Polyplectropus matatlanticus, Chamorro & Holzenthal, 2010

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 63-66

Polyplectropus matatlanticus , new species

Figs. 29, 30, 140

Polyplectropus matatlanticus resembles P. profaupar Holzenthal & Almeida in the shapes of the inferior and preanal appendages. Polyplectropus matatlanticus can be distinguished from P. profaupar by the presence of 2 stout, but short endothecal phallic spines projecting laterally when the endotheca is everted. In P. profaupar the spines are almost 4 x longer and are apically spiny instead of setose. The 2 species can also be distinguished by the absence of a lateral row of spinules on the dorsolateral process of the preanal appendage in P. matatlanticus and by differences in the shapes of the mesoventral process of the preanal appendage and intermediate appendage. In P. matatlanticus the dorsal projection on the dorsal surface of the ventral branch of the inferior appendage is usually acutely pointed, but was instead flattened in 1 individual ( Fig. 30A).

Adult. Length of forewing 4.5–5.5 mm, n = 49. Color of head and thorax brown or dark-brown, legs brown; setae on body brown with clusters of grey setae on apex of head, or dark-brown with golden reflections; tegulae with long, golden brown and grey setae, or with only dark-brown setae; setae on wings golden brown along costal margin with patches of grey setae interspersed along wing margin and on most of wing surface, or dark-brown with golden reflections with grey patch of setae where veins meet at arculus (visible medially on FW when viewing specimen in dorsal view and visible as a white line perpendicular to body).

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view deltoid, anterior margin submedially produced, posterior margin sinuate; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin highly concave, posterior margin convex. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae. Intermediate appendage as long as inferior appendage, digitate, with a pair of long apical setae; in dorsal view digitate; in caudal view digitate, curved, directed laterodorsad. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process elongate, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, recurved posterad, tapering mesally into acute apex, subapically expanded; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view orbicular, in lateral view deltoid (sometimes with slight basoventral projection); mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, dorsally produced into digitate lobe, with ventraddirected sclerotized apex, ventral margin concave, posterior margin concave; in caudal view processes separated with dorsal digitate lobe, ventral margin of process acute or undulate. 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 subquadrate, apex truncate; in ventral view broad, lateral margin subapically produced, undulate, posterior margin rounded to subacute, mesal margin undulate, angled, expanding posterad into ventral branch; ventral branch setose, short, bearing acute, medial projection or with basal flattened projection ( Fig. 30A), in lateral view digitate, narrowing posterad and apically acute; 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 subacute; endothecal membrane with 2 stout, small, sclerotized spines, when endothecal membrane is everted spines project laterally, perpendicular to phallic sclerite ( Fig. 29F).

Female genitalia. Similar to female of P. alatespinus .

Holotype male: 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 —( UMSP000032907 ) ( MZUSP).

Paratypes: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Corrego das Aguas Pretas & trib[utarie]s, ca. 15 km S Aiuruoca, 22°03'42"S, 44°38'14"W, 1386 m, 21.xi.2001, Holzenthal, Blahnik, Neto & Paprocki — 2 males, 1 female ( MZUSP) ; São Paulo: Parque Estadual de Campos do Jordão, Cachoeira Galharada , 22°41'44"S, 45°27'43"W, 1620 m, 7.iii.1996, Holzenthal, Rochetti & Oliveira — 5 females ( MZUSP) ; same, Rio Galharada , 22°41'40"S, 45°27'47"W, 1530 m, 4–5.iii.1996, Holzenthal & Guahyba — 1 male, 6 females ( UMSP) ; Rio Casquilho , 3.4 km NE Parque Estadual Campos do Jordão, 22°40'17"S, 45°27'52"W, 1550 m, 23.i.1998, Holzenthal, Froehlich & Paprocki — 1 male, 3 females [variable form] ( UMSP) ; Cachoeira do Paredão, Lajeado, Serra da Bocaina , 22°43'32"S, 44°37'16"W, 1550 m, 1–2.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik Paprocki & Prather — 3 males, 2 females ( NMNH) ; Parque Nacional da Serra da Bocaina, Cachoeira Santo Izidro , 22°44'50"S, 44°36'53"W, 1480 m, 2.iii.2002, Blahnik & Paprocki — 2 males ( NMNH) ; Cachoeira dos Posses , 22°46'26"S, 44°36'15"W, 1250 m, 3.iii.2002, Holzenthal, Blahnik Paprocki & Prather — 1 male, 21 females ( MZUSP) .

Distribution. Brazil.

Etymology. The species name is the union of the Portuguese words “Mata Atlântica” meaning “Atlantic Forest”, a biologically diverse and highly threatened region of Southeastern Brazil where the specimens were collected.

Remarks. The 2 types of coloration found in the species group, dark-brown to almost black and brown with greyish mottling, was observed for this species. The holotype and the paratype from the same locality and collected on the same date are dark-brown, as well as the variable male and 3 females from the same locality, Campos de Jordão State Park, but collected from Rio Casquilho. However, all the other paratypes have a lighter shade of brown and greyish mottling on the wing. The male genitalia of this species, except for the variable male previously mentioned, does not vary. Differences between these 2 forms lie in the presence or absence of an acute projection on the dorsal surface of the ventral branch of the inferior appendage, as well as slight continuous variations in the shape of the mesoventral process of the preanal appendage.