Xestoblatta berenbaumae Evangelista, Kaplan, & Ware

Evangelista, Dominic A., Chan, Kimberly, Kaplan, Kayla L., Wilson, Megan M. & Ware, Jessica L., 2015, The Blattodeas. s. (Insecta, Dictyoptera) of the Guiana Shield, ZooKeys 475, pp. 37-87 : 48-52

Taxon classification Animalia Blattodea Ectobiidae

Xestoblatta berenbaumae Evangelista, Kaplan, & Ware sp. n.

Authors of description.

Evangelista, Kaplan, & Ware.

Holotype.

Adult ♂ Figure 9 B–E, G.

Voucher number: DECBA2109.

Type locality. CEIBA Biological Station, Madewini, Guyana.

GPS: 6°29'N, 58°13'W.

Collection date: 17 to 18 - August - 2012.

Collectors. Dominic A. Evangelista and William R. Kuhn.

Type information.

The holotype specimen is stored in ethanol with genitalia in a separate ethanol vial and is deposited at the Center for Biodiversity at the University of Guyana.

Collection/ecological information.

This specimen was collected in a pitfall trap baited with beer and fruit in an uplands secondary forest in CEIBA Biological Station.

Morphological identification.

This specimen was identified as Xestoblatta Hebard, 1916 by the position of the hooked phallomere (left), the presence of the external modification of the tergum as part of the dorsal tergal gland (Figure 9A), incomplete rami on the ulnar vein of the hind wing (Figure 9I) and the spination (type A) on the ventro-anterior margin of the fore-femur.

Holotype morphological description.

Head uniformly colored a deep mahogany. Clypeus pale buffy. Ocellar spots easily distinguishable, smaller than antennal pits and white. Head otherwise without distinguishing features. Ocellar spots slightly closer together than eyes. Facial grooves on lateral most edge. See Figure 9H for a representative photo of the head.

Pronotum a uniformly reddish mahogany color (Figure 10A). Medial expansion on posterior margin of pronotum is barely noticeable. Ventral margin of pronotum not lined with hairs. Anterior margin of pronotum significantly conformed around the head. Leg coloration deep orange amber. Coxae with some diffuse black regions. Ventro-anterior margin of fore-femur with 14 (left) or 13 (right) spines decreasing in size from basal to apical, one slightly larger pre-apical spine and one large apical spine (16 total left, 15 total right). Ventro-posterior margin of forelimbs with 4 large spines and 1 apical spine. Ventro-anterior margin of middle leg has seven large spines and one apical spine. Middle leg also with one large genicular spine. Hind leg ventro-anterior margin has six spines, one apical spine, and one genicular spine. Pulvilli present on all tarsomeres. Arolia present but not surpassing the tips of the pretarsal claws. Claws symmetrical and unspecialized.

Ulnar vein with three incomplete rami and three complete rami (Figure 9I). Tegmina reddish mahogany with small patch of white under the base of the subcostal vein.

Supra-anal plate subtriangular with a blunt tip from dorsal view. Left paraproct modified into a tri-dentate spine (Figure 9F; bi-dentate in some other specimens). Sub-genital plate has both styli highly modified (Figure 9F, G). The right stylus is projecting dorso-medially from posterior margin, curving back posteriorly and terminating in a shape reminiscent of a bifurcated serpentine tongue. Left stylus projecting dorsally, shorter than right stylus and tipped with a small, translucent, irregularly shaped ball (Figure 9F, G).

Left phallomere (Figure 9B, C) hooked in apical third. (Hooked phallomere is about 1.5 mm long). Medial phallomere (Figure 9D) approximately three times the length of the left phallomere, roughly uniform width, and a slight slender curve in the posterior end. R2c (Figure 9E) divided into two sclerites that form dual concave cups that meet dorsally.

Dorsal modification of terga as part of the dorsal tergal gland. Modification represented by a small patch of hairs with a concave semi-circular modification of the margin of the segment anterior to the gland. See Figure 9A for an illustration of a representative dorsum.

