Neotyphloceras chilensis

Sanchez, Juliana, Amor, Verónica, Bazán-León, Enrique A., Vásquez, Rodrigo A. & Lareschi, Marcela, 2012, Redescription of Neotyphloceras chilensis Jordan, new status (Siphonaptera: Ctenophthalmidae: Neotyphloceratini), Zootaxa 3259, pp. 51-57 : 52-54

Neotyphloceras chilensis Jordan, stat. nov.

Figs. 1–9

Specimens examined. ex Thylamys elegans (Waterhouse) , Fray Jorge National Park, Region IV of Coquimbo, Chile (30°39'49"S, 71°39'27"W, 187m above sea-level), 3 males (MLP-KB3221-1, MLP-KB3222-2, MLP- KB96305-1), 1 female (MLP-KB3234-1), ex Phyllotis darwini (Waterhouse) , 2 males (MLP-KB3232-1, MLP- KB95 A95853 ), 1 female (MLP-KB3248-1), ex Abrothrix longipilis (Waterhouse) , 4 males (MLP-KB3244-1, MLP-KB3256-2, MLP-KB 3258-2, MLP-KB3258-4), 1 female (MLP-KB3242-1), ex Abrothrix olivaceus (Waterhouse) , 1 male (MLP-KB3247-1), ex P. d a r w i n i, Los Molles, Region IV of Coquimbo, Chile (30°44'48"S, 70°25'24"W, 2518m above sea-level), 3 females (MLP-KB3080-2, MLP-KB3083-1, MLP-KB3083-3), ex A. olivaceus , 4 females (MLP-KB3078-2, MLP-KB3078-3, MLP-KB3079-2, MLP-KB3084-1).

Diagnosis. Males are unique by a combination of the following characters: distal arm of sternum IX with apex forming a slightly concave projection bearing five curved, spine-like ventromarginal setae; apex of the crochet of the aedeagus with proximal margin forming a rounded projection and distal margin strongly convex. Females are unique in that the contour of the distal margin of sternum VII is almost straight.

Redescription. Total length: males: 2.66 ± 0.205 (2.40-3.00); females: 3.05 ± 0.184 (2.76-3.24).

Head with front slightly concave, about four times longer than high, with two frontal rows of setae: first row with six or seven equidistant setae, tips exceeding the insertion of setae of the next row; second row with three equidistant setae, the longest seta extending past the distal end of the longest spine of the genal comb. Three placoid pits along the margin of the front. Occipital region with four rows of setae. First antennal segment with 10–15 small setae; second antennal segment with 13–15 short setae reaching the first segment of the clavus; antennal clavus subequal in length to the first antennal segment in males and twice the length in females. A row of small setae bordering antennal fossa: 30–35 in males ( Fig. 1 ), 15–20 in females and restricted to the posterior edge of the head ( Fig. 2 ). Genal comb with four pointed spines, the first two overlapping, the fourth spine shorter than the others (60–80% of the length of the longest spine). Preoral edge with two setae on each side. Genal process sharp, subequal in length to the longest spine of the genal comb. Maxillary lobe sharp, extending beyond basal half of maxillary palpus. Maxillary palpus four-segmentedreaching to about the middle of the forecoxa; first and second segments subequal in length; third segment shorter and fourth segment longer than the others. Labial palpus five-segmented, long, extending to about the distal edge of the forecoxa; first and fifth segments subequal in length and 1.5 times longer than second and third segments. Lacinia slightly serrated and subequal in length to the labial palpus.

Pronotum ( Figs. 1, 2 ) with one row of five or six long, equidistant setae; pronotal comb with eight or nine spines on each side; length of longest spine subequal to the width of pronotum. Mesonotum (MSN.) with three rows of short setae and one apical row with five or six long setae; mesepisternum (MPS.) with a group of small setae on the anterior region and one or two long setae posteriorly; mesepimere (MPM.) with four or five setae; metanotum (MTN.) with two anterior rows of six short setae and one apical row with five or six long setae; lateral metanotal area (L.M.) long, subequal to pleural arch (PL.A.) and with a long seta; pleural arch and ridge well developed; metepisternum (MTS.) with one long seta; furca of metasternum (FU.-II) about one fourth the length of the pleural ridge; metepimere (MTM.) with six long setae and two or three small setae (fig. 3).

Forecoxa with 40–50 setae distributed over entire surface; with one long seta on posterior margin ( Figs. 1, 2 ). Middle and hind coxae with setae distributed only on anterior margin (10–14, 20–25, respectively). Forefemur with a dorsal marginal row of 11–13 small setae and with two rows of setae on the inner side of setae, with 10 and 12 setae. Middle femur with a subventral row of three or four setae on the inner side. Hind femur with a subventral row of five or seven setae on the inner side and six setae on the outer side restricted to the distal region, and with one ventral pair of setae on the proximal margin and one dorsal pair of setae on the distal margin, the longest seta reaching the second notch of the tibia ( Fig. 4 ). Middle and hind femora with 20–23 dorsomarginal pairs of small setae. Foretibia with 10–14 setae on distal half of the outer side. Middle and hind tibiae with 15–20 setae on the outer side and five to seven setae on the inner side. All tibiae with eight dorsomarginal notches bearing large setae from apex to base as follows: foretibia (2; 2; 2; 2; 2; 2; 2); middle and hind tibia (2; 2; 1-2; 2; 2; 2; 3; 2); longest caudal setae extending to beyond the middle of the first tarsal segment. First hind tarsal segment more than twice the length of the third and fifth segment and more than four times longer than fourth segment.

