Procloeon ( Psammonella ) magnificum, Kluge, 2025

Procloeon ( Psammonella) magnificum sp. nov.

( Figs 29–30 View FIGURES 29–31 , 32–38 View FIGURES 32–59 , 60–109 View FIGURES 60–66 View FIGURES 67–73 View FIGURES 74–79 View FIGURES 80–83 View FIGURES 84–88 View FIGURES 89–93 View FIGURES 94–97 View FIGURES 98–102 View FIGURES 103–108 View FIGURES 109 )

Material examined. Holotype: L-S-I ♂ {specimen [XX](29)2020}, SRI LANKA, Sabaragamuwa Province, southeastern slope of Sri Pada, river Battulu oya, Fishing Hut , 9.II.2020, coll. N. Kluge & L. Sheyko. Paratypes: the same locality and collectors, 8–10.II.2020, 1 L-S-I ♂ , 1 L-S-I ♀, 1 L-S ♀, 90 larvae.

Etymology. The adjective magnificum (magnificent) is connected with the size larger that in other Psammonella, and with extensive reddish pigmentation of imago.

Larva. CUTICULAR COLORATION. Head from brown in dorsal (posterior) part to colorless in ventral (anterior) part ( Fig. 61 View FIGURES 60–66 ). Pronotum and mesonotum brown with diffusive maculation ( Fig. 62 View FIGURES 60–66 ). Metanotum from brown medially to colorless laterally ( Fig. 65 View FIGURES 60–66 ). Thoracic pleura and sterna colorless. Femur of each leg light ochre with outer side darker brown. Color of tibia and tarsus gradually changing from light ochre at proximal part of tibia to darker brown at distal part of tarsus ( Figs 63–65 View FIGURES 60–66 , 74 View FIGURES 74–79 ). Abdominal terga with darker brown and lighter ochre areas; terga II and VI darker than others ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 60–66 ). Sterna colorless. Caudalii light ochre, with darker brownish margin of each 4th segment; swimming setae light ochre ( Fig. 66 View FIGURES 60–66 ).

HYPODERMAL COLORATION.Abdomen with or without transverse reddish bands on articulatory membranes between terga.

SHAPE AND SETATION. Labrum longer than in other species, with distal margin sharply concave ( Figs 67– 68 View FIGURES 67–73 ). Mandibles with incisor and kinetodontium separated up to base ( Figs 72–73 View FIGURES 67–73 ). Maxilla modified as characteristic for Psammonella ( Figs 29–30 View FIGURES 29–31 , 71 View FIGURES 67–73 ). Maxillary palp with 3rd (terminal) segment as long as 2nd segment ( Fig. 71 View FIGURES 67–73 ). Hypopharynx with 3 apices ( Fig. 71 View FIGURES 67–73 ). Glossae short and wide, obliquely truncated, laterally longer than medially; paraglossae longer and narrower than glossae, arched, either parallel-sided, or narrow at base and widened toward apex ( Figs 69–70 View FIGURES 67–73 ). 3rd (distal) segment of labial palp with inner angle not sharply stretched and distal margin straight ( Figs 69–70 View FIGURES 67–73 ).

Hind protoptera completely absent ( Fig. 65 View FIGURES 60–66 ).

Legs with thin, rather long, pointed, stout, two-channel setae; on femur such setae form longitudinal stripe on outer side, longitudinal stripe on inner side and longitudinal stripe on proximal part of posterior side ( Figs 74, 76–77 View FIGURES 74–79 ); on tibia such setae located on inner and posterior sides ( Figs 78–79 View FIGURES 74–79 ); on tarsus such setae form regular longitudinal row on inner side, few such setae present on posterior side ( Figs 74–75 View FIGURES 74–79 ). Claws long and slender, without denticles.

Abdominal segments II–VIII with pair of posterolateral denticles; segment IX with few denticles on lateral side near posterior margin. Posterior margin of abdominal tergum I without denticles; that of terga II–X with brown, pointed denticles alternated with smaller denticles; denticles of tergum II shortest, other longer ( Fig. 81 View FIGURES 80–83 ). Posterior margins of abdominal sterna I–II without denticles; that of sternum III with irregular denticles; that of sterna IV–IX with colorless, long, thin, sharply pointed denticles longer than denticles on terga ( Fig. 82 View FIGURES 80–83 ). Paraprocts with long and short, pointed denticles ( Fig. 83 View FIGURES 80–83 ). Each abdominal sternum II–VI with pair of sparse, transverse rows of long, colorless, bifurcate setae ( Fig. 80 View FIGURES 80–83 ).

