Phalangopsis quartzitica, Junta & Castro-Souza & Ferreira, 2020

Junta, Vitor Gabriel Pereira, Castro-Souza, Rodrigo Antônio & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2020, Five new species of Phalangopsis Serville, 1831 (Orthoptera: Phalangopsidae) from Brazilian caves in the Amazon Forest, Zootaxa 4859 (2), pp. 151-194 : 154-161

Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp.

( Figures 2–7 , 8–14 , 15–18 , 19–23 , 24–29 , 148 ; Table 1 and 4)

Material examined. Holotype ♂, code ISLA 65740, Brazil, Pará , municipality of São Geraldo do Araguaia, An- dorinhas cave (6°16’55.98”S; 48°32’33.52”O), 17.ii.2018, Sperandei, V. F., leg . Holotype condition: integrate. Paratypes, 3 ♂ ♂ ( ISLA 65737; 65738; 65739) and 3 ♀ ♀ ( ISLA 65736; 65741; 65743), same data of holotype. Individuals examined , 1 ♂ ♂ ( ISLA 65742) and 1 ♀ ♀ ( ISLA 65744), same data of holotype .

Distribution. Andorinhas Cave in the municipality of São Geraldo do Araguaia, Pará, Brazil.

Etymology. The specific epithet “ quartzitica ” refers to the quartzite, the matrix rock of the cave where this specie was found.

Diagnosis. Combination of the following characteristics: pseudepiphallic dorsal branch, thin and developed, projecting for the interior of the sclerite, the apex presents a visible dilation in frontal and lateral view ( Figs 2, 4 and 5 ; Pd.db); pseudepiphallic paramere 2 developed, shape discoidal, projecting towards the exterior of the sclerite ( Figs 3–5 , Ps.P2); pseudepiphallic arm elongated ( Fig 2 , Ps.arm); pseudepiphallic median lobes developed and projecting dorsally, shape sub-quadrangular elongated towards the endophallus in frontal view and globular in dorsal view ( Figs 2, 4–5 , Ps.m.1); pseudepiphallic branch little projected dorsally in dorsal view ( Figs 2, 4–5 ; Ps.b); upper central and lower part of ectophallic arc horizontally curved ( Fig. 3 , Ect. Arc); endophallic distal portion slightly developed in thickness ( Fig. 6 , a, End.d).

Description, male holotype. Body color: general body coloration uniformly brownish, dorsal head whitish brown ( Fig. 8 ); pronotum strong yellowish brown, with whitish discoloration spots ( Figs 8 and 10 ); abdomen brown dorsally, white and translucent ventrally; legs yellowish brown, whitish at the start of the femur ( Figs 15–18 ); cerci uniformly whitish brown. Head: slightly pubescent; elongated in front view (3.728 and 2.739 mm, length and width respectively); vertex marked with four dark vertical stripes, two starting from the eye’s region reaching the occiput, two starting from the antennas bases and reaching the occiput as two darkish spots ( Fig. 8 ); gena, clypeus and labrum whitish, mandibles brownish yellow, dark brown near to the labrum; all maxillary palpomeres slightly pubescent, first and second shorter than the others and whitish, third and fourth palpomeres presenting similar size, the fourth is slightly larger, fifth palpomere lightly longer than fourth, claviform, arched and whitish at tip ( Fig. 8 ); all labial palpomeres whitish, pubescent and increasing in size, third palpomere claviform ( Fig. 8 ); scape pubescent, yellowish brown at the base and whitish toward the pedicel, pedicel dark yellowish brown, antennomeres uniformly yellowish brown ( Figs 8 and 9 ); compound eyes black, with a small depigmented region near the scape insertion; ocelli absent ( Figs 8 and 9 ). Thorax: pronotum yellowish dark brown; anterior, medial and posterior portion with spots whitish distributed along the sagittal axis in dorsal view ( Fig. 10 ); dorsal disk broader than long, lateral lobes rounded, anterior and posterior margins sub-straight and with the presence of long bristles ( Fig. 10 ). Legs. In general, femur, tibia and tarsus pubescent; first tarsomere serrulated; femur always smaller than tibia (μ=14.748 ± 0.587 mm; μ= 17.050 ± 0.640 mm, femur and tibia respectively, Leg III, n=4) ( Figs 15–18 ). Leg I ( Figs 15 and 16 ): tibia ventrally serrated and armed with two same-sized ventro apical spurs, tympanum absent; first tarsomere almost thrice longer than second and third together. Leg II ( Figs 15 and 16 ): tibia ventrally serrated and armed with two same-sized ventral apical spurs; first tarsomere ventrally serrated and thrice bigger than the second and third together. Leg III: femur dilated; tibia serrulated, armed with four subapical spurs on outer side ( Fig. 17 ) and three on inner side ( Fig. 18 ), three apical spurs on outer ( Fig. 17 ; a, b, c) and four on the inner side ( Fig. 18 ; d, e, f, g), the inner being the longest; first tarsomere about thrice longer than the second and third together, armed with two apical spurs ( Figs 17–18 ). Right Tegmen: pubescent, few sclerotized and underdeveloped, stridulatory file absent, poorly marked veins and with glandular thickening at the distal margin ( Fig. 11 ). Abdomen: cerci pubescent and elongated, with long bristles at the base; supra-anal plate sub-quadrangular with long bristles at distal portion, base with two small lateral projections, apex slightly rounded and base curved inside ( Figs 12 and 13 ); sub-genital plate sub-quadrangular, oval, short, base rounded, apex sub-triangular and lightly sharp ( Figs 13 and 14 ).

