest length=0.14–0.20.

Connective. Width stem/width arms=0.49–0.56; length arms/length stem=0.86–1.96; angle of arms 78–106°; greatest length/greatest width=0.49–0.66; length stem/width greatest=0.19–0.31, Fig. 28E.

Aedeagus. Aedeagal shaft in lateral view curvate, tubular, tapered distad, slightly compressed basally (Fig. 28B), apex with two paired, elongate tubular narrow teeth, orientation dorsad and ventrad respectively (Fig. 28F, J–L), shaft at anterior basal margin with symmetrically or asymmetrically forked tooth, (Fig. 28C) or separate, slightly asymmetric, paired teeth (Fig. 28G). Dorsal apodeme reduced, or in Clanwilliam specimen with lateral desclerotized lobes (Fig. 28G), preatrium short, length preatrium/greatest width across base in aedeagus=0.17–0.33. Atrium and preatrium transverse, rectangular (Fig. 28C, H), narrower than in other species of Proekes .

Female.

Sternite 7. Posterior margin sublinear. Length/width=0.45–0.54; width across apex/width across base=0.65– 0.76; medial length/average lateral length=0.92–1.04.

Valvula 1. Sculpture laterally reticulate submarginally (Fig. 29F), striate marginally (Fig. 28F); sculpture medially finely striate (Fig. 29E).

Valvula 2. Lateral sculpture in Fig. 29G, medially with fine teeth and curvate, anastomosing transverse basal sculpture (Fig. 29H); length to confluence of paired apex/length greatest=0.34–0.37.

Valvula 3. Extended beyond posterior margin of pygofer (Fig. 24J), 1.42–1.48 times longer than greatest length of pygofer in lateral view; 30–50 macrosetae at apex and subapex, length 14–35 µm (Fig. 29, D).

Valvifer 1. Length/width=1.70–2.35).

Valvifer 2. Shape as in Fig. 29A, length/width=2.75–3.14, sculpture submarginal with few microtrichia and circular pore-like structures (Fig. 29B).

Remarks. This species is recognized by the double, paired teeth at the apex of the narrow, aedeagal shaft. At present the specimen from Clanwilliam with additional, elongate teeth medially (Fig. 28H, I) and subapical anterior, short paired teeth, is included here. These lateral teeth resemble those of P. diacaphalis sp.n., but included here for the apical dentation. The short, paired teeth on the anterior, subbasal margin of the aedeagal shaft are considered equivalent to those in Fig. 28B. This species was clearly associated with Ericaceae, that was easy to sweep in short plants all appearing as one species.