Africalolampra erubescens ( Gerstaecker, 1883 )

Leonid N. Anisyutkin, 2016, New and little known Epilamprinae (Dictyoptera: Blaberidae) from the collections of the Muséum d’histoire naturelle de Genève and the Zoological Institute RAS, Saint Petersburg. Part 2, Revue suisse de Zoologie 123 (1), pp. 139-152 : 140-141

Africalolampra erubescens ( Gerstaecker, 1883)

Figs 1-19

Epilampra erubescens Gerstaecker, 1883: 54 .

Heterolampra erubescens . ‒ Kirby, 1904: 123.

Epilampra erubescens . ‒ Shelford 1910: 14. ‒ Rehn, 1933: 408,

451, pl. 32, fig. 6, 7. ‒ Princis, 1962: 210, 230.

Material examined: MHNG; 1 male; “ Epilampra erubescens Gerst. ”, “ Kamerun L. Conradt 1898-1899 ”, genital complex in prep. 100815 /01. ‒ ZIN; 2 males; “Mundanie Mungo Kamerun H. Rolle Berlin W.”, “ Epilampra erubescens Gerst. ”, “R. Shelford det.”, “purchase [in Cyrillic L.A.] H. Rolle”. ‒ ZIN; 2 females; “Mundanie Mungo Kamerun H. Rolle Berlin W.”, “purchase [in Cyrillic L.A.] H. Rolle”. ‒ ZIN; 1 female; “Mundanie Mungo Kamerun H. Rolle Berlin W.”, “ Epil. erubescens Gerst. R. Shelford det.”, “purchase [in Cyrillic L.A.] H. Rolle”.

Redescription of male: The original description and the description of Rehn (1933) can be supplemented with the following details. Most surfaces of body (head, pronotum, tegmina and abdomen) smooth and lustrous, distal parts of antennae (approximately from 15-16th segments) dull; very weak punctuation present in vertex, facial part of head, pronotum and proximal parts of tegmina, especially in costal field. Head about as long as wide or slightly wider than long ( Fig. 1 ); ocellar spots small; facial part globular, without impression or wrinkles between eyes; distance between eyes 0.7-0.9 times eye length; distance between antennal sockets about 1.7-1.9 times scape length (0.8- 1.0 mm); approximate length ratio of 3rd-5th segments of maxillary palps 1.2: 1.0: 1.2. Pronotum as in Fig. 2 . Tegmina and wings completely developed, surpassing abdominal apex. Tegmina with rounded apex, coriaceous in proximal and membranous in distal parts; venation subobsolete in about proximal fourth, distinct in distal half; costal field long and narrow; Sc thickened (well visible on ventral side of tegmen) with 1-4 apical branches; R, M and CuA stems not separated basally; CuP distinct. Wings mostly membranous, with only weakly sclerotized area of anterior rami of R; Sc long and simple; RA long, with slightly incrassated anterior veins; RS weak; M long and simple; CuA pectinate with 4-5 complete (reaching wing margin) veins; behind CuA a long and simple vein, probably corresponding to 1st plical vein sensu Rehn (1951) or CuP [probably CuP + A1 sensu Bey-Bienko (1950)]; next long and simple vein probably corresponds to 3rd plical vein sensu Rehn (1951); between 1st and 3rd plical veins at base of wing located sclerotized field with short reduced vein, probably corresponds to 2nd plical vein sensu Rehn (1951); anal fan consisting of 16-17 veins reaching margin of wing; 2-3 possibly jugal veins situated behind anal fan. Fore tibiae not thickened distally. Anterior margin of fore femora of armed type B, with 5-7 spines, including 2 apical one. Tibial spines well developed. Structure of hind tarsi: metatarsus about as long as other segments combined; euplantulae of 1st-4th segments small and apical; metatarsus with 2 more or less equal rows of spines along lower margin; “additional spines” bordering euplantulae of 2nd-3rd segments from inside and outside present; claws symmetrical, very weakly serrated; arolium distinct, about as half as claw length. Abdomen with 1st tergite specialized ( Fig. 3 ): small cone-shaped tubercle ( Fig. 3 , tub.) situated in medial hollow, the anterior part of this tubercle densely covered with hair. First and, in lesser degree, following abdominal tergites with membranous strip along caudal margin ( Fig. 3 ). Anal plate (tergite X) short and transverse, nearly rectangular, caudal margin weakly concave, without medial incision ( Figs 4, 6 ); three small more or less expressed bulges located at sides and in the middle of caudal margin of anal plate ( Figs 4, 5 , bul.). Cerci with distinct segments. Paraprocts of blaberidtype ( Figs 4-6 , par.). Hypandrium asymmetrical, caudal margin angularly projected caudally; right stylus cylindrical, left stylus absent ( Fig. 7 ).

