Centrozoros mesenia Lima, Oliveira & Rafael, 2024

Lima, Sheila P., Oliveira, Ismael B., Mazariegos, Luis A., Fernandes, Daniell R. R. & Rafael, José A., 2024, A new species of Centrozoros Kukalová-Peck & Peck, 1993 (Zoraptera: Spiralizoridae) from high elevations in the northwestern Andes of Colombia, Zootaxa 5477 (2), pp. 237-245 : 240-243

Centrozoros mesenia Lima, Oliveira & Rafael , sp. nov.

( Figs. 3 , 4 )

Diagnosis. Posteroventral surface of metafemur with two setae separated from a series of seven irregular sized spiniform setae; base of aedeagus with a leaf-like sclerotized projection; aedeagus serrate.

Description. Apterous male (holotype) ( Figs. 3 , 4 ). Body length, exclusive of antenna: 2.99 mm, head length 0.35 mm, head width 0.59 mm, antenna length 1.73 mm; pronotum length 0.50 mm, pronotum width 0.48 mm, mesonotum length 0.40 mm, mesonotum width 0.51 mm, metanotum length 0.31 mm, metanotum width 0.61 mm; metafemur length 0.86 mm, metatibia length 0.90 mm, abdomen length 1.32 mm, abdomen maximum width 0.67 mm, cerci length 0.20 mm. Color dark brown except for membranous regions, antennomeres VII‒IX light yellow, cerci dark yellow.

Head ( Figs. 3A‒C ) subtriangular, wider than pronotum; cephalic setae sparse, not grouped; compound eyes and ocelli absent; antennae 9-segmented ( Figs. 3A, B ), antennomeres I and II slightly curved outward; antennomeres I and III of subequal length, antennomere II shortest, half the length of antennomere I; antennomeres IV, VII, VIII and IX of similar length, only slightly longer than antennomere I; antennomeres V and VI longest, three times the length of antennomere II; mandibles with asymmetrical teeth ( Fig. 3C ) and well-developed molar region; lacinia with apical comb; maxillary palpus five-segmented, palpomeres I and III shorter, palpomeres II, IV and V of subequal length; labial palpus three-segmented, palpomere II shortest, palpomere III laterally compressed.

Thorax ( Fig. 3D ) with pronotum sub-rectangular, almost as wide as long; mesonotum trapezoidal, shorter than pronotum; metanotum trapezoidal, width double the length, shorter than mesonotum.

Profemur with scattered setae, setae stronger on dorsal surface than those of ventral surface; anterodorsal surface of protibia with row of short dark yellow setae, apically with two strong brown setae. Mesofemur covered with scattered thin setae; mesotibia densely setose, with two apical ventral spiniform setae; Metafemur ( Fig. 3E ) broad, gradually tapering toward apex, dorsal surface densely setose, middle part posteriorly without setae, posteroventral surface with 9 spiniform setae, the first two separated from the others; spiniform setae III‒VII close to each other, I 0.9 times the length of II, III-IV 0.8 times the length of II, spiniform setae V-VI 0.9 times the length of IV, VII shortest, with 0.7 times the length of VI; metatibia with short, scattered setae, without spiniform setae, posteroventral surface with row of 10 bristles; tarsomere I without spiniform setae on ventral side.

Abdominal tergite 9 (T9) without strong marginal setae. Tergite 10 (T10) divided mid-longitudinally, medially with 11 stout setae; tergite 11 (T11) with membranous superior part and a more sclerotized inferior part, where it has 10‒11 setae, weaker than setae of T10. T11 with a basal medial cleft and a small medial upcurved projection (mating hook). Sternite 1 (S1) scarcely sclerotized; sternites 2‒7 (S2‒S7) with sparse setation along lateral margins, mid-longitudinally without setation, sternite 8 (S8) without medial concavity, sternite 9 (S9) strongly membranous with weak setae, sternite 10 (S10) beneath S9, sternite 11 (S11) with two lateral hemitergites, each with 2‒3 setae of short and moderate length. Cercus apically with two long setae.

Genitalia ( Fig. 4D‒F ) symmetrical; basal plate flat, 0.19 mm long, sclerotized, anteriorly spatulate, posteriorly bifurcated, with two lateral arms, basally membranous (triangular part) and apically sclerotized; basal plate connected to the aedeagus; base of aedeagus near connection to the basal plate with a leaf-like sclerotized projection; aedeagus sclerotized, distinctly serrate, coiled, 0.26 mm long (from where the twisted sclerites originate to the apex of coiled process); immediately before coiled process, anterior portion of aedeagus with two twisted sclerites directed anteriorly.

Type material. Holotype. Colombia, Antióquia, Jardín, Mesenia-Paramillo Nature Reserve , 05°29’ N, 75°54’ W, 2500 m, fallen tree trunk, 29.IX.2022, DRR Fernandes, coll. (Apterous male, CEUA) . Additional material. COLOMBIA, same locality as holotype, 30.IX.2022, Ubiel Rendón, coll. (5 nymphs, CEUA) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the first name of the type locality, Mesenia-Paramillo Nature Reserve, and is treated as a noun in apposition.

Habitat. Specimens were collected in a humid montane forest at an elevation of 2500 m. Information on elevational range in collecting sites of Zoraptera is very scarce, but this seems to be the record of the highest elevation for any zorapteran collected up to the present. The logs where the specimens were found were covered in part by mosses and in an initial stage of decomposition.

Geographical record. Antioquia, Colombia.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Centrozoros mesenia sp. nov., holotype, male. A) Habitus, dorsal. B) Habitus, lateral. C) Head, dorsal. D) Thorax, dorsal. E) Metafemur, posterior. F) Abdomen, dorsal. Scales: A, B, D‒F: 0.5 mm; C: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 4. Centrozoros mesenia sp. nov., holotype, male.A.Abdomen, lateral. B.Abdomen, posterior.C. Terminalia, posterior. D. Genitalia, lateral. E. Genitalia, dorsal. F. Genitalia, ventral. Scales: A, 0.5 mm; B‒F, 0.2 mm.