Coletinia intermedia Molero, Bach & Gaju, 2013

Molero, Rafael, Bach, Carmen, Sendra, Alberto, Montagud, Sergio, Barranco, Pablo & Gaju, Miguel, 2013, <strong> Revision of the genus <em> Coletinia </ em> (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae) in the Iberian Peninsula, with descriptions of nine new species </ strong>, Zootaxa 3615 (1), pp. 1-60 : 27

Coletinia intermedia Molero, Bach & Gaju new species

Figs. 9C , 54–64

Studied material. Alicante , Alfas del Pi, Cova del Far, UTM 30SYH5672, 8-IV-2006, male holotype mounted on a slide, deposited in MVHN, Cod.: 080406SG2. Four paratypes: 1 male in 70% alcohol (partially dissected for SEM study, deposited in UCO, Ref. Z 2188) and 3 females (1 on a slide, deposited in UCO, Ref. Z 2188 and 2 in alcohol, deposited in MVHN, Cod.: 080406SG2) same collection data as holotype .

Additional specimens: Murcia, Calasparra, Cueva del Puerto, Sala de los Corales , 5 July to August 2003, 1 male collected in a beer trap ( MVHN, Cod.: 201206 RV57 ) and 3 females and 2 juveniles, not well preserved, collected in a similar trap ( MVHN, Cod.: 201206 RV59 ) .

Description. Body length of holotype 10 mm, up to 11 mm in the remaining specimens. Subcylindrical shape, with very narrow thorax, maximum width 1.5 mm. Body light yellowish to nearly transparent, gut contents often visible. Antennae as long as the body or slightly longer, broken in the holotype (maximum length preserved: 11.5 mm). Macrosetae with a low degree of spiralization. Head with typical setation, with few short and thin setae and very few bifid macrosetae.

Antennae symmetrical, in male with a pedicellar apophysis that resembles that of C. tinauti or C. calaforrai n. sp., reaching fourth joint of flagellum. Apical cone joined internally on side of flagellum to the lamellar expansion, which is shorter than the cone. At the apical part of the external side of the trunk, two bifid macrosetae inserted near the cavity formed by the apical cone and the expansion; tegument of this cavity smooth, tegument of trunk rugose and scale-like ( Figs. 54, 55 ). Three additional long bifid macrosetae inserted in the pedicellus of the antenna.

Distal article of maxillary palp relatively short and wide, approximately 3.8–4.5 times longer than wide and about 1.3 times longer than penultimate article. Labial palp with typical configuration of the genus, with 6 basiconic sensilla along the outer side and 4–5 along the inner side.

L/W ratios of tibiae given in Table 2. Pro—and mesotibiae with 2 dorsal, 1 lateral and 4–5 ventral macrosetae, metatibiae usually with one dorsal and five ventral macrosetae. Tibial spurs slightly denticulate.

Urotergites I-IX without special features. Tenth urotergite of male with posterior border nearly straight or slightly concave ( Fig. 56 ); posterolateral lobes with 4+4 sensory pegs appearing bilobulate apically when visualized by OM (corresponding to example photographed in Fig. 9C ). In addition to 4+4 conules, one male from Murcia with 1+1 additional anterior pegs and 2 spiniform pegs on one side ( Fig. 57 ). Long setae spread over extension of the disc of the urotergite in both sexes, particularly in the centre and hind margin of the disc, scarcer in the lateral region. In females, posterior border slightly concave and flanked by 1+1 long spines ( Fig. 58 ); tenth urotergite of a female from Murcia with less setose disc .

Urosternites I-VIII with 1+1 submedian, 1+1 sublateral and 1+1 discal bifid macrosetae.

Eighth urosternite of male convex but slightly truncated at posterior border ( Fig. 59 ).

Length and basal width of female subgenital plate equal (ratio = 0.9–1), with straight posterior border that is widely truncated in the female paratype ( Fig. 60 ), less widely so in female from Murcia ( Fig. 61 ). Parameres 5.2–5.3 times longer than wide, as long as ninth stylets. Ovipositor long, surpassing level of ninth stylets by nearly 2 times their length ( Fig. 62 ), with 18–19 divisions .

Paracercus without sensory pegs in both sexes, at most with two acute spines not clearly equivalent to pegs. Second division of cerci bearing 4+4 sensory pegs with blunt apex ( Fig. 63 ); in a male from Murcia these pegs more acute and 1+1 pegs on the first cercal segment ( Fig. 64 ).

Etymology. This new species is called intermedia because of the presence of intermediate characteristics within the “ capolongoi ” group (such as the L/W ratio of tibiae, shape of eighth urosternite of the male, number of divisions of the ovipositor) and because of the central geographical position within the distribution of the species belonging to this group ( Fig. 173 ).

Remarks. Coletinia intermedia n. sp. is a member of the “ capolongoi ” group and differentiation of this species can be found in the Discussion section below.

Some variability has been observed between the specimens of the type locality in Alfas del Pi (Alicante) and those from the cave of Calasparra (Murcia) assigned to the same new species. In spite of the differences observed (different number of sensory pegs on urotergite X of the male, a different number of setae in the disc of this urotergite in females, different shape in the posterior border of the subgenital plate and one additional sensory peg in the first segment of the cerci in males from Murcia), the insects from both caves are very similar and because of the scarce number of specimens available, this variability cannot be evaluated. Thus, we cannot pronounce in favour of considering them as different taxa. Perhaps when a greater number of specimens are available, molecular studies will solve this problem, together with the confirmation of the stability of the aforementioned morphological differences.

Figures

FIGURE 173. Distribution map of the known species of Coletinia in the Iberian Peninsula. 1—Coletinia maggii. 2—C. mendesi. 3—C. capolongoi. 4—C. asymetrica. 5—C. tinauti. 6—C. herculea n. sp. 7—C. vergitana n. sp. 8—C. calaforrai n. sp. 9—C. intermedia n. sp. 10—C. diania n. sp. 11—C. tessella n. sp. 12—C. longitibia n. sp. 13—C. redetecta n. sp. 14—C. hernandoi n. sp. The numbering is consistent with the chronological order of their original description. Squares indicate new reports, circles indicate previous reports. Samples identified as Coletinia sp. are not included.

FIGURES 9, 10. SEM photographs of sensory pegs in Coletinia. 9. Pegs of urotergite X from several species: A, C. capolongoi; B, C. tinauti; C: C. intermedia n. sp. Scales: 5, 10 and 9 µm, respectively. 10. Sensory peg of the cercus of C. capolongoi. Scale: 10 µm.

FIGURES 54–61. Coletinia intermedia n. sp. 54. Pedicellar apophysis of the male, SEM photograph. 55. SEM image of the apophysis, showing the apical glandular cone from another point of view. 56. Urotergite X of the holotype. 57. Urotergite X of male from Calasparra. 58. Urotergite X of female. 59. Hind border of urosternite VIII of male. 60. Subgenital plate of the female paratype. 61. Subgenital plate of another female from Calasparra. Scales: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 62–64. Coletinia intermedia n. sp. 62. Ovipositor and stylet IX. 63. Basal portion of the cercus of the holotype, showing the positions of the sensory pegs. 64. Basal portion of the cercus of a male from Calasparra. Scales: 0.5 mm for Fig. 62, 0.1 mm for Figs. 63 and 64.