Genitalia ( Figs 8-15 ). Right phallomere (R+N): sclerite R1T well sclerotized, serrated, caudal part of R1T in shape of separated large plate-like sclerite ( Figs 8, 9 , pl.s.), lateral part of this sclerite probably correspond to sclerite R4 ( Figs 8, 9 , R4?); bristles absent; R2 slightly curved, without hollow; R3 “V”-shaped, with long and thin branches; R4 probably fused with large plate-like sclerite; R5 large, well sclerotized, plate-like. Sclerite L2D (L1) divided into basal and apical parts ( Figs 10, 11 ); basal part rod-like, with outgrowth at caudal end ( Fig. 11 , out.); “apical sclerite” small, thimble-like; bristles absent ( Fig. 11 , ap.scl.). Sclerite L3 (L2d) without basal subsclerite, “folded structure” and bristles present ( Figs 12-15 , f.s.); apex of L3 with attenuated “small tooth” ( Figs 13-15 , s.t.); “apical crest” and groove hge absent. Sclerite L4U (L3d) distinct, plate-like ( Fig. 12 ).

Redescription of female: Similar to male, but body slightly more robust and ovoid. Distance between antennal sockets of the head about 2.0 times of the scape length (0.9-1.0 mm); approximate length ratio of 3rd-5th segments of maxillary palps 1.0: 1.0: 1.1. Abdomen without visible glandular specializations. Anal plate (tergite X) trapezoidal, with distinct median incision on caudal margin ( Fig. 16 ). Paraprocts medially membranous ( Fig. 18 , par.). Genital plate as in Fig. 17 .

Ovipositor and adjacent structures ( Figs 18, 19 ): Intercalary sclerite absent; tergal processes of abdominal segment VIII not reaching paratergites of VIII tergite ( Fig. 18 , teVIII.); tergal processes of abdominal segment IX completely developed ( Fig. 18 , teIX.). Two rounded sclerites ( Fig. 18 , l.scl.) situated lateral to paratergites. Gonangulum distinct, well sclerotized ( Figs 18, 19 , gg.). First valves of ovipositor large and membranous at apex ( Fig. 18 , v.I.), with setae (not shown in Fig. 18 ) along inner side. Base of 2nd and 3rd pairs of valves as in Fig. 19 . Anterior arch of second valvifer as in Fig. 19 , aa. 2nd valves of ovipositor small. 3rd valves of ovipositor (gonoplacs) wide, partly membranous ( Fig. 18 , v.III.). Basivalvulae weakly sclerotized, in shape of two slightly asymmetrical plates with reflexed outer margins ( Figs 18, 19 , bsv.). Vestibular sclerite weakly sclerotized, horseshoe-like, with articulated lateral parts ( Figs 18, 19 , vs.). Brood sac membranous, with indistinct weakly sclerotized medial plate ( Fig. 18 , m.pl.).

Measurements (in mm): Head length: male 3.4-3.7, female 4.0-4.2; head width: male 3.6-3.7, female 4.1-4.2; pronotum length: male 5.0, female 5.5-6.4; pronotum width: male 6.2-6.8, female 7.5-8.2; tegmen length: male 19.9-20.3, female 21.2-21.7; tegmen width: male 6.0-6.5, female 6.7-7.6.

Note: This species was described from Cameroon ( Gerstaecker, 1883) in the genus Epilampra Burmeister, 1838 and transferred into the genus Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903 by Princis (1967). Africalolampra erubescens is probably relatively frequent in West Africa ( Rehn, 1933).

Figures

Figs 1 - 15. Africalolampra erubescens (Gerstaecker, 1883), male. (1) Facial part of head. (2) Pronotum, dorsal view. (3) First abdominal tergite, dorsal view. (4) Abdominal apex, dorsal view. (5) The same, caudal view. (6) The same, hypandrium and genitalia removed, ventral view. (7) Hypandrium, ventral view. (8) Right phallomere, dorsal view. (9) The same, ventral view. (10) Sclerite L 2 D, dorsal view. (11) Caudal part of sclerite L 2 D, dorsal view. (12) Sclerites L 3 and L 4 U. (13 - 15) Apex of sclerite L 3. Dotted areas show membranous parts. Abbreviations: ap. scl., bul., f. s., L 4 U, out., pl. s., R 1 T, R 2, R 3, R 4?, R 5, s. t., tub. - see chapter “ abbreviation used in figures ”, for details see text. Scale bars 1 mm: a = 1, b = 2, c = 3, d = 4, e = 5, f = 6, g = 7, h = 8, 9, i = 10, j = 11, k = 12, l = 13 - 15.

Figs 16 - 23. Females of Africalolampra erubescens (Gerstaecker, 1883) (16 - 19) and Audreia carinulata (Saussure, 1895), paralectotype (20 - 23). (16, 20) Abdominal apex, dorsal view. (17, 21) Genital plate, ventral view. (18, 22) Abdominal apex, ventral view, genital plate removed. (19, 23) Basal part of ovipositor, view from within. Dotted areas show membranous parts. Abbreviations: aa., bsv., gg., l. scl., m. pl., par., teVIII., teIX., v. I., v. III., vs. - see chapter “ abbreviation used in figures ”, for details see text. Scale bars 1 mm: a = 16, b = 17, c = 18, d = 19, e = 20, f = 21, g = 22, h = 23.