Coletinia tessella Molero, Bach & Gaju, 2013

Molero, Rafael, Bach, Carmen, Sendra, Alberto, Montagud, Sergio, Barranco, Pablo & Gaju, Miguel, 2013, <strong> Revision of the genus <em> Coletinia </ em> (Zygentoma: Nicoletiidae) in the Iberian Peninsula, with descriptions of nine new species </ strong>, Zootaxa 3615 (1), pp. 1-60 : 35-38

Coletinia tessella Molero, Bach & Gaju new species

Figs. 91–101

Studied material. Valencia, Vilamarxant, Cueva de los Murciélagos (30 SYJ0479 ),. 12 March 2006, male holotype, 1 female and 1 juvenile paratypes, A. Sendra et al., coll. Deposited in MVHN, Cod.: 120306 MV5 ; Additional specimens : Valencia, Lliria, Cova del Cavall (30 SYJ0688 ), 23 December2006, 1 male, 1 female. A. Sendra et al., coll. Deposited in UCO, Ref. Z 2189 ; Valencia, Serra. Cova de l’Alt del Pí , 20 December 2004, 1 female, A. Sendra et al., coll. Deposited in MVHN, Cod.: 201206 RV43 .

Description. Body length up to 12 mm in males (holotype 12 mm), up to 13.5 mm in females. Body yellowish, abdomens of some specimens darkener yellowish brown due gut contents. Macrosetae with moderate degree of spiralization, those inserted in the antennal pedicellus the most twisted. Head with scattered short hairs and few macrosetae arranged as in Fig. 91 .

Antennae symmetrical, the apophysis of the pedicellus with a plate-like subapical process similar to those described for the related species C. capolongoi or C. longitibia n. sp. ( Figs. 92, 93 ); subapical process clearly shorter than glandular cone and connected to the cone by a somewhat sclerotized region defining a cavity, and with an indented superior margin resembling a small second process; apical part of apophysis reaching fourth joint of the flagellum.

Mouthparts typical, the distal article of the maxillary palp about 5.75 times longer than wide and 1.1–1.2 times longer than the penultimate article.

Thoracic nota as usual in Coletinia species. Tibiae long, L/W ratios given in Table 2. Tibiae usually with 2 dorsal, 1 lateral and 4 ventral spines, all of them shorter than the diameter of the article. Sometimes the mesotibiae and metatibiae with 5 or 6 ventral spines metatibiae of some specimens with only one dorsal spine.

Urotergites I-IX typical. Tenth urotergite with its posterior border concave ( Figs. 94, 95 ); posterolateral processes with 6–8 sensory pegs each, disc not uniformly covered with setae. Setae more abundant in the lateral margins, in the median region of the disc and near the posterolateral lobes, and sparser in the centrolateral region ( Fig. 95 ). In the female, tenth urotergite with a nearly straight posterior border and 1+1 long spines inserted in the posterolateral angles; disc irregularly covered with short thin setae ( Fig. 96 ).

Urosternites I-VII typical, with 1+1 submedian, 1+1 sublateral and 1+1 discal bifid macrosetae. Urosternite VIII of the male with protruding, straight and widely truncate posterior border ( Fig. 97 ). Parameres more than 5 times longer than wide and as long as the ninth stylets. Subgenital plate of the female about 0.85 times longer than wide at its base, semielliptical to subtriangular, with a straight and truncate posterior border ( Fig. 98 ). Ovipositor relatively short and stout, with 15–18 divisions, surpassing the level of the apex of ninth stylets by 0.6–1 times their length ( Fig. 99 ).

Male cerci each with 4 or 5 acute sensory pegs ( Fig. 100 ). Paracercus apparently lacking pegs in the holotype (at least with 1 short spine visible), but in this specimen, the terminal filaments are not in good condition; three acute pegs visible in the other examined male ( Fig. 101 ).

Etymology. The many different species of Coletinia discovered in the Spanish Mediterranean slope constitutes a complex mosaic, and within it, C. tessella n. sp. represents a new piece, thus receiving the name because “ tessella ” is the Roman word for a piece of a mosaic (tile).

Remarks. C. tessella n. sp. belongs to the “ capolongoi ” group because its cephalic setation and symmetric condition of the antennae of the male. In this group, only C. calaforrai n. sp. and C. intermedia n. sp. share with C. tessella n. sp. a truncated posterior border of the eighth urosternite in males, and also a truncated straight posterior border of the subgenital plate in females. Nevertheless, the eighth urosternites of both species are not as straight posteriorly as in C. tessella n. sp. These three species are related, but C. tessella n. sp. is longer, has a higher number of sensory pegs on urotergite X and a higher tibial L/W ratio than the other two species.

Compared with C. calaforrai n. sp., C. tessella n. sp. shows a more irregular covering of setae on the tenth urotergite and a higher ratio L/W of the distal article of the maxillary palp.

Compared with C. intermedia n. sp., C. tessella n. sp. shows also a more concave posterior margin of the Xth urotergite in males and more straight in females, a slightly shorter subgenital plate and shorter ovipositor.

Figures

FIGURES 91–98. Coletinia tessella n. sp. 91. Head chaetotaxy. 92. Pedicellar apophysis of the holotype male. 93. Pedicellar apophysis from another point of view. 94. Urotergite X of the male. 95. Sensory pegs of urotergite X of the male. 96. Urotergite X of the female. 97. Urosternite VIII of the male. 98. Subgenital plate of the female. Scales: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 99–101. Coletinia tessella n. sp. 99. Ovipositor and stylet IX. 100. Basal portion of the cercus, showing the sensory pegs. 101. Basal portion of the paracercus. Scales: 0.1 mm.