Ferricixius goliathi, Santos & Hoch & Zampaulo & Simões & Ferreira, 2023

Santos, Júlio César Do Carmo Vaz, Hoch, Hannelore, Zampaulo, Robson De Almeida, Simões, Matheus Henrique & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2023, Adaptive shifts in Neotropical planthoppers: new troglobitic species and the first surface species of Ferricixius Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha Cixiidae) from Brazilian caves, Zootaxa 5330 (3), pp. 375-397 : 386-390

Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov. Santos, Hoch & Ferreira

( Figs 1C ; 2C 9A–F ; 10A–G ; 11E–F ; 12C ; 17A, C ) https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E1A90493-3505-4D32-AA5F-62C508CCB119

Type material. Holotype: Male. Brazil, Minas Gerais. Nova Lima municipality, ABOB_0043 Cave , (UTM 618184W, 77608807S, 23K), 14.ii.2020, (Zampaulo R. A) ( ISLA 100983 ) . Holotype condition: Dissected, stored in individual vial in 70% ethanol. Paratypes: 1 ♁ same data as male holotype ( ISLA 100985 ); 1 ♁, same data as male holotype except for 19.vii.2021, (Simões, M. H) ( ISLA 100984 ); 1 ♁ and 1 nymph same data as male holotype except for ( ISLA 100986 ) .

Description.

Coloration (specimen preserved in 70% ethanol): As in figures 1C, 9A–C, 10A–G, generally Yellowish white (92) contrasting with some Pale yellow (89) and Light yellow (86) areas on thorax and male genitalia with, tegmina hyaline with Yellowish white (92) veins ( Fig. 9D ).

Body length. Male. 3.9–4.1 mm (n = 3); Female. 4.3 (n = 1).

Head. Vertex ( Figs 9A, C ): Approx. 1.2 times wider (0.3) than long (0.2); apical compartment large and irregular, approx. 1.7 times wider (0.2) than medially long (0.1); apical transverse carina moderately evanescent; subapical carina weakly elongated medially; angle formed by the caudal border moderately curved; without basal emargination. Frons ( Fig. 9B ): approx. 1.2 times longer (0.4) than wide (0.3), approx. 1.3 times wider at the height of the antennae than level of the apical carina (0.2). Compound eyes and ocelli ( Figs 9A–C ; 12C ): Vestigial. Frontoclypeal suture ( Fig. 9B ) evanescent.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figs 9A, C ): Submedian carinae moderately developed, in dorsal view almost straight laterally and well evanescent distally; hind margin curved. Mesonotum ( Fig. 9A ): Tricarinate, very evanescent carinae. Tegmina (forewings) ( Fig. 2C , 9D ): Length (1.2 mm); very reduced; fork ScP+RA evanescent; MP present and distally forked; CuA and CuP present, CuA without fork. Hind legs ( Figs 9E–F ): Exhibit 4 lateral spines on hind tibia; hind tibia (1.2 mm) with 4 apical teeth medially separated (2+2); 1 st tarsomere with 4 apical teeth with approx. the same size; 2 nd tarsomere with 4 apical teeth, without thin setae.

Male genitalia. Genital segment ( Figs 10A–C, G ): Ventromedian process triangular elongated, tapering apically with rounded apex. Anal segment ( Figs 10A–C ): In dorsal view approx. 2.0 times as long (0.6) as wide (0.3), slightly narrow medially and concave distally. Genital styles ( Figs 10A–C, G as detailed in generic description. Aedeagus ( Figs 10D–F ): Shaft laterally flattened with a large process inserting near base, which becomes abruptly smaller distally, weakly curved laterally on proximal margin, very sinuous on distal margin, and with three teeth on ventral margin (more distally). Aedeagal shaft with two subapical spinose processes, one of which is bifid; spinose bifid process occurs on the right lateral side, the longer spine extends beyond the base of the shaft when at rest and is less than twice the length of the shorter spine; bifurcation begins near the base of the process; second spinose process moderately large and curved, inserted left laterally. Flagellum moderately tubular with “spine-like” process laterally on the apex; process dorsolaterally moderately short and has approx. 1/3 the size of the flagellum.

Differential diagnosis. F. goliathi sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of the genus Ferricixius mainly by the morphology of the ventral process on the aedeagal shaft which becomes abruptly smaller distally (tubular) vs wide and flattened in F. michaeli sp. nov. and F. davidi or slightly curved as in F. urieli sp. nov. Furthermore, in F. goliathi sp. nov. the ventral process of the aedeagal shaft exhibits only three teeth on the ventral margin (more distally) versus serrated with many teeth in F. urieli sp. nov., F. michaeli sp. nov. and F. davidi .

