Gibboletia, Espinasa & Smith, 2023

Espinasa, Luis & Smith, Graeme B., 2023, “ Nicoletia ” tergata Mills, 1940 rediscovered in Florida and confirmed as the first species of the Coletiniinae (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae) in North America, Zootaxa 5228 (3), pp. 337-350 : 340-342

Gibboletia gen. nov.

Type species: Nicoletia tergata Mills, 1940 by present designation.

Description. Habitus as in Figs. 2–4 , medium size, length of adults up to about 7 mm.

Body shape subcylindrical, thorax nearly as wide as the abdomen, slightly detaching from abdomen base. Without scales; all surfaces including appendages covered with scattered setae.Antennae and caudal filaments likely a bit shorter than body length. Antennae of males symmetrical, the pedicel with a long apical bifurcated apophysis that shows a dense field of minute setae on its outer side ( Figs. 3E , 8, 9 ). Antennae of females with shorter pedicel, lacking apophysis. Distal part of antennae with annuli bearing setae and basiconic sensilla. Head with distinct postantennal transverse suture. Mandibles with well-developed sclerotized teeth, a molar region and few setae ( Fig. 12 ). Galea with two apical sensory cones; lacinia with prostheca and a bifurcate tip ( Fig. 13 ). Maxillary palps with five segments ( Fig. 13 ), the last one with six apical sensory rods. Terminal segment of the labial palps with six sensory papillae arranged in an inverted triangular arrangement ( Fig. 14 ).

Nota with many marginal setae on lateral borders and posterolateral angles, the pronotum also bearing setae on its anterior margin; these setae a mix of long, bifid macrochaetae and short bristles. Discs of the nota covered with numerous scattered setae ( Figs. 15–17 ). Tarsi four-segmented, about as long as their respective tibiae ( Figs. 18–20 ). Pretarsus with two long, simple claws and a greatly reduced medial empodial claw.

Urotergites with fine sutures separating their lateral portions; hind margin with setae and macrochaetae irregularly arranged and with scattered setae across the disc ( Fig. 22 ). Urotergite IV of males with raised semicircular area ( Figs. 3B–3D , 23–25 ) with a shallow concave medial area, the longer macrochaetae and setae absent from the posterior margin behind the semicircular raised region. Urotergite X of males ( Figs. 26–28 ) small, trapezoidal, with a slightly concave posterior margin and lacking prominent posterolateral lobes, sensorial pegs present both dorsally and ventrally; this tergite with similar shape and setation in females, showing only a few setae on the ventral face and 1 + 1 macrochaetae on the posterior margin ( Fig. 38 ).

Urosternite I divided into sternite and coxites, without styli or vesicles ( Fig. 30 ). Urosternites II–VII (II–VIII in Ô) entire (not divided into sternite and coxites) ( Fig. 31 ). Urosternites II–IX with a pair of styli ( Fig. 31 ). Urosternites II–VI with exsertile vesicles and VII with pseudovesicles.

Coxites IX of male free; parameres long and wide, subrectangular and without divisions. Penis unusually long with longitudinal opening ( Fig. 35 ). Subgenital plate in female well developed but small ( Fig. 39 ). Ovipositor long, simple, greatly surpassing apices of styli IX ( Fig. 40 ). Gonapophyses IX with spinulated inner distal area ( Fig. 41 ).

Etymology. The name Gibboletia derives from the Latin word gibbus meaning hump, referring to the unusual protuberance on urotergite IV of the males. It is combined with the ending - oletia from the type genus of the family viz. Nicoletia Gervais. It is treated as feminine gender.

Remarks. The new genus fits well within the subfamily Coletiniinae due to the divided coxites IX, the division of urosternite I only into separate coxites and medium sternum and the form of the secondary sexual characters of the male. The modification of urotergite IV in males is unique within the Zygentoma .

Morphologically, Gibboletia gen. nov. appears to be closest to the genus Coletinia Wygodzinsky, 1980 , which also lacks scales and has pegs on the underside of urotergite IX as well as on both the cerci and the median filament. Gibboletia gen. nov. differs from Coletinia in the presence of the modified urotergite IV, the presence of pegs on both the dorsal and ventral faces of urotergite X and the absence of pegs from the median filament.

