Neurostigma alfonsoi, Reategui & Rafael & da Silva-Neto, 2025

Reategui, Natália S., Rafael, José A. & da Silva-Neto, Alberto M., 2025, Neurostigma Enderlein, 1900 (Psocodea: ‘ Psocoptera’: Epipsocidae) from Brazilian Amazon Rainforest: new species and variations in forewings, European Journal of Taxonomy 976, pp. 1-32 : 3-8

Neurostigma alfonsoi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C60BE836-ED83-4339-8F04-08FA8BBCD6D5

Figs 1–5 , 22

Diagnosis

The new species belongs in species group II, of Mendivil-Nieto et al. (2020). It is similar to Neurostigma radiatum in wing venation. I differs from the latter by having a distinctly irregular spot on forewing in medial region between M and CuA veins, and Cua 1 touching wing margin at a parallel point between first and second bifurcation of M vein ( Figs 3A–B , 5 ); the phallosome somewhat wide basally and gently curved outwards, with a V-shaped posterior process of the aedeagal arch, with a small subtriangular projection in the middle of its inner margin; and the endophallus with numerous V-shaped small spines, the radula with two sclerites, these almost together in middle of endophallus, basally almost triangular and weakly sclerotized, and posteriorly strongly sclerotized, with numerous acuminate projections, with two medially detached projections ( Fig. 4C ).

Etymology

This species is dedicated to the memory of Dr Alfonso Neri García Aldrete (1942–2022), in recognition of his extensive and excellent contributions to the taxonomy of South American psocids.

Type material

Holotype

BRAZIL • ♂; Rondônia, Itapuã do Oeste, Flona Jamari; 9°56′36″ S, 62°54′45″ W; 2 May 2016; Z.F.M. da Silva and J.A. Rafael leg.; Malaise trap; Rede de Biodiversidade de Insecta na Amazônia ( REDE BIA); INPA, INPA-PSO 000030 .

Paratypes

BRAZIL • 4 ♂♂; same data as for holotype; INPA, INPA-PSO 000031 to 000034 .

Description

Male

COLORATION. Frons of head with two dark brown spots between eyes and ocelli, first spot wider, second spot thinner, together forming convex shape ( Fig. 1D ); lateral areas of head entirely light brown ( Fig. 1 ). Compound eyes black, ocelli hyaline with ochre centripetal crescents ( Fig. 1 ). Scape, pedicel and flagellomeres hyaline. Clypeus light brown ( Fig. 1D ); labrum light brown, with dark brown labral sclerites ( Fig. 2A ), labium with light brown prementum, with dark brown round spot on sides, with palpi, paraglossas and glossa light brown ( Fig. 2B ); brown maxillary palpi without blackish contour ( Fig. 2C ), mandibles hyaline with yellowish and brownish ends ( Fig. 2D–E ); hyaline lacinia with yellowish distal region ( Fig. 2F–G ). Tergal lobes of meso and metathorax light brown ( Fig. 1A ); thoracic pleura light brown ( Fig. 1A–B ). Forewings with distinctly irregular spot in medial region between veins M and CuA ( Fig. 3A–B ), brownish spots that run through all crossveins of pterostigma of right forewing, except vein R1 ( Fig. 3A ), on left forewing, the spot runs through R1 ( Fig. 3B ). Hindwings hyaline, veins brown ( Fig. 3C–D ). Legs with coxae yellowish with blackened ends, trochanters light brown, femora basally with blackish spots, with several rounded black spots towards their ends ( Fig. 3E–G ), tibiae with two rounded black spots distally, tarsomeres 1 light brown, tarsomeres 2 dark brown ( Fig. 3E–G ). Abdomen light brown with dark abdominal segments ( Fig. 1A ).

