Adelosgryllus endogeus, Merlo & Castro-Souza & Junta & Ferreira, 2022

Merlo, Rayanne Lays Sant’Ana, Castro-Souza, Rodrigo Antônio, Junta, Vitor Gabriel Pereira & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2022, Expanding the taxonomic knowledge of Adelosgryllus Mesa & Zefa, 2004 (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae): description of four new species for Brazilian subterranean habitats, Zootaxa 5133 (1), pp. 83-109 : 102-107

Adelosgryllus endogeus n. sp.

( Figures 72–76, 77–84, 85–87, 88–89, 90–96, 97–101, Table 1)

Material examined. Holotype ♂, code ISLA 66155, Brazil, Minas Gerais state, municipality of Pains, endogenous habitat near the Santuário cave (20º 25’ 8.640” S; 45º 46’ 21.790” W), 24.iv.2021 – 25.v.2021, Ferreira R.L. leg . Holotype condition: right tegmen and legs detached, and maintained in holotype tube. Paratypes, 1 ♀♀, 26.v.2021 – 25.vi.2021 ( ISLA 66156), Ferreira R. L. leg., same locality of holotype .

Distribution. Known only to the sampled area, near the Santuário cave (20º 25’ 8.640” S; 45º 46’ 21.790” W), Pains municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the specimen's association with soil interstitials. From the Latin “ endogeus ”, endo = within, geus = origin.

Diagnosis. Combination of the following characteristics: pseudepiphallic paramere 1 oval shaped, sclerotized with proximal region (connected to ectophallic projection) concave (Ps.P1, Fig. 73); paramere 2 lightly curved and uniformly sharpened (Ps.P2, Figs 75 and 76); ectophallic projection strongly sclerotized and dilated in its proximal region (connected to Ps.P1) (Ec.Pr, Fig. 73); ectophallic fold well sclerotized and C-shaped, lateral edges facing horizontally forward (in ventral view) (Ec.F, Fig. 73); endophallus less sclerotized, circular and vertically elongated (similar to A. cruscastaneus ) (End.Sc, Fig. 73).

Description, male holotype. Similar to A. ferratilis n. sp. with the following differences: body dark brown, with very darkened regions and head dark orange, possibly there was less discoloration in this species, because a priori it was collected in formalin, later fixed in ethanol 70% ( Figs 77–84); occiput region is slightly darkened behind the eyes ( Figs 77 and 78), compound eyes less unpigmented in upper region near the scape insertion ( Figs 77 and 78); pronotum darkened, with a vertical band slightly whitish, without horizontal band ( Fig. 79); tergites darkened ( Fig. 80).

Right tegmen: dark brown, very sclerotic, covering the first six abdominal tergites ( Fig. 80). Lateral field (in lateral view, Fig. 89): subcostal (SC) and radial (R) veins with poorly marked irregular veins, medial (M) and radial (R) veins connected to each other by poorly marked irregular veins. Field (in ventral view, Fig. 88): harp with a median-longitudinal vein (L) fusing the first proximal cross vein (Hcv), with reticular veins in the first three distal cells; mirror with a narrower proximal part of triangular shape and reticular veins in all cells, one crossed vein (Mcv), broken distal and proximal portion; subgenital plate extremely darkened, elongated, pubescent in all marginal extension, rounded at apex ( Figs 82 and 83); subgenital plate extremely darkened ( Figs 35–37); stridulatory file with 81 teeth.

Observations in Paratypes. Male phallic sclerites: similar to A. similis Zefa & Corrêa 2018 , with the following differences: Pseudepiphallic: pseudepiphallic median lophy narrow claviform, developed and acuminate at apex (Ps.m.l, Figs 72, 74–76); parameres 1 and 2 connected, forming a lenticular structure, paramere 1 with more uniform sclerotization, with a more concave proximal region (connected to the ectophallic projection), paramere 2 is more sclerotized and more straight vertically ( Figs 74–76); rami broken, well sclerotized in base and apparently similar to A. similis (R, Figs 72 and 73). Ectophallic invagination: apex of the ectophallic apodeme broken, medial portion well sclerotized, apparently similar to A. similis (Ect.Ap, Figs 72 and 73); posterior projections well sclerotized, lenticular shape, apex rounded at tip, membranous and dilated (Ec.Pr. Figs 73, 74 and 76); ectophallic fold well sclerotized, U-shaped, upper extremities more elongated than A. similis (Ec.F, Fig. 73). Endophallus: rectangularshaped rounded and vertically elongated, but narrow and elongated than A. cruscastaneus (End. Sc, Fig. 73).

Female ( Figs 90–96, ISLA 66156). Body of same coloration to holotype, head more dark orange than males ( Fig. 90), body size bigger than the holotype (9.272 mm); small wings triangular-shaped ( Fig. 90); supra-anal plate darkened, trapezoidal-shaped, with two small lateral projections, rounded at apex, with long apical bristles ( Figs 92 and 93); subgenital plate darkened, short, V-shaped ( Figs 91 and 92); ovipositor well sclerotized, elongated and thin (3.970 mm), size proportional to tibia III, sword format at apex ( Figs 90–92 and 94–96).

Copulatory Papilla. lost during clarification procedure in potassium hydroxide (KOH).

Ecological Remarks

Specimens of Adelosgryllus endogeus n. sp. were found in Pains municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The individuals were sampled by a set of subterranean traps buried in the soil, installed to collect surface subterranean fauna. These traps consist of plastic pots interconnected by a central rod ( Fig. 100) and introduced into PVC pipes with perforations every 10 cm. Each set of perforations in the pipes allow only the organisms from each stratum to fall into each pot, as each pot is internally coupled to the pipe in order to prevent access to the other levels. At each sampling point, three sets of traps were installed ( Fig. 99), totaling thirty collection pots per point (three pots at each level, starting at 5 cm and along the area, always in places close to cave entrances. The traps were inspected monthly, when the contents (4% formalin containing the collected invertebrates) were removed and replaced. Along the 12 months of the project, 2,160 samples of different depth were obtained. Even with this sampling effort, only two specimens of A. endogeus n. sp. were collected, both at the same point ( Figs 97 and 98). The holotype (male) was the first to be collected, between April and May 2021. As the traps remained in the field for about a month, it is not possible to determine the exact date of collection. The female was sampled in the next interval, in the exact location of the male. Both specimens were trapped at 45 cm deep in the soil ( Figs 101 and 102). It is interesting noting that although many caves in the area have been sampled along the last is important karstic province years, specimens of A. endogeus n. sp. were never observed, thus suggesting that they might be preferably associated to soil interstitials. The reduced size of this species (which is smaller than all the congeners) corroborate this hypothesis, although it is also important to conduct samplings in other epigean substrates in the area in order to determine the distribution of this species.