Scleropactes ecuadoriensis, Schmidt, 2007

Schmidt, Christian, 2007, Revision of the Neotropical Scleropactidae (Crustacea: Oniscidea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 151, pp. 1-339 : 45-46

SCLEROPACTES ECUADORIENSIS SP. NOV.

Material examined

Types: Five ♂, three juvenile ♂, 23 ♀ m, ten ♀ /juvenile (one ♂ holotype, the others paratypes, Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas , 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF); four ♂, one ♀ m, 44 ♀ or juvenile (paratypes, Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude approx. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 22–27 February 1993, MZUF) .

Other samples: One ♂, one juvenile ♂, two juvenile ♀ ( Ecuador, Prov. Cotopaxi, San Francisco de las Pampas dintorni, altitude c. 1300 m, in soil of epiphytes of Lauraceae , leg. L. Bartolozzi, 22 February 1993, MZUF) ; one ♂, one juvenile ♂, one ♀ m, nine ♀ or juvenile ( Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., location Otonga c/o San Francisco de las Pampas , altitude 1900 m, leg. G. Onore, 7 October 1993, MZUF) ; five ♀ m, two immature, seven mancas and juvenile ( Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., distr. San Francisco de las Pampas, location Naranjito , altitude c. 2000 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 3 February 1993, MZUF) .

Description ( Figs 118–123 )

Adult female 2.8–5.8 mm wide (cephalothorax 1.65– 2.96 mm wide), up to 11.3 mm long; male maximum 9.9 × 4.5 mm (cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide). Nineteen to 27 ommatidia, more frequently asymmetrical. In dorsal view, linea frontalis evenly arcuate. Lateral lobes about half as long as the eyes, not distinctly delimited. Frontal shield with median part forming a broad ridge between the antennae, in dorsal view with approximately even frontal face, which is delimited by the lateral parts by angles. In frontal view, linea frontalis weakly convex, lateral lobes forming acute outer angles. Dark brown, with slightly brighter coxal plates and epimera. Pale patches at base of coxal plates and in the middle of tergites. Noduli laterales small and inconspicuous, all at the posterior margins and at the same distance from the lateral margin. In most specimens, they are broken off, so the position as shown in the habitus drawing has been combined from several specimens.

First antenna triarticulate, medial article shortest. Distal article with sharp, acute tip, two large, subapical aesthetascs and a group of approx. ten smaller aesthetascs on the frontal face. Second antenna with triarticulate flagellum; apical cone as long as the distal article, with one (?) small lateral sensillum. Second and third articles with a transverse row of few (exact number unknown) aesthetascs.

Left mandible with pars incisiva of four cusps, large, rounded lacinia mobilis, hairy lobe with two hairy setae, one single hairy seta between hairy lobe and pars molaris the latter represented by a tuft of hairy setae. Right mandible with pars incisiva of four very blunt cusps and smaller lacinia mobilis, hairy lobe with one hairy seta, one single hairy seta between hairy lobe and pars molaris. The latter composed of less hairy setae than on the mandible. Both mandibles on outer face with some setae and scales. First maxilla lateral endite on the distal margin with lateral group of four strong, simple tooth setae, a small triangular lobe and a slender seta, and mesal group of six more slender, simple teeth. (At low magnification, the mesal group may appear to be composed of four teeth only.) A pair of very small subapical setae on caudal face beside mesal group. Distal third of lateral margin densely fringed with hairs (pectinate scales). Mesal endite bearing two stout penicils; there is no distinct lateral corner of the penicils. Lateral margin distally hairy. Second maxilla distally bilobate; lobes are subequal. Both lobes hairy, the mesal lobe with a group of sensilla on the frontal face, near the margin, and two small setae between the lobes. Maxilliped base distinctly scaly in the basal and lateral parts, epipodite with few hairs. Endite approximately rectangular, longer than wide, distal part covered with acute scales; one penicil near the mediodistal corner, on the frontal face. A very small knob (probably homologous with a seta) in a more proximal position, also on the frontal face. Maxilliped palp proximal article bearing two large setae, the lateral one somewhat smaller. Second article with distal tuft of equal setae on a long socket, two equally sized setae beside the socket, and a pair of two more setae of the same size near the base of the socket. On lateral margin of second article one broad seta and three slender setae. Distal article with apical tuft of equal setae, one seta on the lateral margin, and a longitudinal ridge on the frontal face.

