Mesodiplatys venado Anisyutkin

Anisyutkin, Leonid N., 2014, Mesodiplatys venado sp. nov. (Dermaptera: Diplatyidae), probable evidence of contact between Neotropical and Malagasy faunas, Zootaxa 3794 (4), pp. 593-599 : 594-597

Mesodiplatys venado Anisyutkin sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–18 )

Material. Holotype male, Peru, Departament Junin, Satipo Province, ~ 25 km SE of Satipo town, near Rio Venado Village, elev. 1200 m, partly primary/partly secondary forest, 20–23 October 2008, at light, L. Anisyutkin.

Description. Male holotype: general color brownish, femora and tibiae with elements of contrasting color ( Figs. 4–6 , 13–17 ): head from above blackish; eyes black; antennal segments distal to scapus and cerci in distal third light brown; cervicalia, metazona of pronotum, scutellum, lateral parts of prosternum, part of pleural regions, coxae, proximal and distal parts of femora and tibiae, hidden parts of abdominal tergites and cerci in the proximal quarter pale, whitish. Surfaces smooth, densely covered with short setae with occasional long setae.

Head wider than long ( Figs. 1 , 13, 14 ), almost convex, frontal and occipital regions clearly differentiated, with caudal margin concave; epicranial sutures weak; distance between eyes about 2.3× length of right scapus; left scapus disproportionately small and evidently abnormal. Eyes large and prominent, about twice longer than length of head posterior to eyes (gena sensu Hincks 1955); ocular spots indiscernible; post-ocular carinae distinct and curved. Antennae broken, only 6 segments remaining ( Figs. 2 , 13, 14 ); right scapus clearly broader than other segments, about 0.6× length of eye; length ratio of first (scapus) to sixth antennal segments approximately 3.2: 1: 2.3: 2: 2.7: 3.5.

Pronotum slightly broader then long, widest near anterior angles and slightly contracted behind, caudally widely rounded, distinctly divided into pro- and metazona, median sulcus weak ( Fig. 1 ). Mesonotum with distinct tegmina-locking device (sensu Haas 1995). Prosternum elongated, mesosternum slightly broader than long, metasternum of about equal length and width, with paired longitudinal crevice-like notches ( Fig. 3 ). Tegmina and wings fully developed: tegmina asymmetrical (sensu Haas 1995), with blunt keels in anterior part (at humeral angle), caudally rounded ( Fig. 1 ), spiny crest (sensu Giles 1963) present; wings with elongated wing-scales ( Figs. 1 , 13, 14 ). Femora and tibiae with comparatively weak keels; fore femora slightly broadened ( Figs. 4–6 , 13–16 ). Abdomen long, cylindrical, with paired tubercles on 3rd and 4th tergites; ultimate (10th) tergite elongated, with caudal margin sinuate ( Figs. 7 , 17 ), lateral keels absent ( Fig. 8 ). Cerci elongated, slightly curved upward ( Fig. 8 ), weakly asymmetrical, finely denticulate on inner side ( Figs. 7 , 17 ). Penultimate sternite with small medial emargination of caudal margin ( Fig. 9 ).

Male genitalia ( Figs. 10–12 , 18 ) nearly symmetrical. Metaparameres comparatively short, with outer margin weakly sinuate and apex curved upward, with small obtuse outgrowth directed upward ( Figs. 10, 12 , 18 ). Proparameres joined except in the distal third, with dorsal sclerotized strip along line of connection ( Fig. 10 ). Penis lobes (= genital lobes or praeputial sacs) membranous, weakly sclerotized only proximally. Virga long, strongly sclerotized; proximal unpaired part short ( Fig. 11 ), distal paired parts long, apically convoluted; accessory sclerites absent ( Figs. 10 , 18 ).

Female unknown.

Measurements (mm). Lengths: head 1.5; pronotum 1.0; tegmen 2.9; wing-scale (exposed part) 1.6; fore/mid/ hind femur 1.6/2.0/2.2; fore/mid/hind tibia 1.7/1.8/2.2; ultimate tergite 1.5; cerci 1.8. Width: head 1.7; pronotum 1.1; tegmen (at humeral angle) 0.9; ultimate tergite 1.2.

Etymology. The species is named after its type locality, Rio Venado village.

Comparison. The new species is similar to M. nanus in body outlines, but differs from it by the comparatively longer metaparameres (the ratio of metaparamere to proparamere length is about 0.36 and 0.16 in M. nanus and M. venado sp. nov., respectively—compare Fig. 12 in Brindle (1966) with Fig. 10 ) and shape of the penultimate sternite: rectangular with distinct posterolateral angles in M. nanus (Fig. 20 in Hincks (1955)) and caudally rounded in M. venado sp. nov. ( Fig. 9 ).

The new species differs from all other Malagasy diplatyids ( M. gracillimus , M. longicornis , M. major , M. mucronatus , M. olsufiewi and M. raharizoninai ) in its comparatively shorter metaparameres, as compared with length of proparameres, and in the concave external edge; Mesodiplatys venado sp. nov. differs from M. insularis and? Diplatys viator in having the pronotum broader than long. None of the known Neotropical diplatyids have structure of the virga similar to that of M. venado sp. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. Mesodiplatys venado sp. nov. (holotype male). 1) Head, thorax and proximal part of abdomen from above. 2) Proximal part of right antenna. 3) Thoracic sternites from below. 4 – 6) Femora and tibiae of fore (4), middle (5) and hind (6) legs from lower (anterior) side. 7, 8) Abdominal apex from above (7) and right (8). 9) Penultimate sternite from below. 10 – 12) Male genitalia, general view from above (10), basal part of virga (11), metaparamere and apical part of proparamere from right (12). Dotted area shows dark color (4 – 6) or membranous parts (10). Scale bar (1 mm): a = 1, 2; b = 3; c = 4 – 6; d = 7, 8; e = 9; f = 10 – 12.

FIGURES 13 – 18. Mesodiplatys venado sp. nov. (holotype male). 13, 14) Head, thorax and proximal part of abdomen from above (13) and below (14). 15, 16) Middle (15) and hind (16) legs from lower (anterior) side. 17) Abdominal apex from above. 18) Male genitalia, general view from above.