Polyzosteria yingina, Henry & Cameron & Smolenski & Mcquillan, 2021

Henry, Shasta C., Cameron, Stephen L., Smolenski, Adam & Mcquillan, Peter, 2021, Polyzosteria cockroaches in Tasmania (Blattodea: Blattidae: Polyzosteriinae) represent a new, endemic species, with allopatric alpine and coastal sub-populations, Zootaxa 4926 (3), pp. 384-400 : 388-389

Polyzosteria yingina sp. nov. Henry (2020)

Zoobank name link

( Figure 4–6 )

Diagnosis. Medium-sized, oval, convex, apterous; macroscopically smooth and uniformly coloured above excepting a non-metallic orange margin to the cerci. Upper surfaces dull metallic bronze but sometimes dark and matt. Ventral surface shining bronze and reddish brown with pale coxal border and process’.

Description. Measurements (mm). Length, Pronotum Length/Width, Width, Hind Tibiae. ♂(n=20) L 21.4–30.3; PL 6.8 – 8.9 ; PW 10 – 16.5 ; W 16.5–19.1; HT 9.1–10.1; ♀ (n=25) L 26.9–36.5; PL 7.3 – 9.1 ; PW 14.6 – 17 ; W 18.2–21.5; HT 9.5–11.1.

Exoskeleton is microscopically pitted throughout, pits with minute translucent scales above ( Figure 3E ) and hairs below; scales are very loosely attached so wear and tear may explain their absence on many specimens. Vertex almost hidden from above, shining bronze. Ocelli indistinguishable. Vertex broadly flat, frons domed between concave antennal pits. Antennae are dark, bases brownish red, segments minutely haired with a ring of setae around the widest part. Clypeus and labrum are dark, each with a pale distal border. Labrum is deeply lobed around the notch. Palps are dark and densely haired ( Figure 4B, D ). Dorsal surface colour is dull metallic bronze, sometimes with green highlights though can also be entirely dark and matt, always excepting the rim of the cerci which are bright orange and matt ( Fig 5D ). Texture is microscopically pitted and finely, unevenly nodular. These high points (and overlaps of tergites) are often smoother and shinier. Peripheral edges of dorsal segments are rolled and smooth. Paired, large and smooth stigmatic dots are obvious on each thoracic and abdominal segment, excepting T1,T8,T9 and T10 ( Figure 4A, C ). A small, brush-like structure on the medial anterior margin of T1, usually obscured by the metanotum, has been observed in living males ( Richards and Spencer 2019). This ‘hair tuft’ is presumed to be involved in evaporation of pheromone secretions ( Mackerras 1965). Tergite T8, T9 and T10 are bounded by the projected angles of T7 and T10 also by the flattened, oblanceolate cerci. This species is sexually dimorphic. In males T10 is roughly oblong though slightly concave with slightly acute distal angles ( Figure 4A , 3D ). In the female, T10 is half-oval and convex with a peaked midline ( Figure 4C ), adapted for clamping the ootheca ( Rentz 2014, Richards and Spencer 2019). Legs; tibiae, tops of tarsi and coxae-proximally are shining bronze; coxa-distally, the trochanter and femur are shining reddish brown. Coxal border and processes pale and femora with pale knee. Tibiae flat, biseriately spined with a fringe of hairs on the proximal edge. Tarsal claws light brown with dark tips. All spines yellow with dark points. Underside of thoracic segments shining bronze to greenish-blue. Anterior sternites are shiny metallic bronze, posterior sternites are shining red-brown; this colour transition beginning around the middle of S5. Smooth, stigmatic dots apparent from S2–S7. The opening of the scent gland is indicated by the rounded, sclerotised edge protruding onto S7 medially. Underside of cerci are bright orange and banded with tiny hairs ( Figure 4B, D ). In males S9 bears paired anal styles in notches, protruding one third of their length past the posterior margin ( Figure 5C ). The subgenital lamina of the female (S7) is large and sculptural, plateaued medially, coming to a produced point where its posterior part is modified into the bivalvular hypogynum ( Figure 4D ) characteristic of the family ( Mackerras 1965).

The male genitalia conform to the general plan of P. limbata described by Mackerras (1965). Male genitalia are most similar to P. viridissima , but differentiated by the process of R2 (R2b) having a more strongly defined hooked apex ( Figure 5B ).

Material Examined. *asterisk indicates where latitude and longitude (and altitude) have been calculated from coordinates on labels. Otherwise estimated according to place names on labels.

Holotype ( Figure 6A, B ). AUSTRALIA • 1♂, (Size mm: L 23, PL 7.4 x PW 14.8 , W 18.7, HT 9.2); Tasmania, Lake Augusta : dunes, Central Plateau * 41°52'12.60"S; 146°30'45.75"E; 1164m asl; 06 Feb. 2018; Grove, S.J. leg; Photographed alive before hand-collection; DNA (table 1); https://www.flickr.com/photos/simongrovetmag/39415278624; TMAG: F57626

Photographed paratypes ( Fig 4 . A–D). AUSTRALIA • 1♂ (Size mm:L 28.6, PL 7.8 x PW 14.7 , W 17.11, HT 10); Tasmania, Carter Lakes, Central Plateau * 41°51'41.82"S; 146°31'36.62"E; 1156m asl; 16–17 Feb. 2019; C. Spencer and K.Richards leg; lake shore mass stranding; TMAG:F13361

AUSTRALIA • 1♀, (Size mm:L 34, PL 8 x PW 15.4 , W 18.02, HT 10); Tasmania, Carter Lakes, Central Plateau * 41°51'41.82"S; 146°31'36.62"E; 1156m asl; 16–17 Feb. 2019; C. Spencer and K.Richards leg; lake shore mass stranding; TMAG:F13354

Genital dissection paratype ( Fig 5 . A–D): AUSTRALIA • 1♂, (Size mm:L 30.3, PL 7.8 x PW 15 , W 17.2, HT 9.8); Tasmania, Lake Botsford, Central Plateau * 41°52'44.05''S; 146°30'30.33''E; 1153m asl; 30 Dec. 2016; Among low alpine herbage. Genitalia dissected. DNA (table 1); QVM :2018:12:0916.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Evolutionary analysis by Maximum Likelihood method using CO1 (673BP) of Polyzosteria yingina sp. nov. included in a Blast search in MEGA incorporating P. limbata and P. viridissima specimens from the BOLD database.

FIGURE 4. A–D Polyzosteria yingina sp. nov. ‘Photo paratypes’ A–B Male TMAG:F13361. C–D Female TMAG:F13354. A,C dorsal view. B,D ventral view. Scale bars 5 mm.

FIGURE 5. A–D Specimen QVM:2018:12:0916 E. QVM:2015:12:1503 A,B male genitalia in dorsal and ventral view; C,D terminalia; E close up of pronotum and T 1–4 (RHS) showing texture and translucent pale scales. Scale bars 5 mm.

FIGURE 6. A–B Polyzosteria yingina sp. nov. holotype, male. A alive in its natural habitat at Lake Augusta prior to collection (photo Simon Grove, TMAG). B Pinned type specimen, (TMAG:F57626) scale bar 5mm.