Observations in Paratypes. Male phallic sclerites (paratype ISLA 65737, Figs 2–6 ) Pseudepiphallus: dorsal branch well sclerotized, thin and developed, projecting for the interior of the sclerite, the apex presents a visible dilation in frontal and lateral view, ( Figs 2, 4 and 5 , Pd.db), this structure is very similar to Ps.db of Phalangopsis ferratilis n. sp.; paramere 1 slightly cambered triangular, with a depression on lateral external face, connecting to the paramere two and A sclerite by a membranous tissue ( Figs 3–5 , Ps.P1); paramere 2 developed, shape discoidal, projecting towards the exterior of the sclerite and more developed compared to paramere 1 ( Figs 3–5 , Ps.P2); pseudepiphallic arm elongated ( Figs 2 , Ps.arm); A sclerite vestigial and fused to Ps.arm, reaching paramere 1 and visible at ventral view ( Fig. 5 , A); pseudepiphallic medium lobes developed and projected dorsally, shape sub-quadrangular elongated towards the endophallus in frontal view and globular in dorsal view ( Figs 2, 4–5 , Ps.m.1); pseudepiphallic little projected dorsally in dorsal view, covering part of the proximal region of the ectophallic apodemes ( Figs 4–5 , Ps.b). Ectophallic invagination: apodemes thin and curved dorsally, with a small break in the proximal part of the projections, followed by a inclining in dorsal and lateral view, apex little sclerotized and dilated ( Figs 2 and 4 , Ect. ap.); lateral bar well developed, elongated in all its extension, internal face slightly projecting towards the Endophallus ( Fig. 3 , Ect.lb); median projection undeveloped ( Fig. 3 , Ect.mp); upper central and lower part of ectophallic arc horizontally curved ( Fig. 3 , Ect.arc). Endophallus: endophallus partially projected dorsally in lateral view ( Fig. 6 , b, End); endophallic distal portion slightly developed in thickness ( Fig. 6 , a, End.d), with a small vertical groove ( Fig. 6 , a–c, End.d); median portion narrow ( Fig. 6 , a–c, End.mp); apodeme reduced ( Fig 6 , a–c, End.ap).

Female: body size bigger than the male (♀ µ=19.976 ± 0.638mm, n=3); apterous; femur always smaller than tibia; supra-anal plate pubescent and rounded in distal portion, with long bristles, base curved inside with two small lateral projections ( Fig. 19 ); sub-genital plate short, lightly pubescent, V-shaped, presenting a slight indentation ( Fig. 20 ); ovipositor elongated, strong yellowish brown, sword-shaped with sharp apex (µ=11.736 ± 1.140mm, n=3) ( Figs 21–23 ). Female genitalia. Copulatory papilla triangular shaped, slightly flattened dorsoventrally ( Fig. 7 , a and b), the edges of the middle part are slightly bulged ( Fig. 7 , a and c); presents a dorsal opening of triangular shape in the proximal portion and a small rounded orifice in the distal portion ( Fig. 7 , a-c).

