Nyctantonina Vélez

Vélez-Bravo, Andrés, 2013, One new genus of cockroach in the Neotropical subfamily Nyctiborinae (Dictyoptera: Blattodea: Ectobiidae), Zootaxa 3681 (1), pp. 79-84 : 80-81

Nyctantonina Vélez , gen. nov.

Differential diagnosis. This genus is closely related to Nyctibora . It can be externally differentiated by the smaller size of the species of Nyctantonia (body length 19–20 mm); and by the spines of the antero-ventral margin of the cephalic femur, which are shorter in comparison to the spines present in Nyctibora . Additionally, this margin has only two distal spines in Nyctantonina whereas Nyctibora has three. On the genital sclerites, the males of Nyctantonina have the right arm (R 1t, subregion of the genital sclerite R; see Figs. 8, 14 ) short, reaching only onefifth the length of the left arm (R2). Additionally, there is a large projection that arises from the right lateral margin of R2 ( Figs. 8, 14 ), a unique features in Nyctiborinae .

Generic description. Species of medium size (19.0– 20 mm). Head triangular; eyes reniform, extending antero-laterally beyond the antennal socket; intraocular distance narrow (0.3 mm) at its closest distance and less than distance between the antennal sockets (1.8–1.9 mm) ( Figs. 1, 2 ); gena and pleurostoma undivided, at least externally, so that the subgenal suture visible only on the inner margin of pleurostoma; subantennal suture ending next to the inferior margin of the eye; face covered with scattered long setae; gena bare. Antennae long, surpassing the apex of the tegmina, filiform and setose throughout; first flagellar segment shorter than the pedicel.

Pronotum parabolic, cephalic margin convex and caudal margin truncated ( Figs. 1, 2 ). Tegmina and pronotum densely covered with fine silky pubescence. Male with both pairs of wings slightly surpassing the apex of cerci. Fore wings with base of remigium narrower than the base of vanal region (vannus) and apically rounded; discoidal sector longitudinal. Legs long and slender; cephalic coxa with a medial diagonal carina; antero-ventral margin of the cephalic femur with a row of stout spines distally gradually decreasing in size and with two terminal spines; tarsomeres 1?4 with pulvilli, the pulvillus of the basal metatarsomere very long, covering more than half of the length of metatarsomere; tarsal claws simple and asymmetrical; arolium present.

First abdominal tergite unspecialized. Supra-anal plate with cerci long and cylindrical ( Figs. 3, 9 ); ventrally, right paraproct straight and claw-shaped, articulated to the lateral margin of the supra-anal plate only through an accessory sclerite by the middle of its lateral right margin ( Figs. 4, 10 ; see rp). Male subgenital plate slightly asymmetric ( Figs. 5, 11 ). Internally, attached to this plate, membranous pouch with genital sclerites L2 ( Figs. 6, 12 ), L3 ( Figs. 7, 13 ), L4 (see Klass 1995, Fig. 325) and R (right phallomere) ( Figs. 8, 14 ).

Genital sclerite L2 thin and elongated. Sclerotized region L2a and process "via" separated, but closely articulated (Articulation 10 (A10), see Klass 1995) ( Fig. 6 ); process "via" claw-shaped; its basal area with an opening on its left side, length of which is slightly greater than the total width of the process; apical area arched with the apex pointing towards the left. L2a region at least four times length of process "via"; it not fully sclerotized, with only a lateral sclerotized stripe running longitudinally ( Figs. 6, 12 ; gray area).

Sclerite L3 with hook "hla" with the typical shape observed in most species of Ectobiidae and Blaberidae , with distal area elongated and with notch "45" ( Figs. 7, 13 ). Basal area of "hla" longer than its distal area, left lateral margin of basal area is straight. Membranous tube of hook "hla" not covered by setae, left lateral area sclerotized forming plate L3l ( Figs. 7, 13 ).

Sclerite L4 only represented by the sclerotized region L4l, located in the higher left corner of the membranous pouch.

Sclerite R (right phallomere) formed by sclerotized regions R1, R2, R3 and R4 ( Fig. 8 ). Region R1 as a large and bulky structure at the caudal region of sclerite R. Regions R1 and R3 articulated by the lower right corner of R3 and upper right corner of R1 ( Fig. 8 ); subregion R 1t not fused with other subregions of R1; complex R 1t +R2 with right arm (R 1t) short, reaching only 1/5 the length of the right arm; left arm (R2) with a projection arising from its right lateral margin, extending beyond the right lateral margin of R 1t ( Fig. 8 ); apex of left arm thick and pointed.

Region R3 ( Fig. 8 ) as a semi-triangular, slightly sclerotized plate, with its lower right corner slightly projected, forming a short arm (R3c) which is articulated to R1c ( Figs. 8, 14 ).

Region R4 as an elongated dorsal plate, covering some part of R1 and R3 ( Figs. 8, 14 ). Right corner of R4 ending in a short projection coming out from the membranous pouch ( Figs. 8, 14 ).

Etymology. Dedicated to the senior author's daughter Antonia.

Type species. Nyctantonina breviclasma Vélez sp. nov., by present designation.

Figures

FIGURES 3 – 14. Supra-anal plate (dorsal), subgenital plate (ventral) and male genital sclerites of holotypes of the species of Nyctantonina. Nyctantonina breviclasma sp. nov. 3. Supra-anal plate (dorsal). 4. Supra-anal plate (sa) (ventral) with the paraprocts (rp: right, lp: left). 5. Subgenital plate (ventral). 6. Median sclerite L 2 (dorsal). 7. Hook " hla " of L 3 (ventral). 8. Right sclerite R (dorsal) (sclerotized regions R 1 [subregions R 1 c, R 1 d, R 1 v, R 1 t], R 2, R 3, R 4). Nyctantonina pteromacrotata sp. nov. 9. Supra-anal plate (dorsal). 10. Supra-anal plate (ventral) with the paraprocts. 11. Subgenital plate (ventral). 12. Median sclerite L 2. 13. Hook " hla " of L 3 (ventral). 14. Right sclerite R (dorsal). Dashed lines represent the dorsal wall of the membranous pouch, through which emerges the left side of R 4. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 1 – 2. Habitus (dorsal; scale bar 1 cm) and head (ventral; scale bar 1 mm) of species of Nyctantonina gen. nov. 1. Nyctantonina breviclasma sp. nov., holotype male. 2. Nyctantonina pteromacrotata sp. nov., holotype male.