Monastria biguttata ( Thunberg, 1826 )

Tarli, Vitor Dias, Grandcolas, Philippe & Pellens, Roseli, 2018, Taxonomic revision of the genus Monastria Saussure, 1864 (Blattodea: Blaberidae Blaberinae) from the South American Atlantic forest, with the descriptions of five new species, Zootaxa 4524 (3), pp. 359-391 : 369-370

Monastria biguttata ( Thunberg, 1826)

Male—Figure 5.

Female—Figures 4; 6A–D.

Blatta biguttata Thunberg, 1826: 276 ; Scudder, 1868: 13.

Blaberus biguttata Serville, 1831 .

Monachoda biguttata Burmeister, 1838: 514 ; Brunner v. W, 1865: 365; Saussure, 1870: 120; Finot, 1897: 207

Blabera biguttata Serville, 1838: 80 .

Monastria biguttata Saussure, 1864a: 256 ; Saussure, 1864b: 348; Walker, 1868: 11; Kirby, 1904: 161; Shelford, 1907 –1908: 469; Rehn, 1911: 248, Rehn, 1913: 282, Rehn, 1915: 275, Rehn, 1920: 217; Hebard, 1921: 246; Princis, 1949: 66; Princis, 1958: 75, Princis, 1963: 141.

Blabera nigripennis Walker, 1868: 6 ; Finot, 1897: 210; Princis, 1963: 142 (as syn. of M. biguttata ).

Tarraga guttiventris Walker, 1868: 16 ; Finot, 1897: 213; Princis, 1963: 142 (as syn. of M. biguttata ).

Blabera monstrosa Stâl, 1855: 351 ; Kirby, 1904: 165; Princis, 1963: 142 (as syn. of M. biguttata ).

Blabera mostruosa Sjostedt, 1933: 10 ; Princis, 1963: 142 (as syn. of M. biguttata , lapsus calami).

Examined material. Brazil — Rio de Janeiro: 7³ 3♀ Niterói. “ Parque da Cidade ”, 225m, 22°55’42”S, 43°05’10”W, 500m de la plage du saco de S„o Francisco, Forêt semp. humide, 21 IX 2009, R. Pellens & P. Grandcolas rec. (MNHN). 1³ Angra dos Reis, Ilha Grande , “Sentier Abraão/Enseada das Palmas”, 50m, 23°08’34’’S, 44°08’91’’W, 21km E Angra Dos Reis, Forêt semp. humide, 0 7 VIII 2007, R. Pellens & P. Grandcolas rec. (MNHN). 1³, 1♀ Vis- conde de Mauá, “ Apa da Serrinha do Alambari ”, 528m, 22°23’16.4”S, 44°29’58.1”W, 26 XI 2010, R. Pellens & P. Grandcolas rec. (MNHN). 1³ Montagnes des Orgues , Prov. de Rio de Janeiro, Environs de la Tijuca, E. R. Wag- ner—1902 (MNHN). 1♂ Floresta da Tijuca , V 1966, M. Alvarenga col. (MZUSP). 1♀ “Tejuca”, I 1857, coll. H. Clark (NHM). Espirito Santo: 2³, 3♀ Res de Linhares , “CVRD”, 19°09’10.2”S, 40°11’07.8”W, 19 X 1999, 40km NNE Linhares, Forêt semi-décidue, “Mata Alta”, R. Pellens & P. Grandcolas rec. (MNHN). 1³ Linhares, Fragment “Sitio São Pedro”, 19°09’14.2”S, 40°11’34.3”W, 11 VII 2005, 40km NNE Linhares, Forêt semi-décidue, R. Pellens & P. Grandcolas rec. (MNHN). 1³ Santa Teresa, Est. Biol. Santa Lucia, 810m, 19°58’18.5”S, 40°32’07.6”W, 6–9 IV 2001, Malaise, ponto 3 trilha, C. O. Azevedo & equipe col. (MZUSP). Without locality: 3♀ (America Meridi- onale) (MHNG). 2³, 6♀ (NHM).

