Attaphila multisetosa sp. nov. Bohn and Klass

Bohn, Horst, Nehring, Volker, G., Jonathan Rodriguez & Klass, Klaus-Dieter, 2021, Revision of the genus Attaphila (Blattodea: Blaberoidea), myrmecophiles living in the mushroom gardens of leaf-cutting ants, Arthropod Systematics & amp; Phylogeny 79, pp. 205-280 : 205

4.5. Attaphila multisetosa sp. nov. Bohn and Klass

Figs 10A, B , 12D , 14D , 17E , 18G , 21A , 22G

A. aptera Bolívar, 1905 in Bruijning 1959: 23, figs 7, 8 (misidentification).

Material studied.

Holotype, 1♀, Suriname, [Distr. Wanica], Lelydorp , in Atta -nest, 20.V.1938, Geijskes (completely on two slides: Bo 1270) (M. Leiden) . - Paratype, 1L ♀, same data as holotype (terminalia on one slide Bo 1449) (M. Leiden) .

Diagnosis.

Female Arrangement of bristles on T2-5 similar to A. paucisetosa and A. sinuosocarinata , but much more irregular, only partly in one line; from the former distinguished by having numerous and rather long and strong bristles on T6 and a larger spermathecal plate, from the latter by the course of the T6 transversal ridge sublaterally not having an angular bend, and from both by the unique structure of the middle part of the laterosternal shelf sclerite (ls).

Etymology.

The species name refers to the numerous (Latin: multi) bristles (Latin: setae) present on T6,7.

Description.

Size Length of body (dried): female 2.8 mm. Surface bristles of tergites 2-5 at least in median third of tergites arranged in one fairly regular transversal row (though almost two-rowed on T5), towards laterally distribution less regular, appearing two-rowed (Fig. 10A ). Transversal ridges tr2-5 medially and in part sublaterally with a very weak small excurvation to the anterior (grey arrows in Fig. 10A ; weaker than in A. schuppi , Fig. 11A ).

Male Unknown.

Female Tergites 6,7: (Figs 10B , 12D , 14D ) Median lobe of T7 rather long; transversal ridges tr6 and tr7 complete, tr6 sublaterally without angular bend; surface bristles numerous on T6, rather few on T7, of medium size (slightly smaller than in A. bergi ), strongly focused to central part of surface area. Subgenital plate (Figs 17E , 18G ) rounded-rectangular, with parallel lateral borders; lateral parts of transversal ridge (sr7-l) fairly straight; median part (sr7-m) with three small gaps, weakly bisinuate. Genitalia: Spermathecal plate (sp) large, pouch gcp large (Fig. 21A ). In laterosternal shelf sclerite (Fig. 22G ) central part (c) very long and posteriorly widely rounded, arms (a) moderately wide, wing parts (w) very wide, their base reaching far into anterior half of tubes (blue arrowhead; but interpretation not entirely clear); tubes (lst) with an evenly convex lateral border and a straight mesal border, narrowed towards the anterior. Mesal gonangulum sclerites (gg-m) distinct, lateral ones absent (Fig. 21A ).

Host species.

Atta , species unknown. (Three Atta species known from Suriname: A. cephalotes , A. laevigata , and A. sexdens ; Bolton 2021)

Distribution.

So far only known from the type locality Lelydorp, Distr. Wanica, Suriname.

Figures

Figure 10. Abdominal tergites of Attaphila species only known from the female sex. A, B: A. multisetosa (HT Bo 1270). A: T 2 - 5; B: T 6,7. C - E: A. sinuosocarinata. C: T 1 - 5 (HT Bo 1273); D: T 6,7 (HT Bo 1273); E: T 6 (PT Bo 1288). - Abbreviations: T n tergite (numbered); T n - a anterior border of tergite (numbered); T n - p posterior border of tergite (numbered); tr n transversal ridge of tergite (numbered). Grey arrows pointing to weak median and lateral excurvations of transversal ridges to the anterior.

Figure 11. Abdominal tergites of Attaphila species only known from the female sex. A, B: A. schuppi (ST Bo 1237). A: T 2 - 5; B: T 6,7. C, D: A. sexdentis (HT Bo 1233). C: T 1 - 5; D: T 6,7. - Abbreviations: T n tergite (numbered); T n - a anterior border of tergite (numbered); T n - p posterior border of tergite (numbered); tr n transversal ridge of tergite (numbered). Grey arrows pointing to median and lateral excurvations of transversal ridges to the anterior.

Figure 12. Abdominal tergites T 6,7 of females of Attaphila species. A: A. aptera (Bo 1257). B: A. bergi (Bo 1282). C: A. fungicola (Bo 1264). D: A. multisetosa (HT Bo 1270). E: A. paucisetosa (PT Bo 1255). F: A. schuppi (ST Bo 1237), transversal ridge tr 7 almost completely missing, only tiny remnants present near the associated bristles (see Fig. 14 F). - Abbreviations: T 6, T 7 tergites T 6, T 7; T 6 - p, T 7 - p posterior borders of tergites T 6, T 7; tr 6, tr 7 transversal ridges of tergites T 6, T 7.

