Psyllipsocus clunioventralis Lienhard, 2014

Lienhard, Charles & Ferreira, Rodrigo L., 2014, New species of Psyllipsocus from Brazilian caves (Psocodea: ‘ Psocoptera’: Psyllipsocidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 121 (2), pp. 211-246 : 225-228

Psyllipsocus clunioventralis Lienhard n. spec. Figs 8-9

HOLOTYPE: ISLA; 3 (slide-mounted); BRAZIL ( MT), Chapada dos Guimarães, Gruta Kiogo Brado cave , 27.x.2006. leg. R. L. Ferreira.

PARATYPES: ISLA and MHNG, slide-mounted and in alcohol; 23 , 1♀ (allotype), same data as for holotype .

DESCRIPTION: General colouration yellowish to light brown, with some brown hypodermal pigmentation laterally on head, thorax and abdomen. P4 brown, compound eyes dark brown. Forewing with characteristic colour pattern, brown patches somewhat less extensive in male (Fig. 8A) than in female (Fig. 9A). Tibiae without transversal bands. Terminalia light brown.

Both sexes macropterous (Figs 8A, 9AB). Forewing: Rs and M fused for a length; distal closed cell longer than marginal length of pterostigma and slightly shorter than basal closed cell (bcc/dcc ≈ 1.2); first portion of pterostigmal R1 about equal in length to R1-Rs crossvein; CuA1 almost semicircular (AP relatively short). Hindwing (Fig. 9B): Basal portion of Rs not differentiated and R1 originating from R-M fusion, thus closed cell triangular. Three ocelli present. Pilosity of frons and vertex almost uniform. Antennal flagellomeres with uneven surface (due to insertion points of long and relatively thick setae) (as figured for P. didymus in Fig. 10C), in basal half of antenna maximal length of flagellar hairs about 5x greatest width of their flagellomeres. Pedicellar microspades organ well-developed, with 5 units (as figured for P. didymus in Fig. 10B). P2 chaetotaxy as in Fig. 9C, with a long and slender stout sensillum in basal half; P4 broadly hatchet-shaped (Fig. 8C). Lacinial tip as in Fig. 8B. Pretarsal claws simple, symmetrical, with a small preapical denticle; hind legs with well-developed coxal organ. Epiproct and paraproct simple in both sexes (Figs 8D, 9F), anal spine very long, setal organ consisting of two fine setae, the ventral seta usually only slightly longer than the dorsal one, paraproctal sensorium with six fine trichobothria on basal florets and one normal seta.

In the male, postero-ventral corners of clunium prolonged into a ventro-mediad directed sclerotized rod-like extension with a truncate tip (Fig. 8DF). Hypandrium and phallosome as in Fig. 8E; basal struts not differentiated; phallosome with a compact

FIG. 8

Psyllipsocus clunioventralis Lienhard n. spec., male holotype (A-E) and male paratype (F). (A) Forewing. (B) Lacinial tip. (C) Maxillary palp. (D) Left paraproct and ventral extension (clunial rod) of left hind corner of clunium (and parts of right paraproct and clunial rod). (E) Hypandrium and phallosome, ventral view (pilosity not shown). (F) Schematic representation of paraprocts, hypandrium with phallosome and (dotted) ventro-lateral parts of clunium with clunial rods.

sclerite, posteriorly bifurcate, anteriorly trilobate with a truncate median lobe and a pair of broad lateral lobes; sclerotized posterior extensions of phallosome sclerite not reaching posterior margin of hypandrium; phallic cradle anteriorly rounded, posterolaterally broadly fused to lateral sclerotizations of the hypandrium.

In the female, postero-ventral corners of clunium as usual in the genus, i. e. lacking clunial rods (see Figs 4B, 12C, 14E). Subgenital plate simple, its hind margin slightly truncate, with a row of particularly long fine setae (Fig. 9D). Ovipositor valvulae as in Fig. 9E, v1 and v2 each with a slightly sclerotized median axis. Spermapore plate as in Fig. 9I, with a horseshoe-shaped sclerotization. Spermathecal duct and wall damaged, the latter with a characteristic strap-like sclerite, probably situated near origin of duct (Fig. 9H). Spermatophore with a slender, strongly curved and thick-walled basal neck (Fig. 9G).

MEASUREMENTS: Male holotype: BL = 1.4 mm; FW = 1607 µm; FWw = 536 µm; FW/FWw = 3.0; HW = 1354 µm; F = 282 µm; T = 656 µm; t1= 215 µm; t2 = 49 µm; t3 = 52 µm; IO/D = 1.8. – Female allotype: BL = 1.2 mm; FW = 1690 µm; FWw = 635 µm; FW/FWw = 2.7; HW = 1450 µm; F = 290 µm; T = 635 µm; t1 = 200 µm; t2 = 49 µm; t3 = 54 µm; IO/D = 1.6.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet ( clunioventralis , - is, - e) refers to the presence, in the male, of a ventral extension of the clunium.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: P. clunioventralis is only known from the type locality, the Gruta Kiogo Brado cave situated in Chapada dos Guimarães municipality, Mato Grosso state. This sandstone cave is located near a Brazilian National Park, and so it is well preserved. The vegetation belongs to the Brazilian Savannah (“Cerrado”) which is little altered compared with other areas. Although the cave has a small watercourse, most substrates are dry, because the small stream runs in the lower part of the cave. The cave contains several bat guano piles (especially from the carnivorous bat Chrotopterus auritus ), whereon the specimens were found. This cave lacks aphotic zones, since the only conduit is straight and has a big entrance at each extremity. Two other caves were sampled nearby, but P. clunioventralis was not found.

DISCUSSION: P. clunioventralis is characterized by its forewing pattern, the anteriorly rounded phallic cradle and the shape of the phallosome sclerite. The presence of a pair of clunial rods in the male of this species and of the closely related P. didymus clearly distinguishes these species from all other members of the genus Psyllipsocus . These two species also have a very characteristic compact and anteriorly trilobate phallosome sclerite. Its antero-lateral lobes are probably rudiments of the basal struts of a normal Psyllipsocus phallosome (see Fig. 1I and figures in Mockford, 2011).

The only other species of Psyllipsocus showing a sexually dimorphic structure of the postero-ventral clunial corners are the closely related species of the clunjunctus group ( P. clunjunctus Lienhard , P. serrifer Lienhard , P. similis Lienhard ) recently described from Brazilian caves ( Lienhard & Ferreira, 2013b). However, in these three species the prolonged clunial corners of the male are medio-ventrally fused to each other, forming a complex sclerotized clunial bridge. See also General Discussion, below.

FIG. 9

Psyllipsocus clunioventralis Lienhard n. spec., female allotype. (A) Forewing. (B) Hindwing. (C) P2-chaetotaxy. (D) Subgenital plate. (E) Left ovipositor valvulae. (F) Epiproct. (G) Basal part of spermatophore. (H) Spermathecal sclerotization. (I) Spermapore plate.

The presence of three spermatophores in the spermatheca of the allotype of

P. clunioventralis indicates that the species is polyandrous.