Oecidiophilus cleidecostae, Zilberman & Fontes, 2020

Zilberman, Bruno & Fontes, Luiz Roberto, 2020, New species and morphological notes on the termitophilous genera Fonsechellus Silvestri and Oecidiophilus Silvestri from Brazil (Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Corotocini, Termitoceina), Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (Pap. Avulsos Zool., S. Paulo) 60 (21), pp. 1-13 : 12-13

Oecidiophilus cleidecostae sp. nov.

( Figs. 88-94 )

Type material: HOLOTYPE ♂ ( MZSP 21174 ). BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte , 29.vii.1975, Renato L. de Araujo col. (with Diversitermes sp., MZSP 6171 ).

Measurement of Holotype: Length 1.9 mm (abdomen partially extended).

Diagnosis: Abdomen highly physogastric, with light reddish‑brown pronotum and head; abdomen bearing glandular sacs on lateral margins; body scarcely setose, including sclerotized parts; secondary sclerotization poorly developed, with tergite and sternites mostly represented by tiny sclerotized bands.

Description: Abdomen highly physogastric, with sternites and tergites poorly developed, leaving mostly tiny

sclerotized bands visible on dorsal and ventral views; sides of segments IV‑VII bearing conspicuous glandular sacs; last tergites and sternites scarcely setose ( Figs. 88‑90 ); tergite VIII wider than long, with one pair of primary bristles distanced from each other on median row, and another pair of apical bristles close to each oth‑ er, below anterior ones ( Fig. 91 ); sternite VIII wider than long, with a pair of distant bristles medially and two pairs below, apically ( Fig. 92 ); tergite IX trapezoidal, without macrosetae; sternite IX (male) slender, slightly enlarged toward apex, without macrosetae ( Fig. 94 ).Tergite X suboval, with four bristles at apex ( Fig. 93 ). Aedeagus with phallobase enlarged, lateral lobes structurally complex, divided into distal, median and proximal pieces ( Fig. 97 ); median lobe with apex with three rows of sinuous membranous lobes ( Figs. 95, 96 ).

Etymology: The specific epithet is patronymic, in honor of the great entomologist Dr. Cleide Costa, from Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZSP).

Host relationship: The termite nest sample MZSP 6170 where the beetle was collected included species of Diversitermes Holmgren (Nasutitermitinae) ,

Spinitermes Wasmann (Termitinae) , Syntermes Holmgren and Labiotermes Holmgren (Syntermitinae) . It is unlikely that any of the last three were the host of Oecidiophilus cleidecostae sp. nov. The host is most likely Diversitermes sp., which is also congruent with O. mimellus host information ( Silvestri, 1946).

Distribution: Known only from type locality: Belo Horizonte ( Brazil).

Remarks: The shapes of the head and thorax of Oecidiophilus cleidecostae sp. nov. resemble those described for the genus. The chaetotaxy, however, seems to be different between the species. These features can be properly described and confirmed when additional specimens become available for dissection.

Four conspicuous morphological features easily differentiate the two known species ( O. mimellus in parenthesis): the sclerotized portions are reddish‑brown (straw‑colored); the tergites are represented only by tiny sclerotized bands (seem to have developed secondary sclerotization); paratergites slender (wide); sides of the abdomen with glandular sacs (glandular sacs absent). Two less conspicuous morphological features of male genitalia differentiate the new species: the lateral lobes are divided into three parts (proximal, px; median, md; distal, ds) and not two, as in O. mimellus (proximal and distal); the apex of the median lobe has three rows of sinuous and membranous lobes, while in O. mimellus there is only one (see Silvestri, 1946, figs. 17‑18).

Figures

Figures 88-90. Oecidiophilus cleidecostae sp. nov. Holotype (male). Habitus: (88) lateral; (89) ventral; (90) dorsal, arrows indicating glandular sacs on abdomen. Scale bars:0.1 mm.

Figures 91-94.Oecidiophiluscleidecostae sp.nov.Holotype (male):(91) tergiteVIII;(92) sterniteVIII;(93) tergite X;(94)tergite and sterniteIX.Scale bars:0.05 mm.

Figures 95-97. Oecidiophilus cleidecostae sp. nov. Holotype (male), aedeagus: (95) median lobe apex, dorsal; (96) median lobe apex, lateral; (97) lateral lobe. ds = distal;md = median;px = proximal.Scale bars:0.02 mm.