Limbodessus pulpa ( Watts & Humphreys, 1999 )

Michat, Mariano C., Alarie, Yves & Watts, Chris H. S., 2012, 3584, Zootaxa 3584 (1), pp. 1-110 : 77

Limbodessus pulpa ( Watts & Humphreys, 1999)

( Figs 194–207 )

Source of material. Two specimens of instar I and one of instar II were used for the description ( Table 1). Larvae were collected in association with adults at the following localities: Australia, Carey palaeovalley, Paroo calcrete, GSWA 6 central, BES 5606, 26.43389S, 119.77667E, 7–V–2001, coll. W. F. Humphreys, C. H. S. Watts and S. J. B. Cooper ; Paroo calcrete, BES 5617, 7–V–2001, coll. W. F. Humphreys, C. H. S. Watts and S. J. B. Cooper ; Paroo calcrete, GSWA 6NE, BES 8132, 26.43389S, 119.77722E, 21–VIII–2001, coll. W. F. Humphreys, T. Karanovic and J. M. Waldock.

Diagnosis (instar II). Medium-sized species (instar II: HL 0.45–0.85 mm); head subpentagonal; nasale subtriangular; half-circle of dense spinulae on lateroventral margins of nasale absent; hole-like structure on ventrodistal surface of nasale absent; lateral margins of nasale not inflated in dorsal view; lateral branches of nasale minute; slender spinulae anterior to seta FR13 scarce (20 or less); occipital foramen well developed (instar II: HW/ OCW less than 1.75); occipital suture present; lateral margins of parietal curved; secondary spiniform setae on lateral margins of parietal scarce; seta AN2 present; distal half of MN broad; setae LA3, LA4, LA5 and LA8 hairlike; secondary setae on U absent.

Instar I ( Figs 194–207 ). Head ( Figs 194–202 ). Cephalic capsule not strongly elongate (HL/HW less than 1.55); seta PA3 inserted far from setae PA1 and PA2; A3 2.20–2.75 times longer than A1; A3 more than 2.25 times longer than A2; MP2 1.55–1.85 times longer than MP1; MP2 1.95–2.65 times longer than MP3; LP2 1.40–2.00 times longer than LP1. Legs ( Figs 203–204 ). L3 less than 2.85 times longer than HW. Abdomen ( Figs 205–207 ). U less than 3.45 times longer than LAS; U less than 2.35 times longer than HW; U1 1.10–1.40 times longer than U2. Chaetotaxy. Frontoclypeus with 14 lamellae clypeales; additional setae on U absent. Measurements and ratios that characterize the body shape are shown in Table 4.

Instar II. Head. A3 less than 2.50 times longer than A1; A4 less than 0.70 times as long as A3; MN less than 4.70 times longer than broad; MP2 1.05–1.45 times longer than MP1; MP2 2.10–2.95 times longer than MP3; LP2 1.00–1.70 times longer than LP1. Legs. L3 2.25–2.95 times longer than HW; CL(L3) less than 0.40 times as long as TA. Chaetotaxy. Anteroventral margin of nasale with 29 lamellae clypeales distributed in a single row; anterior secondary setae on proCO absent; meso- and metaCO with less than 5 posterodorsal secondary setae; ventral secondary setae on pro- and mesoCO present; proFE with less than 3 posteroventral secondary setae; metaFE with less than 11 secondary setae; secondary setae on proTI absent; anterodorsal secondary setae on meso- and metaTI present; meso- and metaTI with less than 2 posterodorsal secondary setae; posteroventral secondary setae on meso- and metaTI absent; metaTI with less than 5 secondary setae; secondary setae on proTA absent; posterodorsal secondary setae on meso- and metaTA present; posteroventral secondary setae on meso- and metaTA absent; metaTA with less than 4 secondary setae; secondary setae on U absent. Measurements and ratios that characterize the body shape are shown in Table 6. Secondary leg setation detailed in Table 14.

Instar III. Not available.

Remarks. The description of L. pulpa is based on two well preserved instar I and one instar II in which the second urogomphomere is broken. For this reason, morphometric characters could not be evaluated for the urogomphus of instar II. The absence of instar III specimens hampers the comparison with the other species described here, particularly regarding the chaetotaxic characters. Limbodessus pulpa belongs to the group of species characterized by the absence of secondary setae on the urogomphus ( L. challaensis , L. exilis , L. fridaywellensis , L. hillviewensis , L. hinkleri , L. leysi , L. masonensis , L. millbilliensis , L. morgani , L. ordinarius , L. raeae , L. windarraensis , L. yuinmeryensis ), and within this group is likely to be distinguished by the following combination of characters: lateral margins of the nasale not inflated in dorsal view, lateral margins of parietal curved, and claws relatively shorter as compared to tarsus (ratio CL/TA <0.40). Watts & Humphreys (1999) described a Limbodessus larva identified as “Larva form 2” from the same locality (Paroo calcrete) where the specimens of L. pulpa described here were collected. A comparison with the drawings provided by Watts & Humphreys (1999) strongly suggests that the specimen identified as “Larva form 2” is indeed L. pulpa . A drawing of the habitus of this species was presented by Watts & Humphreys (1999).

Figures

FIGURES 194–202. Limbodessus pulpa, first-instar larva. 194, cephalic capsule, dorsal aspect; 195, cephalic capsule, ventral aspect; 196, right antenna, dorsal aspect; 197, left antenna, ventral aspect; 198, right maxilla, dorsal aspect; 199, left maxilla,

FIGURES 203–207. Limbodessus pulpa, first-instar larva. 203, left metathoracic leg, anterior aspect; 204, right metathoracic