Ecological Remarks: Individuals of Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. were found in a single quartzite cave (Andorinhas cave, Fig. 24 ) located in the “Serra das Andorinhas” region (São Geraldo do Araguaia municipality, Pará state). However, this cave is located at the top of the mountain, differently from the caves were Phalangopsis araguaia n. sp. were observed (that are also inserted in the same mountain). The Andorinhas cave is considerably large, with around 1 km of extension ( Auler 2019). Specimens of Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. are quite common along the cave, being observed in several areas, usually in considerable densities. However, they showed an obvious preference for aphotic and moistened areas, preferring the cave walls ( Figs 28 and 29 ) as observed for the other species herein described. Specimens of Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. were mainly feeding on bat guano, especially from insectivorous bats. Among the predators that were observed feeding on the crickets, there are scorpions ( Tityus metuendus Pocock, 1897 , Fig. 25 ) and whip-spiders ( Heterophrynus sp., Fig. 27 ). The cave has entrances on either the side cliffs of the mountain (where occurs a typical Amazon rainforest) and the top of the mountain, which presents a savanna-like vegetation. Although the side cliffs and the top of the mountain are relatively well preserved, the landscape surrounding the mountain is strongly altered, especially by the removal of the original vegetation for agriculture. The cave receives sporadic human visitors, who seem to only go through the main conduit of the cave, thus not presenting a threat for the invertebrate community. Finally, it is important to highlight that no sampling was conducted outside caves in this study. Hence, despite the fact that specimens of P. quartzitica n. sp. were only found in one cave, they are probably not troglobitic, given the absence of any obvious troglomorphic traits. Therefore, further studies including external samplings are needed to better understand the actual distribution of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 148: Pictorial key for the species of Phalangopsis Serville, 1831, based on known adult male specimens (some images were modified from Desutter-Grandcolas, 1992, page 129, figs 42, 43, 46 and 47; Mews & Sperber, 2008, page 649, fig. 1-C, page 650, fig. 2-A, page 652, figs A, C and D, page 653, fig. 5-A; dorsal pic of P. flavilongipes available in https://science. mnhn.fr/ (Credit - Guy Le Corvec 2016).

FIGURES 2–7. Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. Phallic sclerite of paratype ♂ (ISLA 65737). 2—dorsal view; 3—ventral view; 4—lateral view; 5—frontal view; 6—endophallic sclerite in dorsal, lateral and ventral view, respectively. 7—copulatory papilla of paratype ♀ (ISLA 65736). a—dorsal view; b—lateral view; c—ventral view. Abbreviations: Ps.db, psudepiphallic dorsal branch; Ps.P1, pseudepiphallic paramere 1; Ps.P2, pseudepiphallic paramere 2; Ps.m.l, pseudepiphallic median lobes; A, sclerite A; Ps.arm, pseudepiphallic arm; Ps.b, pseudepiphallic branch; Ect.ap, ectophallic apodeme; Ect.lb, ectophallic lateral bar; Ect.mp, ectophallic median portion; Ect.arc, ectophallic arc; End, endophallus; End.d, endophallic distal portion; End.mp, endophallic median portion; End.ap, endophallic apodeme.

FIGURES 8–14. Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. Holotype morphology. 8—head in lateral and superior view; 9—head in frontal view; 10—pronotum in dorsal view; 11—right tegmen and metanotal glands, dorsal view; 12—supranal plate, dorsal view; 13—supranal and subgenital plates, lateral view; 14—subgenital plate, ventral view.

FIGURES 15–18. Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. Holotype legs morphology. 15—right legs I and II, outer view; 16—right legs I and II, inner view; 17—right leg III and apical spurs (a; b; c), outer view; 18—right leg III and apical spurs (d; e; f; g), inner view.

FIGURES 19–23. Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. ♀ ISLA 65736. 19—supranal plate; 20—subgenital plate; 21, 22 and 23— ovipositor apex, dorsal, lateral and ventral view, respectively.

FIGURES 24–29. Study area and habitats of Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp.. 24—external environment of Andorinhas cave; 25—Phalangopsis quartzitica being prayed by Tityus metuendus Pocock, 1897; 26—Andorinhas cave’s entrance; 27—♀ of Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp. being preyed by Heterophrynus sp. at Andorinhas cave; 28 and 29—♂ and ♀ of Phalangopsis quartzitica n. sp., respectively, from Andorinhas cave.