Brachys cleidecostae, Migliore & Casari & Paiola, 2020

Migliore, Letizia Janaina, Casari, Sônia A. & Paiola, Gabriel, 2020, Morphology of the adult and immatures of a striking new species of leaf-mining Brachys Dejean from Brazil (Buprestidae, Agrilinae), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (Pap. Avulsos Zool., S. Paulo) 60 (32), pp. 1-11 : 3-8

Brachys cleidecostae sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 A-B, 2)

Type material: HOLOTYPE ♂ ( MZSP): BRAZIL. Mato Grosso do Sul: Selvíria, Fazenda UNESP Bovinos 20°22′42″S, 51°24′47″W, XI.2018, in Alibertia sessilis (Vell.) K. Schum, G. Paiola leg.

Other material examined (immatures): BRAZIL. Mato Grosso do Sul: Selvíria, Fazenda UNESP Bovinos 20°22′42″S, 51°24′47″W. XII.2018, G. Paiola leg. (2 larvae, 1 pupa, and 5 mines, MZSP).

Diagnosis: Body relatively small and broad, fusiform. Head with two prominent broad horn-like apophyses that extend from the vertex. Vertex and the two apophyses golden, covered with ferruginous setae. Pronotum and elytra dark brown with areas with white, yellow and brown pubescence forming distinct patches.Ventral side black, sparsely covered with white setae, except vertex. Brachys cleidecostae sp. nov. is unique in the Neotropical fauna for presenting a pair of wide horn-like apophyses on vertex.

Description of holotype ( Figs. 1 A-B): Measurements: total length: 3.1 mm; elytral width at middle: 1.5 mm. Length of apophyses on vertex: 0.3 mm.

Head narrower than anterior margin of pronotum. Vertex golden, coarsely punctate and covered by long and thick ferruginous setae; vertex with two prominent broad horn-like apophyses, with slightly acuminate apices. Apophyses golden, coriaceous with few yellow long setae dorsally; anterior margins slightly acuminated, latero-external margins slightly convergent; ventrally, vertex apophyses densely punctate with sparse setae laterally. Frons metallic golden, dorsally with ferruginous, long, dense and thick setae, yellowish and sparser at base and around eyes; ventrally with yellowish, long and stout setae, directed from midline to lateral. Eyes very large, reniform, with posterior margin slightly concave; one pore at inner and one at outer margin of each eye. Genae short, mostly concealed into prothorax, with antennal grooves. Antennae dark brown with golden reflections and a few setae; antennomeres I-II globular, III-V cylindrical, VI-X slightly serrate. Clypeus black with golden reflections, sparsely covered with white setae laterally, markedly differentiated and raised in relation to the frons, with anterior margin sinuous. One pair of epistomal pores above the fronto-clipeal suture. Labrum convex with two long white setae each side. Pronotum dark brown, finely punctate covered with long, sparse and thick yellow setae, except two longitudinal, irregular, sinuous bands with dark-brown setae at disc, one irregular patch with white and yellow setae basal median and one each side of discal area; pronotum transverse, trapezoidal (length: 1.1 mm, width: 0.75 mm), anteriorly slightly wider than head, lateral margins slightly sinuous, wider basad; anterior margin nearly straight, pronotal disc convex anteriorly, forming declivous lateral slopes; posterior margin sinuous, very prominent and truncate at median third. Pre-marginal carina incomplete, only marked in median region. Prosternum short and broad, bordered by a row of white setae, prosternal process cordiform, sparsely covered with long and fine white setae, with longitudinal medial furrow. Hypomeron slightly coriaceous, with large and deep antennal groove. Scutellum triangular, flat, smooth and glabrous. Elytra (length: 2.2 mm, width: 1.2 mm) dark brown, with dark bronze reflections; densely covered with thick, long and moderately dense white setae, except for one inclined band on each elytron, with black pubescence forming a V-shaped band, and one irregular, elongate patch with yellow setae medioanteriorly on each elytron. Elytra sparsely punctate, slightly narrowed apicad; lateral margins wider and slightly sinuous on basal ⅔, tapering posteriorly; elytra wider at meso- and metacoxal cavities level; post-humeral carina well defined, extending almost along whole elytral length; apices conjointly rounded. Epipleura visible only at metacoxal level, continuing un- der pleural border of abdomen. Meso- and metaventrite black, sparsely pubescent posteriorly; each seta inserted in stout, weak, irregularly rounded punctures. Legs black with dark bronze reflections,sparsely covered with white setae; tibiae slightly arcuate,with setae disposed in regular rows. Abdomen ventrally black, sparsely covered with white setae, mostly concentrated laterally; setae insert- ed in very stout and weak irregular rounded punctures. Ventrite V almost triangular, with apex widely rounded; apex deep and narrowly grooved parallel distal margin.

