Epilampra paititi Vanker, Medina-Espinoza, & Evangelista sp. nov.

Figs 14, 15

Type material.

Holotype. • Male, pinned, with genitalia in a separate microvial. Original label: “ Peru: Madre de Dios, Estación Biológica Los Amigos. Plataforma trail, terra firme; 12°33'47"S, 70°06'12"W [-12.563056, -70.103333]; 3. vii. 2021 [3 July 2021], hand coll. D. A. Evangelista leg. ” AUDE-PE-1-83.

Determination.

This specimen was placed in Epilampra (vs Poeciloderrhis) based on the presence of the following characters: the absence of medial tergal modifications on T 1 and T 2 (present in Poeciloderrhis), via separated from lve by a membrane (connected in Poeciloderrhis), hooked phallomere (L 3 ’) with a subapical incision (incision absent in Poeciloderrhis), and R’ phallomere cleft not fused (vs fused in Poeciloderrhis). We could not associate any females or juveniles to the adult male based on morphology.

Differential diagnosis.

At first, this species seemed to belong in the sodalis group based on the following traits it shares with taxa in that group: L 10 ’ is solidly fused to via and covered in microtrichia (shared with Roth (1970 d) ’ s Epilampra sp. C), and presence of a medial tergal modification on T 3 and T 4 (shared with Roth (1970 d) ’ s Epilampra sp. A). In fact, Roth (1970 d) commented that the latter of these traits was the only known cockroach with such a tergal gland. We do not know if this remains true outside of Epilampra. Yet, Epilampra sp. A and now this new species are unique within Epilampra in having such a dorsal tergal modification. However, this species differs strongly from Epilampra sp. A in the shape of all the genital sclerites (including L 10 ’), although L 3 ’ is more-or-less similar in the two taxa. The new species also differs strongly from Epilampra sp. C in the shape of via and L 1.

Description of holotype.

Male (AUDE-PE-1-83). Head. Frons, in dorsal view, predominantly pale brown with some dark brown speckling above the anteclypeus and a dark patch in the interocular space. Ocelli are flat, slightly ovular, and adjacent to the anterior-medial corners of antennal sockets. Labrum and final segment of maxillary palp slightly darker than the pale brown color of most of the face.

Thorax. Subtrapezoidal anteriorly, with an elongated medial lobe posteriorly. Primarily pale brown with dark speckles and several dark brown patches towards the midline. In the center are two dark parallel lines. Forewings large, extending past the end of abdomen and cerci. Pale brown coloration, speckled across wings with fainter and smaller speckles towards the lateral and posterior margins of the wings. Coloration on all legs similar, primarily pale brown with some sparse speckling that is most dense on the coxa, and a dark brown line on the dorsal margin of all femurs. Forefemur with a dark brown line on anterior margin. The forefemur’s AV margin spination type is B 2 with five large spines proximal to a row of 19 short spines. Forefemur posteroventral margin with four spines, one of which is apical. Fore and hind tarsus with five tarsomeres, and midtarsus with four tarsomeres. Fore- and midtarsus with two parallel rows of short ventral spines on the first tarsomere, short spines on either side of the euplantulae, and a final tarsomere with simple symmetrical claws and an arolium. Hind tarsus damaged without the final clawed tarsomere absent.

Abdomen. Dorsal abdomen has pale tan coloration at the anterior end of the abdomen, which darkens towards the posterior end, and light speckling on the left and right margins. Tergal modification on T 3. Posterior margin of T 1–5 medially notched. Ventral abdomen is pale brown and speckled. SA plate is semi-elliptical and bilobed with a long medial division. SG plate typical of Epilampra with short straight styli and marginal concavity on the right. Genitalia as in Fig. 15. Morphological measurements are presented in Table 4.

Range.

We collected only a single adult male of this species (if we collected an immature, or female, we have not identified it) in Madre De Dios, Peru, and we have no data for this taxon outside the region. We found it only at Los Amigos Biological Station.

Habitat.

Low hill forest.

Etymology.

The specific epithet paititi draws a parallel between the mythological city of gold lost in Madre De Dios and the now discovered “ lost tergal gland of gold ”.