Whiteheadiana thaisae, Benjumea & Ferreira & Vieira, 2023

Benjumea, Daniela Hoyos, Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes & Vieira, Letícia, 2023, The first cave-dwelling species of Whiteheadiana Perrault, 1994 (Carabidae: Clivinini) from Brazil, Zootaxa 5380 (2), pp. 151-166 : 153-162

Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. ( Figs 1–7 ).

Type material. Holotype, ( ISLA), with labels and data: “Campo Formoso, BA, Toca do Gonçalo // 28.12.2012 // Ferreira R.L. col.” (1 m # ISLA78752 ), exemplar preserved in alcohol 90%. Red label on the lid of the tube “ Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. // Benjumea D, Vieira L & Lopes R// Holotype ”. Ten paratypes labeled: “Campo Formoso, BA, Toca do Gonçalo // 05.01.1997 // E. Trajano col.” (5 m # and 2 f # MZSP52423 , MZSP52424 , MZSP52425 , MZSP52426 , MZSP52427 , MZSP48075 , MZSP48078 ); All paratypes of MZSP with a yellow label “ Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov., Benjumea D, Vieira L & Lopes R, 202_”; “ Campo Formoso, BA, Toca do Gonçalo // 28.12.2012 // Ferreira R.L. col.” (2 f # ISLA78752 , 1 m # ISLA66041 ). All paratypes of ISLA with a yellow label on the lid of the tube “ Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. // Benjumea D, Vieira L & Lopes R/Paratype”.

Description. Total length, from the apex of the mandible in open position to the apex of the elytra, 7.15 mm (N=11), width, from the widest region of the elytra (W= 1.81 mm). Color yellowish to dark brown ( Fig.1 ).

Head elongated, longer (HL= 1.62 mm) than wide (HW= 0.97 mm), and relatively longer than pronotum (PL= 1.67 mm); anterior part with a rectangle shape, and the surface smooth. Labrum rectangular and with two setigerous punctures laterally. Clypeus with two clypeal setigerous punctures ( Fig. 2c ); supra–antennal plate extended, with lateral margin bordered. Sulcus totally effaced between frons and clypeus. Frons with two distinct grooves closer anteriorly and diverging posteriorly, extending from clypeal setae to the neck constriction ( Fig. 1 ); two carinae extending from the anterior part of the eye to posterior supraorbital setae, forming a deep small fovea in the middle; postorbital area with a deep small fovea formed by one carina and the lateral margin postocular; frontal lateral projections 2X longer than the eyes and slightly wider than eyes. Genae with one sharp carina and a pair of setae posteriorly near to the neck. Eyes reduced. Head ventrally smooth, with a faint carina on each side, limiting a wide and shallow antennal groove.

Antenna. ( Fig. 2A, 2B ) (ATL= 1.82 mm) Scapus longer than antennomeres with one apical seta; pedicellus longer than wide with single seta at the base; antennomeres 3–11 fully pubescent; antennomeres 3–4 filiform, longer than wide; antennomeres 5–10 sub–moniliform; antennomere 11 with apex shape drop–like. Neck smooth likewise the posterior part of the head.

( Figs 2C–F ). Mandibles relatively large, asymmetric, slender, curved at apex, broad at base, with basal denticulation; right mandible with a carina. Galea and lacinia well developed; apical segment of galea swollen and shorter than the basal. Basal segment of the maxillary palpi with a single seta. Maxillary palpi with six segments, all segments with varying sizes. First and second palpus small, the first with a single seta; segments three and five are swollen and longer than width; antepenultimate (segment 4) shorter than the 3rd and 5th maxillary segments; ultimate (segment 6) segment truncated and not visible easily. Prementum glossal sclerite of ligula with two long apical setae; labial palpi with three segments, penultimate segment swelled and the apical segment truncated and not easily visible. Mentum surface smooth, reflexed bordered, with medial tooth bifid, small, and rounded; two setae, not subequal to the mentum lateral lobe size; lateral margin convex. The mentum and submentum separated by a suture. Submentum with one pair of faint foveae, each one with a single seta. Gula (GL= 0.84 mm, GW= 0.27 mm) oblong with the posterior quarter sides diverging posteriorly.