Aedeagus ( Fig. 2 ): (length: 0.4 mm, width: 0.1 mm). Parameres strongly sclerotized, except for a small membranous lateral stripe near apex; each paramere with a series of varied sizes lateral setae, on distal half. Median lobe membranous, slightly tapering apicad and abruptly narrowed at apex; apex acuminate, surpassing parameres apices.

Etymology: Named in honor of Dr. Cleide Costa, a noted Coleoptera larvae researcher.

Distribution: Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul state).

Description of mature larva ( Figs. 3 A-B, 4A-J): Body elongate (length: 6 mm) and strongly flattened dorso-ventrally; head narrow, metathorax widest segment; body narrowed from metathorax to abdominal apex. Surface whitish, except for head and median region of thorax and part of abdomen. General integument microspined and with sparse long setae, especially laterally on thorax and abdomen ( Figs. 3 A-B).

Head ( Figs. 3 , 4 A-B) prognathous, deeply retracted into prothorax and strongly flattened dorso-ventrally; yellowish, clearer posteriorly, with brown mouth frame at epistomal area, and brownish in a small lateral sclerite below each stemma, and dorsal and ventral small support sclerites (apodeme of the tentorial arms); elongate, narrower anteriorly and gradually widened basad; lateral margins curved; posterior margin deeply emarginate at middle forming one rounded lobe on each side; exposed area narrower than anterior margin of prothorax; two long setae below each antenna and three very short setae below each stemma; dorsally, two pairs of moderately long setae below frontoclipeal suture, and ventrally, one short pair of setae near middle of each half of head capsule, at antennal base level. Epicranial stem absent; frontal arms U-shaped.Internal dorsal support structures (apodeme of the tentorial arms) forming an open rectangle inside frontal arms, continuing in two branches each side, almost reaching head base; internal ventral support structures formed by two branches, almost reaching base. One stemma on each side, on a darker area below each antenna. Antennae ( Fig. 4C ) partially sclerotized, with two elongate antennomeres: basal with one dorsal campaniform sensillum latero-externally; distal with one very long and stout latero-dorsal seta near apex and, at apex one elongate and conical latero-external membranous sensorial appendix and three short sensoria near internal margin. Frontoclypeal suture ( Fig. 4D ) present; epistomal region heavily sclerotized. Labrum ( Fig. 4D ) transverse, band-like, with fore angles widely rounded; one pair of long setae on each side. Epipharynx ( Fig. 4E ) densely covered by stout setae, directed medially. Mandibles ( Figs. 4 F-G) symmetrical, broad, inner surface concave with three rounded teeth; apical tooth bilobed; one stout latero-basal long seta; penicillus long, formed by stout, ramified long setae and simple short setae near base. Maxillae ( Fig. 4H ): cardo well developed with one long seta; stipes short, with one long and one short seta and one campaniform sensillum; mala elongate, almost as long as palpus, with one campaniform sensillum near base; apex of mala rounded bearing three stout and long setae; palpi with two short palpomeres: basal with one latero-external long and stout seta near apex, and ventrally, one short seta and one campaniform sensillum near middle; distal with one latero-external campaniform sensillum and four short membranous sensilla at apex. Labium ( Fig. 4H ) with mentum, submentum and ligula fused into single rectangular plate, with fore angles rounded; one lateral short seta on each side,near middle. Hypopharynx ( Fig. 4I ) densely setose; setae directed medially; hypostomal rods long and subparallel.