MORPHOLOGY. Head with abundant macrosetae, more concentrated on vertex ( Fig. 1C–D ), compound eyes large, widely separated ( Fig. 1C–D ) and laterally elliptical ( Fig. 1E ); vertex convex, clearly above upper border of compound eyes, with each lobe twice as wide as it is long ( Fig. 1D ). Labium with prementum narrow, labial palpi with round shape, paraglossas with round shape, slender glossa ( Fig. 2B ). Mandibles asymmetrical, elongate and with outer margin angled ( Fig. 2D–E ), outer cusp of lacinial tip broad, with six or eight denticles ( Fig. 2F–G ). Lobes tergal with many setae. Forewings with broad pterostigma ( Fig. 3A–B ), right forewing pterostigma with six crossveins, sixth crossvein forked ( Fig. 3A ); left forewing pterostigma with six crossveins, with second crossvein fused medially to third crossvein ( Fig. 3B ) (see also the variations present in the paratypes ( Fig. 5 ); R 2+3 veins unbranched ( Fig. 3A ) or branched ( Fig. 3B of the holotype and Fig. 5 of the paratypes); M vein before its first bifurcation gently concave, U-shaped, then almost straight, areola postica wide basally, slightly slanted posteriorly, apically rounded, with Cua 1 touching the wing margin at a parallel point between first and second bifurcation of M vein ( Figs 3A–B , 5 ). Hindwing R 2+3 sinuous, R 4+5 almost straight, M sinuous ( Fig. 3C– D ). Hypandrium with abundant setae, distally rounded, with a sclerotized line on each postero-lateral side ( Fig. 4A ). Phallosome open basally; side struts straight, somewhat wide basally and gently curved outwards; aedeagal arch robust, posterior process of edeagal arch V-shaped, with small subtriangular projection in the middle of its inner margin; endophallus with numerous small spines V-shaped, radula with two sclerites, these almost together in the middle of endophallus, basally almost triangular and weakly sclerotized, and posteriorly strongly sclerotized, with numerous acuminate projections, with two medially detached projections ( Fig. 4C ). Epiproct broad basally, with one triangular area on each anterolateral corner and small concavity in the middle of its anterior margin, sides converging to rounded posterior border, setae as illustrated ( Fig. 4B ). Paraproct extremely elongated, distally almost triangular, with field of microsetae in distal region, sensory fields large, with 24–28 trichobothria on basal rosettes ( Fig. 4B ).

MEASUREMENTS (in μm). FW: 2335, HW: 1735, F: 527, T: 839, t1: 317, t2: 99, MX 2: 88, MX 4: 145, IO: 398, D: 139, d: 184, PO: 1.323.

Figures

Fig. 1. Neurostigma alfonsoi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (INPA-PSO 000030). A. Lateral view. B. Thorax and head in lateral view. C. Thorax and head in dorsal view. D. Front view of head. E. Lateral view of head. Scale bars in mm.

Fig. 2. Neurostigma alfonsoi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (INPA-PSO 000030). A. Labrum. B. Labium. C. Right maxillary palp. D. Right mandible. E. Left mandible. F. Right lacinia. G. Left lacinia. Scale bars in mm.

Fig. 3. Neurostigma alfonsoi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (INPA-PSO 000030). A. Right forewing. B. Left forewing. C. Right hindwing. D. Left hindwing. E. Right front leg. F. Right medial leg. G. Right hind leg. Scale bars in mm.

Fig. 4. Neurostigma alfonsoi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (INPA-PSO 000030). A. Hypandrium. B. Right paraproct and epiproct. C. Phallosome. Scale bars in mm.

Fig. 5. Variation of forewing venation of paratypes of Neurostigma alfonsoi sp. nov., ♂. A–B. Paratype I (INPA-PSO 000031). A. Right forewing. B. Left forewing. C–D. Paratype II (INPA-PSO 000032). C. Right forewing. D. Left forewing. E–F. Paratype III (INPA-PSO 000033). E. Right forewing. F. Left forewing. G. Right forewing of paratype IV (INPA-PSO 000034). Scale bars in mm.

Fig. 22. Geographic distribution of all known species of Neurostigma Enderlein, 1900.