Edmundsula meghamalaiensis Vasanth, Subramanian & Selvakumar, 2021

Vasanth, M., Subramanian, K. A., Selvakumar, C., Kubendran, T. & Sivaramakrishnan, K. G., 2021, Three new species of Atalophlebiinae (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) of India with a new record of the genus Megaglena Peters and Edmunds, 1970, Zootaxa 5076 (1), pp. 56-70 : 61

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5076.1.7

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9FF1BC65-E72E-47BA-A4E8-9FA3B8BA9CF1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5764323

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9C052F2F-FFAB-FFAB-B2DB-9FC4FDC4E732

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Edmundsula meghamalaiensis Vasanth, Subramanian & Selvakumar
status

sp. nov.

Edmundsula meghamalaiensis Vasanth, Subramanian & Selvakumar n. sp.

( Figs 17–37 View FIGURES 17–22 View FIGURES 23–31 View FIGURES 32–37 )

Material examined: Holotype: ♀ immature larva, INDIA, Tamil Nadu, Theni district, Suruli colony, Upper Manalar stream; 09.59167 N, 077.34261 E; Alt. 1530 m; 03.iii.2019, coll. M. Vasanth (Reg. No. I /E/433) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 10 larvae (Reg. No. I /E/434), same data as holotype GoogleMaps ; 14 larvae, Kerala, Trivandrum district, Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Pandipath stream; 08.67741 N, 077.19390 E, Alt. 1326 m; 19.i.2019, coll. M. Vasanth (Reg. No. I /E/435) GoogleMaps .

Mature larva. Length: body 8.5–9.0 mm; antennae 3.2–3.5 mm; cerci 6.5–7.0 mm; paracercus 7.2–7.5 mm. General coloration dark brownish yellow ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 17–22 ).

Head. Dark brown, washed with pale yellow. Upper portion of male compound eye reddish, lower portion black. Antennae white. Labrum ( Figs 18–19 View FIGURES 17–22 ): dorsum with two rows of thin, long setae; anterior region with a row of feather like setae ventrally; anteromedian emargination with moderate ‘V’ shaped cleft and without denticles. Hypopharynx ( Fig. 20 View FIGURES 17–22 ): lingua with well developed lateral process; anterior margin deeply cleft; superlingua with a row of setae on anterior margin. Mandibles: ( Figs 21–22 View FIGURES 17–22 ) translucent, with dark brown incisors and molars; lateral margins with scattered setae, inner incisor slightly longer than outer one. Maxilla ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 23–31 ): segments I– III of palp equal in length, apical segment not tapering at apex. Labium ( Figs 24–25 View FIGURES 23–31 ): palps 3-segmented, segments II – III narrower, with row of thick setae on dorsal margin of third segment; outer and inner margins of palp with row of long and pointed setae; segment I slightly longer than segment II, segment III shorter than segment II, tapering at apex.

Thorax. Pale yellowish brown, irregularly washed with dark brown; pronotum with lateral margins white; dark brownish with diffuse hypodermal markings. Legs: brownish yellow; coxae brown; outer surface of all femora with long, thick and thin setae; dorsal surface of foreleg with short stout setae as a group in the distal region; pale macula on distal end ( Fig. 26 View FIGURES 23–31 ); femur of midleg moderately developed with numerous short stout setae on dorsal surface ( Fig. 27 View FIGURES 23–31 ); dorsal surface of hindfemora with numerous short stout setae ( Figs 28–29 View FIGURES 23–31 ). Fore and mid tibia with thick feathered setae and long stout setae; hind tibia with thick feathered setae ( Fig. 30 View FIGURES 23–31 ). Claws with denticles, progressively larger from the middle, apical denticle much larger ( Fig. 31 View FIGURES 23–31 ).

Abdomen. Terga I–X dark yellowish brown with diffuse hypodermal markings; terga I– VI with yellowish streaks laterally; terga IV–IX with posteriolateral spines, progressively larger posteriorly, spines on terga VII–IX pointed ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 32–37 ). Gills on segments I–VII; gill I slender and lanceolate with branched tracheae; dorsal and ventral portions of lamellae of gills II –VII wider, long and smoothly tapered at apex ( Figs 32–35 View FIGURES 32–37 ). Subanal plate deeply cleft in male and female larva ( Figs 36–37 View FIGURES 32–37 ). Paracercus longer than cerci; caudal filaments with whorl of setae on alternate segments, setae shorter than length of corresponding segment.

Adult. Unknown.

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality, Meghamalai WLS, Theni District, Tamil Nadu, India.

Distribution. Southern Western Ghats, India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala).

Diagnosis. Edmundsula meghamalaiensis n. sp. can be distinguished from the previously described species, E. lotica Sivaramakrishnan 1985 by the following combination of larval characters: (i) anteromedian emargination of labrum with moderate ‘V’ shaped cleft and without denticles ( Figs 18–19 View FIGURES 17–22 ); (ii) segment I–III of maxillary palps shorter and apical segment not tapering at apex ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 23–31 ); (iii) segment II–III of labial palp narrower and with a row of thick setae on the dorsal margin of third segment ( Figs 24–25 View FIGURES 23–31 ); (iv) distal region of dorsal surface of the foreleg with a group of short spines ( Fig. 26 View FIGURES 23–31 ).

Habitat: Larvae of Edmundsula meghamalaiensis n. sp. inhabit first order (from 2–3 m wide) mountain stream (Manalar stream, 1530 m a.s.l.) of the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Theni District, Tamil Nadu ( Figs 58–59 View FIGURES 57–60 ). The stream is characterized by medium water temperature (18–22°С at the time of sampling) and average current velocity. Larvae were collected from cobbles and pebbles where the new species was found with the larvae of the Baetis sp. , Afronurus sp. , Choroterpes sp. and Dudgeodes sp.

Discussion: With an array of several plesiomorphic character states, Edmundsula is a genus of Gondwanian origin, presently the genus is endemic to southern peninsular India, which may have phylogenetic links with genera disjunctly distributed in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, South Africa and Australia. However, this requires in depth study through further exploration in respective areas. Furthermore, Sivaramakrishnan (1985) suggested a tenuous link of Edmundsula Sivaramakrishnan 1985 with Neozephlebia Penniket 1961 from New Zealand due to the dorsolateral expansion of the glossae in both the genera. Dense rows of setae on the outer margins of fore and middle legs in Edmundsula Sivaramakrishnan 1985 and in Indialis Peters & Edmunds 1970 , another genus endemic to southern India apparently show relationship established the genus Sangpradubina from Thailand as pointed out by Boonsoong & Sartori (2016); Kluge (2020) recognized to given the morphological notes of femoral and tibial setation of genus Thraulodes Ulmer 1920 from Panama and Peru. These phylogenetic riddles can only be solved when combined morphological and molecular studies of both larval and respective alate stages of all these Gondwanan genera with intensified international collaboration.

VI

Mykotektet, National Veterinary Institute

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