Neotyphloceras crackensis, Sanchez, Juliana & Lareschi, Marcela, 2014

Sanchez, Juliana & Lareschi, Marcela, 2014, Two new species of Neotyphloceras (Siphonaptera: Ctenophthalmidae) from Argentinean Patagonia, Zootaxa 3784 (2), pp. 159-170 : 161-164

Neotyphloceras crackensis n. sp.

Figures 2–11

Type specimens. Holotype male: ex Graomys griseoflavus Waterhouse, Bahía Cracker, Chubut Province (42º57’02”S, 64º28’45”W) (MLP-DUS494-2); allotype female: (same data as holotype) (MLP-DUS494-3); paratypes: ex G. griseoflavus , 10 males (MLP-DUS465-1, MLP-DUS465-2, MLP-DUS468-1, MLP-DUS468-2, MLP-DUS470, MLP-DUS487-1, CNP-DUS487-2, CNP-DUS494-1, NHM-DUS494-2, NHM-DUS494-4), 3 females (MLP-DUS457, CNP-DUS470, NHM-DUS487-3); ex Akodon iniscatus Thomas, 3 males (MLP-DUS461, MLP-DUS464, MLP-DUS471); ex Reithrodon auritus G. Fischer, 2 males (MLP-DUS488-1, MLP-DUS488-2), 3 females (MLP-DUS488-1, MLP-DUS488-2, NHM-DUS488-3); ex Eligmodontia typus F. Cuvier, 1 male (MLP- DUS489).

Additional specimens examined. Ex G. griseoflavus , Bajo Los Huesos, Chubut province (43º11’42.3”S, 64º51’52.1”W), 2 females (DUS497-1, DUS497-2); ex G. griseoflavus, Puerto Piojo, Chubut Province (44º53’00.4”S, 65º40’19.2”W), 4 males (DUS589-1, DUS589-2, DUS594, DUS601), 1 female (DUS589-3); ex E. typus , 1 female (DUS618); ex R. auritus , 1 male (DUS655), 1 female (DUS644); ex Eligmodontia morgani Allen, Pico Salamanca, Chubut Province (45º24’32.4”S, 67º25’00”W), 1 male (DUS691), 2 females (DUS741-1, DUS741-2); ex R. auritus , 4 males (DUS696, DUS703-1, DUS703-2, DUS703-3), 1 female (DUS696); ex Abrothrix olivacea (Waterhouse) 2 males (DUS680, DUS748), 2 females (DUS681, DUS739); ex A. olivacea , Pali Aike, Santa Cruz Province (50º06’30”S, 68º27’37”W), 3 males (LTU662, LTU674, LTU675), 3 females (LTU666, LTU668-1, LTU668-2).

The male holotype, female allotype, 12 male and 3 female paratypes and other specimens will be deposited in the Colección de Entomología del Museo de La Plata ( MLP). Two male and one female paratypes will be deposited in the “Annexes” of the Colección de Mamíferos del Centro Nacional Patagónico-CENPAT (CNP), and 2 male and 2 female paratypes in the Natural History Museum (NHM).

Diagnosis. Neotyphloceras crackensis n. sp. is similar to N. crassispina crassispina , N. crassispina hemisus and N. chilensis in general appearance but differs from N. crassispina crassispina and N. crassispina hemisus by the length of the fourth spine of the genal comb and additionally from N. crassispina hemisus by the absence of abdominal spinelets. The male of N. crackensis n. sp. is similar to N. chilensis but differs from N. crassispina crassispina and N. crassispina hemisus in the location of the last seta of the fixed process of the clasper and by the concavity of the dorsal edge of the distal arm of sternum IX. The male of N. crackensis n. sp. is unique in the following characteristics: distal arm of sternum IX with apex forming a projection bearing six curved spine-like setae, five on the ventral margin and one at the apex (in N. crassispina crassispina and N. crassispina hemisus the dorsal margin is strongly concave and bears six or seven spine-like ventromarginal setae, the first three strongly pigmented and located in the apex above the others; in N. chilensis the dorsal margin is slightly concave and bears five ventral, curved spine-like setae, the first seta located in the center above the others); shape of the crochet of the aedeagus, with proximal margin of the apex forming two projections and distal margin almost straight or slightly concave (in N. chilensis with one rounded projection on proximal margin and distal margin strongly convex, in N. crassispina crassispina and N. crassispina hemisus proximal margin with one large projection almost rounded and distal margin almost convex).

