Dziriblatta (Discleroblatta) merrakescha ( Adelung, 1914 ) Bohn, 2019

Bohn, Horst, 2019, Revision of the genus Dziriblatta Chopard, 1936 (Blattodea, Ectobiidae, Ectobiinae) from North Africa, Spain, and the Macaronesian islands. I. The nine subgenera of the genus, Zootaxa 4610 (1), pp. 1-73 : 14-16

Dziriblatta (Discleroblatta) merrakescha ( Adelung, 1914) , comb. nov.

Figs. 3 A–R, 4A–N, 21C, 26, 30.

Hololampra merrakescha Adelung, 1914: 192 .

Dziriblatta merrakescha: Chopard 1936b: 158 .

Lobolampra merrakescha: Chopard 1943: 35 .

Phyllodromica (Lobolampra) merrakescha: Morales Agacino 1948: 346 ; Princis 1971: 1116.

Dziriblatta vicina Chopard, 1936b: 156 . syn. nov.

Lobolampra vicina: Chopard 1943: 33 , fig. 28.

Material studied.

Type material. Morocco. Syntypes: 1♂, 1♀, Mogador, Mz. Escalera (abd. of ♂ on slide: Bo 7, ♀ completely on slide: Bo 347) [Ma 2] ; 1♂, 1 larva, Mogador, Febrero, Mz. Escalera (♂ completely on two slides: Bo 206). ( MNMS).—Type of Dziriblatta vicina Chopard, 1936 : 1 ♀, Tizi n’Test & Dj. Imdress, 2000–2450 m (Goundafa), 11.–14.V.1927, Miss. Le Cerf & Talbot, Grand-Atlas, 28.IV.–9.VI.1927 (completely on two slides: Bo 232) (Ma 151). ( MNHN) .

