Limbodessus praelargus (Lea, 1899)

Michat, Mariano C., Alarie, Yves & Watts, Chris H. S., 2012, 3584, Zootaxa 3584 (1), pp. 1-110 : 22

Limbodessus praelargus (Lea, 1899)

(Figs 18–21)

Source of material. One specimen of instar III was used for the description ( Table 1). The larva was collected in association with adults at the following locality: Australia, 18 km W Casterton, Vic, 29–VIII–1999, coll. C. H. S. Watts.

Diagnosis (instar III). Medium-sized species (HL 0.55–1.15 mm); head (Fig. 18) 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 (HW/OCW less than 1.90); 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 robust; secondary setae on U present (Fig. 21).

Instar I. Not available.

Instar II. Not available.

Instar III (Figs 18–21). Head (Fig. 18). A3 less than 2.25 times longer than A1; A3 less than 1.45 times longer than A2; MN less than 4.85 times longer than broad; MP less than 1.75 times longer than labial palpus; MP2 2.10– 3.10 times longer than MP3; LP2 more than 0.65 times as long as LP1. Legs (Figs 19–20). L3 more than 2.85 times longer than HW. Abdomen (Fig. 21). U more than 3.10 times longer than LAS; U more than 2.30 times longer than HW; U1 1.80–2.60 times longer than U2. Chaetotaxy. Anteroventral margin of nasale with 49 lamellae clypeales distributed in 2 rows; proCO with more than 7 anterior secondary setae; mesoCO with more than 9 anterior secondary setae; proCO with 1 posterior secondary setae; mesoCO with 11 posterior secondary setae; metaCO with 13 posterior secondary setae; proCO with more than 21 secondary setae; metaCO with more than 44 secondary setae; anterodorsal secondary setae on pro- and metaFE present; metaFE with less than 12 anteroventral secondary setae; posterodorsal secondary setae on meso- and metaFE absent; metaFE with 9–27 secondary setae; anterodorsal secondary setae on proTI present; anteroventral secondary setae on proTI absent; mesoTI with less than 4 anteroventral secondary setae; metaTI with less than 9 anteroventral secondary setae; posterodorsal secondary setae on proTI absent; metaTI with less than 16 secondary setae; anterodorsal secondary setae on pro-, meso- and metaTA absent; anteroventral and posterodorsal secondary setae on proTA absent; anteroventral secondary setae on meso- and metaTA present; posterodorsal secondary setae on meso- and metaTA present; posteroventral secondary setae on pro- and mesoTA present; metaTA with 1–5 posteroventral secondary setae; proTA with 1–7 secondary setae; mesoTA with less than 7 secondary setae; metaTA with less than 16 secondary setae; secondary setae on U present. Measurements and ratios that characterize the body shape are shown in Table 11. Secondary leg setation detailed in Table 19.

Remarks. Within the group of epigean species, L. praelargus is more similar to L. inornatus , both taxa sharing the presence of secondary setae on the urogomphus (Fig. 21). Limbodessus praelargus differs from L. inornatus in its shorter legs and urogomphus and in the presence of less than 50 secondary setae on the metacoxa.