Psyllipsocus marconii 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 : 220-222

Psyllipsocus marconii Lienhard n. spec. Figs 5-6

HOLOTYPE: ISLA; 3 (slide-mounted); BRAZIL ( MG), Montalvânia, Gruta Nossa

Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro cave, 14.vii.2007, leg. R. L. Ferreira.

PARATYPES: ISLA and MHNG, slide-mounted and some parts in alcohol ; 2♀ (one of them allotype), same data as for holotype .

DESCRIPTION: General colouration light brown. Forewing with characteristic colour pattern (Fig. 5A). Head with whitish frons and light brown vertex; compound eyes dark brown. Legs light brown, lacking any patches or transversal bands. Abdomen whitish, terminalia light brown.

Both sexes macropterous (Fig. 5A-C). Forewing: Rs and M not fused for a length but joined by a crossvein (thus distal closed cell pentagonal); basal closed cell very much longer than distal closed cell (bcc/dcc ≈ 4), the latter also shorter than marginal length of pterostigma; first portion of pterostigmal R1 longer than R1-Rs crossvein and almost parallel to wing margin; CuA1 strongly curved, meeting wing margin in a right angle. Hindwing (Fig. 5BC): R1 originating basally of Rs-M fusion, thus closed cell quadrilateral. Some aberrations of hindwing venation observed in one female (Fig. 5B). 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), in basal half of antenna maximal length of flagellar hairs about 5x greatest width of their flagellomeres. Pedicellar microspades organ weakly developed (at most with 2 units). P2 chaetotaxy as in Fig. 5D, with a stout sensillum in basal half; P4 slender hatchet-shaped. Lacinial tip as in Fig. 5E. Pretarsal claws simple, symmetrical, with a small preapical denticle; hind legs with well-developed coxal organ. Epiproct (Fig. 6A) and paraproct simple in both sexes, the latter with a long anal spine and a setal organ consisting of a short fine seta and a longer, somewhat thicker seta (Fig. 5H); paraproctal sensorium with six fine trichobothria on basal florets and one normal seta.

Male with a pair of conspicuous non-articulated spines near posterior margin of clunium (Fig. 6A). Hypandrium and phallosome as in Fig. 6B; basal struts short, not reaching anterior margin of hypandrium; phallic cradle well-developed, broadly rounded; endophallus with characteristic sclerotizations and a pair of broad porebearing internal lobes.

In female posterior margin of clunium without spines. Subgenital plate simple, with rounded margin. Ovipositor valvulae as in Fig. 5G, v1 and v2 each with a sclerotized median axis. Spermatheca and spermapore plate as in Fig. 5F (the spermatheca figured contains two characteristically shaped spermatophores); sclerotizations of spermathecal wall near duct complicated, characterized by a short rounded prominence close to the origin of the duct, an external vesicle and a heavily sclerotized ridge directed to the lumen of the spermathecal sac (the imprint of this ridge is visible on the corresponding side of the spermatophores, Fig. 5F); spermapore plate simple, lacking conspicuous sclerotizations.

FIG. 5

Psyllipsocus marconii Lienhard n. spec., female allotype (A-F) and female paratype (G-H). (A) Forewing. (B) Right hindwing. (C) Left hindwing. (D) P2-P4 of maxillary palp, pilosity not shown except for P2. (E) Lacinial tip. (F) Spermapore plate and spermatheca containing two spermatophores. (G) Right ovipositor valvulae. (H) Hind margin of right paraproct.

FIG. 6

Psyllipsocus marconii Lienhard n. spec., male holotype. (A) Epiproct and clunial spines. (B) Hypandrium and phallosome, ventral view (pilosity not shown).

MEASUREMENTS: Male holotype: BL = 1.6 mm; FW = 1790 µm; FWw = 677 µm; FW/FWw = 2.64; HW = 1466 µm; F = 296 µm; T = 663 µm; t1= 243 µm; t2 = 47 µm; t3 = 56 µm; IO/D = 1.5. – Female allotype: BL = 1.9 mm; FW = 2030 µm; FWw = 720 µm; FW/FWw = 2.8; HW = 1664 µm; F = 353 µm; T = 705 µm; t1 = 259 µm; t2 = 52 µm; t3 = 58 µm; IO/D = 1.7.

ETYMOLOGY: The species is named after Marconi Souza Silva in recognition of his invaluable support to RLF, in the field and in the laboratory.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: P. marconii is only known from the type locality, the Gruta Nossa Senhora do Perpétuo Socorro cave situated in Montalvânia municipality, Minas Gerais state. This cave has been severely altered by humans for religious use. The entrance was modified (stairs were built and the natural topography was modified to prevent water flooding the cave) and a “skylight” was closed by the installation of a roof. The first metres of the main conduit were transformed into a church, and regular religious services occur in the cave. These alterations severely reduce the ingress of organic matter into the cave. The only visible resources in its deep parts are piles of bat guano, in which the specimens of P. marconii were collected. The species was only found in this cave, even though some other caves in the same area were investigated.

DISCUSSION: This species differs from all other species of the genus Psyllipsocus by its forewing pattern and by the presence of a pair of stout spines on the hind margin of the male clunium. The spermatheca of the allotype contains two spermatophores (Fig. 5F); this indicates that the species is polyandrous. See also discussion on P. thaidis , below.