Siamoglaris theresiae, Lienhard & Ch-, 2011

Lienhard, Charles, 2011, A new species of Siamoglaris from Thailand with complementary description of the type species (Psocodea: ‘ Psocoptera’: Prionoglarididae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 118 (2), pp. 293-306 : 301-306

Siamoglaris theresiae sp. n. Figs 5-6

HOLOTYPE: QSBG, 3 (on 3 microscopical slides), Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary , nature trail, 491m, Malaise trap, 30.ix-7.x.2007, leg. Songkran & Apichart, T3174 .

PARATYPES: MHNG , 23, Thailand, Kamphaeng Phet Province, Mae Wong National Park, Chong Yen , 1306m, Malaise trap, 8-15.x.2007, leg. C. Piluek & A. Inpuang ( T3686 ) and 17-24.iii.2008, leg. C. Piluek ( T3641 ) .

DESCRIPTION OF MALE (female unknown): Habitus as in S. zebrina (cf. Fig. 1). Colouration in general as describd for S. zebrina by Lienhard (2004), with the following slight differences: head anteroventrally with more dark pigment (Fig. 5a); colour pattern of the legs highly contrasted, femora with a dark brown transversal band of hypodermal pigment in 2/3 of their length (Fig. 5i); some brown pigmentation present along the pterostigmal veins in forewing (Fig. 6a of PT, forewings of HT damaged). Colour pattern of eyes not well-preserved in the specimens examined (after 2-3 years in alcohol) but still partially visible (Fig. 5a). General morphology as described for S. zebrina by Lienhard (2004), with the following differences. Vertex with a pair of small lateral protuberances near compound eyes (Fig. 5a). Antennae damaged in all specimens examined. Both maxillary palps broken in HT. Maxillary palp of PT (sample T3641) as figured for S. zebrina by Lienhard (2004: figs 1 and 10), its terminal article with 5 thin-walled conical sensilla in apical half (as figured for FIG. 5

Siamoglaris theresiae sp. n., male holotype: (a) Head (frontal view, pilosity not shown). (b) Remnant of left lacinia (length about 70 µ m). (c) Remnant of right lacinia. (d) Posterior pretarsal claw of midleg (internal view). (e) Anterior pretarsal claw of midleg (external view). (f) Phallosome (ventral view) with naturally everted distal structures and slightly swollen blisters. (g) Posterior part of phallosome (ventral view) showing details of everted distal structures. (h) Labial palpus (pilosity not shown, except for thin-walled internal sensilla). (i) hindleg (pilosity not shown).

FIG. 6

Siamoglaris theresiae sp. n., male paratype (sample T3686): (a) Forewing. (b) Hindwing. (c) Phallosome (lateral view) with retracted distal structures. (d) Ditto (dorsal view). (e) Posterior part of phallosome (ventral view) with artificially provoked partial eversion of distal structures (see Material and methods). (f) Abdominal base (dorsal view) showing pair of small hemispherical humps anteromedially of spiracles of segment 3.

S. zebrina by Lienhard, 2007: fig. 3b). Remnant of lacinia relatively short (length about 70 µ m), apically weakly sclerotized and slightly bidenticulate (Fig. 5b, c). Anterodorsal region of abdomen with a pair of small hemispherical humps (Fig. 6f). Terminalia (Figs 5f-g, 6c-e): Epiproct, paraproct and hypandrium simple, similar to those of S. zebrina ( Lienhard, 2004: figs 14, 15). Apex of dorsolateral appendages of phallosome rather abruptly narrowed (Figs 5f, 6d). Shape of apical part of phallosome variable due to movable distal structures and inflatable membranous blisters. For a view of all structures completely everted see Fig. 5f, g; for apical structures retracted see Fig. 6c, d; for partially everted apical structures see Fig. 6e. Eversible structures lacking conspicuous hooked claspers but bearing a small finely spiculate conical lobe near opening of ejaculatory duct; this median lobe directed anteriad after eversion of the apical structures of the phallosome (Figs 5f, g and 6e); distal part of ejaculatory duct curved in retracted state (Fig. 6c, interrupted lines). Medioventral process (sensu Lienhard, 2004) posteriorly delimited by a transversal reticulate membrane bearing a pair of slightly sclerotized posterolateral lobes (Figs 5f, g and 6e); these conspicuous lobes also visible in retracted state (Fig. 6d). Measurements (HT except for wing lengths): BL = 2.3 mm; FW = 4.0 mm (PT); HW = 2.7 mm (PT); F = 846 µ m; T = 1450 µ m; t1 = 804 µ m; t2 = 210 µ m; t3 = 193 µ m; IO/D = 1.06.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is dedicated to my friend and colleague Thérèse Cuche (MHNG) in recognition of her invaluable assistance in my research on Psocoptera during more than 20 years. After retiring in 2007 she continues to work voluntarily for the Geneva Museum. Due to her competent sorting to morphospecies and labeling of the thousands of psocids collected by the TIGER-project this fascinating material became accessible to scientific studies.

DISCUSSION: The new species is easy to distinguish from S. zebrina by the presence of a pair of small protuberances of the vertex, near the compound eyes (Fig. 5a), and of a pair of small hemispherical humps anterodorsally on the abdomen (Fig. 6f). These characters are probably present in both sexes, but as the female is unknown, the possibility of sexual dimorphism cannot be ruled out. Two colour characters should also be mentioned here, although probably of limited diagnostic value, i.e. the presence, in S. theresiae , of a brown transversal band in about 2/3 of the femora (Fig. 5i) and of some brown pigmentation along the pterostigmal veins in the forewing (Fig. 6a). The phallosomes of the two species of Siamoglaris differ by the shape of the dorsolateral appendages, distally more abruptly narrowed in S. theresiae (Figs 5f, 6d) than in S. zebrina (Fig. 4), by the presence of a pair of sclerotized terminal claspers in S. zebrina (Fig. 4), absent in S. theresiae (Figs 5f, g and 6d, e), by the presence of a pair of slightly sclerotized lateral lobes at the posterior margin of the medioventral part in S. theresiae (Figs 5f, g and 6d, e), absent in S. zebrina (Fig. 4), and by some details of the eversible posterior structures, especially the presence, medially near the opening of the ejaculatory duct, of a spiculate conical lobe in S. theresiae (Figs 5g, 6e) which could not be observed in S. zebrina (Fig. 4b, c). The mechanism of everting the distal parts of the phallosome (observed in one paratype) corresponds to that described for S. zebrina . For S. theresiae it has to be noted that the characteristic spiculate conical lobe near the opening of the ejaculatory duct is difficult or impossible to observe in the retracted state (Fig. 6d).

Almost nothing is known about the biology of S. theresiae . The type locality is situated at the foot of a large limestone mountain with caves (e. g. Chiang Dao Cave) and subterranean crevices (Peter Schwendinger, pers. comm.). The paratypes were collected in a area with isolated limestone outcrops. Therefore it seems possible that

FIG. 7

Prionoglaris stygia Enderlein: (a) Posterior pretarsal claw of hindleg (internal view). (b) Anterior pretarsal claw of hindleg (external view). (c) Left paraproct of female (specimen from the type locality). (d) Epiproct of female (same specimen; posterior margin pointing to bottom of figure plate). (e) Subgenital plate, ovipositor valvulae (pilosity on right side not shown), ventrolateral parts of clunium, spermapore region and distal part of spermathecal duct (same specimen).

also this species has some affinities to caves or similar subterranean habitats, at least during its nymphal life, as has been observed in most Prionoglarididae and postulated for S. zebrina (see Discussion of the latter species, above).