Coarazuphium caatinga, Pellegrini, Thais Giovannini & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2014

Pellegrini, Thais Giovannini & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2014, Ultrastructural analysis and polymorphisms in Coarazuphium caatinga (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Zuphiini), a new Brazilian troglobitic beetle, Zootaxa 3765 (6), pp. 526-540 : 527-534

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3765.6.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BEAB1D92-7452-4523-B6C5-DDF68D3CB224
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6139018
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/F03F0900-4F3C-FF8A-E4B9-F98F5DAD6093
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Coarazuphium caatinga
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Coarazuphium caatinga View in CoL sp. n.

Description. Holotype male ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A). Total length, from the apex of the mandible to the apex of the elytra: 6.43 mm (5.51–6.43), width, from at the widest region of the elytra: 1.98 mm (1.73–2.00). Body coloration varies from dark brown to yellowish ( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 B, 3), dorsal integument of the elytra covered with short recumbent hairs.

Head. Subtrapezoidal ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ) with similar width and length, width/length ratio: 1.02 (0.94–1.11). Maximum width of head at its base, 1.30 (1.13–1.38). Head slightly narrower than pronotum. Dorsal surface with one pair of setae internal to the ocular area and one pair of lateral setae located immediately behind ocular area, one pair at the widest region of the head, and two pairs close to posterior margin of head (both more internally placed). Ventral surface with two pairs of posterior setae close to median line of head, another pair inside the median line of head, and an anterior pair, close to margin of gular region ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 B). Eyes reduced and depigmented, situated laterally at the end of antennal insertion of the head. Although all specimens analyzed had reduced and depigmented eyes, they showed a high variation in the ocular area size. The eyes varied from 0.084 to 0.143 times the length of head, indicating a polymorphism of this trait in the species ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ).

Antennae. Antennae filiform and flagellar, ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A) 4.75 mm (4.27–4.86), 4.63 (3.83–4.72) times longer than pronotum; first antennomere elongate, shorter than 2–4 together. First antennomere with a long bristle close to the middle. Antennomeres are almost round in cross-section, except for the tip of the terminal, which is laterally flattened ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B).

Sensilla on the antennae of one specimen were examined. The sensilla chaetoid (s.ch) (sensory bristles or spines) are present on all antennomeres. Appendages of cuticular plates (ACP) were abundant at the bases of all antennomeres, close to the intersegmental joints ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A). Trichoid sensilla (s.t.) (sensory hairs), basiconic sensilla (s.b.) and coeloconic sensilla (s.co.) can all be found from the 4th to 11th antennomeres. Some Böhm sensilla (B.s.) (sensory pit-pegs) are also present in areas opposite the intersegmental membrane between head and scape, as well as between scape and pedicel on the scape and pedicel bases, respectively ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ).

Mouthparts. Sensilla on the mandible, maxilla, labial palpus, labrum, and clypeus of the Paratype 1 were examined. On the dorsal surface, a series of hair sensilla projects from the submolar region to near the cuticular processes ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 A). The mandible is acutely bent inwardly at its tip. On the ventral side, longitudinal rows of setae are present.

The maxilla basically consists of the lacinia, galea and maxillary palp ( Figs. 7 View FIGURE 7 A–D). The lacinia is shorter than the galea, with an acute and curved end, with rows of long setae and cuticular processes. The galea is biarticulated, composed of two segments, with different types of basiconic sensilla. The four-palpomere from maxillary palp is long and filiform with spaced basiconic sensilla present on the surfaces of the segments. Trichoid sensilla are distributed along the maxillary palp, and they become more abundant and smaller on the last segment. There are also grooves in this segment that may indicate a sensory organ or gustatory receptors ( Figs. 7 View FIGURE 7 C–D).

The labium is composed of three segments; Labial palpomere 1 is glabrous; labial palpomere 2 has one pair of medium setae and two pairs of long setae, which has some sensilla chaetoid within, and Labial palpomere 3 also has chaetoid sensilla covering it ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A). The labrum is quadrangular and presents tree pairs of setae in sequential sizes on dorsal margin ( Figs. 8 View FIGURE 8 B).

