Phalangopsis kyju n. sp.

(Figures 84–89, 90–96, 97–100, 101–105, 106–109, 148; Table 2 and 4)

Material examined. Holotype ♂, code ISLA 65731, Brazil, Pará, municipality of São Félix do Xingu, SFX_ 0034 cave (6°23’20.02”S; 51°52’45.08”O), 30.ii.2018, Ativo Ambiental . Holotype condition: integrate, legs detached and store in microtubes. Paratypes, municipality of São Félix do Xingu, SFX_0021 cave (6°23’35.93”S; 51°52’14.68”O), 01.ii.2018, 1 ♂ (ISLA 65730), Ativo Ambiental; São Félix do Xingu, SFX_0022 cave (6°23’32.89”S; 51°52’20.53”O), 01.ii.2018, 1 ♂ (ISLA 65733), Ativo Ambiental; São Félix do Xingu, SFX_0024 cave (6°23’27.60”S; 51°52’27.88”O), 01.ii.2018, 1 ♀ (ISLA 65734), Ativo Ambiental; São Félix do Xingu, SFX_ 0001 cave (6°25’11.90”S; 51°50’50.76”O), 03.ii.2018, 1 ♀ (ISLA 65735), Ativo Ambiental; São Félix do Xingu, SFX_0005 cave (6°24’57.40”S; 51°50’55.06”O), 16.i.2018, 1 ♀ (ISLA 65732), Ativo Ambiental .

Distribution. Caves in the municipality of São Félix do Xingu, Pará, Brazil.

Etymology. The word “ kyju ” means “cricket” in the native language of the Tupi-Guarani people located in the Xingu region.

Diagnosis. Combination of the following characteristics: pseudepiphallic paramere 2 distant from the pseudepiphallic dorsal branch, globular and projected for the interior of the sclerite (Figs 85–87, Ps.P2); pseudepiphallic arm short and lightly tilted internally (Fig. 84, Ps.arm); pseudepiphallic median lobes developed and widely projected dorsally, both lobules dilated oval shaped (front view) (Figs 84, 86–87; Ps.m.l); pseudepiphallic branch developed, forming an acute projection semi-sclerotized covering the endophallus (dorsal view) (Figs 84, 86–87; Ps.b); upper central and lower part of ectophallic arc horizontally curved in opposite directions (Fig. 85, Ect. Arc); endophallic distal portion slightly forked, developed in thickness (dorsal view) (Fig. 88, End.d).

Description, male holotype. Body color: general body coloration brownish, dorsal head dark brownish yellow (Fig. 90); pronotum strong yellowish brown, with whitish discoloration spots (Figs 90 and 92); abdomen brown at dorsal view and white translucent ventrally; brownish yellow legs, whitish ventrally at the start of the femur (Figs 97–100); cerci uniformly whitish brown. Head: slightly pubescent; elongated at frontal view (4.209 and 3.226 mm, length and width respectively); vertex marked with two vertical dark stripes starting at the antenna’s bases and tapering near the occiput and two vertical dark stripes starting from the eye’s region (Fig. 90); gena whitish yellow, clypeus and labrum whitish, mandibles brownish yellow; all maxilary palpomeres slightly pubescent, first and second maxillary palpomeres shorter than the others and whitish, third and fourth palpomeres similar size, yellowish and equally pubescent, fifth palpomere lightly longer than fourth, curved, claviform, pubescent, yellowish and whitish at the tip (Fig. 90); all labial palpomeres whitish, pubescent and increasing in size, third palpomere claviform (Fig. 90); scape dark yellowish brown, whitish at the base and pubescent, pedicel and antennomeres dark yellowish brown (Figs 90 and 91); compound eyes black, with a small depigmented portion near the scape base; ocelli absent (Figs 90 and 91). Thorax: pronotum strong yellowish brown; anterior, medial and posterior region with whitish spots distributed along the sagittal axis in dorsal view (Fig. 92); lateral lobes rounded, dorsal disk broader than long, anterior and posterior margins sub-straight, presenting long bristles (Fig. 92). Legs. In general, femur, tibia and tarsus pubescent; first tarsomere serrulated; femur always smaller than tibia (μ=20.820 ± 0.898 mm; μ= 24.303 ± 1.157 mm, femur and tibia respectively, Leg III, n=3) (Figs 97–100). Leg I (Figs 97 and 98): tibia serrulated ventrally, armed with two ventro apical spurs, tympanum absent; first tarsomere about thrice longer than the second and third together. Leg II (Figs 97 and 98): tibia serrulated ventrally, with two same-sized apical ventral spurs; first tarsomere thrice longer than the second and third together. Leg III (Figs 99 and 100): femur dilated; tibia serrated ventrally, armed with four subapical spurs on outer side (Fig. 99) and three on inner side (Fig. 100), three apical spurs on outer (Fig. 99; a, b, c) and four on the inner side (Fig. 100; d, e, f, g), the inner being the longest; first tarsomere three times longer than the second and third together, armed with two apical spurs (Figs 99 and 100). Right Tegmen: little developed, stridulatory file absent, pubescent, covering almost all first abdominal tergite, with glandular thickening at the distal margin and weakly marked veins. (Fig. 92). Abdomen: cerci elongated and pubescent, with long bristles at its base; supra-anal plate sub-quadrangular with long bristles at the apex, base with two small lateral projections, apex rounded and base curved inside (Figs 94 and 95); sub-genital plate sub-quadrangular, lightly oval, base sub-straight, apex lightly rounded (Figs 95 and 96).

