Lepidospora (Brinckiletinia) malousjanica Tahami & Molero & Gaju & Sadeghi 2018, new species

Lepidospora (Brinckiletinia) malousjanica Molero, Tahami, Gaju & Sadeghi new species

Figs. 27‒60

Type material. Holotype: male, Malousjan cave, Malusjan, Fars Province, Iran. 22-XII-2015. Paratypes: Three males, three females and one juvenile, from the same locality and date. Holotype and one female paratype mounted on slides, one male and one female mounted for SEM studies. Holotype deposited in MNCN (Cat. Types Number 2722); two paratypes (one male and one female) deposited in ZM-CBSU, code of collection C2128) and the remaining five specimens deposited in UCO (Ref. Z 2512).

Description. Body length: 8 mm in the holotype; larger females up to 8.5 mm. Thorax length up to 2.7 mm. Thorax width up to 1.5 mm. Body shape subcylindrical, dorsoventrally slightly flattened. Thorax nearly as wide as abdomen. Epidermal pigment absent or pale yellowish; gut contents visible due to transparency of teguments. Head and thorax completely devoid of scales, abdomen covered with scales. Scales slightly longer than wide, about 60 µm long, with 12‒14 rays (Fig. 27); their insertions heart-shaped (Fig. 28).

Head (Fig. 29) with several bifid macrosetae inserted in the lateral margins of the cephalic capsule, the margins of the frons and the middle of the clypeus and labrum; those of the posterolateral angles of the head and near the basis of antennae the longest. Some setae dispersed irregularly over the cephalic capsule, more abundant in the posterior part of the head.

Antennae longer than body, although broken in most specimens; maximum preserved length 12 mm. Scape twice as long as pedicel, with 5‒7 macrosetae inserted on the middle of the segment or on its apical part, and some additional simple setae of heterogeneous length (Fig. 29). Each pedicel of the male with a subcylindrical apophysis, about 2.4 times longer than wide at its base. Apex of the apophysis subacute, reaching the level of the third flagellomere (Figs. 30, 31). Distal part of apophysis with a conspicuous glandular seta inserted subapically (Fig. 30) and two macrosetae on the opposite side, the basal one longer. Basal part of apophysis with a fovea with several small setae (Fig. 32). Three additional long macrosetae inserted in the distal part of the trunk of pedicel, near the apex; several thin simple setae on the opposite side of the article. Female pedicel lacking apophysis, bearing five long macrosetae, 2‒3 times longer than those of scape (Fig. 29). On the flagellum, basiconic sensilla abundant, especially on T‒joints, arranged in whorls on each flagellomere.

Mandibles with well-developed sclerotized teeth, a molar plate and several setae, one of them longer and stronger, on the outer side (See Fig. 33).

Galea with two apical sensory cones of different size (Fig. 34). Lacinia with prostheca and a bifurcate tip (Fig. 35), finishing in two teeth of different size; between the two teeth, there are two slender, sinuous sensilla, longer than the secondary tooth (Fig 35). In addition to the prostheca, five hyaline lamellae and about 24 short setae. Maxillary palp with five palpomeres, the distal palpomere with 5 or 6 apical sensory rods (Figs. 36, 37) and subcircular sensilla. Apical article of maxillary palp about 6.7‒10 times longer than wide and 1.2 times longer than the penultimate article (Fig. 38). Apical article of maxillary palp and distal part of subapical article covered with more than 100 long basiconic sensilla (Fig. 39).

Apical article of labial palp (Fig. 40) about 1.9 times longer than wide and 1.3 times longer than the penultimate, with six sensory papillae arranged in a subcircular group (Fig. 41). Inner side of this segment with 4‒5 thin-walled, curved basiconic sensilla; outer side with 3‒4 similar sensilla.

Most thoracic and abdominal macrosetae lost in available specimens, only their insertions visible. Nota with 7‒8 bifid macrosetae of variable length on their lateral borders and three macrosetae on each posterolateral angle; pronotum bearing similar setae (12‒14) on its anterior margin (Fig. 42). Many small, simple setae on margins and densely covering the notal discs, presumably corresponding with the absence of scales.

Protibia about 4.2‒5.2 times longer than wide, with two dorsal and 4‒5 ventral spines and a row of 5‒6 short spines in the ventro-apical angle (Fig. 43). Mesotibia about 4.7‒5.7 times longer than wide, setation similar to that of protibia, except ventro-apical angle setae less numerous). Metatibia about 8‒8.2 times longer than wide (Fig. 44) and 1.55‒1.75 times longer than protibia, with one small dorsal and four ventral spines, two of them inserted apically in the podomere; ventral spines shorter than diameter of the tibiae. Metatibia about 1.3‒1.4 times longer than the first article of the metatarsus. Metatarsus long, about 1.5 times longer than tibia; length of first tarsomere about 0.75 times the length of the tibia. Pretarsus with three simple claws, empodium shorter than lateral claws (Fig. 45).