Diagnosis. This species is characterized by the presence of two additional cuticular depressions in the frons near the clypeus. L1 sclerite with lateral branch slightly curved forward, with the aspect of a big sharp tooth, and with spines in the ventral region near the crown of spines; a pointy medial region with a projection in the right side turned forward. R2 sclerite cleft very sclerotized, rounded at the side of N sclerite. N sclerite tiny in the dorsal region, and large and globular in the ventral one. R3d slightly curved dorsally and wider and straight in ventral view. R 3v sclerite with a wide and rounded latero-distal region and a short and slightly narrow caudal branch.

Redescription. Male. Head subtriangular, with interocular space measuring approximately 1/5 of the distance between the antennal sockets. Ocelli developed and slightly deflected. Frontal suture with a cuticular invagination. Two additional cuticular depressions in the frons near the clypeus (Fig. 5C). Pronotum transverse, pentagonal, dorsal surface rough with striae, fore margin rounded, lateral margins with sharp angles and round ends, hind margin nearly straight (Fig. 5B). Legs short and robust. Fore-femora ventro-anterior margins with 16 spines of the same size; ventro-posterior margins with 3 spines. Middle-legs ventro-anterior margins with 3 or 4 spines. Supra-anal plate quadrangular with setae on the surface, hind margin straight and slightly rounded laterally, bilobed with a strong invagination in the median portion. Subgenital plate asymmetrical with long styles, funneled in the apical region.

L1. With the left side of the apical region with a lateral branch (Lb) slightly curved forward, with the aspect of a big sharp tooth with spines near the crown of spines. The right side of the apical region with a pointy medial protuberance and a projection turned forward (Fig. 5G, H). L2d sclerite hook with a soft subconical and slightly narrow anterior region, a short apical sclerotized region, and a wide space connecting them. Apex internal cavity concave, short lateral-external margin and with a typical sub-apical notch (Fig. 5F, I). R2 sclerite cleft very sclerotized, rounded and curved inward with the apex directed upward (Fig. 5D). Sclerite N tiny in the dorsal region, and large and globular in the ventral one. R3d slightly curved dorsally and wider and straight in ventral view. Sclerite R 3v with a flattened and inverted v shape in ventral view; rounded anterior lateral apex, and short caudal branch. (Fig. 5D, E).

Female. Head rounded, with wide interocular space measuring 1/2 the distance between the antennal sockets. Eyes with slightly inclined interocular margins. Ocelli developed and deflected. Front broad and frontal suture with a cuticular invagination (Fig. 6D). Pronotum subtriangular with anterior region rounded and slightly concave near the margins, dorsal region rough with striae, lateral angles rounded ending in a corner, hind margin slightly curved in the median region (Fig. 6B). Tegmina with anterior margin slightly triangular; hind margin truncated with a marked curvature inside; very short and not extending further than the second abdominal tergite (Fig. 6A). Legs short and robust. Fore femora ventro-anterior margins with 13 spines of the same size, ventro-posterior margin with 4 spines. Middle legs ventro-anterior margins with 4 spines. Supra-anal plate bilobed with a small median incision, each lobe with a slightly rounded lateral margin and a straight posterior margin (Fig. 6C). Tergites with straight lateral angles (Fig. 6A).

Measurements (mm). ³: Body length 51.70; pronotum length 12.36 × 17.35 maximum width; tegmen length 42.55 × 15.90 width; interocular width 1.0; interantennal width between sockets 5.5 ♀: Body length 38.50; pronotum length 11.20 × 17.55 maximum width; tegmen length 10.00 × 11.25 width; interocular width 2.3; interantennal width between sockets 5.0.

Coloration. ³: General coloration brown (Fig. 5A). Pronotum dark brown with anterior margin buff brown; central disk pale brown with scattered black marks (Fig. 5B). Head dark brown-black; clypeus and labrum amber. Antennae with basal segments brown pigmented and apical segments pale brown. Ocelli pale brown (Fig. 5C). Legs and spines dark brown; tarsal claws, pulvilli and arolia amber. Tegmina and abdomen following general coloration of body (Fig. 5A) but with dark brown tergites and sternites hind margins.

Distribution. Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Espirito Santo). See Fig. 17 for details.