Thorax. Prothorax is subquadrangular, slightly convex, longer than wide (PL= 1.67 mm, PW= 1.50 mm), surface of the disc smooth, glossy, and constricted posteriorly; lateral margin reflexed, anterior and posterior setigerous punctures present, the lateral channel between the anterior and posterior setigerous puncture and the basal flange is much narrower; median line deeply impressed, extending from anterior to the posterior border; anterior slightly transverse line forming a trapezoid with spots in the middle; posterior angles not bordered, ending above the basal margin channel. Prosternum glabrous with scattered micro punctation on the sides and slightly rough in the middle; prosternal process overtaking procoxae. Mesothorax is pedunculate with scutellum wider anteriorly, with a constriction in the middle, acuminated posteriorly, and with dark spots.

Elytra. Longer than wide (EL= 3.58 mm, EW= 0.90 mm), convex from one side to the other, widest slightly behind middle, oblong-elongate; humeri rounded; marginal channel with a row of umbilical setigerous punctures; smooth and reflexed lateral margin; surface with four dorsal setigerous punctures in the 3 rd stria; with scutellar striole and scutellar pore at the apical base of the first interval; elytron with seven distinct striae, striae straight, distinctly punctured in their whole length, striae one and two, three and five joining at the base, striae six and seven indistinctly joining at the base; striae ending free at the apex. Hindwings. ( Fig. 3D ) Wings reduced (WL= 4.12 mm, WW= 1.49 mm), membranous, thin, and transparent, with nearly complete venation, only costal, subcostal, radial, median, cubitus, and anal veins are distinguishable.

Legs. ( Fig. 3A–C ). Procoxa smooth, meso, and metacoxa with a pair of distal setae. Protrochanter with a singular seta on the distal upper margin, mesotrochanter with a singular seta on the distal lower margin, and metatrochanter with a singular seta on the basal upper margin. Profemur swollen with three setae on the lower margin and one seta on the distal upper margin; flexor side of protibial asetose, extensor side smooth. Mesofemur slightly swollen, upper margin with two rows of setae, one row with four and the other with five short setae; flexor side and extensor side asetose. Metafemur slender, proximally with a single seta on the lower margin, otherwise asetose. Protibia barely flat, with outer apical prolongation (in anterior view), with spines and a cleaning incision in the distal part of flexor side; outer distal margin of protibial with four triangular, latero-ventrally oriented teeth. Meso and metatibia slender, (in dorsal view) with longitudinal rows of spines and ventral view with scattered spines, with apical spur and subapical spur in the apical third on the distal margin. Tarsomeres: first tarsi longer than the 2–5 tarsi, tarsi setose at the distal margin, claws simple and in the middle of the claws with a single seta.

Abdomen (AL= 2.42 mm, AW= 1.63 mm). Laterally narrowed. Sternum smooth, with six visible ventrites; ventrites III–IV with a pair of setigerous punctures; IV–VI with transverse basal sulcus. Ventrites 3–5 each with one pair of paramedian setae. In both sexes, lateral margin of ventrite 6 with two apical setae widely separated.

Female genitalia ( Figs. 4C , 5 ). Gonostylus slender, curved at apex with a single seta in subapical setose organ ( Fig. 5 ), with sparse fine punctures, laterotergites triangular and setose near gonostylus, bursa copulatrix elongated, spermatheca slightly thin and rounded at apex.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 4 A, B, D ). Median lobe arcuated at apex, Phallobase slightly sclerotized, apex flat and sclerotized, basal bulb rounded. Parameres asymmetric in length; right paramere (rp) with three apical setae in dorsal view ( Fig. 4 A ), longitudinally inserted, wider than left paramere (lp) with five setae in lateral and dorsal view ( Fig. 4 A, B ), three setae inserted apically, two setae inserted at the end of the 4 th apical portion ( Fig. 4 A, B ).

