Proekes cephaleus (Naudé)

(Figs 22A–H, 23A–U, 24A–R, 25A–I, 33A)

Proekes cephaleus (Naudé) comb.n. Theron, 1975: 191, 204, 205.

Deltocephalus cephaleus Naudé, 1926: 53 .

Aconura ceresensis Naudé, 1926: 54, syn. nov.

Type material, not examined.

Type locality. Holotype male, South Africa, Western Cape province, Viljoen’s Pass, -31.97, 19.11, 12 Jan. 1923, F.W. Pettey; USIC.

Additional material examined. South Africa, Western Cape province: 1♀; Kleinmond; -34.34, 19.03; 18 Nov. 1969; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL04168; SANC .

1♂, 2♀♀; Slagboom; -33.23, 19.28; 13 Dec. 1969; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL01628; SANC .

1♀; Pearly Beach; -34.66, 19.50; 15 Dec. 1971; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL28210; SANC .

1♂; Suurvlak Wolseley; -33.42, 19.13; 23 Nov. 1972; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL08756; SANC .

1♀; Viljoens Pass; -31.97, 19.11; 5 Dec. 1974; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL01629; SANC .

1♂; Jonkershoek; -33.99, 18.97; 5 Dec. 1977; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL28207; SANC .

1♂, 1♀; Caledon; -34.22, 19.41; 9 Dec. 1985; J.G. Theron leg.; CCDL28206; SANC .

1♀; Kogelberg Nature Reserve; -34.28, 19.02; 16 Nov. 1998; Malaise trap; S. van Noord leg.; CCDL28209; SANC .

1♂; Hawekaberg, Du Toits Kloof Pass; -33.70, 19.11; 28 Dec. 2005; M. Stiller leg.; CCDL28211; SANC .

1♂, 3 nymphs; Fisantekraal site 1; -33.76, 19.14; 7 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica fastigiata Ericaceae; CCDL 27925; SANC.

40♂♂, 3♀, 6 nymphs; Fisantekraal; -33.78, 19.16; 8 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica fastigiata and low shrubs; CCDL27932; SANC .

5♂♂, 3♀♀, 6 nymphs; Fisantekraal; -33.79, 19.16; 8 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Psoralea sp. Fabaceae; CCDL27945; SANC .

1♂, 4 nymphs; Fisantekraal; -33.78, 19.17; 8 Dec. 2019; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Passerina -like shrub; CCDL27939; SANC .

5♂♂, 6♀♀; Verlorenvlei farm #2, Touws River; -33.288, 19.714; 27 Jan. 2022; M. Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica sp. and other shrubs; CCDL28615; SANC .

11♂♂, 4♀♀; Kogelberg Nature Reserve #1, Kleinmond; -34.322, 18.963; 12 Feb. 2022; M.Stiller leg.; sweeping Erica gysbertii Ericaceae; CCDL28614; SANC .

Diagnosis. Crown angle in male and female 82–86°. Length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen in male 4.07–4.39 mm, female 4.05–4.44 mm. Subgenital plate with 18–24 macrosetae in three quarters. Aedeagus with shaft in lateral view sublinear, strongly compressed, 2.28–3.58 times wider medially in lateral view than width medially in anterior or posterior view; apex of shaft with two paired, very short teeth; dorsal apodeme reduced; preatrium short, 0.16–0.34 as long as greatest width across base of aedeagus. Connective articulated with preatrium (Fig. 28E).

Etymology. Retrospectively, Greek, kephale, feminine, head, transliterated as cephale, with suffix – us; additionally to refer to the apex, as in head of the aedeagus, that is wide with four short teeth. Gender feminine, as an exception.

Description.

Male, female and nymph.

Morphology.

Head. Male head width/pronotum width=1.09–1.15, female head width/pronotum width=1.11–1.14; crown angle in male and female 82–86°; crown length/crown length next to eye in male=1.69–1.79, female=1.64–1.81.

Ocellus. Male ocellus diameter 25–32 µm; interocular distance 61–81 µm, female ocellus diameter 27–31 µm; interocular distance 69–82 µm; ocellus diameter/interocular distance in male=0.33–0.44, female=0.34–0.43.

Tegmina. Male length/width=2.44–2.57 (Fig. 23I, U). Female length/width=2.27–2.70 (Fig. 23I, U).

Hind wing. Male length/width=3.73–4.49. Female length/width=3.81–4.19; costal and vanal margins slightly concave (Fig. 23T).

Tegmina-hind wing relation. Male ratio of length tegmina/length hind wing=1.12–1.18; width tegmina/width hind wing=1.76–2.02. Female ratio of length tegmina/length hind wing=1.15–1.19; width tegmina/width hind wing=1.77–2.01.

Measurements.

Male (n=62). Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 4.07–4.39 mm (Theron 1975, 3.8–4.32 mm); apex of crown to apex of abdomen 3.88–4.28 mm; crown length 0.79–0.84 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.45–0.49 mm; pronotum length 0.45–0.49 mm; head width 1.42–1.52 mm (Theron 1975, ‘width of head across eyes 3 mm’ [1.3 mm]); pronotum width 1.27–1.36 mm (Theron 1975 ‘maximum width of pronotum 2.6 mm’); ocellus diameter 25–32 µm; interocular distance 67–81 µm; crown angle 82–86°; length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina/length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen=0.99–1.08.

