Tricorythopsis spongicola, Lima, Lucas R. C., Salles, Frederico F. & Pinheiro, Ulisses Dos S., 2011

Lima, Lucas R. C., Salles, Frederico F. & Pinheiro, Ulisses Dos S., 2011, New species of Leptohyphidae (Ephemeroptera) from northeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 3050, pp. 63-68 : 64-67

Tricorythopsis spongicola sp. nov.

( Figs. 5–15 )

Adult. Male imago (in alcohol). Length: body, 1.7–1.8 mm; fore wings, 2.1–2.2 mm. General coloration light yellowish-orange, abdomen whitish translucent.

Head. Whitish washed with gray on posterodorsal and lateroventral regions. Antennae whitish, pedicel 2 times length of scape, flagellum as long as two other segments combined. Cervical membrane widely tinged with black.

Thorax. Pronotum translucent grayish; propleura and base of coxae washed with black; prosternum whitish. Mesonotum brown with submedian whitish marks; mesopleura yellowish white and mesosternum whitish translucent with margins light brown and carinae light gray.

Wings. Membrane of forewings hyaline shaded with gray in costal area, longitudinal veins hyaline except vein Sc and veins of R sector dark brown, crossveins hyaline; vein CuP generally fused with vein A at base ( Fig. 5 ).

Legs. Whitish translucent excepted tibia I and tarsi I washed with gray; all femora with a blackish longitudinal mark.

Abdomen. Segments I–VIII translucent, IX–X whitish; terga III–VII with blackish mediolongitudinal band; terga I–II and VII–IX with blackish lateral areas; terga VIII–IX with grayish “V” mark. Abdominal sterna translucent without marks, except blackish marks on lateral margins.

Genitalia. Styliger plate translucent yellowish-white, distal part of penes hyaline; penes slender, broad apically, divided on apical 1/4, slightly curved upward; lateral margins of penes sclerotized; spine-like lateral projections present on apex of penes ( Fig. 6 ). Cerci whitish translucent slightly shaded with gray, hyaline at articulations.

Nymph. Length of male: body, 2–2.3 mm; mesonotum, 0.7 mm; caudal filaments, 0.8 mm. Length of female: body, 2.6 mm; mesonotum, 0.7 mm; caudal filaments broken. General coloration yellowish brown, with dark marks. Body elongate, base of the abdomen slightly wider than apex ( Fig. 7 ).

Head. Yellowish brown. Tubercles absent. Mouthparts uniformly light brown. Labrum with a broad anteromedian emargination. Glossa not fusioned, with pointed setae. Paraglossa with pointed setae. Maxillary palp 2-segmented, very long (more than 2.5× longer than wide) with fine and long seta ( Figs. 8–9 ).

Thorax. Yellowish brown, with dark brown regions. Tubercles on pronotum and mesonotum absent. Anterolateral corner of pronotum not projected. Inner apical margin of forewing pads not elevated. Hind wing pads absent.

Legs. Light brown, with dark spots on femora ( Figs. 10–13 ). Ratio of foreleg 1:(0.4)mm:0.6:0.3. Coxae projection present on fore and mid legs ( Figs. 10, 12 ). Femora narrow (2× longer than wide) with transversal row of setae on anterior surface of submedian region; outer margin of femora with medium sized setae. Tibiae with light brown bands. Tarsal claws yellowish, with four to five marginal denticles, two rows of 2 + 3 submarginal denticles with apical setae ( Fig. 14 ).

Abdomen. Yellowish brown with a mediolongitudinal dark band on terga I–V and VIII–X, terga I–II and VII– IX with blackish lateral areas, tergum VI yellowish and terga IX–X darker. Sterna yellowish, segments I–VI blackish medially. Tubercles present on segments VI–IX ( Fig. 15 ). Undulations absent. Posterolateral margin expanded on segments II–IX, with segments VI–IX forming posterolateral spines.

Gills. Operculate gills dark brown with yellowish maculae in females, and yellowish with dark brown maculae in males ( Fig. 16 ); oval; short, not reaching segment VII. Inner margin of operculate gills not touching each other. Ventral lamellae without fringed lobes, without ridges. Transversal line of operculate gill absent. Gills on abdominal terga II–VI. Caudal filaments brown.

Life cycle associations: The association between male imago and nymphs was made by shared abdominal color pattern. Besides that both nymphs and adult were collected in the same place.

