Polyplectropus santiago (Ross)

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 181-183

Polyplectropus santiago (Ross)

Figs. 92, 97C, 122

Polycentropus santiago Ross, 1947: 136 . [Type locality: Mexico, Nuevo León, Villa Santiago; INHS; male].— Flint, 1968: 21 [to Polyplectropus ].

— proditus Edwards, 1973: 502 [Type locality: United States, Texas, Frio River, Barksdale, Edwards Co. (erroneous, see Moulton, 1996); type destroyed].— Moulton, 1996: 273 [Neotype: United States, Texas, Bandera Co., Winans Creek @ TX Hwy 16, 4 mi N. Bandera; INHS; male; to synonymy].

Polyplectropus santiago conforms closely to other species in the group and is similar to P.hamulus Flint in the size and shape of the phallic spines as well as similarities in the shape of the ventral branch of inferior appendage. However, P. santiago is easily distinguished from P. hamulus and other members of the group by a shorter, laterally directed, and basally broader intermediate appendage. Additionally, the dorsal phallic sclerite is apically broad and highly sinuate (directed ventrad).

Adult. Length of forewing 6–6.5 mm, n=54. Color of head, thorax, and legs brown; setae on body grey and yellow; tegulae with long, golden brown and grey setae; setae on wings golden brown along costal margin with patches of grey setae interspersed along margin and on most of wing surface.

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view rounded, anterior margin convex, posterior margin sinuate and submedially concave; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin concave, posterior margin convex, medially shallowly emarginate. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae; lower lip of tergum X membranous, smooth, without dorsal microsetae, digitate; in dorsal view obtuse; in caudal view produced dorsad of phallocrypt. Intermediate appendage not longer than inferior appendage, basally broad and narrowing apically, with long basal setae and few scattered subapically; in dorsal view broad, tapering mesoventrally to acute apex; in caudal view lanceolate, curved, laterally flattened, narrowing and becoming sclerous apically, directed medially, with apex curved posterolaterad. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process bulbous, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, bearing dorsal microsetae; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view deltoid, in lateral view oblong; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, tapering ventrally into sclerotized apex, anteroventral margin concave, posterior margin convex; in caudal view not fused basomesally, processes separated, ventral margin of process acute, with ventrolateral margin produced ventrad. Inferior appendage bipartite with anterior basal plate extending anterad beyond sternum IX when observed in lateral view; dorsal branch setose, in lateral view clavate, directed posterodorsad; in ventral view narrow, lateral margin convex, slightly undulate, posterior margin rounded, mesal margin slightly undulate, concave, expanding posterad into ventral branch; ventral branch setose, basally broad, in lateral view ovate, broadly narrowing posterad; in ventral view broadly rhombate, mesal margin straight, shallowly converging mesally. Phallus short; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate, apex large, subquadrate; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view rounded; endothecal membrane with 2 stout, medium-sized, laterally directed, sclerotized spines.

Material examined. MEXICO: Nuevo Leon: Villa Santiago , 250 m, 22.vi.1940 Hoogstraal — 1 male [holotype] ( INHS) ; Municipio de Allende, Raíces, Río Ramos , 25°15'00"N, 100°02'00"W, 28.v.1985, Bueno- Soria & Contreras — 1 male ( IBUNAM) ; San Luis Potosí: El Salto Falls , 19.vi.1962, Mockford — 2 males ; UNITED STATES: Texas: Bandera County: Sabinal River @ FM 337, 14 mi E Leakey, 13.x.1995, Moulton & Abbot — 11 males ( DRC) ; Winans Creek @ TX Hwy 16 ca. 4 mi N. Bandera , 12.iv.1992, Moulton & Stewart — 9 males ( DRC) ; Blanco County: Pedernales River, in Pedernales Falls State Park , downstream falls @ picnic area, 244 m, 24.vii.1985, Brigham & Brower — 2 males ( INHS) ; Kerr County: North Fork, Guadalupe River @ TX1340 about 7 mi w intersection of TX1340 & TX 39 ( Bee Caves Creek ), 30°03'25"N, 99°25'10"W, 561 m, 23.vii.1985, Brigham & Brower — 2 males ( INHS) ; Guadalupe River @ Kerrville , 0.1 mi downstream TX 16 in Louise Hays Park, 30°02'40"N, 99°08'25"W, 488 m, 24.vii.1985, A. Brower — 1 males ; Uvalde County: Nueces River , 18 mi NW Uvalde @ 19 mi crossing on TX 55, 29°23'45"N, 100°00'05"W, 335 m, 4.ix.1986, AR Brigham — 23 males ; Val Verde County: Devils River, Riffle 0.6 at upstream, TX 163 @ Rakers Crossings , 20 mi N. Comstock ( Bakers Crossing 7.5 map), 29°58'10"N, 101°09'20"W, 457 m, 22.vii.1985, Brigham & Brower — 2 males ( DRC) .

Distribution. Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, USA (Texas) ( Bueno-Soria 1990; Flint et al. 1999).