Pereiopod 1 carpus with transverse brush of long, hair-like scales. The distal margin formed by a transverse row of tongue-shaped, hyaline scales. Propodus only with a few ventral spine-like scales. Male pereiopods with ventral scale-fields on ischium, merus and carpus of pereiopods 1 and 2, on merus and carpus of pereiopod 3, and ischium of pereiopod 6. Carpus of pereiopods 2–5 on the frontal face with a small, distal scale-field, decreasing in size from 2 to 5. Male pereiopod 7 ischium with concave ventral margin; on the frontal face with a dorsodistal depression and a small scale-field in ventrodistal position. Pereiopod dactyli with large outer claw, very small inner claw, dactylar seta apically double-fringed, curved ungual seta with smaller seta beside it, one small seta on frontal and caudal face each, and some scales. Proximal to the dactylar seta are two (?) aesthetasc-like setae.

Pleopod exopodites with rows of eight to ten marginal setae, the size of these setae increasing from proximal to distal. Open, hardly wrinkled respiratory fields on exopodites 1 and 2. Male pleopod 1 exopodite broader than long, its distal margin very slightly concave. Male pleopod 1 endopodite curved laterally, with a constriction, following a subapical enlargement. Row of small, spine-shaped setae (39 in the holotype) along the dorsal spermatic furrow. Distal portion with rounded, longitudinal warts on the lateral part, and acute, posteriorly directed tubercles on the median part. Male pleopod 2 endopodite slightly exceeding exopodite. Pleopod 3 and 4 endopodites apically bilobate. Pleopod 4 and 5 sympodites with a transverse ridge bearing a fringe of hairs. Uropods with a concavity delimited by a semicircular ridge; distinct gland pores could not be seen. Exopodite as long as sympodite; exopodite and endopodite reaching approximately the same level.

Derivation of the name

Named after the country, Ecuador.

Biology

Female carrying 8– 23 eggs, depending on body size and time of gravidity. During development, the embryos seem to grow larger, whereas some other eggs are lost. One female had ten embryos and three undeveloped, distinctly smaller eggs in the marsupium.

Figures

Figure 118. Scleropactes ecuadoriensis sp. nov.: paratype ♀m, 11.3 × 5.8 mm, habitus lateral and pleon dorsal; holotype ♂, 9.9 × 4.5 mm, cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide, cephalothorax (more enlarged) (Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF).

Figure 119. Scleropactes ecuadoriensis sp. nov.: holotype ♂, 9.9 × 4.5 mm, cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide, mouthparts and first antenna (Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF).

Figure 120. Scleropactes ecuadoriensis sp. nov.: holotype ♂, 9.9 × 4.5 mm, cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide, pereiopods 1–3 (Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF).

Figure 121. Scleropactes ecuadoriensis sp. nov.: holotype ♂, 9.9 × 4.5 mm, cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide, pereiopods 4–6 (Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF).

Figure 122. Scleropactes ecuadoriensis sp. nov.: holotype ♂, 9.9 × 4.5 mm, cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide, second antenna, pereiopod 7 (Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF).

Figure 123. Scleropactes ecuadoriensis sp. nov.: holotype ♂, 9.9 × 4.5 mm, cephalothorax 2.38 mm wide, pleopods 1–5 (1 endopodite, 2–5 exopodite caudal (Ecuador, Cotopaxi Prov., San Francisco de las Pampas, 0°26′ S, 78°58′ W, altitude c. 1300 m, leg. L. Bartolozzi, 23–24 February 1993, MZUF).