Pronotum. Shape trapezoidal, 1.32 (1.19–1.32) times wider than long ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 A–B). Maximum width closes to anterior angle as wide as head. Posterior angle is acute. Dorsal surface ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A) with two pairs of erect setae: one close to the anterior angle of the pronotum and the other, shorter, close to the posterior angle. Ventral surface with one pair of anterior setae medially located ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 C).

Elytra. Elytra are free ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 A), together 1.72 (1.68–1.76) times longer than wide. Maximum width nearly one third the distance from the apex and 1.44 (1.28–1.48) times wider than pronotum. Apex of elytra is very sinuous. Seven large setae on each elytron: 3 close to the anterior angle, 2 marginal in posterior half, and 2 on posterior margin. Hind wings absent. Abdominal sterna 1–5, glabrous, sixth sternum with a small pair of setae close to its posterior margin.

Legs. Procoxa glabrous ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 B); mesocoxa with two, and metacoxa with one pair of setae close to the anterior margin. Pro-, meso- and metatrochanter bear one medial setae. Profemur with long and short setae. Profemur 1.16(1.04–1.13), as long as the mesofemur and 0.91(0.67–0.86) times the length of metafemur. Protibia 0.84 (1.0–1.15) as long as the mesotibia and 0.62(0.67–0.76) times the length of metatibia. Protibia 1.02(1.15– 1.30) times longer than protarsus. Mesotibia 1.04(0.8–0.95) times the length of mesotarsus and metatibia 1.02(0.88–1.06) times longer than the metatarsus. First tarsomere almost equal to tarsomeres 2–4 together. Length of protibia and tarsus together 2.29 (2.14–2.38) times the length of the pronotum. Mesotibia and tarsus length 2.68 (2.28–2.52) times, and metatibia and tarsus length 3.63 (3.19–3.60) times the length of pronotum.

The ultrastructural analysis showed that on the femur, trichoid sensilla are regularly distributed on the whole surface. ACP are abundant at the base of the protibia, close to the intersegmental joint, where there is also an aggregate of basiconic sensilla. The protibia also has a row of trichoid sensilla, which become more abundant at the apex, and spaced basiconic sensilla occur at its border ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 A). The tarsus has abundant trichoid sensilla ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 B); and it also has some articuloseta on the ventral side of tarsus, which occurred only in males ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 C).

Aedeagus. Dorsally curved and elongate (PW/PL 0.287) ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 D and 10A–C), narrowed apically, apical margin rounded, ostium membrane extensive (OM/PL 0.376). Left paramere (lp) about two times longer than wide with an irregular border, right paramere (rp) slighter curved and elongate (rp/lp 0.472).

Female genitalia. Ovipositor ( Figs 11 View FIGURE 11 A–C): Gonocoxite 1 (gc1) subtriangular with patch of six long trichoid setae distally on ventral surface. Gonocoxite 2 (gc2) short, with apex pointed and turned out, in lateral aspect falciform; ventral surface toward margins with row of marginal pit pegs (mpp).

Female genital tract ( Figs 11 View FIGURE 11 A–C): Bursa copulatrix (bc) inserted at base of common oviduct (co), bursal saculus (bs) is broken in the specimen analyzed. Spermatheca (sp) is large and elongate, inserted laterally to the genital tract. Secondary spermatheca gland (ssg) markedly elongate and slender, located just above bursal saculus.

Etymology. The epithet is given in apposition as a toponymic for the name of the biome ( Caatinga ) where both, Toca do Gonçalo Cave and Toca de São Tomé Cave are situated. The name Caatinga is a Tupi-Guaraní word meaning white forest (Kaa = forest, tínga = white), this semi-arid biome is found in areas of small rainfall in northeastern Brazil.

Differential diagnosis. All characteristics of C. caatinga are consistent with the description of the genus Coarazuphium . This species differs from all others of the genus by the following combination of characters: reduced and depigmented eyes, head slightly narrower than elytra, two pairs of dorsal setae at the posterior border of head, pronounced apical sinuosity of elytron. Furthermore, ultrastructural analyses show the lengthening of the mandible of C. caatinga (which has also a different disposition on the teeth) when compared with C. formoso ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ).