Limbodessus eberhardi ( Watts & Humphreys, 1999 )

Michat, Mariano C., Alarie, Yves & Watts, Chris H. S., 2012, 3584, Zootaxa 3584 (1), pp. 1-110 : 36

Limbodessus eberhardi ( Watts & Humphreys, 1999)

(Figs 69–72)

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, Carey palaeovalley, Paroo calcrete, GSWA6 (north), BES 12916, 26.43389S, 119.77722E, 8–IV–2005, coll. W. F. Humphreys and R. Leys.

Diagnosis (instar III). Larger species (HL more than 1.25 mm); head (Fig. 69) pyriform; nasale digitiform; 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 well developed; slender spinulae anterior to seta FR13 numerous (25 or more); occipital foramen moderately reduced (HW/OCW 1.95–2.50); 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 hair-like; secondary setae on U present ( Watts & Humphreys 1999).

Instar I. Not available.

Instar II. Not available.

Instar III (Figs 69–72). Head (Fig. 69). A3 less than 2.25 times longer than A1; A3 less than 1.45 times longer than A2; MN more than 4.85 times longer than broad; MP less than 1.75 times longer than labial palpus; MP2 more than 4.30 times longer than MP3; LP2 more than 0.65 times as long as LP1. Legs (Figs 70–71). L3 2.25–2.85 times longer than HW. Abdomen (Fig. 72). Chaetotaxy. Anteroventral margin of nasale with about 130 lamellae clypeales distributed in 3 rows; pro- and mesoCO without anterior secondary setae; pro-, meso- and metaCO without posterior secondary setae; proCO with less than 11 secondary setae; metaCO with less than 20 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, anteroventral and posterodorsal secondary setae on proTI present; mesoTI with more than 4 anteroventral secondary setae; metaTI with less than 9 anteroventral secondary setae; metaTI with less than 16 secondary setae; anterodorsal secondary setae on proTA absent; anterodorsal secondary setae on meso- and metaTA present; anteroventral secondary setae on pro-, meso- and metaTA present; posterodorsal secondary setae on pro-, 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 more than 7 secondary setae; metaTA with more than 18 secondary setae; secondary setae on U present ( Watts & Humphreys 1999). Measurements and ratios that characterize the body shape are shown in Table 9. Secondary leg setation detailed in Table 16.

Remarks. The description of this species was based on a single specimen (with the urogomphi broken at base) from Paroo calcrete, the same locality as the specimen described by Watts and Humphreys (1999) as “Larva form 1”. Based on similarity between the drawings in Watts and Humphreys (1999) and those in the present paper, it is likely that the specimen described as “Larva form 1” is in fact L. eberhardi . This species is included in the group of stygobitic species characterized by the presence of secondary setae on the urogomphus ( L. barwidgeeensis , L. bigbellensis , L. cooperi , L. macrohinkleri , L. nambiensis , L. raesideensis , L. yandalensis ), from which it can be absence of posterodorsal secondary setae on the meso- and metafemur, femur with less than 20 secondary setae, presence of anterodorsal secondary setae on the protibia (Fig. 70), and absence of anterodorsal secondary setae on the protarsus (Fig. 70). A drawing of the habitus of L. eberhardi was presented by Watts & Humphreys (1999).