Ulmeritoides flavopedes (Spieth)

Salles, F. F. & Domínguez, E., 2012, Systematics and Phylogeny of Ulmeritus-Ulmeritoides revisited (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae), Zootaxa 3571, pp. 49-65 : 59-60

Ulmeritoides flavopedes (Spieth)

Thraulodes flavopedes Spieth, 1943: 11 .

Atalophlebioides flavopedes ; Traver, 1946: 426.

Ulmeritus (Pseudulmeritus) flavopedes ; Traver, 1959 b: 8.

Ulmeritoides flavopedes ; Domínguez, 1991: 162; Domínguez, 1995 a: 19.

Ulmeritoides oepa Lopes, Da-Silva & Py-Daniel, 2003: 195 ; Domínguez et al. 2006: 527. NEW SYNONYMY.

Female Imago (in alcohol). Body length, 5.4 mm; fore wing, 5.5 mm; hind wing 1.2 mm. Coloration similar to the male imago (as described in Domínguez, 1995: 19), except head yellowish white, washed with black. Eyes blackish. Antennae yellowish, with scape and pedicel washed with black. Pronotum light brown, with all margins and medial line blackish. Bullae of fore wings tinged with black. Tarsomeres III–IV of leg I, blackish. Femora II and III, with an apical band besides the basal and medial one, basal and apical bands of femora III, darker.

Remarks. In the descriptions of the male imago of U. flavopedes the black markings on the bullae were overlooked; this character is evident from the fresh material here studied.

Mature nymph (in alcohol). Body length, 7.4–7.5 mm. General coloration: brown to dark orange-brown. Head: brown, slightly washed with black, with yellowish areas bellow median ocellus and between lateral ocelli and compound eyes. Ocelli whitish with inner margins black. Eyes of male with upper portions dark orange-brown, lower portion blackish. Eyes of female blackish. Antennae: scape and pedicel light-brown, flagellum translucent light-brown, paler toward apex. Mouthparts: labrum, mandibles, stipes, paraglossae, and first segment of maxillary and labial palpi brownish, remaining parts paler. Medial denticle on anteromedian emargination of labrum much larger than others. Basal 2/3 of outer margin of mandibles with few long setae. Tusk on inner apical margin of maxillae absent. Thorax: nota pale brown with blackish markings. Pleura and sterna brownish washed with black. Legs. Leg I: femora brown, distal 1/3 darker and with weak black median spot; tibia dark brown, except apex lightbrown; tarsi light-brown. Leg II: femora light-brown, with median spot and apex whitish; tibia light-brown, darker at base and with apical whitish markings; tarsi light brown. Leg III: femora light-brown, with median spot and apex blackish; tibia and tarsi similar to leg II. Dorsal surface of all femora with many short, pointed spines. Lines of pectinate setae on ventral surface of tibia III forming one main line (as in Fig. 28). Claws light brown, darker toward apex. Abdomen: terga orange-brown, with blackish markings on lateral margins of all segments and apical half of segment X, posterolateral projections lighter. Sterna light orange-brown. Gills gray, tracheae and fimbriae gray-violet. Caudal filaments light-brown.

Material. 2 male and 2 female imagos, with corresponding nymphal exuvia. Brazil, RR. Boa Vista , Rio Murupú (3,02119; -60,7758), 12/II/2007 J.N. Falcao col. ( INPA) .

Discussion. U. oepa was described based exclusively on nymphs from the state of Roraima. After examination of the type material of this species and comparison with the nymphs recently reared of U. flavopedes , from the same state, it became evident that they are conspecific. As U. flavopedes was described before, U. oepa is considered a Junior Synonym. This is the first formal record of U. flavopedes from Brazil.

The nymph of U. flavopedes can be separated from the other species of the genus by the following combination of characters. 1) medial denticle on anteromedian emargination of labrum much larger than others; 2) dorsum of femora II–III with numerous short, acute spines; 3) femora II with small median black spot; 4) lines of pectinate setae on ventral surface of tibia III forming one main line (as in Fig. 28).