Etymology. The epithet goliathi refers to Goliath (/ɡƏˈlaɪƏΘ/ gƏ-LY-Əth) who is a character from the biblical Book of Samuel, described as a Philistine giant, defeated by the young David in single combat. In the original description of F. davidi , the epithet davidi was given referring to David, king-to-be because he managed to defeat Goliath, a physically far superior Philistine warrior. The epithet was chosen as a metaphor of a tiny insect fighting the giant mining sector. Now, the epithet goliathi intends to homage the mining company (the former “giant”), whose biologists found and registered for the first time this new species. The “giant” of the mining sector, instead of destroying the new species, helped to preserve it.

Ecology. Specimens of F. goliathi sp. nov.. were only found in the ABOB-0043 cave, which is inserted in the contact between the canga (ferrugineous breccia) and iron itabirites from the Cauê Formation ( Figs 11A; E–F ). This formation is located in the Serra da Moeda Geomorphological Unit, which, in turn, belongs to the Speleological Unit of the Iron Quadrangle ( Valentim & Olivito 2011). This cave is located at 1,143 meters of altitude in a small and isolated remnant of rupestrian field located between different mining structures (dam, pit, ore beneficiation plant and roads). The cave has 35 meters of horizontal projection, 121m 2 of area, 96m 3 of volume and 5m of unevenness, being considered, therefore, a large cave when compared to other caves associated with the iron formation in the region, which has approximately 2,000 registered caves with an average size of about 20 meters (CECAV 2022, http://www.icmbio.gov.br/cecav/canie.html)). This cave has only one entrance with a horizontal lenticular format and the ceiling height does not exceed 1.5 m at the highest point, with a width of approximately 10 m ( Fig. 11B ).

The ABOB_0043 cave is a typically oligotrophic environment, with small amounts of litter deposited only in its entrance zone, sparse roots in the initial conduits (entrance and dysphotic zone) and, eventually, remains (carcasses) of vertebrates (rodents) and amphibian feces in the aphotic conduits ( Fig. 11B ). There are no exposed roots in the aphotic conduits. The cave is composed of a predominantly flat conduit in its initial portion, which becomes ascending in its middle to final portion. Therefore, the contribution of organic matter (litter) to the cave interior is very low.

As observed for most caves inserted in the iron formation, the ABOB-043 cave is located at the middle slope and very superficial in relation to the external landscape. This cave presents a high climatic stability, with very humidity rates during the rainy season and several microhabitats (blocks and canaliculi) that can serve as shelter for several species of invertebrates, of which at least eight are troglobites, indicating its biospeleological relevance.

All specimens of F. goliathi sp. nov. were observed in aphotic zones, mainly in the intermediate chambers and at the deeper portions of the cave (points 1 to 4 on the map— Fig. 11D ). Specimens were mainly observed on the cave ceiling. Regarding their abundance, 15 specimens were observed in the rainy season while 13 specimens were found in the dry season, including a few immature individuals.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus in dorsal view: Ferricixius urieli sp. nov. (A); Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov. (B); Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov. (C); Ferricixius davidi Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 (D).

FIGURE 2. Tegmina: Ferricixius urieli sp. nov. (A); Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov. (B); Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov. (C).

FIGURE 9. Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov.: Head A–C; pedicel with flagellum and arista (C1); tegmina (forewings) (D); E hind tibia and tarsomeres (E); hind tarsomeres (F).

FIGURE 10. Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov.: Male genitalia: genital capsule right lateral (A); genital capsule left lateral (B); genital capsule dorsal (C); D aedeagus right lateral (D); E aedeagus in dorsal view (E); aedeagus left lateral (F); G genital capsule ventral (G).

FIGURE 11. Habitat Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov.: ABOB_43 cave, Nova Lima municipality- MG (A–C); Map of ABOB_43 (D); habitus Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov. male (E), female (F).

FIGURE 12. Head in lateral view: Ferricixius urieli sp. nov. (A); Ferricixius michaeli sp. nov. (B); Ferricixius goliathi sp. nov. (C); Ferricixius davidi Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 (D) (male).

FIGURE 17. Distribution of the genus Ferricixius Hoch & Ferreira, 2012 in Brazil. Red triangle: F. davidi Hoch & Ferreira, 2012. Green diamond, F. goliathi sp. nov. Blue circle, F. michaeli sp. nov. Black circle, F. urieli sp. nov.; Diffuse areas in light blue = karst areas; The shapefile with karst areas and the occurrence of caves in Brazil was obtained from CECAV (https://www. icmbio.gov.br/cecav/projetos-e-atividades/provinciasespeleologicas.html). The limits of Brazil were obtained from ForestGis (https://forest-gis.com/download-gis-base-de-dados/)