Reboleira et al. (2012) presented a key to the Coletiniinae ; however, since that time additional genera have been described. Their 2012 key is used as the basis for the following updated key, but with many changes to account for the new genera. In this key we have used the characters referred to by Kaplin (2019) to separate his Allobrinckina from Pseudobrinckina Mendes 2002 , but we have some doubts about the interpretation of these characters and whether they are sufficient to warrant separate genera. The definition of Coletiniinae of Mendes 1988 has to be slightly emended to account for Canariletia Molero et al., 2014 , the only species where urosternite I is not divided into a median sternum and 1+1 lateral coxites. The main character used here to define the subfamily is the presence of free coxites IX in the males, a character shared only with the sister group Atelurinae (see Mitchell et al. 2021), from which it can be distinguished by the elongate, parallel-sided body shape with long antennae and terminal filaments compared to the inquiline Atelurinae , which have short, tear drop-shaped bodies and short terminal filaments.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Gibboletia tergata (Mills) cotypes used in the original description of the species by Mills.A). Labels and specimens found in INHS Insect Collection 1500901 vial. Scale in mm. B) Dorsal view. Blue arrow points to modification of urotergite IV found in males. C) Ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Gibboletia tergata (Mills). A–B) Specimens collected in 2020 from Levy Co. A) Habitus. B) Abdominal region, lateral view. Arrow indicates unique raised region of urotergite IV. C–F) Cotype used in original description from Alachua Co. C) Urotergites I‒VI. Arrow indicates raised region of urotergite IV. D) Closeup of urotergite IV. E) Male, antennae with pedicel and basal flagellomeres. F) Genital area of male.

FIGURES 4–14. Gibboletia tergata (Mills) Ô (K.541615 unless otherwise indicated by specimen number). 4) Habitus 5) Apically bifurcate macrochaeta from second article of maxillary palp (♀ K.541616). 6) Deeply bifurcate macrochaeta from ventral median filament (K.541618). 7) Head on slide. 8) Right scape, pedicel and basal flagellomeres, dorsal view. 9) Left pedicel and basal flagellomeres. 10) Flagellomeres, mid-antenna. 11) Flagellomeres, most distal surviving region. 12) Mandible. 13) Maxilla (♀ K.541616). 14) Labium (♀ K.541616). Scales: 0.1 mm unless otherwise indicated.

FIGURES 15–21. Gibboletia tergata (Mills) Ô (K.541615 unless otherwise indicated by specimen number). 15) Pronotum. 16) Mesonotum. 17) Metanotum. 18) Foreleg. 19) Middle leg. 20) Hind leg (K.541618). 21) Pretarsus of hind leg (K.541618). Scales: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 22–30. Gibboletia tergata (Mills) Ô (K541615 unless otherwise indicated by specimen number) 22) Urotergite V. 23) Abdominal segments II–V, lateral view (K.541617). 24) Urotergite IV, dorsal view. 25) Urotergite IV, detail of surface within semi-circular raised region. 26) Urotergite X, dorsal view. 27) Urotergite X, enlargement of left posterior corner. 28. Idem, enlargement of left posterior corner (of K.541617). 29) Urotergite X and base of terminal filaments (K.377947), dorsal view. 30) Urosternite I. Scales: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 31–41. Gibboletia tergata (Mills) Ô (K.541615 unless otherwise indicated by specimen number). 31) Urosternite III. 32) Urosternite VII. 33) Urosternite VIII. 34) Apex of stylus of urosternite VIII. 35) Coxites IX, penis and detached parameres, the paramere on the left side in dorsal view. 36) Bases of terminal filaments. 37) Scape, pedicel and basal flagellomeres of antenna of ♀ (K.541616). 38) Urotergite X of ♀ (K.541616). 39) Coxites VIII and subgenital plate (K.541616). 40) Coxites IX, styli and ovipositor (K.541616). 41) Apex of ovipositor with location of spinulated area illustrated even though it is on the hidden side of the gonapophysis (K.541616). Scale bars 0.1 mm.