The female of N. crackensis n. sp. is unique in that the contour of the distal margin of sternum VII bears a conspicuous lobe in the middle. This lobe is located in a lower position in N. rosenbergi ; while the distal margin is rounded in N. crassispina crassispina and N. crassispina hemisus , and almost straight in N. chilensis .

Description. Head ( Figs. 2–5 ) with frons slightly concave, about four times longer than high, with two frontal rows of setae: first row with six or seven equidistant setae on each side, tips exceeding the insertion of setae of the next row; second row with three equidistant setae on each side, the longest seta extending to the distal end of the longest spine of the genal comb. Three placoids along the margin of the frons, without frontal tubercle. Occipital region with four rows of setae ( Figs. 4, 5 ). First antennal segment with 10–15 small setae; second antennal segment with 13–15 short setae reaching the first segment of the clavus; antennal clavus subequal in length to the first antennal segment in males ( Figs. 2, 4 ) and twice the length in females ( Figs. 3, 5 ). A row of small setae bordering antennal fossa: 30–35 in males ( Figs. 2, 4 ) and 15–20 in females and restricted to the caudal margin of the head ( Figs. 3, 5 ). Genal comb with four pointed spines on each side, the first two overlapping and the fourth shorter than the others (60–80% length of longest spine). Preoral margin with two setae on each side. Genal process sharp, subequal in length to the longest spine of the genal comb. Maxillary lobe sharp, extending beyond half of the maxillary palpus. Maxillary palpus four-segmented, reaching to about the middle of the forecoxa, first and second segments subequal in length, third segment shorter and fourth segment longer than the others. Labial palpus fivesegmented, long, extending to about the distal edge of forecoxa; first and fifth segment subequal in length and 1.5 times longer than second and third segments. Lacinia slightly serrated and subequal in length to the labial palpus.

Pronotum with one row of four or five long and equidistant setae on each side ( Figs. 2–5 ); pronotal comb with 9–11 spines on each side; length of longest spine subequal to the width of pronotum. Mesonotum with three rows of short setae and one apical row with five or six long setae; mesepisternum with a group of small setae on the anterior region and one or two long setae posteriorly; mesepimere with four or five setae; metanotum with two anterior rows of six short setae and one apical row with five or six long setae; lateral metanotal area long, subequal to pleural arch and with a long seta; pleural arch and ridge well developed; metepisternum with one long seta; furca of metasternum about one fourth the length of the pleural ridge; metepimeron with six long setae and two or three small ones.

On legs ( Figs. 2–3 ) fore coxa with 40–50 setae distributed over entire surface; with one long seta on posterior margin. Middle and hind coxae with setae distributed only on anterior margin (10–14, 20–25, respectively). Fore femur with a dorsal marginal row of 11–13 small setae and with two rows of 10–12 setae on the inner side. Middle femur with a subventral row of three or four setae on the inner side. Hind femur with a subventral row of five or seven setae on the inner side and six setae on the outer side restricted to the distal region, and with one ventral pair of setae on the proximal margin and one dorsal pair of setae on the distal margin, the longest seta reaching the second notch of the tibia. Middle and hind femora with 20–23 dorsomarginal pairs of small setae. Fore tibia with 10–14 setae on distal half of the outer side. Middle and hind tibia with 15–20 setae on the outer side and five to seven setae on the inner side. All tibiae with eight dorsomarginal notches bearing large setae from apex to base as follows: fore tibia (2; 2; 2; 2; 2; 2; 2; 2); middle and hind tibiae (2; 2; 1-2; 1-2; 2; 2; 2-3; 2); longest caudal setae extending to beyond the middle of the first tarsal segment. First hind tarsal segment more than twice the length of the third and fifth segment and more than four times longer than fourth segment.

Abdomen ( Figs. 2–3, 6–7 ) without spinelets. Tergites II–VI with two rows of setae (anterior 4, posterior 8–10), setae of anterior row shorter than those of the posterior row. Tergum VII with two antesensilial setae on each side. Fossa of spiracle of tergites II–VII short, cone-shaped. Sensilium strongly convex posteriorly, with 13–15 sensilial pits. Sternum III–VI with three or four setae on each side. Dorsal anal lobe long, narrow, cone-shaped, ventral anal lobe conical, shorter than dorsal anal lobe; with two long ventral setae on each side.