Observations in Paratype series. Male phallic sclerites (paratype ISLA 65730, Fig. 84–88) Pseudepiphallus: dorsal branch well sclerotized, thin and developed, curved towards the interior of the sclerite (Figs 84–87, Ps.db), the structure is very similar to Ps.db of Phalangopsis araguaia n. sp.; paramere 1 cambered triangular, slightly sharp and with a depression in its external lateral face, connecting to paramere 2 and A sclerite by a membranous tissue (Figs 85–87, Ps.P1); paramere 2 distant from the pseudepiphallic dorsal branch, globular and projected for the interior of the sclerite (Figs 85–87, Ps.P2); pseudepiphallic arm short and lightly tilted internally (Fig. 84, Ps.arm); A sclerite vestigial and fused to Ps.arm, reaching the paramere 1 and visible at ventral view (Fig. 85, A); pseudepiphallic median lobes developed and widely projected dorsally, both lobules dilated oval shaped (Figs 84, 86–87; Ps.m.l), the Ps.m.l of this species is the most developed of all species here described; branch developed, projecting dorsally, forming an acute projection semi-sclerotized, covering almost half of the ectophallic apodeme and all the endophallus (Figs 84, 86–87; Ps.b). Ectophallic invagination: apodemes thin, curved internally in dorsal view and dorsally in lateral view, apex little sclerotized and dilated (Figs 84–86, Ect.ap); lateral bar developed and rounded in its internal face (Fig. 85, Ect.lb); median projection undeveloped (Fig. 85, Ect.mp); upper central and lower part of ectophallic arc horizontally curved in opposite directions (Fig. 85, Ect. Arc). Endophallus: endophallus partially curved dorsally in lateral view (Fig. 88, b); endophallic distal portion slightly forked, developed in thickness and with a small vertical groove (Fig. 88, End.d); median portion lightly narrow (Fig. 88, End.mp); apodeme reduced (Fig. 88, End.ap).

Female: body size bigger than male (♀ µ=20.303 ± 0.799mm, n=3); apterous; femur always smaller than tibia; supra-anal plate pubescent and very short, sub-straight at distal portion and showing long bristles, base curved inside and lateral projections very reduced (Fig. 101); subgenital plate short, lightly pubescent, sub-quadrangular, distal portion curved inside (Fig. 102); ovipositor elongated, yellowish brown, sword-shaped with pointed apex (µ=15.806 ± 0.201mm, n=3) (Figs 103–105). Female genitalia. Copulatory papilla triangular shaped, slightly flattened dorsoventrally, thinner than in Phalangopsis ferratilis n. sp. (Fig. 89, a and b), edges of the middle part sub-straight (dorsal and ventral view) (Fig. 89, a and c); presence of a dorsal opening of triangular shape in all its extension and a small rounded orifice in distal portion (Fig. 89, a–c).

Ecological Remarks: The region where Phalangopsis kyju n. sp. occurs (São Félix do Xingu) presents around 90 known ferruginous caves. Individuals of such species were observed in approximately 40% of the caves in the area. The average horizontal projection of the caves is 27 meters and they present, in average, 88 m ² of area. Specimens of P. kyiu are rarely observed in the entrance zones (euphotic areas, Fig. 106), but are rather abundant in deeper areas within the caves (usually aphotic, Fig. 107). They seems to prefer moist areas inside the caves. The main organic resources occurring in those caves is bat guano and root mats from the external vegetation, but it seems that their abundance is not directly determined by such organic deposits, since there are some caves devoid of such substrates but with dense populations. This may indicate that such species is also capable of foraging in external environments. Specimens are mainly observed in the cave walls (Figs 108 and 109). Since external samplings were not conducted in the area, it is not possible to estimate the actual distribution of this species in the region.