Haematotropis bella (Attems, 1937)

Figs 5–8, 47B, 50

Aphelidesmus bellus Attems, 1937: 135, fig. 173.

Aphelidesmus bellus: Schubart (1945: 48) (list).

Haematotropis bellus: Jeekel (2000: 81) (list).

Haematotropis bella: Golovatch et al. (2004: 65) (key).

Diagnosis. Adult males of H. bella differ from other Haematotropis species based on the following combination of characters: gonopod with LP1 tapered, with apex projected towards the coxa (Figs 6B–D, 8A, B); VP1 present; solenomere short, triangular, projected towards the coxa (Figs 6A, C, 8A, B).

Material examined. Syntype ♂ (NHMW MY3414), Brasil, Pará, near Santarém city, Fazenda Taperinha, 1927, Dr. Zernyleg. Topotype ♂, Pará, Santarém, Fazenda Taperinha, Expedição Permanente Amazônia, 1–11.II.1968, (MZUSP 948).

Redescription.

Size and form (topotype ♂). Body length = 37 and wide = 8 mm. TL/GW = 4.6.

Coloration (long preserved in 70% ethanol). Head, prozonite, metazonite and telson brown, antennomeres and posterior region of the epiproct orange, legs yellow, with hemispheric spot in posterior midline of basal region and polygonal areas on most metazonites (Figs 5A–D, 7A–E).

Head. Dorsal surface smooth and shiny, without microgranulations.

Trunk. Collum 3.9 mm long, 8.6 mm wide; dorsal surface of all rings smooth and shiny, without microgranulations; posterolateral margins strongly concave, sickle-shaped (Figs 5A, B, 7B, C). Rings 2–19: prozonite and metazonite smooth and shiny, without microgranulation on dorsal region of all rings. Anterolateral teeth on paranota of rings 2–4 (Fig. 2G). Lateral margins of ring 2 projected posteriad (Fig. 5A, B). Gonopodal aperture elliptical, aproximately 2.10 mm wide and 1.17 mm long at midpoints. Telson smooth and shiny, without microgranulations.

Legs. Smooth and shiny, without microgranulations.

Gonopods. Right gonopod structure as follows: coxa with lateral swelling at midlength (Figs 6A, C, 8A, B); acropodite elongated, about four times as long as prefemur; median region expanded, cup-shaped in ventral view, with a concavity and cavity (Fig. 6D); distal region of acropodite lightly sinuous, not bifurcate, curved ventrally at a 80° angle (Figs 6A–D; 8A, B); VP1 emarginated on posterior region, evident, exceeding the width of ventral region of acropodite, in lateral view (Figs 6A, C, 8A, B); VP2 absent; LP1 tapered and slightly curved apically, projected towards the coxa (Figs 6B–D, 8A, B); LP2, LP3 and DP absent. Opening of solenomere located at distal end of acropodite (Figs 6A, C, 8A, B). Solenomere short, triangular, projected towards the coxa (Figs 6A, C, 8A, B).

Remarks. H. bella shares gonopodal morphology with H. callipa (Fig. 4A–C, E), H. callyi sp. nov. (Fig. 23A–D) and H. macapa (Fig. 12A–D) but differs mainly by having the distal region of the acropodite not bifurcate (Fig. 6A–D), unlike the other species (Figs 4A, 12A, C, 23B–D). The posterolateral margins of the first rings of H. bella are strongly concave (Fig. 5A, B), not observed in the remaining species (Figs 3A, B, 11A, B; 22A, B).

Variations. H. bella has slight intraspecific variations in the same locality. The colouring of metazonite and prozonite may be dark brown (Fig. 5A–D) or light brown, almost yellow (Fig. 7A–E).

According to Attems (1937), H. bella has antennae blood red. Nevertheless, through the photos provided by NHMW and of topotype ♂, we observed the coloration to be light brown, almost orange, obviously due to long preservation in alcohol.

Distribution. Brazil: Pará (Fig. 50).