Scipopus (Phaeopterina) narupa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5034DA1D-9B72-4D92-A75F-8455C572AE1D

Figs 62–63

Differential diagnosis

Scipopus (Phaeopterina) narupa sp. nov. is easily distinguished from consubgeners by the blue-black, wide epicephalon and the primarily dark brown or black body with dark brown or black legs.

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition inspired by the type locality.

Type material examined

Holotype

ECUADOR • 1 ♀; Napo, Narupayacu; 0°43′30″ N, 77°46′02″ W; 1100 m a.s.l.; 3 May 2019; K. Lindsay leg.; QCAZ (photographed, Fig. 62A, C–D).

Paratypes

ECUADOR • 1 ♂, 11 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; QCAZ .

Other material examined

ECUADOR • 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; DEBU (♂, ♀ dissected and photographed, Fig. 62B, E–F) • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; debu0399728/MYCRO810-20 sequenced for CO1–5′; DEBU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; debu0399675/MYCRO811-20 sequenced for CO1–5′; DEBU • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; debu00399732/MYCRO816-20 sequenced for CO1–5′; DEBU .

Description

LENGTH. 11–12 mm.

HEAD. Palpus orange, pale microtrichose and black setulose, narrow (length 4.5× height). Clypeus orange, width ~2.0 × height, entirely silvery microtrichose. Frontal vitta dull, orange, microtrichose, posteriorly tapered. Epicephalon black, shiny, bare, wide (width ⅔ or more of upper frontal vittal width at inner verticals), clearly delineated from upper frontal vitta. One of the two usual lower fronto-orbital setae absent, postocellar seta present or absent, all other head chaetotaxy well-developed.

THORAX. Scutum black with a wide, silvery-blue median sheen. Female cervical sclerite relatively flat. Postpronotal lobe black, with dense tuft of setulae on anterior corner. Notopleuron black with silvery-blue microtrichia outlining anterior notopleural seta and extending onto ventral margin. Thorax black with blue sheen, entirely silvery microtrichose. Legs black; fore and hind tarsomere 1 black with ventral golden fringe. Wing evenly black-brown infuscate.

ABDOMEN (J+ ♀). T1 with fine, long, white setae.

FEMALE ABDOMEN. Pleuron pale grey, dorsal and ventral third of P2–5 dark brown or grey, leaving an indistinct pale convex median line on pleuron (Fig. 62G). T1+2 ~1.8 × length of T3; posterior margin of T2 ~1.4× as wide as T1. Oviscape black, medium-length black setulose and white microtrichose on anterior ½, ~3.0× length of T6. Spermathecal ducts arising independently from bursa copulatrix. Paired spermathecal duct short (4.0 × length of paired spermathecae), narrow basally, swollen distally. Paired spermathecal stems long, narrow, inornate. Paired spermathecae nearly crescent-shaped, tapered apically. Single spermathecal duct narrow, same diameter as paired duct at base, same length as paired duct, swollen apically. Single spermatheca large (larger than paired), elongate, cup-shaped, with sparse tubercles.

MALE ABDOMEN. Pleuron pale grey, dorsal half of P2–5 dark brown. T1+2 ~2.0 × length of T3. Genital fork 2.5× as long as T6, arms converging; inner basal process ¹/6 the length of arm. Epandrium stout, length ~1.5× height, posteroventral margin short setose. Basiphallus frame-like. Basal distiphallus long (≈ length of epandrium). Phallic bulb large, elongate (length 3.0× height), irregular and complex, with multiple chambers, either terminating in a tube-like opening or a very short, wide distal distiphallus. Phallapodeme very broad and expanded apically. Anterior hypandrium broad and expanded.

Remarks

We observed S. (Ph.) narupa sp. nov. feeding at a dung bait in Narupayacu, Ecuador in a characteristic posture previously noted in S. (Ph.) stigmatica, with the abdomen almost perpendicular to the feeding surface (Fig. 63B). A female of this species has been photographed with an associated pseudoscorpion (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/31649795).

Distribution

Ecuador.