Medium sized hairs (~ 2 mm) covering entire body roughly uniformly, yet sparsely.

Other adult male paratypes.

Voucher numbers: DECBA1967, DECBA0801, DECBA1958, DECBA2182, DECBA2092, DECBA2039

Collection/ecological information.

All additional male individuals reported here were collected in leaf litter pitfall traps baited with beer at various locations (dryer secondary uplands forest and wet primary lowlands forest) in CEIBA biological station.

Adult female paratype morphological description.

Voucher number: DECBA2074.

Head slightly darker in color than male with a more reflective surface. Other features of head similar to male.

Description of legs similar or identical to that of male with the following spination on the ventro-anterior margin of fore-femur: 13 (left) and 12 (right) spines decreasing in size from basal to apical, two larger preapical spines and one large apical spine (16 total left and 15 total right). Ventro-posterior margin of fore-femur four large spines and one apical spine. Ventro-anterior margin of mid-leg with seven large spines, one apical spine, and one genicular spine. Ventro-anterior margin of hind-leg with five large spines, one apical spine, and one genicular spine.

Tegmina and wings reduced and not reaching end of abdomen. Three incomplete and three complete rami on ulnar vein. Ulnar vein very faint in the reduced wings of the female (Figure 10B; Table 3).

Pronotum matches description of the male.

Subgenital plate slightly more abbreviated than in male. Paraprocts simple and unspecialized. Sub-genital plate simple and symmetrical.

Other adult female paratypes.

Voucher numbers: DECBA1787, DECBA1791, DECBA1792, and DECBA1793

Collection/ecological information.

All additional female individuals reported here were collected in leaf litter pitfall traps baited with beer in an uplands secondary forest at CEIBA biological station.

Summary of female morphology.

All individuals match the description of the above female and have the following spination on the vento-anterior margin of the fore-limb: 13 spines decreasing in size from basal to apical, one or two slightly larger preapical spines and one large apical spine making a total of 15 or 16 spines.

Juvenile paratypes.

Voucher numbers: DECBA1788, DECBA1789, DECBA1790, DECBA1796.

Collection/ecological information.

All additional juvenile individuals reported here were collected in leaf litter pitfall traps baited with beer in an uplands secondary forest at CEIBA biological station.

Summary of juvenile morphology.

Juveniles are apterous and largely match the morphology of adults except for in the following. Simple styli present on the subgenital plate in some individuals but are short and abbreviated. Spines on ventro-anterior margin of forelimb are as follows: 12 to 14 spines decreasing in size basally to apically, one or two slightly larger preapical spines and one large apical spine making a sum total of 15 or 16 total spines.

Molecular data and evolutionary placement.

Vouchers numbers and GenBank accession numbers: DECBA1791 - KF155114, DECBA1789 - KF155105, DECBA0801 - CBA0801, DECBA1827 - KF155103, DECBA1826 - KF155107, DECBA1814 - KF155115. The clade containing the above haplotypes (formerly reported as " Blattodea sp.1") is supported by 96% bootstrap support and the haplotypes are nearly identical.

Diagnostic features of Xestoblatta berenbaumae .

The morphology of modified styles on the subgenital plate is the most useful trait for discerning this species with other Xestoblatta Hebard, 1916. The simple dorsal tergal gland, shape of the paraprocts (left modified into a tri-dentate or bi-dentate spine), and morphology of the internal genital sclerites of the male are also useful in identifying this species. Unfortunately the adult females and juveniles are largely lacking obvious identifying characteristics and there may be errors made in associating juveniles to the adults without the use of genetic information.

Etymology.

We give this species the specific epithet “berenbaumae” in honor of the esteemed entomologist, Dr. May Berenbaum, who has made huge contributions to entomology through scientific products, service and public outreach.

Known geographic distribution.

Guyana