Figure 14. Size and distribution of bristles in the median part of tergites T 6,7 in females (A-H) and males (I) of Attaphila species, phase contrast images. A: A. aptera, female (Bo 1257). B: A. bergi, female (Bo 1282). C: A. fungicola, female (Bo 1264). D: A. multisetosa, female (Bo 1270). E: A. paucisetosa, female (PT Bo 1255). F: A. schuppi, female (ST Bo 1237), with only short remnants of transversal ridge tr 7. G: A. sexdentis, female (Bo 1233). H: A. sinuosocarinata, female (HT Bo 1273). I: A. aptera, male (Bo 1256). - Abbreviations: T 6 - p, T 7 - p posterior borders of tergites T 6, T 7; tr 6, tr 7 transversal ridges of tergites T 6, T 7.

Figure 17. Subgenital plate (sternite S 7) of females (A - F) and larval females (G, H) of Attaphila species. A, B: A. sinuosocarinata (PT Bo 1287, HT Bo 1273). C, D: A. aptera (Bo 1225, Bo 1253). E: A. multisetosa (HT Bo 1270). F: A. sexdentis (HT Bo 1233). G: A. aptera, larval female (Bo 1289). H: A. bergi, larval female (Bo 1231). - Abbreviations and arrows: S 7 - p posterior border of subgenital plate S 7; sr 7 - l, sr 7 - m lateral, median part of transversal ridge of subgenital plate S 7 (borders indicated by double bars). Arrows in B, C, F pointing to lateral borders of S 7, which are parallel or slightly divergent (to the anterior) in A-E, but convergent in F.

Figure 18. Anterior half of subgenital plate (sternite S 7) of females of Attaphila species, shape of sternal transversal ridge, phase contrast images (same objects as shown in Figs 16, 17, except for Bo 1236 in F). A, B: A. aptera (Bo 1225, Bo 1253). C, D: A. bergi (Bo 1275, Bo 1282). E, F: A. fungicola (Bo 1264, Bo 1236). G: A. multisetosa (HT Bo 1270). H, I: A. paucisetosa (Cb 2 / 2, PT Bo 1255). J, K: A. schuppi (ST Bo 1234, ST Bo 1237). L: A. sexdentis (HT Bo 1233). M, N: A. sinuosocarinata (PT Bo 1287, HT Bo 1273). - Abbreviations and symbols: sr 7 transversal ridge of subgenital plate S 7; short interruptions of this ridge indicated by arrows, larger gaps delimited by double bars.

Figure 21. A-C: Terminalia with genitalia of females of Attaphila species, ventral view, posterior end on top. A: A. multisetosa (HT Bo 1270), without laterosternal shelf area, cerci damaged; inset showing median part of genital chamber dorsal wall. B: A. sinuosocarinata (HT Bo 1273), without laterosternal shelf area; inset showing median part of genital chamber dorsal wall. C: A. sexdentis (HT Bo 1233), with laterosternal shelf area. - D: Female of A. paucisetosa carrying an ootheca; length of animal ca. 3 mm. - Abbreviations: aa anterior arch; ca central apodeme; ce cercus; gcf fold dividing genital chamber (posterior edge labeled); gcp pouch of genital chamber (one-sided); gg-m mesal gonangulum sclerite; IC intercalary sclerite; ls laterosternal-shelf sclerite (with posterolateral extremity p); lst laterosternal-shelf tube; otkl ootheca keel; pl posterior lobe; PP paraproct; pt 8,9 extension of paratergite 9; sp spermathecal plate; T 9, T 10 abdominal tergites 9 and 10; T 10 - p posterior border of tergite 10; vlf valvifer of segment 8; A articulations, A 2 between gg-m and pl, A 3 between gg-m and basal sclerotisation of v 1, A 5 between pt 8,9 and vlf. Arrow in A, B showing mesal border of putative weak sclerotisation in dorsal wall of genital chamber. (See Supplement 1 and Supplement 3 Fig. S 2 A, B, C for additional explanations and more complete labeling using different terminologies.)

Figure 22. Laterosternal shelf area of females of Attaphila species, ventral view, posteriorly on top. A, B: A. aptera (Bo 1225, Bo 1257), in A left tube distorted (ventral part of tube squeezed laterally, as indicated by grey arrow). C, D: A. bergi (Bo 1282, Bo 1239). E, F: A. fungicola (Bo 1264, Bo 1447). G: A. multisetosa (HT Bo 1270). H: A. paucisetosa (PT Bo 1255). I: A. sexdentis (HT Bo 1233). J: A. schuppi (ST Bo 1237). K, L: A. sinuosocarinata (HT Bo 1273, PT Bo 1288). - Abbreviations: isf intersternal folds (of floor of vestibulum); ls laterosternal-shelf sclerite (with central part c, arm part a, wing part w, posterolateral extremity p); lst laterosternal-shelf tube; vfl floor of vestibulum. (See Supplement 3 Fig. S 2 D, E for more complete labeling using different terminologies.) - Arrows: Black arrows in A, D, I: twisting of sclerite at transition between ls-w and ls-p. Grey arrow in A indicates direction of squeezing of tube lst. Blue arrowheads: anterior extremity of wing part ls-w on mesal border of tube lst, ls-w either restricted to posterior half of tubes lst (e. g. K) or reaching far into anterior half (e. g. D). Red arrowheads: area where the posterior margin of ls-a bends dorsally, and where a bend or kink is often present in (inner) lateral border of tube lst (compare white arrowheads in Fig. 23 C, D, H, I, J). Black arrowheads: membranous inner lateral border of tube lst posterior to the bend or kink (compare Fig. 23 C, D, H, I and black arrowheads in sections beside D). - Inserts in B, D, E, K showing right (of picture and animal) tube lst with posterior margin of ls-a (red line; compare Fig. 23 C-E) and anterior margin of ls-w (blue line; compare Fig. 23 F, G).