Aposthonia problita, Poolprasert, Pisit, Sitthicharoenchai, Duangkhae, Butcher, Buntika Areekul & Lekprayoon, Chariya, 2011

Poolprasert, Pisit, Sitthicharoenchai, Duangkhae, Butcher, Buntika Areekul & Lekprayoon, Chariya, 2011, Aposthonia Krauss, 1911 (Embioptera: Oligotomidae) from Thailand, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2937, pp. 37-48 : 43-44

Aposthonia problita sp. n.

(Figs. 2G–I, 3C)

Diagnosis. The male of A. problita is distinguished from congeners by the basal segment of the left cercus being gradually distally expanded but not abruptly lobed, and the absence of an outcurved hook on the left cercus-basipodite. The female body is very dark and shiny except for pale femoral-tibial joints.

Holotype. Male. ( CUMNH), Thailand, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thung Song District, tropical rain forest, 08°10.340'N 99°44.505'E, 103 m, 26.VII.2008 (Site 6).

Material examined. Holotype male, 2 paratype males and 14 paratype females, all collected by P. Poolprasert from the following four sites (collection accession numbers in parentheses): Site 6, holotype male (CUMZ-EMB- Oli.2010.98), 1 male, 6 females (CUMZ-EMB-Oli.2010.99-105); Site 21, 1 male, 2 females (CUMZ-EMB- Oli.2010.106-108); Site 25, 4 females (CUMZ-EMB-Oli.2010.109-112); Site 26, 2 females (CUMZ-EMB- Oli.2010.113-114).

Distribution. This species was collected from four provinces in Thailand: Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Sa Kaeo.

Etymology. The species is named Aposthonia problita (Greek problita = jet) referring to the rich, deep black color, particularly in females.

Description. Alate male (n = 3, mean (range)): head width × length 0.5 (0.5–0.6) × 0.7 (0.7–0.8) mm; body length 5.2 (5.13–5.33) mm, width 0.5 (0.52–0.55) mm; forewing 4.0 (3.9–4.2) mm, hind wing 3.7 (3.6–3.9) mm. Head capsule blackish, longer than broad, sides caudally convergent. Eyes dark, rather small. Labrum brown. Mandibles brown with apical teeth and inner margins brownish. Submentum trapezoidal with medial concave anterior margin (Fig. 2G), blackish. Antennae with basal 3 segments brownish, remaining segments becoming increasingly lighter brown distally, 16-segmented. Thorax same color as head. All legs blackish throughout except for pale color of joints. Wing light brown with anterior medial vein (MA) not forked. Hind leg with only one basitarsal papilla. Abdomen blackish brown throughout with cerci paler. Terminalia with left hemitergite of segment 10 (10L) broader than right hemitergite (10R). Process of 10L (10LP) slender, narrow, evenly tapered to apex; process of 10R (10 RP) greatly elongated, narrow, membranous inner side with small outer hook at tip. Hypandrium (H) broad basally, slightly narrowed caudally, forming a broad process of H (HP) directed gradually toward left cercus and beneath 10LP. Right cercus with two subcylindrical segments (RC1 and RC2). Left cercus with segments (LC1 and LC2) subequal to corresponding segments of right cercus; LC1 gradually expanded distally but not abruptly lobed.

Apterous female (n = 14, mean (range) ± SD): head width × length 0.6 (0.5–0.6) ± 0.04 × 0.7 (0.6–0.8) ± 0.04 mm, body length 6.1 (5.6–6.6) ± 0.35 mm, width 0.6 (0.5–0.6) ± 0.03 mm. Head capsule dark, convex, longer than broad. Eyes dark, smaller and less reniform than in male. Antennae blackish throughout, 15-segmented. Thorax entirely dark, somewhat shining. All legs concolorous with thorax except for pale femoral-tibial joints. Hind leg with only one basitarsal papilla. Abdomen very glossy, dark. Tenth sternum symmetrically divided longitudinally into two lateral plates. Cerci entirely pale.

Remarks. Aposthonia problita sp. n. is the 25th species described in this genus. This species may well be widespread across much of Thailand, as it is commonly found in tropical rain forests and in rubber plantations in southern Thailand (Nakhon Si Thammarat and Ranong Provinces), western Thailand (Prachuap Khiri Khan Province) and eastern Thailand (Sa Kaeo Province).