Modified abdominal segments in the male ( Figs. 6 , 8, 9 ): sternum VII with three or four setae on each side. Tergum VIII with four to six setae above the spiracle. Fixed process of the clasper (P) ( Fig. 8 ): upper lobe (PI) with apex straight; with three or four submarginal setae and one row of eight to ten dorsomarginal setae, the last seta inserted away from the tip by a distance of about twice the width of the fixed process at the point of attachment of the seta; lower lobe (PII) with rounded distal edge and without setae. Movable process (F) ( Fig. 8 ) with one strongly pigmented seta on each side and four to six small setae on the apex; distal margin rounded; ventral margin slightly indented, with a row of 12–15 small setae along its edge. With two branches of the manubrium, the upper (MnI) hook-shaped, shorter and narrower than lower (MnII) ( Fig. 6 ). Acetabulum with a vertical row of 11–14 small spiniform setae; below this row a wide, strongly pigmented, spatulate spine and two narrow, pigment-free setae. Sternum IX ( Fig. 9 ) with proximal arm (PAIX) and distal arm (DAIX) subequal in length; distal arm with apex forming a slightly concave projection bearing one small dorsomarginal seta in the centre and six curved, spine-like ventromarginal setae, the first seta strongly pigmented and located in the apex.

Aedeagus ( Figs. 6 , 10 ) with aedeagal apodeme (AEA) long, more than six times longer than broad. Median dorsal lobe (MDL) strongly sclerotized. Lateral lobes (LL) present. Sclerotized inner tube (SIT) long, straight, narrow. Apical median sclerite (AMS) present, shorter than inner tube and located near the middle of the inner tube. Crochet of aedeagus (CR) apical, with long base, apex with proximal margin forming two projections, upper projection longer and wider than lower projection; distal margin almost straight. Two long apodemal struts (APS), proximal strut larger than distal strut and with dorso-proximal margin sclerotized. Crescent sclerite (CS) conspicuous above apodemal strut. Penis rod (PR) uncoiled, with a fold in the anterior portion and subequal to or longer than the tendon of sternite IX (TStIX) ( Fig. 6 ). Without dorsal membranous lobe arising from the dorsal portion of the aedeagus.

Modified abdominal segments of the female ( Figs. 7 , 11 ): sternum VII (StVII) ( Fig. 11 ) with five setae, apical margin narrow and contour of the distal margin with conspicuous lobe in the middle. Sternum VIII narrow, elongated and less sclerotized than the other segments. Tergum VIII (TVIII) ( Fig. 7 ) with long, narrow, oblique spiracles; with small setae placed above the spiracle, the upper lateral seta situated at a variable distance from ventral margin to lowest level of spiracular fossa; distal margin with a small lobe and three or four short, wide, spiniform setae. Anal stylet subapical, more than two times longer than broad at base, with a long apical setae more than twice the length of anal stylet. Spermatheca (SP) ( Figs. 7 , 11 ) with bulga larger than the hilla, cribiform area (CrA) ( Fig. 7 ) circular and heavily sclerotized. Bursa copulatrix (BC) ( Fig. 7 ) strongly sclerotized, bifurcated (Yshaped).

Etymology. This species is named for the type locality where the holotype specimen was collected, Bahía Cracker, Chubut Province, Argentina.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 7. Neotyphloceras crackensis n. sp., optical microscope view. 2) Male. 3) Female. 4) Head and thorax of male. 5) Head and thorax of female. 6) Abdomen and modified abdominal segments of male (AEA = aedeagal apodeme; MnI = upper manubrium; MnII = lower manubrium; PR = penis rod; TStIX = tendon of sternite IX). 7) Abdomen and modified abdominal segments of the female (BC = bursa copulatrix; CrA = cribiform area; SP = spermatheca; StVII = sternum VII; TVIII = tergum VIII).

FIGURES 8 – 11. Neotyphloceras crackensis n. sp. 8) Fixed process of the clasper (P) (PI = upper lobe; PII = lower lobe) and movable process (F). 9) Sternite IX of male (DAIX = distal arm of sternite IX, PAIX = proximal arm of sternite IX). 10) aedeagus (AEA = aedeagal apodeme, AMS = apico-median sclerite of aedeagus, APS = apodemal strut of aedeagus, CR = crochet, CS = crescent sclerite of aedeagus, MDL = median dorsal lobe of aedeagus, LL = lateral lobes of aedeagus, SIT = sclerotized inner tube). 11) Sternite VII (StVII) and spermatheca (SP) of female.