Prothorax slightly wider than long, gradually widened posteriorly; lateral margins sinuous forming three lobes: one anterior, smaller and with one or two setae, and one median and one posterior almost of same size, with several setae; one dorsal and one ventral sclerotized yellow median band, reaching more than ⅔ of prothorax width dorsally, divided at middle. Mesothorax slightly narrower and of same shape as metathorax, with lateral margins strongly rounded, forming one lobe each side with four setae; a ventral and a dorsal longitudinal median sclerotized band, narrower than ⅓ of width; mesonotum with anterior median ⅔ with transverse irregular small carina giving a rugose appearance. Metathorax widest segment, lateral margins rounded with four setae each side; metanotum with anterior median ⅔ with larger microtrichiae and two small rounded areas with rugose appearance. Mesothorax with a lateral anterior spiracle each side; spiracle ( Fig. 4J ) semicircular, heavily sclerotized.

Abdominal segments I-VIII decreasing in width, with one rounded lobe on each side, each lobe with three setae, decreasing in size posteriorly; each side of segments I-VIII with one lateral spiracle (smaller than thoracic), in front of lateral lobe; segments I-V with longitudinal median dorsal and ventral slightly sclerotized narrow band, decreasing in size and intensity to apex direction; medi- an anterior area of segments I-V with dorsal and ventral larger and brown asperites; segment IX elongate with three setae on each side and a dorsal median weakly sclerotized plate; segment X narrow and apical, slightly wider than segment IX apex, marginate by short setae. Anal opening transverse.

Pupa description ( Figs. 5 A-B): Length: 3.1 mm. Coloration, after fixation, yellow with ventral appendices bordered in brown. Integument with irregular tiny brownish patches. Glabrous.

Head band-like, trapezoidal with fore angles strongly rounded. Anterior margin very prominent forming two median elongate horn-like apophyses, almost as long as head and with rounded apex. Mouthparts hypognathous; antennae with apices fitted below profemura; labrum trapezoidal, prominent medio-anteriorly.

Pronotum trapezoidal, more than twice wider than long; anteriorly as wide as basal margin of head, strongly widened posteriorly; hind angles wide and round- ed; posterior margin roundly prominent at middle. Prosternum slightly wider than long, wider basad; prosternal process almost rectangular, slightly and gradually narrowed apicad; posterior margin prominent at middle. Mesonotum band-like with posterior margin sinuous and prominent at middle; pterotheca forming rounded projection on metanotum. Metanotum almost twice mesonotum length, with posterior margin widely rounded. Mesosternum broad with areas to fit pro- and mesothoracic tarsi; posterior margin deeply and roundly emarginated at middle. Metasternum narrow and short; metatarsi fitted laterally. Pterothecae ventrally almost reaching apex of first ventrite.

Abdomen gradually narrowed posteriad, with nine visible tergites and seven ventrites. Tergites I-VII bandlike, narrowed apicad; tergites I-VI with one lateral spiracle on each side, at apex of short cylindrical projection, decreasing in size apicad; tergite VIII shortest; tergite IX narrowest with lateral margins rounded. Ventrites I-II fused, suture visible only in a narrow lateral area, both more than twice longer than III; III-IV band-like, almost same length; ventrite V longer and narrower than previous, gradually narrowed posteriorly with posterior margin widely rounded; ventrite VI band-like, shorter than remainders; ventrite VII narrower and trapezoidal, almost as long as VI.

Figures

Figure 1. Brachys cleidecostaesp.nov.Holotype (male),habitus:(A) dorsal;(B) ventral.Scale bar:= 0.5mm.

Figure 2. Brachys cleidecostae sp. nov. Aedeagus (dorsal). Scale bar: = 0.5mm.

Figure 3. Brachys cleidecostaesp.nov.Mature larva,habitus:(A) dorsal;(B) ventral.Scale bar:= 1 mm.

Figure 4. Brachys cleidecostae sp. nov. Mature larva: (A-B) Head (dorsal, ventral); (C) Antenna (dorsal); (D) Labrum, clypeum and antenna; (E) Epipharynx; (F-G) Mandible (dorsal,ventral);(H) Labium and maxillae;(I) Hypopharynx;(J)Thoracic spiracle.Scale bars:(A-C) = 1 mm;(D-J) = 0.5 mm.

Figure 5. Brachys cleidecostaesp.nov.Pupa,habitus:(A) dorsal;(B) ventral.Scale bar:= 0,5 mm.