Female (n=21). Apex of crown to apex of tegmina 4.05–4.44 mm (Theron 1975, 3.88–4.00 mm); apex of crown to apex of abdomen 4.79–5.37 mm (Theron 1975, 4.9–5.1 mm); crown length 0.82–0.89 mm; crown length next to eyes 0.48–0.51 mm; pronotum length 0.46–0.51 mm; head width 1.49–1.59 mm (Theron 1975, ‘width of head across eyes 1.5 mm’); pronotum width 1.32–1.42 mm (Theron 1975, ‘maximum width of pronotum 1.3 mm’); ocellus diameter 27–31 µm; interocular distance 69–82 µm; crown angle 82–86°; crown length/crown length next to eye=1.64–1.81; head width/pronotum width=1.11–1.14; ocellus diameter/interocular distance=0.34–0.43; crown length/pronotum length=1.68–1.85; pronotum length/pronotum width=0.34–0.36; length from apex of crown to apex of tegmina/length from apex of crown to apex of abdomen=0.80–0.87.

Terminalia.

Male.

Segment 10. Narrowly conical, greatest width/least width=1.38–1.68, lateral margins straight, greatest length/ greatest width=1.18–1.41 (Fig. 23J), rarely almost rectangular; greatest width segment 10/greatest width across pygofer at point of greatest width segment 10=0.50–0.59.

Pygofer lobe. 2–3 short macrosetae, 35–76 µm long (Fig. 23C, R).

Subgenital plate. Length/width=1.37–1.64; 18–24 macrosetae (Fig. 23D, K) in distal three quarters, length 76–158 µm.

Valve. As in Fig. 23D, K, length/width=0.18–0.21.

Style. Greatest length/average width=4.92–6.04, length apophysis/greatest length=0.15–0.21; Fig. 23G in Theron (1975).

Connective. Width arms/width stem=1.60–1.92; length arms/length stem=0.87–1.96; angle of arms 75–96°; greatest length/greatest width=0.51–0.70; length stem/width greatest=0.21–0.32; Fig. 23H in Theron (1975).

Aedeagus. Aedeagal shaft in lateral view, strongly compressed, medial width in lateral view/medial width in anterior or posterior view=2.28–3.58 (Fig. 23E, F, L–Q); dorsal margin in Verlorenvlei specimens narrow (Fig. 23O), commonly wider (Fig. 23E, L, M). Shaft in anterior view, distal margin with paired, apical to subapical, short teeth, orientation anteriad to ventrad; basal (Fig. 23M–P) to subbasal (Fig. 23E, L) paired teeth, slightly longer than distal teeth. Anterior subbasal teeth rarely with small, subapical dorsal tooth in Wolseley specimen. Anterior basal teeth variable in size and symmetry, medial pair longer, laterad teeth variable in number, position and symmetry (Fig. 23M, N), absent in one specimen from Verlorenvlei. Posterior margin of shaft with apical and 1–2 median paired teeth, large (Fig. 23F, Q), one median pair common (Fig. 23, E, L, M), two median pairs in Verlorenvlei specimens (Fig 23O, Q). Dorsal apodeme reduced. Preatrium short, 0.16–0.34 times longer than greatest length across base of aedeagus.

Female.

Sternite 7. Distal margin variable, either sublinear (Fig. 24A), slightly concave or convex; Pearly Beach specimen, distal margin partially damaged. Length/width=0.49–0.59; width across apex/width across base=0.60– 0.68; medial length/average lateral length=0.98–1.08.

Valvula 1. As in Fig. 24H, sculpture, apically Figs 24K, 25F, medially Figs 24L, 25G.

Valvula 2. Distal half slightly wider than base (Fig. 24I), margin with pore-like structure in Figs 24N, O, 25B, C, margin with minute, irregular teeth in Figs 24M, 25A, D, E. Length to confluence of paired apex/length greatest=0.31–0.39.

Valvula 3. Extended beyond posterior margin of pygofer (Fig. 24J), 1.49–1.53 times longer than greatest length of pygofer in lateral view, 30–50 macrosetae at apex and subapex, length 14–35 µm (Fig. 24P).

Valvifer 1. Longer than wide (Fig. 24B, C) (length/width=1.39–1.73), variable dorsal margin, narrowly rounded, rectangular anteriorly (Fig. 24B) or dorsal and ventral margins sublinear (Fig. 24C); fused in dorsal view (Fig. 24G).

Valvifer 2. Shape as in Fig. 24D, with uniformly curved anteroventral margin and straight posterodorsal margin (length/width=2.48–2.81), sculpture submarginal with few microtrichia and circular pore-like structures (Figs 24E, F, 25H, I).

Remarks. This species is recognized in the male by the strongly compressed aedeagal shaft, demonstrated by the ratio=2.28–3.58 times wider medially in lateral view than the width in medially anterior or posterior view. Male and female features are repeated here with additional measurements, descriptions, images and illustrations of specimens and male (Figs 22, 23J–V) and female terminal segments (Figs 22F–J, 24, 25). The male head, tegmina and genitalia as in Theron (1975) are copied in Fig. 23A–I. Males from Fisantekraal have the basal anterior spines with short teeth at their bases. In the female the lack of distinct teeth on the valvula 2 is consistent in examined specimens, observed at all possible angles. The small teeth at the subapex are variably marginal but consistently medial or sometimes obscured by lateral sculpture, as in Fig. 25E. Fine teeth are absent or not distinguished in specimens from Ceres, Kleinmond, and one from Fistantekraal, but distinct in another specimen from Fisantekraal, Kogelberg and Pearly Beach. Distribution and potential natural distribution model in Fig. 33A.