Rudolfina megepandria sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 16E7249F-BC7E-4CD0-AFCB-60A5C98CFB43

Figs 4, 13, 21B

Etymology

The specific name, which has been a manuscript name since Marshall (1982), refers to the unusually large epandrium.

Material examined

Holotype MEXICO • ♂; Jalisco, 18 mi. W of Atenquique; 9300 ft a.s.l.; A. Newton leg.; fir forest, dung; FMNH debu01086084.

Paratypes MEXICO – Jalisco • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; DEBU. – Oaxaca • 1 ♀; Yuvila Rd; 9400 ft a.s.l.; 9–19 Aug. 1973; A. Newton leg.; mesic oak, carrion; FMNH.

Description

BODY. Length: 1.9–2.2 mm. Eye height 2.5 × genal height. Head with 3 interfrontal setae and row of 4–5 small setulae on inner margin of orbital plate. Gena with 2 strong setae and 7–8 smaller setulae. Acrostichal setulae in 4–6 rows. Costagial seta extending to subcostal break. Second costal sector 0.75– 0.8× third costal sector. Length of M 1 between crossveins dm-cu and r-m– 3.0× dm-cu; CuA 1 stub vein ~10.0 × M 1 stub vein (M 1 stub vein extremely reduced). Male mid femur with 14–15 strong setae in ventrobasal cluster. Male mid tibia with ventral comb of 4–5 robust, short setae on apical ½. Mid tibia without midventral seta (both sexes).

MALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 13). Sternite 5 posterior margin with 2 small nipple-like teeth on each side of small emargination; emargination ~1/15 width and ~1/9 length of sternite 5. Transverse part of sternite 6 arcuate. Epandrium swollen, broader than preceding abdominal segments; subanal plate broad, complete. Surstylus with posterior lobe elongate, length ~4.0× basal width, with a hirsute medial lateral lobe; apex truncate. Cercus elongate-conical, projecting posteriorly. Postgonite elongate, narrowly rounded distally and narrow basally. Dorsal sclerite of distiphallus (Fig. 13 D–F) without dorsal swellings and not extending beyond apex of acrophallus.

FEMALE ABDOMEN (Fig. 4). Tergite 7 with posterior margin entire. Medial part of tergite 8 elongate, length ~2.0–3.0 × width, with posterior margin emarginate. Epiproct broadly rounded anteriorly. Cercus ~0.75× length of epiproct; fused anterolaterally to epiproct. Sternite 7 with posterior margin broadly rounded. Spermathecae cup-shaped; paired spermathecae with stems ~1.5× width of spermatheca.

Remarks

Rudolfina megepandria sp. nov. is diagnosed by its swollen male epandrium and distinctively shaped sternite 5. It is most closely related to R. bucki sp. nov., which has a less pronounced epandrium and differs in details of the surstylus and cercus.