Psyllipsocus fuscistigma Lienhard, 2014

Lienhard, Charles & Ferreira, Rodrigo L., 2014, New species of Psyllipsocus from Brazilian caves (Psocodea: ‘ Psocoptera’: Psyllipsocidae), Revue suisse de Zoologie 121 (2), pp. 211-246 : 233-234

Psyllipsocus fuscistigma Lienhard n. spec. Fig. 12

HOLOTYPE: ISLA; 3 (slide-mounted); BRAZIL ( CE), Tejuçuoca , Gruta do Veado

Campeiro cave, 16.ix.2008, leg. R. L. Ferreira.

DESCRIPTION OF MALE: General colouration light brown. Compound eyes black. Forewing with characteristic colour pattern (Fig. 12A). Tibiae without transversal bands. Abdomen whitish, with narrow light brown transverse bands; terminalia light brown.

Macropterous (Fig. 12AB). General morphology as in P. subtilis (see description, above). Forewing venation (Fig. 11A) very similar to that of P. subtilis but distal closed cell about equal in length to basal closed cell (bcc/dcc ≈ 1.0) and first portion of pterostigmal R1 slightly shorter than R1-Rs crossvein. Hindwing as in Fig. 12B. Paraproct (Fig. 12C) and epiproct simple, as in P. subtilis .

Hypandrium and phallosome as in Fig. 12D. Hypandrium, phallic cradle and central sclerotizations of phallosome similar to P. subtilis but denticulate lobe larger, reaching tip of membranous apical zone which is not granulate; basal struts short; endophallic tube with a row of 3 pores on each side.

MEASUREMENTS: Male holotype: BL = 1.2 mm; FW = 1450 µm; FWw = 520 µm; FW/FWw = 2.8; HW = 1200 µm; F = 240 µm; T = 536 µm; t1= 170 µm; t2 = 39 µm; t3 = 43 µm; IO/D = 1.4.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the dark brown patch at the distal end of the pterostigma (Latin: fuscus – dark brown).

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: P. fuscistigma is only known from the type locality, the Gruta do Veado Campeiro cave, in Tejuçuoca municipality, Ceará state. This limestone cave is small and completely dry. The main resource observed was guano from frugivorous bats, whereon the specimen was found. There are also some other small caves in the same outcrop, which represents the only limestone outcrop in the region, these caves being isolated from other limestone formations. The external vegetation belongs to the Brazilian “Caatinga”, and the area was extremely dry during the collection period. All caves located in this outcrop were sampled, but only one specimen of P. fuscistigma was found.

DISCUSSION: P. fuscistigma is closely related to P. subtilis and P. radiopictus ; the presence of four pigment stripes running parallel to forewing veins R2+3 and R4+5 (one in cells r1 and r5, two in cell r3), is here interpreted as a synapomorphy of these species. However, they are easily distinguishable by several details of the forewing pattern and by the shape of the AP (its height exceeding its marginal length in P. radiopictus , not reaching marginal length in the two other species). The genitalia of P. radiopictus are not known and for P. fuscistigma only male genitalia are known, which are very similar to those of P. subtilis , except for the details mentioned in the above description. The v3-chaetotaxy of P. subtilis is unique to the genus because of the presence of a row of thick marginal setae. Unfortunately this character could not be observed in P. fuscistigma and P. radiopictus ; it might be a synapomorphy of all three species.

FIG. 12

Psyllipsocus fuscistigma Lienhard n. spec., male holotype. (A) Forewing. (B) Hindwing. (C) Left paraproct and left hind corner of clunium. (D) Hypandrium and phallosome, ventral view (pilosity not shown).