Etimology. The specific epithet is an allusion to the freshwater sponge Eunapius fragilis (Leidy, 1851) where the nymphs from type material were found.

Diagnosis. Tricorythopsis spongicola sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characteristics. In the imago, 1) vein CuP generally fused with vein A at base ( Fig. 5 ); 2) body coloration yellowish brown, with a mediolongitudinal dark band on abdominal terga; 3) meso and metathoracic sterna and abdominal sterna whitish translucent; 4) legs whitish translucent; 5) penes divided on apical 1/4, slightly curved upwardly; 6) penes slender, broad apically; 7) lateral margins of penes sclerotized; 8) spine-like lateral projections present on apical part of penes ( Fig. 6 ). In the nymph, 1) pronotum with lateral margins not expanded; 2) forewing pads not elevated; 3) coxae with projections, hind coxae with projection absent ( Figs. 10, 12 ); 4) femora narrow (at least two times longer than wide), and with medium sized setae; 5) tarsal claws with 4 to 5 marginal denticles, and two rows of 2 + 3 submarginal denticles with apical setae ( Fig. 14 ); 6) tubercles present on terga VI–IX ( Fig. 14 ); 7) abdominal color pattern ( Fig. 7 ); 8) transversal line of operculate gill absent ( Fig. 16 ).

Material. Holotype. Brazil, Pernambuco State, Jaqueira, Rio Pirangi (S08°44’53.0’’, W035°48'51.1"), nymph, 23.ii.2010, Lima LRC col. ( PPGBT). Paratypes. Same data of holotype excepted six nymphs; same data excepted two nymphs ( UFPE) seven male imagos (light trap), same data of holotype excepted, 17.iv.2010 ( PPGBT).

Additional non-type material. Brazil, Maranhão State, Rio Lajeado, BR-010, abaixo da ponte (S06°04’15.6’’, W 47°22’56.6’’) 31 nymphs, 21.vii.2010, Hamada N, Cruz PV, Boldrini, R colls. ( INPA); Brazil, Espírito Santo State, Sooretama, Rio São José (S 19°07'33.1", W40°14'26.1"), two nymphs, Boldrini R, Raimundi E colls. ( PPGBT).

Comments. Based on length of the setae of femora Tricorythopsis spongicola sp. nov. appears more related to Tricorythopsis artigas ( Traver, 1958) ; Tricorythopsis baptistai Dias & Salles, 2005 ; Tricorythopsis chiriguano Molineri, 2001 ; Tricorythopsis minimus ( Allen, 1973) ; and Tricorythopsis yucupe Dias, Salles & Ferreira, 2008 . All these species present the nymphal femora bordered with medium sized setae, but only T. yucupe and T. spongicola sp. nov. possess abdominal tubercles. T. spongicola can be distinguished from them by the number of denticles on the tarsal claws and the abdominal color pattern. The opercular gills of all nymphs do not have a transversal line, a diagnostic characteristic of genus, however the absence of the hind wingpads in both sexes, the fore femora with a transverse row of short to long spines on dorsum and the maxillary palpi reduced, 2-segmented with apical seta can be helpful to differentiate the nymphs of Tricorythopsis . Besides, the penes of male imagos present spinelike lateral projections, an exclusive characteristic to this species. The specimens collected in Pernambuco State were found associated to freshwater sponge Eunapius fragilis , an uncommon substrate to the genus. Further studies may reveal the real relationship between these organisms.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Traverhyphes (Traverhyphes) frevo sp. nov. 1, forewing of imago; 2, hind wing of imago; 3, lateral view of the genitalia; 4, ventral view of the genitalia. Tricorythopsis spongicola sp. nov. 5, forewing of the imago; 6, male genitalia (CuP: cubitus posterior vein; DS: dorsal structure; IMP: intercalary medius posterior; LP: lateral projection of styliger plate; MP 2: medius posterior 2; PS: penile spine).

FIGURES 7 – 16. Tricorythopsis spongicola sp. nov. 7, nymphal habitus in dorsal view; 8, maxilla; 9, detail of maxillary palp; 10, foreleg; 11, detail of femoral setae; 12, middle leg; 13, hind leg; 14, detail of tarsal claw; 15, abdominal terga (lateral view); 16, operculate gill (T: tubercles of abdominal terga; scale: 0.5 mm).