Abdomen without spinelets. Tergites II-VI with two rows of setae (4; 8–10), setae of anterior row shorter than those of the posterior row. Tergum VII with two antesensilial setae each side. Fossa of spiracle of tergites II-VII short, cone-shaped. Sensilium strongly convex posteriorly, with 13–15 sensilial pits. Sternum III-VI with three or four setae.

Male sternum VII with three or four setae. Tergum VIII with four to six setae above the spiracle. Upper lobe of the fixed process of the clasper (P) with apex turned up sharply; with three or four submarginal setae and one row of 8–10 dorsomarginal setae, the last seta placed from the tip by a distance of about twice the width of the fixed process at the point of attachment of the seta ( Fig. 5 ). Lower lobe of fixed process with sharp distal edge; without setae ( Fig. 5 ). Movable process (F) with one strongly pigmented seta and five or six small setae on the apex; distal margin almost straight; ventral margin very indented, with a row of 12–18 small setae along its edge ( Fig. 5 ). Two manubria, the upper manubrium hook-shaped, shorter and narrower than lower manubrium. Acetabulum with a vertical row of 11–14 small spiniform setae; below this row a wide, strongly pigmented spatulated spine and two narrow, pigment-free setae. Sternum IX ( Fig. 6 ) with proximal arm (P.A.IX) and distal arm (D.A.IX) subequal in length; distal arm with apex forming a slightly concave projection bearing one small dorsomarginal seta in the center and five curved, spine-like ventromarginal setae, the first setae strongly pigmented and located in the center above the others. Dorsal anal lobe long, narrow, cone-shaped, ventral anal lobe conical, shorter than dorsal anal lobe; with two long ventral setae on each side.

On aedeagus ( Fig. 7 ) aedeagal apodeme (AE.A) long, more than six times longer than broad. Median dorsal lobe (M.D.L.) strongly sclerotized. Lateral lobes (L.L.) present. Sclerotized inner tube (S.I.T.) long, straight, narrow. Apical median sclerite (A.M.S.) present, shorter than inner tube and located near the middle of the inner tube. Crochet of aedeagus (CR.) apical and large, with long, robust base, apex with proximal margin forming a rounded projection and distal margin strongly convex. Two long apodemal struts (AP.S.), proximal strut greater than distal strut and with the dorso-proximal margin sclerotized. Crescent sclerite (C.S.) conspicuous above apodemal strut. Penis rod uncoiled, with a fold in the anterior portion and subequal to longer than the tendon of sternite IX. Without dorsal membranous lobe arising from the dorsal portion of the aedeagus.

On modified abdominal segments of the female, sternum VII with five setae, apical margin strongly rounded and contour of distal margin straight or slightly lobed ( Fig. 8 ). Sternum VIII narrow, elongated and less sclerotized than the other segments. Tergum VIII with long, narrow, oblique spiracles; with small setae placed above the spiracle, the upper lateral seta situated at a variable distance from ventral margin to lowest level of spiracular fossa; distal margin with a small lobe and three or four short, wide, spiniform setae. Anal lobes short and conical, dorsal anal lobe wider than ventral anal lobe. Anal stylet subapical, more than three times longer than broad at base, with a long apical setae twice the length of anal stylet. Spermatheca (SP.) with bulga larger than the hilla, cribiform area circular and heavily sclerotized ( Fig. 8 ). Bursa copulatrix strongly sclerotized, bifurcated (Y-shaped).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Neotyphloceras chilensis stat. nov., scale = 100 μm. 1) Head, pronotum and forecoxa of the male. 2) Head, pronotum and forecoxa of the female. 3) Thorax of the male (FU. - II = furca of metasternum, L. M. = lateral metanotal area, MSN. = mesonotum, MPM. = mesepimere, MPS. = mesepisternum, MTM. = metepimere, MTN. = metanotum, MTS. = metepisternum, PL. A. = Pleural arch, TI = first tergum). 4) Hind femur of the male. 5) Fixed process of the clasper (P) and movable process (F). 6) Sternite IX of the male (D. A. IX = distal arm of sternite IX, P. A. IX = proximal arm of sternite IX). 7) Aedeagus (AE. A. = aedeagal apodeme, A. M. S. = apico-median sclerite of aedeagus, AP. S. = apodemal strut of aedeagus, CR. = crochet, C. S. = crescent sclerite of aedeagus, M. D. L = median dorsal lobe of aedeagus, L. L. = lateral lobes of aedeagus, S. I. T. = sclerotized inner tube). 8) Sternite VII and spermatheca (SP.) of the female.

FIGURE 9. Geographical distribution of genus Neotyphloceras (Insecta: Siphonaptera) from the literature: (X) Neotyphloceras rosenbergi (Rothschild); (o) Neotyphloceras crassispina crassispina Rothschild; (Δ) Neotyphloceras crassispina hemisus Jordan; (□) Neotyphloceras chilensis Jordan, stat. nov.; present estudy: (■) Neotyphloceras chilensis Jordan, stat. nov.