Variation was observed in the size of the 11 exemplars (see measurements). Some paratypes are yellowish, brownish, and dark brown ( Fig. 6D ), indicating the different teneral states of the species. Minor morphological variations on elytra striae are related to the joining together of striae 3 rd and 4 th, 5 th and 6 th, or 6 th and 7 th at the apex of elytra ( Fig. 6A–C ).

Distribution. Known from the type locality in Toca do Gonçalo caves, located in the Campo Formoso municipality, Bahia state, northeastern Brazil.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors the enthusiastic Brazilian biologist Dr.Thais Giovannini Pellegrini.Since 2011, Dr. Pellegrini described several species of ground beetles, especially the Neotropical endemic and troglobitic species of the genus Coarazuphium Gnaspini, Vanin & Godoy 1998 ( Coarazuphium amazonicum Pellegrini & Ferreira 2017 ; Coarazuphium bambui Pellegrini & Vieira 2022 ; Coarazuphium caatinga Pellegrini & Ferreira 2014 ; Coarazuphium formoso Pellegrini & Ferreira 2011 ; Coarazuphium lundi Pellegrini ; Ferreira; Zampaulo & Vieira 2020; Coarazuphium spinifemur Pellegrini & Ferreira 2017 ; Coarazuphium tapiaguassu Pellegrini & Ferreira 2011 ), Perigona spelunca Pellegrini, Ferreira & Vieira 2022 ( Perigonini ), and the Clivinini species Ardistomis ferreirai Balkenohl, Pellegrini & Almeida Zampaulo 2018 . Her remarkable contributions increased the knowledge of Carabidae fauna in Brazilian caves.

Differential diagnosis. Whitehediana thaisae sp. nov. differs from W. latidens and W. minor by the number of labrum setae (both with 3 setae) but possesses the same number of labrum setae as W. stenocephala and W. longicollis (both with 2 setae). Also, W. thaisae sp. nov. differs from the other species of the genus by presenting frontal lateral projections two times longer than eyes; frons with two parallel carinae deeply notched near the clypeus, shallow toward the gena.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov., male, holotype (scale bar: 1 mm). A. Dorsal view, B. Ventral view.

FIGURE 2. A. Scape of antenna (scale bar: 300 µm) B. Detail of the setae on the antennal segment (scale bar: 40.0 µm) C. Anterior part of the clypeus, labrum and general aspect of mandibles (scale bar: 400 µm) D. Carina on the left mandible in dorsal view (scale bar: 100 µm) E. Mentum (scale bar: 400 µm) F. Two setae of the ligula (scale bar: 50 µm).

FIGURE 3. A. Anterior leg B. Anterior view of the anterior tibia C. Claws with a single seta in the middle D. Hindwings (1) Reduced wing of Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. (2) Normal wing of another species of Whiteheadiana aff. longicollis; veins: C= costal, Sc= subcostal, R= radial, M= median, Cu= cubitus, and A= anal.

FIGURE 4. Male and Female genitalia of Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov.: A. Dorsal view of parameres, rp= right paramere; lp= left paramere (scale bar: 0.2 mm) B. Lateral view of parameres (scale bar: 0.2 mm) C. Female genitalia: gs= gonostylus bc= bursa copulatrix; lt= laterotergite; mt= mediotergite of abdominal segment IX (scale bar: 0.5 mm) D. Male aedeagus, mla= median lobe of the aedeagus; ph= phallobase; bo= basal bulb (scale bar: 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 5. Female genitalia: gs= gonostylus; lt= laterotergite; oss= Subapical Setose Organ (200 µm).

FIGURE 6. Morphological variations into the species of Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. A. Morphological variation on the stria at the end of the elytra B. Striae 3rd and 4th fused on the right elytra with “X” form and left elytra with “V” form C. Morphological variation in the anterior part of right elytra: Striae 3rd and 4th fused on the right elytra with “X” form D. Different teneral states of the species.

FIGURE 7. Habitat of Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. A. Entrance of the cave B. Interconnected levels of the cave C. Flooded passages D. Diesel pump E. Electric pump for irrigation F. Live exemplar in Toca do Gonçalo cave G. Phreartic level H. Whiteheadiana thaisae sp. nov. searching for shelters.