(Figs 5-7)
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 8A1380FF-9EB5-46F1-92D0-1DEE7DB68D17
TYPE LOCALITY. — Brazil, State of Ceará, municipality of Ubajara, Chapada de Ibiapaba, Parque Nacional de Ubajara.
ETYMOLOGY. — The word “seca” means “dry” in Portuguese, referring to the climatic conditions of the region where this species was collected. The name is a noun in apposition.
TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Brazil • ♂; CE, Ubajara, Chapada de Ibiapaba, P [arque] N[acional] de Ubajara; 3°51’05”S, 40°54’35”W; 860 m; 20-26.I.2013; F. A. G. de Mello leg.; genitalia removed and kept with the specimen; right foreleg removed for DNA extraction; kept in ethanol 80%; LDC_096; GRYLLO/IBI/J519S; MZSP.
DIAGNOSIS. — General coloration light brown covered by spots medium to dark brown. Vertex with two bands close to antennal scape and eyes. Male: Metanotum with two latero-anterior protuberances, without metanotal projections or cluster of bristles. Harp with three diagonal veins; the third reduced, connected apically with second vein, not connected to CuPa. Male genitalia: MLophi apex pointed, LLophi non-discernible; line of strong setae on membrane of distal margin of pseudepiphallic sclerite; anterior margin of pseudepiphallic sclerite with small “V” shaped indentation centrally; median portion of EctF cordiform, posterior portion upcurved to dorsal, not reaching MLophi apex, apex pointed.
DESCRIPTION
In addition to the characters of the genus:
Body. Small to median size (in comparison with V. rosai n. gen., n. sp. and V. fusca n. gen., n. sp); general coloration light brown, medium to dark brown spotted, body covered by sparse bristles, yellowish.
Head. Occiput and vertex light brown, with two bands close to antennal scape and eyes, dark brown (Fig. 5A, C). Antennal scape almost as long as wide, few bristles on the distal margin in frontal view, light brown, with a few medium brown spots in frontal view; antennomeres light brown. Frons and gena light brown, median brown spotted in frontal view (Fig. 5C). Clypeus light brown; superior margin with two vertical and lateral bands medium to dark brown; labrum whitish (Fig. 5C). Maxillary palpi slightly pubescent, light brown, medium brown spotted; articles 3-5 elongated, almost same-sized.
Pronotum. DD light brown, with medium brown spots; two median maculae dark brown, one close to cephalic margin, one in middle of DD, “V” shaped; caudal margin darker than cephalic margin. DD cephalic margin almost straight, DD caudal margin slightly convex (Fig. 5A, B).
Legs. Legs I and II less pubescent than in V. rosai n. gen., n. sp. FI, FII, TI and TII light brown, medium brown punctuated; FIII slightly pubescent, light brown, medium brown punctuated; TIII light brown, apical margin with dorsal maculae medium brown, circles medium brown surrounding subapical spurs; TI, TII, TIII subapical and apical spurs as in genus description (Fig. 5H, I); apical and subapical spurs light brown, apex medium brown. Basitarsus III light brown.
Abdomen. Tergites slightly pubescent, medium brown, posterior margin lighter; without median longitudinal bands. Sternites, slightly pubescent, light brown; median band darker. Cerci pilose, light brown.
Male
Metanotum light brown; with two latero-anterior protuberances, whitish; without metanotal projections or cluster of bristles (Fig. 5E). FWs long for the genus, not covering last two abdominal tergites, mainly light brown; anal vein area very sclerotized, yellowish; anterior region of diagonal vein very sclerotized; harp crossed with three diagonal veins; third vein reduced, connected apically with second vein, not connected to CuPa; CuPb short; apical field reduced, less cells than V. rosai n. gen., n. sp. (Fig. 5A, D); lateral field with c. 16 diagonal, parallel veins (Fig. 5B). Supra anal plate slightly pubescent, light brown, lateral-anterior margins dark brown; anterior margin almost straight, posterior margin rounded (Fig. 5F). Subgenital plate slightly pubescent, light brown; median region lighter; posterior margin yellowish; anterior margin almost straight, posterior margin convex (Fig. 5G).
Male genitalia (Figs 6; 7)
Pseudepiphallus: MLophi apex pointed, LLophi very reduced, non-discernible; presence of membrane on distal margin of pseudepiphallic sclerite, with line of strong setae; anterior margin of pseudepiphallic sclerite with small “V” shaped indentation. PsP short, posterior margin slightly concave in ventral view; posterior half wider than anterior half in ventral view; R curved inwards in dorsal and ventral views, poster half flattened, anterior apex curved outwards; almost connected to pseudepiphallic sclerite. Ectophallic invagination: EctAp thin, shorter than in V. rosai n. gen., n. sp., straight in dorsal and ventral views; ventral projections of ectophallic invagination short; EctF median portion cordiform, posterior portion thinner, upcurved to dorsal, not reaching MLophi apex, apex pointed. Endophallus: EndSc longer than wide, concave in ventral view; endophallic curved outwards in dorsal and ventral views.
Female
Unknown.
Measurements (mm)
Male holotype: HW, 3.2; IOD, 1.7; PL, 2.8; PW, 3.5; FWL, 11.25; FWW, 4.6; HWL, 10.95; LFIII, 9.3; WFIII, 3.3; LTIII, 6.3; LBtarsIII, 1.5.