Additional material. Morocco. 1 ♀, Tenfecht (Takeljount), 1000–1200 m, 30.IV.1927, Miss. Le Cerf & Talbot, Grand - Atlas, 28.IV.–9.VI.1927 ( Dz. vicina , det. Chopard) (slide: Bo 230) [Ma 3] ; 1♂, Maroc , Env. d’Agadir, foret d’Adamine (slide: Bo 128) [Ma 4]. ( MNHN) .— 12♂, 11♀, 1L, Pays Chiadma , 6 km NNE Had-Draâ (30 km NE Essaouira), 250 m, 21.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 138a/2,3,5,7–9; ♀, Ma 138a/1,4,6) ; 2♀ , Pays Chiadma, J. Hadid (ca. 50 km NE Essaouira ), 700 m, 7./ 8.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♀, Ma 140/1) ; 3♂, 1♀ , 1L, Pays Chiadma, J. Hadid (ca. 50 km NE Essaouira ), 700 m, 19.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 140a/2) ; 1♀ , W slope of Haut Atlas , 3 km S Immoussèr-des-Ida-Outanane (50 km NE Agadir), 1100–1200 m, 10.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (Ma 142) ; 3♂, 26♀, W slope of Haut Atlas , 11 km NE Immoussèr-des-Ida-Outanane (50 km NE Agadir), 1600 m, 10.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 143/1; ♀, Ma 143/2–5) ; 2♂, 14♀ , 1L, 2O, W slope of Haut Atlas , ca. 20 km NE Immoussèr-des-Ida-Outanane (50 km NE Agadir), 1550 m, 10./ 11.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 144/1) ; 1♂, 8♀ , Haut Atlas , W above Zinit (N Tizi-n’Tabgourt, SE Imi-n-Tanoute), 1700– 1900 m, 11./ 12.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 145/1) ; 1♀ , Haut Atlas , Ti-n-Mellili (near Tanefacht, NNE Taroudannt), 1200 m, 14.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (Ma 147) ; 4♂, 5♀, 1O, Haut Atlas , Islane (near Tasguinnt, NNE Taroudannt), 1900–2100 m, 14.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 148/1) ; 1♀ , Haut Atlas, S slope of Tizi-n-Test , 1200m, 15.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (Ma 149) ; 3♂, 12♀, 1L, 2O, Haut Atlas, S slope of Tizi-n-Test , 1900 m, 15.V.1997, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 151/1,3,5; ♀, Ma 151/4,6–9); numerous ♂ & ♀, W slope of Haut Atlas , 3 km SW Oulma (ca. 20 km NNE Agadir), 300 m, 17./ 23.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 189/4); numerous ♂ & ♀, Anti-Atlas , btw. Imi-Mqourn & Äït-Baha, 500 m, 18/ 23.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 190/4; ♀, Ma 190/3) ; 13♂, 7♀ , 3L, Anti-Atlas , ca. 12 km SE Äït-Baha, 950 m, 18.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 191/3,4; ♀, Ma 191/5) ; 1♂ ; ex L: 7♂, 5♀, 1L, Anti-Atlas , 22 km E Tafraoute, 1500 m, 18.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 192/3) ; 13♂, 11♀ , 1L; ex L: 1 ♂, 3♀, Assaka (22 km NNE Tamri, N Agadir), 250 m, 19.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 193/1) ; 1♂ ; ex L: 1♂, 2♀, 1L, Pays Haha , 2.5 km S Souk-et-Tnine-Imi-n-Tlit (SE Essaouira), 500 m, 19.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 194/1) ; 8♂, 10♀ , 1O, Pays Chiadma 3 km W Ounara (24 km E Essaouira), 250 m, 21.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slides: ♂, Ma 195/1– 3,6,7; ♀, Ma 195/4,5) ; 4♂, 2♀ , Pays Haha , 7 km NNE Tamanar (Essaouira—Agadir), 200 m, 21.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 196/1) ; 1♂, 1♀ , 2L, Sous , btw. Souk-Khémis-d’Arazane & Agadir-d’Iznaguen (E Taroudannt), 350 m, 22.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 197/1) ; 2♂, 1♀ , 3L, Anti-Atlas , near Tizi-n- Taghatine, 1800 m, 22.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 198/1) ; 9♂, 1♀ , 16L, Anti-Atlas , Imaridèn— Ouaoufenrha (ca. 30 km ESE Taroudannt), 750 m, 22.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 199/1) ; 1♂ ; ex L: 1♂, 1♀, 3L, Anti-Atlas , 2 km S Dar-Lahoussine (ca. 23 km SE Âït-Baha), 600 m, 23.II.1998, leg. B. & H.Bohn (slide: ♂, Ma 200/1). (C. Bohn, ZSM) .

Description. Size. Length of pronotum in male 1.79–1.92 (mean 1.84) mm, in female 2.18–2.50 (mean 2.30) mm.

Male structures. See under characters of the subgenus.

Colouration. Male. Mainly dark brown, with pale yellowish lightenings. Head: dark with a light interocular stripe. Thorax ( Fig. 3N ): Nota with a ground pattern consisting of variously sized small brownish spots thinning out towards the transparent margins. The pattern is overlayed by dark colour in the central areas of the nota. The dark areas on meso- and metanotum may be variously lightened by longitudinal stripes revealing the dot pattern. Tegmina transparent, with some dark spots. Colour of legs varying between almost completely dark—with lightenings only at the coxa-trochanter joints and the tarsi—and completely yellowish. Abdomen ( Figs. 3 A–H): T2–5 anteriorly of the transversal ridge dark, posteriorly with dispersed dark spots near the transversal ridge fused to seven larger patches; T6,7 similar to preceding tergites, but median part dark up to the posterior border; T8–10 almost completely dark. Sternites dark with lightly coloured lateral margins. Female. Lighter coloured than male. Head as in male, but with lighter brown. Thorax ( Figs. 3O , 4 K–N): Nota with a similar ground pattern as in male, seldom overlayed by larger brownish markings. Tegmina as in male. Legs yellowish, at most darkened at the basal parts. Abdomen: Tergites similar as T 2–5 in male, but dark dots smaller and dark patches less intense; sternites very variable in colouration: seldom almost completely dark with light lateral margins, mostly with more extended lightenings, light areas with dispersed dark spots.

