Plusiocampa (Pentachaetocampa) inopinata subgen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C6C66264-5935-49C3-83EF-B42D9C015314

Figs 1–17, Table 1

Etymology

Unopinatus, inopinata, inopinatum, a Latin adjective meaning unexpected or surprising, which describes how we felt after the discovery of this remarkable troglobitic new taxon in German caves.

Type material

Holotype

GERMANY: ♀, Schallsinger Höhle, Malsburg-Marzell, Baden-Württemberg, 11 May 2014, Dominik Fröhlich and M. Sieber leg. (ZMUC).

Paratypes

GERMANY: 4 ♀♀, 2 ƋƋ, from the type locality, 11 May 2014, Dominik Fröhlich leg. (ZMUC); 1 Ƌ, 8 Jun. 2013, Hannes Köble leg. (AS); 1 Ƌ, 11 Jun. 2016, Dominik Fröhlich, Tobias Helling and Dieter Weber leg. (MNCB); 3 juvs, 11 Jun. 2016, Dominik Fröhlich, Tobias Helling and Dieter Weber leg. (AS); 1 ♀, 1 juv., 11 Jun. 2016, Dominik Fröhlich, Tobias Helling and Dieter Weber leg. (AS); 1 spec. and 1 juv., 11 Jun. 2016, Dominik Fröhlich, Tobias Helling and Dieter Weber leg., mounted in Marc André solution (AS).

Other material examined

GERMANY: 2 ♀♀, Schallsinger Höhle, Malsburg-Marzell, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, 11 June 2016, Dominik Fröhlich, Tobias Helling and Dieter Weber leg. (AS).

Description

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 3.1–5.5 mm (males), 3.9–5.4 mm (females) and 2.2–2.3 mm (juveniles) (Figs 1–2; see Supplementary File 2). Epicuticle smooth under optical microscope but slightly reticulated in high magnifications; body with sparse thin and long clothing, covered with thin barbs along the distal one third to one half (Figs 7–8).

HEAD. Two intact antennae in adults with 32 and 33 antennomeres and three in juveniles with 32, 32 and 33 antennomeres. Small sensillum of third antennomere located in ventral position between d and e macrosetae. Central antennomeres 1.5 times as long as wide in adults and juveniles, 2.0 times in the apical antennomere. Large cupuliform organ occupying ¹∕₆ of total length of apical antennomere with 12–14 olfactory chemoreceptors with 2–3 collaretes, each one covered completely by small pores (Figs 9–10). Thin and long gouge sensilla (Fig. 11) 30–35 µm long in a single distal whorl of 12–15 sensilla on each medial and distal antennomere. Frontal process developed with slightly tuberculate setae and macrosetae with thin barbs. The three macrosetae along the line of insertion of antennomere and x setae with thin barbs along distal one third. Suboval labial palps with latero-external sensillum similar to sensillum of third antennomere, with two guard setae, up to 8 setae on anterior border and up to 120 neuroglandular setae.

THORACIC CHAETOTAXY. Thoracic macrosetae distribution (Fig. 3): pronotum with 1+1 ma, 4+4 la 1,2,3,4, 2+2 lp 2,3; mesonotum with 1+1 ma, 3+3 la 1, 2, 3, 2+2 lp 2, 3, 1+1 mp; metanotum with 1+1 ma, 1+1 la 1, 2+2 lp 2,3, 1+1 mp macrosetae. All macrosetae long, thin, covered by very thin barbs along distal four fifths (Fig. 7); marginal setae longer than clothing setae, covered by thin barbs along distal half to two thirds. Legs elongated, metathoracic legs reaching abdominal segment X. Femur II–III with 5 dorsal macrosetae (6 on femur III of two adults) (Fig. 12); femur I with 3 dorsal macrosetae. Tibia with two or three ventral macrosetae covered by thin short barbs along distal half to four fifths (Fig. 12). Calcars well barbed from base to tip with long barbs (Fig. 12). Dorsal and lateral tarsal setae completely covered with thin barbs almost from base almost to tip (Fig. 13). Slightly unequal, elbow-like claws (posterior claw 1.05–1.15 as long as anterior one), with short extension at basal end of posterior claw; lateral crests well developed, noticeably ridged on ventral side (Figs 13–14) and almost smooth on dorsal side. Telotarsal process smooth and setiform, with several short proximal barbs (Figs 13–14).

ABDOMINAL CHAETOTAXY. Distribution of abdominal macrosetae on tergites (Fig. 4): 1+1 post 1 on I–II; 1+1 post 1 and 1+1 la on III; 2+2 (3+2, 3+3) post 1,2 and 1+1 la on IV; 5+5 post 1–5 and 1+1 la on V–VII, 6+6 (5+6, 5+5) post on VIII; 8+8 (8+7) post on IX. All post urotergal macrosetae long and covered by thin barbs along distal two thirds to four fifths; la urotergal macrosetae shorter than post macrosetae, covered by barbs along distal half; position of post 1 macrosetae always a little bit anterior before marginal setae insertion. Urosternite I with 7+7 (7+6) macrosetae; urosternites II to VII with 5+5 macrosetae; urosternite VIII with 2+2 macrosetae; all urosternal macrosetae covered by long barbs along distal half to four fifths. Apical setae of styli with a short tooth with 2–5 small thin barbs in middle of setae; subapical and ventromedial setae covered with numerous thin barbs in middle portion of setae (Fig. 17). Cerci in adults with seven articles in addition to basal article, as long as body length; their articles show whorls of long macrosetae covered by thin barbs along distal two thirds, combined with whorls of smooth thin setae shorter than macrosetae (Table 1).

FEMALE UROSTERNITE I (Figs 6, 15–16). With subcylindrical appendages thinner than male appendages, each bearing up to 20 a 1 -glandular setae in a distal field; and a narrow marginal field with up to 25 g 1 -glandular setae in larger female adults.

MALE UROSTERNITE I (FIG. 5). With moderated large subcylindrical appendages, each bearing up to 70 a 1 -glandular setae in a large field covering almost distal half of its ventral and apical side; and a narrow marginal field with up to 35 g 1 -glandular setae in longer male adults.

Phyletic affinities

Plusiocampa (Pentachaetocampa) inopinata subgen. et sp. nov. is a clearly recognizable species due to the presence of five femoral macrosetae and the presence of g 1 -glandular setae in females. It differs strongly from members of other subgenera in the previously mentioned characters; but without these two differential features, P (P.) inopinata subgen. et sp. nov. seems to be most closely related to Plusiocampa (Plusiocampa) bonadonai Condé, 1948, based on similarities in the macrosetal formula of the thorax and abdomen and in the size and shape of the telotarsus. It is also a cave-dwelling species known from several caves, also found in endogean habitats (Condé & Poivre 1982) in the Maritime Alps, southeastern France.