Polyplectropus alatespinus, Chamorro & Holzenthal, 2010

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 52-54

Polyplectropus alatespinus , new species

Figs. 22, 130

Polyplectropus alatespinus is most similar to P. novafriburgensis , new species, in the overall shape of the preanal, intermediate, and inferior appendages. Polyplectropus alatespinus can be distinguished from P. novafriburgensis by the spines in the endothecal membrane, these being projected anterolaterad in P. alatespinus when the endothecal membrane is everted and not V-shaped as in P. novafriburgensis ; by the presence of peg-like setae on the dorsal surface of the ventral branch of the inferior appendage, and by its ventral branch being more elongate and sinuate.

Adult. Length of forewing 5.2–6.2 mm, n = 27. Color of head, thorax, and legs dark-brown; setae on body dark-brown with golden reflections; setae on wings dark-brown with golden reflections, entire specimen appearing black from a distance.

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view deltoid, anterior margin entire and straight, posterior margin submedially concave; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin concave, becoming straight, posterior margin with median flange. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae; lower lip of tergum X membranous, smooth, without dorsal microsetae, digitate; in caudal view produced dorsad of phallocrypt. Intermediate appendage not longer than inferior appendage, digitate, with pair of long apical setae; in dorsal view digitate; in caudal view digitate, directed posterad. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process elongate, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, recurved posterad, tapering into acute apex; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view obovate, in lateral view deltoid; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, dorsally produced into digitate lobe, with ventrad-directed sclerotized apex, ventral margin sinuate, posterior margin truncate; in caudal view processes separated with dorsal digitate lobe, ventral margin of process acute. Inferior appendage bipartite with anterior basal plate not extending anterad beyond sternum IX when observed in lateral view, and anteriorly bilobed; dorsal branch setose, in lateral view oblong, directed posterad; in ventral view broad, lateral margin subapically produced, undulate, posterior margin cuspidate, mesal margin slightly undulate, angled, expanding posterad into ventral branch; ventral branch setose, elongate, bearing robust, sclerotized spines basally, in lateral view digitate, narrowing posterodorsad; in ventral view digitate, posteromesal margin sinuate, gradually converging mesally. Phallus long; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate, apex pandurate; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view rounded; endothecal membrane with 2 stout, medium-sized, sclerotized spines, apically bent dorsad, spines projecting anterola-terad if endothecal membrane protracted (everted).

Female genitalia. Ventral plates of segment VIII setose, in ventral view oblong, lateral margin narrowing medially; in lateral view oblong; external part of gonopod of segment VIII in ventral view with posterior margin rounded, in lateral view clavate, curved dorsad; internal part of gonopod sclerotized, in ventral view subquadrate, not meeting mesally. Tergum IX devoid of setae, lightly sclerotized. Segment X setose, apically bearing pair of sclerotized cerci surrounded by 2 pairs of membranous digitate processes. Genital chamber opening to processus spermathecae through sclerotized circular opening of ductus spermathecae.

Holotype male: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca , Corrego dos Macacos, 21°42'33"S, 44°53'36"W, 1360 m, 19–20.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Neto & Paprocki — ( UMSP000081869 ) ( MZUSP).

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, Corrego dos Macacos , 21°42'33"S, 44°53'36"W, 1360 m, 19–20.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Neto & Paprocki — 2 males, 2 females ( UMSP) ; Rio de Janeiro: Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Rio Campo Belo , 22°27'02"S, 44°36'49"W, 1300 m, 23.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Neto & Paprocki — 3 males, 3 females ( NMNH) ; 7.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki & Prather— 9 males; Rio Campo Belo, trail to Veu da Noiva , 22°25'42"S, 44°37'10"W, 1310 m, 24.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Neto & Paprocki — 1 male, 3 females ( MZUSP) ; 5.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Paprocki & Prather — 1 male, 1 female ( MZUSP) ; São Paulo: Parque Estadual de Campos do Jordão, Rio Galharada , 22°41'40"S, 45°27'47"W, 1530 m, 4–5.iii.1996, Holzenthal & Guahyba — 1 male ( UMSP) .

Distribution. Brazil.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ alatespinus ” is derived from the Latin words for winged “alater” and spine “spina” ( Brown 1985) in reference to the shape of the phallic spines, which resemble a pair of wings when the endotheca everts.