Urotergites covered with scales; dorsal and ventral scales similar. Faint suture between the tergite and paratergite, obscure on urotergites II‒VII. Disc of first urotergite with scattered setae, the other urotergites with setae restricted to the posterior margin, each side with 4‒6 isolated macrosetae interspersed usually with four thinner, shorter setae (Fig. 46).

Urotergite X of male with concave hind margin and two posterolateral, downward-curving projections (Fig. 47). Conules usually inserted in the ventral side of this tergite facing forward; 6‒8 conules inserted on each posterolateral angle of the disc of the tergite, 4‒5 inserted conules on the ventral side of the posterolateral projections. Posterior notch shallow, especially in dorsal view; margin concave in ventral view but nearly straight in the middle in dorsal view (Figs. 48, 49). Some setae inserted dorsally near the notch and a strong macroseta inserted in the apex of each posterolateral projection; lateral margins of tergite bearing a few long, pointed setae, disc with only a few sparse small setae.

In females, urotergite X lacking conules; with a shallow concavity and 1+1 macrosetae inserted in the posterolateral angles (Fig. 50).

Urosternite I divided, but sutures delimiting laterocoxites poorly marked. Hind margin with 1+1 median macrosetae, very close together, and some lateral setae (Fig. 51).

Eight pairs of styli, inserted on urosternites II‒IX. Eversible vesicles present in urosternites II‒VI and pseudovesicles on urosternite VII. Urosternites II‒VII with 1+1 medial macrosetae, some small setae on the disc, and the hind margin with 1+1 submedian macrosetae (between both vesicles), 1+1 sublateral macrosetae inserted between vesicles and bases of styli) and (2‒4)+(2‒4) macrosetae lateral to the insertion of the styli (Fig. 52).

Urosternite VIII of male entire, that of female divided into free coxites. Hind margin of urosternite VIII of male straight. Subgenital plate in female triangular, with convex acute hind margin, wider than long (ratio length/ width about 0.75); most setae of this sternite concentrated in the posterior angle (Fig. 53).

Coxites IX free in both sexes. Parameres cylindrical, about 4.5‒5.5 times longer than wide at their base, their apex reaching beyond the middle of styli IX (Fig. 54). Penis with longitudinal opening. Spermatolophids spherical, with a variable number of spermatozoa with elongated head, arranged irregularly, some of them parallel to each other.

Ovipositor (Fig. 55) with about 19 divisions, its apex surpassing the apex of styli IX by nearly the length of styli. Apex of gonapophyses VIII with a thin appendix (Figs. 56, 57). Gonapophyses IX with a dense spiny area on their inner side, subapically (Figs. 58, 59).

Terminal filaments broken basally in all specimens, maximum preserved length 1.5 mm. Cerci with 4‒5 acute pegs, longer and thinner than those on urotergite X, inserted in the second segment; an additional small peg sometimes present in the distal part of the basal segment and another in the basal part of the third segment (Fig. 60). Paracercus apparently without pegs.

Habitat. The new species was collected in the hypogean zone (complete darkness) of Malousjan Cave.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the cave where the species has been found, which coincides with that of the municipality to which the cave belongs, in the region of Fars, Iran.

Discussion. Mendes (2002) recognized that the Asiatic species of the subgenus Brinckina were probably a monophyletic group distinct from the African Brinckina. Lepidospora (Brinckiletinia) malousjanica n. sp. is likely more closely related to the Asiatic species than to the African species. L. (Brinckina) hemitrichoides Wygodzinsky, 1962 from Afghanistan and L. (B.) hemitricha Silvestri, 1942 from China and Vietnam species coincide in having numerous setae on the disc of thoracic nota. If other characters are compared with the Iranian species, L. (B.) hemitricha has longer macrosetae over all the body, a more rounded apex of the pedicellar apophysis, shorter tibiae (with a lower ratio length/width) and a longer ovipositor (Silvestri 1942). Compared with L. (B.) hemitrichoides, this species is larger (12 mm), has clearly longer parameres and the shape and arrangement of sensorial pegs on terminal filaments are very different, since it has acute pegs on paracercus and numerous thin and acute pegs on cerci (Wygodzinsky 1962), whilst in the new species from Iran the paracercus apparently lacks pegs and the cerci have a lower number, and the pegs are shorter or wider in shape. Spermatolophids of this Afghan species are similar to those of the new species from Iran.