Leptohyphes brevissimus Eaton 1892

Baumgardner, D. E. & Mccafferty, W. P., 2010, Revision of the genus Leptohyphes Eaton (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) in North and Central America, Zootaxa 2360 (1), pp. 1-33 : 10-13

Leptohyphes brevissimus Eaton 1892

Leptohyphes brevissimus Eaton, 1892:12 ; Traver, 1958; Allen, 1978.

Diagnosis: Because only three females are available, it is not possible at this time to diagnosis this species from others in the genus.

Description: Male Adult: Unknown. Female Adult (pinned): Length. Body, 2.0 mm; forewing, 4.0 mm. Body dark brown to black. Legs brown becoming pale brown distally. Forewing ( Fig. 25E ): reddish-brown; vein CuP not strongly curved towards A; vein ICu 2 free; ICu 1 attached basally to CuA by crossvein; MP 2 united basally to IMP by cross veins. Legs: yellowish to pale reddish-brown to grey, with basal blackish shading. Hind wing absent. Abdomen. Dark brown with black markings. Larva: Unknown.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality in Zapote, Guatemala.

FIGURES 33–36. Leptohyphes lestes , larva. 33, head and prothorax (dorsal) [C]. 34, foreleg (dorsal) [B]. 35, metaleg (dorsal) [E]. 36, hind claw (ventrolateral) [D]. Scale bars (mm): A = 1.5; A = 0.05; B, C, E = 0.50.; D = 0.1.

Discussion: Little is known concerning this species, which was described from Guatemala on the basis of three dried female adults. The type locality, Zapote, is located in the state of Escuintla, 12 km. northwest of the town of Escuintla (N14°23’; W90°52’). The original description was very vague, and consisted of only three sentences. It is highly questionable if a male or larva can ever be associated with this species. As is the situation with Leptohyphes berneri , there is a strong possibility that a previously described species of Leptohyphes known only from the larval stage may be synonymous with this species.

During a collecting trip to Guatemala in 2007, the type locality of this species (the Río Zapote, near the town of Zapote) was located by DEB with the assistance of a Guatemalan entomologist. The Río Zapote is about 8 meters wide, swiftly flowing, with rock/rubble substrate, ranges in depth from a few centimeters to over a meter, and flows through numerous coffee plantations. Numerous Leptohyphes larvae were collected from the type locality, representing at least three species of Leptohyphes . Until rearing studies can be conducted and the larva associated with the adult, the status of this species will be very uncertain.

Primary Type material examined: Leptohyphes brevissimus , 1 female adult (pinned), designated as a type specimen; 3 associated slides (1 with FW, 1 with 3 legs, 1 with last 4 abdominal segments/female genitalia). GUATEMALA: Zapote, G.C. Champion [ BMNH] .

Figures

FIGURES 21–25. Leptohyphes apache, larval structures. 21, head and prothorax, [scale bar B]. 22, foreleg [D]. 23, hindleg [E]. 24, hind claw (ventro-lateral) [C]. 25, abdominal tergites 7-10 [A]. Scale bars (mm): A, B = 0.05; C = 0.1; D = 0.5; E = 0.4.