Cylindrogaster sp. 1

Kamimura, Yoshitaka & Ferreira, Rodrigo L., 2017, Earwigs from Brazilian caves, with notes on the taxonomic and nomenclatural problems of the Dermaptera (Insecta), ZooKeys 713, pp. 25-52 : 30-32

Cylindrogaster sp. 1 Figs 12-17

Material examined.

1 ♀, Gruta Túneis, Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais, 10.x.2011, Ferreira, RL leg. ( ISLA 43365) .

Association with caves.

The female specimen was collected near the entrance of a cave of the Sumidouro state park, located in Lagoa Santa, Minas Gerais state. Numerous nymphs presumably belonging to this species were observed throughout the years, especially on the cave walls in areas close to entrances, in the limestone caves of this region. Therefore, it is possible that this species uses the caves as a protected habitat during its development, but leaves the caves when reaching adulthood. They probably prey upon small invertebrates that are found on the walls near the entrances.

Description and remarks.

In this study, two adult females of Cylindrogaster were examined. Based on differences in body size and genital structures (see below), these two females are not conspecific. The characteristics for species diagnosis have not been established for female Cylindrogaster spp. In addition, because the collection localities of both female samples (from Minas Gerais and Pará states, respectively) are quite far from the type locality of C. cavernicola sp. n. (Rio Grande do Norte state), these female samples are tentatively treated as Cylindrogaster sp. 1 (Figs 12-17 ) and Cylindrogaster sp. 2 (Figs 18-21 ) in this study.

Wing and female genital structures have not been reported for any members of Cylindrogaster . The female genital region of Cylindrogaster sp.1 is characterized by having shorter gonapophysis VIII (gp8) than gonapophysis IX (gp9), which was slightly shorter than the finger-like gonoplac IX (gl9) (Figs 15-17 ).

The spermatheca of Cylindrogaster sp. 1 consisted of long thin tubes (Fig. 17 ) without sclerotized or pigmented spermathecal capsules. In the infraorder Protodermaptera (= Pygidicranidae sensu lato or sometimes referred to as basal dermapterans), the number of spermatheca and internal branches vary both inter- and intraspecifically ( Popham 1965a; Klass 2003; Kamimura 2004). However, poor specimen quality prevented characterization of the Cylindrogaster sp. 1 spermatheca.

According to Hass and Kukalová-Peck (2001), Diplatyidae ( Diplatys ) and Haplodiplatyidae ( Haplodiplatys ) are separated from other members of the infraorder Protodermaptera by the presence of (1) a narrow, slender, and elongated fustis head, (2) a long and slender costal area, (3) a concave and strongly three-dimensional anojugal arm (FAJ: anojugal fulcalare), (4) the distal end of CuA3+4 (cubitus anterior 3 and 4) lying between the 8th and 9th branches of AP1+2 (anal posterior 1 and 2), and (5) two proximal branches of AP1+2 diverging close together. The characteristics unique to Diplatyidae and Haplodiplatyidae (1-3) were observed in Cylindrogaster sp. 1 (Fig. 14 ). The latter two traits were not observed as the poor quality of the specimen prevented opening of the wings.

The genus Haplodiplatys ( Haplodiplatyidae ) is characterized by multiple plesiomorphic features, including laterally symmetrical tegmina and absence of a spiny ridge (a component of the tegmina-locking device) on the dorsal side of the mesothorax (Hass and Kukalová-Peck 2001). The female sample of Cylindrogaster sp. 1, however, possessed well-developed spiny ridges (Fig. 13 ), similar to those in Diplatys spp. ( Diplatyidae ).

Figures

Figures 12 - 22. 12 - 17 Cylindrogaster sp. 1 (female): habitus (12), spiny ridges (indicated by the blue arrowheads) on the mesothorax (13), wing base of the left hindwing (14), and genital regions (15 - 17) 18 - 21 Cylindrogaster sp. 2 (female): habitus (18), spiny ridges (indicated by the blue arrowheads) on the mesothorax (19), fustis of the left hindwing (20), and genital regions (21) 22 Cylindrogaster sp. (nymph): detail of cercus. Scale bars 3 mm for Figs 12, 18; 0.5 mm for Figs 13 - 15, 19 - 22; 200 μm for Figs 16, 17.