Polyplectropus pugiunculatus Botosaneanu

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 209-211

Polyplectropus pugiunculatus Botosaneanu

Figs. 108, 135

Polyplectropus pugiunculatus Botosaneanu , in Botosaneanu & Alkins-Koo, 1993: 31. [Type locality: Trinidad, Northern Range , stream just below Blue Basin Waterfall; ZMUA; male; female.]

This species is most similar to P. venezolanus , new species in the shape of the inferior appendage and presence and arrangement of the peg-like setae on the dorsal and ventral branches. Polyplectropus pugiunculatus differs in having an elongate dorsolateral process of the preanal appendage (short in P. venezolanus ), by the shapes of the mesoventral process of the preanal appendages and intermediate appendage. Polyplectropus pugiunculatus is distinctive in having an apicoventral peg-like seta on the medial (interior surface) of the dorsal branch of the inferior appendage (2 present in P. venezolanus ).

Adult. Length of forewing 4.4 mm, n = 5. Color of head, thorax, and legs yellowish-brown (specimens preserved in alcohol).

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view deltoid, anterior margin entire, posterior margin entire; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin concave, posterior margin with slight median flange. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae. Intermediate appendage not longer than inferior appendage, digitate, with long and short setae throughout; in dorsal view broad, tapering mesoventrally to acute apex; in caudal view digitate, short, curved apically, directed posteromesad; median papillate lobe small, flanking phallocrypt laterally, bearing small apical setae. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process elongate, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, directed anterad, recurved posteromesad then posterolaterad, tapering mesally into acute apex; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view oblong, in lateral view broadly convex; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view hook-like, tapering ventrally into sclerotized apex, anteroventral margin concave, posterior margin convex; in caudal view processes separated, ventral margin of process truncate. Inferior appendage bipartite with anterior basal plate not extending anterad beyond sternum IX when observed in lateral view; dorsal branch setose, in lateral view pandurate, bearing medial apical spine; in ventral view narrow, lateral margin convex, entire, posterior margin undulate, subapically expanded, becoming concave, expanding posterad into ventral branch; ventral branch setose, short, bearing 4–7 robust, sclerotized spines basally and apically; in lateral view digitate, rounded posterad; in ventral view deltoid, mesal margin acutely angled, ungulate, gradually converging mesally. Phallus short; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate, apex pandurate; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view emarginate; dorsolateral arm of dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view tapering subapically; in dorsal view tapering subapically; endothecal membrane without embedded spines.

Material Examined. TRINIDAD: Northern Range, stream just below Blue Basin Waterfall, 17.iv.1991, L. Botosaneanu & D. Sakal [holotype] ( ZMUA) ; Maracas River , 10–11.xii.1990, coll. University of West Indies— 2 male, 1 female [paratypes] ( NMNH) ; TOBAGO: Roxborough 5.9 km N, C2/4, 11°17'00"N, 60°35'00"W, 400 m, 15–16.vi.1993, Adams & Mathis — 1 male ( NMNH) ; Bloody Bay , River tributary, Forest Reserve, 29.iv.1996, D. Bass — 1 male ( NMNH) .

Distribution. Trinidad & Tobago.