Polyplectropus laminatus (Yamamoto)

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 174-176

Polyplectropus laminatus (Yamamoto)

Figs. 88, 138

Polycentropus laminatus Yamamoto, 1966: 909 . [Type locality: Ecuador, El Oro, 9 miles South of Santa Rosa ; CAS (housed at INHS); male].

Polyplectropus laminatus resembles species in the P. laminatus subset ( P. bravoae Bueno and P. ecuadoriensis , new species). These species have an elongate dorsolateral arm of the phallic sclerite, produced beyond the apex of the dorsal phallic sclerite, short and narrow dorsal branch of the inferior appendage, and membranous, quadrate to oblong intermediate appendage. A narrowed dorsolateral arm of the phallic sclerite is a distinguishing feature of P. laminatus (subapically broader in P. bravoae ). Additionally, the apex of the intermediate appendage of P. laminatus is produced laterad (not produced in P. bravoae but further produced laterad and more concave in P. ecuadoriensis ). Furthermore, P. laminatus has an obdeltoid ventral branch of the inferior appendage (in ventral view) (digitate in P. ecuadoriensis ) and endothecal phallic spines smaller than in P. ecuadoriensis or P. bravoae .

Adult. Length of forewing 4.3–4.5 mm, n = 64. Color of head and thorax brown, legs yellowish-brown; setae on body grey and golden brown; tegulae with long, golden brown and grey setae; setae on wings yellow with small patches of brown setae.

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view subquadrate, anterior margin supramedially convex, posterior margin submedially concave; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin concave, becoming straight, posterior margin highly convex. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae; lower lip of tergum X membranous, smooth, without dorsal microsetae, apex turned dorsad; in dorsal view obtuse; in caudal view produced dorsad of phallocrypt. Intermediate appendage as long as inferior appendage, stout, with long basal setae and few scattered apically; in dorsal view subquadrate, apex truncate, broadening mesally and laterally, apicolateral margin produced posterolaterad, in some specimens not as broad apically; in caudal view setose base digitate, apex quadrate, directed posterolaterad. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process bulbous, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, bearing dorsal microsetae; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view obovate, in lateral view orbicular; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, tapering ventrally into sclerotized apex, anteroventral margin concave, posterior margin convex; in caudal view not fused basomesally, ventral margin of process subacute, with ventrolateral margin produced ventrad. Inferior appendage bipartite with anterior basal plate extending anterad beyond sternum IX when observed in lateral view; dorsal branch setose, in lateral view lanceolate, with dorsal and ventral margins convex and concave, respectively and apex acute; in ventral view narrow, lateral margin convex, entire, posterior margin acute, mesal margin entire, concave, expanding posterad into ventral branch; ventral branch setose, broad, in lateral view obovate, rounded posterad; in ventral view subquadrate, mesal margin straight, shallowly converging mesally. Phallus long; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view rounded; dorsolateral arm of dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view tapering posterad, apex rounded and turned anterodorsad; in dorsal view digitate, extending beyond apex of phallic sclerite, apex directed dorsolaterad, apex rounded; endothecal membrane with 2 stout, sclerotized spines.

Material examined. COLOMBIA: Antioquia: Río Claro , [5°35'24"N, 75°52'02"W], 3.v.1984, U Matthias — 1 male ; Valle del Cauca, Río Raposo , [3°53'36"N, 77°04'11"W], i.1965, V. H. Lee — 21 males, 6 females ; COSTA RICA: Puntarenas: 9 mi NW Esparta , [9°59'00"N, 84°40'00"W], 22.vii.1965, P J Spangler — 1 male ( NMNH) ; ECUADOR: El Oro: 9 mi South of Santa Rosa , 3°27'00"S, 79°58'00"W, 23.i.1955, Schlinger & Ross — 1 male ( CAS currently at INHS) (holotype) ; Los Rios: Quevedo (56 km N), Rio Palenque Biological Station , 01°01'59"S, 079°27'00"W, 250 m, 28–29.vii.1976, J Cohen — 10 males ; PANAMA: Colón: Canal Zone, Gamboa, Pipeline Road , [8°30'00"N, 79°58'00"W], 3.v.1984, W W Wirth — 5 male & females ( NMNH) ; VENEZUELA: Portuguesa: Río Las Marias at Finca Los Cerajones , ca. 5 km NE Potrero, 9°12'20"N, 69°42'27"W, 270 m, 25.iii.1997, Holzenthal & Flecker — 4 males, 14 females ( UMSP) ; Zulia: Caño Carichuano , 3.4 km SE Carbones del Guasare, 11°00'07"N, 72°17'06"W, 70 m, 12– 13.i.1994, Holzenthal Cressa & Rincón — 1 male ( UMSP) .

Distribution. Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela.

Remarks. Type never deposited at CAS, currently at INHS.