Polyplectropus tripunctatum, Chamorro & Holzenthal, 2010

Chamorro, Maria Lourdes & Holzenthal, Ralph W., 2010, 2582, Zootaxa 2582, pp. 1-252 : 134-136

Polyplectropus tripunctatum , new species

Figs. 66, 139

Polyplectropus tripunctatum is very similar to the other 2 species in the P. manuensis group. This species has a trifid mesoventral process of the preanal appendage, as does P. robertsonae (bifid in P. manuensis ), but the median lobe in P. tripunctatum resembles adjacent lobes in shape and sclerotization. In P. robertsonae this median lobe is not as pronounced and it is weakly pigmented. In addition, P. tripunctatum has a bifid ventral branch (downturned and basally rounded in P. robertsonae or a small, simple lobe in P.manuensis ).

Adult. Length of forewing 4 mm, n = 1. Color of head and thorax brown, legs yellowish-brown; setae on body grey and golden brown; tegulae with long, golden brown and grey setae; setae on wings golden brown along costal margin with patches of grey setae interspersed along margin and on most of wing surface.

Male genitalia. Sternum IX in lateral view deltoid, anterior margin ventrally produced, posterior margin submedially produced; in ventral view rectangular, anterior margin sinuate and highly concave, posterior margin with slight median flange. Tergum X membranous, oblong, bearing dorsal microsetae; lower lip of tergum X membranous, smooth, without dorsal microsetae, digitate and elongate; in dorsal view digitate; in caudal view produced dorsad of phallocrypt. Intermediate appendage not longer than inferior appendage, small, digitate, with long setae throughout; in dorsal view rounded; in caudal view rounded, small, arising at base of mesolateral process of preanal appendage, directed posterolaterad. Preanal appendage tripartite; dorsolateral process elongate, originating from dorsum of mesolateral process, directed anterad, recurved posteromesad then posterodorsad, tapering mesoventrad into acute apex; mesolateral process setose; in dorsal view oblong, in lateral view orbicular; mesoventral process setose; in lateral view bilobed, with ventraddirected sclerotized apex, anteroventral margin concave, posterior margin angled; in caudal view apex fused to form a single continuous structure, ventral margin of process trilobed, basally broad. Inferior appendage bipartite with anterior basal plate not extending anterad beyond sternum IX when observed in lateral view; dorsal branch setose, in lateral view narrowly oblong, directed dorsad and subapically slightly produced posterad; in ventral view narrow, broadening apically, lateral margin apically produced, posterior margin undulate, mesal margin undulate, apically expanded, becoming concave, widening into an internal flange and shallowly fused to ventral branch; ventral branch setose, short; in lateral view almost forming a continuous structure with dorsal branch, emarginate posterad; in ventral view deltoid, mesal margin slightly angled, gradually converging mesally. Phallus short; dorsal phallic sclerite in lateral view sinuate, apex oblong; apex of dorsal phallic sclerite in dorsal view obtuse.

Holotype male. PERU: Cuzco: Paucartambo to Pilcopata rd., Quebrada Quitacalzón at Puente

Quitacalzón, 13°01'34"S, 71°29'58"W, 1050 m, 25–27.vi.1993, Blahnik & Pescador —( UMSP000107421 )

( NMNH). Distribution. Peru. Etymology. The species name originates from the Latin words for 3 “tri” and point “punctus” ( Brown

1985) in reference to the diagnostic trifid apex of the mesoventral process of the preanal appendage.