Distribution. In the southwestern corner of Morocco (SW of Marrakech) including the western part of the High Atlas, the Sous, and parts of the Anti-Atlas, at altitudes between 200 and 2400 m (Figs. 28, 30).

Remarks. The species Dz. vicina Chopard, 1936b , was described after a single female from the High Atlas, according to Chopard differing from Dz. merrakescha by the different colouration of the pronotum: in the latter only covered with small darker spots, while the former should additionally have a larger dark marking along the anterior margin of the disk ( Chopard 1943, fig. 28).

The differences in the colouration of the females between Dz. merrakescha and Dz. vicina as indicated by Chopard are minimal; at other localities much darker specimens had been found ( Fig. 4L ). Moreover, most of the females collected at the type locality of Dz. vivina were considerably lighter coloured than the type specimen ( Figs. 4M, N ). Comparison of the male tergal glands from various localities does not allow a distinction of separate species. The differences in the structure of the glandular pit between the type specimen of Dz. merrakescha ( Fig. 4G ) and males from the type locality of Dz. vicina ( Fig. 4F ) are rather small and well encompassed by the range of variability found at a single locality (Ma 138, near the type locality of Dz. merrakescha , Figs. 4 A–E). Dz. vicina , therefore, has to be considered as a junior synonym of Dz. merrakescha .

Figures

Fig. 3A–R. Outline of the structures of Discleroblatta merrakescha. Male: A–I, K–N. A: T1; B: T2–4; C: T5; D: T6; E: T7, in the center with the slitlike opening of the pit, pm preglandular margin; F: T8; G: T9; H: T10, arrows point to preparaprocts, ap medioanterior arm of left paraproct; I: left tegmen; K,M: hook, phase contrast in K, ve velum; L: S9 with two scale sclerites (ss), arrow points to R’3 sclerite, cs cleft sclerite, ea endophallus apodeme; N: thoracal nota. Female: J, O–R. J: left tegmen; O: thoracal nota; P: T5; Q: dorsal genital complex, bd dorsal basivalvular sclerite, corresponding ventral sclerite more basal, on the image not clearly separable, sp spermathecal plate; R: ventral genital complex. – Enlargements: Same scale for A–J, for L,M, for O,P, and for Q,R. – Identifications: A–G, K–N (Ma 138a/2), H (male type of H. merrakescha, slide: Bo 7), I,J (Ma 151/5,6), O–R (Ma 138a/1).

Fig. 4A–N. Structures of Discleroblatta merrakescha. Male: A–J. A–G: T7 gland and its variations, especially in the shape of the pit opening (between the white arrows), gu gutter, p pouch, black arrow shows its anterior end in the middle, hardly visible due to the absence of sclerotization, pm preglandular margin of T7, tr transversal ridge; A–E specimens from one locality near to the type locality, G male type specimen, F from the type locality of Dz. vicina; H: T6 with normally shaped bristles with pointed tip; I: SEM picture of bristles of the T7 gland. J: cercus. Female: K–N: pronota, showing the variation in colouration at one locality, K,L (Ma 143), M,N (Ma 151, locus typicus of Dz. vicina). – Enlargements: Same scale for A–G, and for L,N. – Identifications: A,H (Ma 138a/2), B (Ma 138a/5), C (Ma 138a/7), D (Ma 138a/3), E (Ma 138a/8), F (Ma 151/1), G,J (male type of H. merrakescha, slide: Bo 7), I (Ma 151/3), K,L (Ma 143/5,2), M,N (Ma 151/7,8).