Leptohyphes petersi Allen, 1967

Molineri, Carlos, 2020, Status changes in some species of Leptohyphes Eaton (Leptohyphidae, Ephemeroptera), Zootaxa 4885 (1), pp. 146-150 : 148-149

Leptohyphes petersi Allen, 1967 ( Figs. 12–16 )

Leptohyphes petersi Allen, 1967: 364 ; Molineri 2003: 64; Molineri 2010: 248; Cruz et al. 2011 (misidentif.); Lima et al. 2012 (misidentif.)

Material. Paratype nymphal slides from Peru, Río Bella junction Río Monzón, 25.vii.1963, WL Peters col. ; paratype nymphal slides from Peru, Río Huallaga , Tingo María, 14–16.viii.1963, WL Peters col. All the material in FAMU .

Allen (1967) described L. petersi from adults of both sexes and nymphs. Molineri (2003) studied paratypes (adults and nymphs) deposited at FAMU (Florida A&M University) and reported the presence of at least two species in that material. Allen (1967) designated a male imago as holotype, and associated tentatively the adult stage with the nymphs by abdominal coloration ( Allen 1967, figures 36–37). The color pattern of the abdomen used by Allen to associate both stages is quite common in the genus, being present in a lot of species, so the true identity of L. petersi will remain obscure. The paratype nymphs that coincide with Allen´s description and figures are used here to diagnose the species ( Molineri 2003, 2010). The mouthparts present some teratologies, for example left glossa is absent ( Fig. 13 ), but the rest of labium and maxilla ( Fig. 12 ) seem normal. These nymphs do not present spines on the fore (leading) margin of femora, an important character that was probably overlooked by Cruz et al. (2011) and Lima et al. (2012) when incorrectly registered L. petersi from Brazil. I had the opportunity to study part of the specimens worked by these authors (or photographs kindly facilitated by them), and they are L. plaumanni (or a nearly related new species) that present well visible spines on the fore margin of femora. As a result, records of L. petersi from Brazil are removed, and this species is only known from the type localities in Peru, and the localities reported by me ( Molineri 2010) in Bolivia and NW Argentina.

The following combination of characteristics will distinguish L. petersi nymphs from the other in the genus: 1) the cuticle of the body is hard, well-sclerotized; 2) occiput pale, only with small gray markings (Allen´s original description says "vertex with irregular black markings"); 3) pronotum with lateral projections; 4) femora expanded, hind femur ratio length/maximum width = 1.75, fore margin without spines and with an apical concavity, hind margin with 19–25 stout spines mounted on elevated sockets, dorsal face with ca. 5 stout spines ( Figs. 14–16 ); 5) tarsal claw denticulation 3–4 + 0; 6) abdominal gill V with small rounded ventral lobe; 7) forewing buds grayish or whitish with costal area grayish; 8) hind wing pads absent in female.

Figures

FIGURES 12–16. Leptohyphes petersi paratype. 12, maxilla (dv); 13, labium (vv); 14, foreleg (dv); 15, middle leg (dv); 16, hind leg (dv).