Polyplectropus elongatus (Yamamoto)

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 164-166

Polyplectropus elongatus (Yamamoto)

Figs. 83, 136

Polycentropus elongatus Yamamoto, 1966: 909 . [Type locality: Argentina, Pcia. Misiones, Iguazú; IML (housed at INHS); male].— Flint, 1968 b: 21 [to Polyplectropus ].

Polyplectropus elongatus is most similar to P. dubitatus Flint in the overall shape of the male genitalia, especially in the presence of elongate, stout spines in the endothecal membrane of the phallus. Polyplectropus elongatus can be distinguished from P. dubitatus by the oblong sternum IX (rounded in P. dubitatus ), by the shorter ventral branch and slender and more sinuate dorsal branch of the inferior appendage, and by the thinner spines of the phallus.

Adult. Length of forewing 3.5–4.0 mm, n=3. Color of head and thorax brown, legs yellowish-brown; 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; in dorsal view obtuse; in caudal view produced dorsad of phallocrypt. Intermediate appendage longer than inferior appendage, rod-like, with long basal setae and few scattered subapically; in dorsal view lanceolate, directed mesad; in caudal view lanceolate, curved, 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 subquadrate; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, with ventrad-directed sclerotized apex, ventral margin concave, posterior margin rounded; 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 narrowly oblong, with posteroventral margin slightly concave subapically; 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, rounded posterad; in ventral view subquadrate, mesal margin straight, shallowly converging mesally. Phallus long; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate, apex oblong; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view membranous; dorsolateral arm of dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view digitate, horseshow-shaped; endothecal membrane with 2 stout, elongate, sclerotized spines.

Material examined. ARGENTINA: Misiones: Iguazú , 30.i.–13.iii.1945, Haywood, Willing & Golbach — 1 male ( IML, currently at INHS) [holotype] ; BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Río Santo Antônio, downstream from Morro do Pilar , 19°08’08”S, 43°21’15”W, 530 m, 17.x.2000, Paprocki & Ferreira — 2 males, 1 female ( UMSP) .

Distribution. Argentina and Brazil.

Remarks. Type never deposited at IML, currently housed at INHS.