Tergalii ( Figs 32–38 View FIGURES 32–59 ) without dorsal lamella; tergalii I–VI elongate; tergalius VII short and roundish, not stretched posteriorly (i.e. not of Procloeon - type).

Cerci and paracercus without sharply enlarged denticles on dorsal and ventral sides ( Figs 84–86 View FIGURES 84–88 ). In distal part of cercus, greatly enlarged denticle on lateral side of each cercomere (peculiar for Procloeon ) thin, spine-like, 1.5 times longer than cercomere ( Fig. 86 View FIGURES 84–88 ).

POSE OF SUBIMAGINAL GONOSTYLI UNDER LARVAL CUTICLE of « Cloeon - type » ( Fig. 94 View FIGURES 94–97 ) .

Subimago. CUTICULAR COLORATION. Head colorless, antennae brown. Pronotum ochre or light brownish. Mesonotum mostly light ochre, with margins of scutellum darker brown ( Fig. 89 View FIGURES 89–93 ). Sclerites of thorax (including postsubalar sclerite and lateropostnotal crest) ochre, as light as membranes and poorly visible ( Fig. 90 View FIGURES 89–93 ). Wing membrane colorless with microtrichia dark brown. Legs light ochre-brownish; apex of femur and patellar area of tibia darkened with brown. Abdominal terga nearly uniformly light ochre-brownish, sterna lighter.

HYPODERMAL COLORATION. As in imago.

TEXTURE. In both sexes, on all leg pairs, all tarsomeres are covered with pointed microlepides ( Figs 98–99 View FIGURES 98–102 ).

Imago, male ( Figs 91–93 View FIGURES 89–93 ). Head ochre-brown. Turbinate eyes yellow, with facetted surface widened in longitudinal direction. Thorax with ochre, brown and reddish areas. Fore wing colorless, with veins light ochre, with contrasting dark brown spot on costal brace. Hind wings absent. Legs ochre; apex of femur more or less darkened with reddish brown (as in Fig. 100 View FIGURES 98–102 ). Middle and hind legs without apical spine on 1st+2nd tarsomere, with single apical spine on primary 3rd tarsomere (as in Fig. 98 View FIGURES 98–102 ). Abdominal terga mostly ochre, with dark purple band on posterior margin; terga VIII–IX entirely dark purple; tergum X ochre with purple; lateral tracheal trunks dark gray. Sterna light ochre, only sternum VIII darker reddish. Gonostyli ochre. Penial bridge projected as wide, semicircular lobe ( Figs 96–97 View FIGURES 94–97 ).

Imago, female ( Figs 101–102 View FIGURES 98–102 ). Head ochre with brown. Coloration of thorax, wings and legs as in male. Abdominal terga reddish with ochre.

Egg ( Figs 103–108 View FIGURES 103–108 ). Oval. Surface entirely and evenly covered with fine, colorless lace consisting of flat disks and net of treads ( Figs 105–106 View FIGURES 103–108 ) raised above egg surface on brown spines ( Figs 107–108 View FIGURES 103–108 ).

Dimension. Fore wing length (and approximated body length) 7–8 mm.

Distribution. Sri Lanka. Larvae were abundant in the river Battulu oya ( Fig. 109 View FIGURES 109 ), but not found in the river Seethagangula running on another slope of the same mount Sri Pada, in spite of intensive collecting. This species was not found in other places of Sri Lanka as well.

Comparison. Larva of the new species Procloeon ( Psammonella) magnificum sp. nov. well differs from Pr. ( Ps.) ceylonicum (Glazaczow in Jacob & Glazaczow 1987), Pr. ( Ps.) diplofolium sp. nov., Pr. ( Ps.) mekongiense sp. nov. and Pr. ( Ps.) flavonigrum sp. nov. by tergalius VII, which is not stretched posteriorly and resembles tergalii of other pairs ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 32–59 ). It well differs from these species also by presence of spine-like setae on outer side of femur ( Fig. 77 View FIGURES 74–79 ). It also differs at least from Pr. ( Ps.) diplofolium sp. nov., Pr. ( Ps.) mekongiense sp. nov. and Pr. ( Ps.) flavonigrum sp. nov. by spine-like (i.e. not thickened) shape of the enlarged denticles on outer sides of cerci.

Larva of Pr. ( Ps.) magnificum sp. nov. differs from incompletely described Pr. ( Ps.) christinae ( Waltz & McCafferty 1989) at least by less shortened glossae, which have length exceeding width ( Figs 69–70 View FIGURES 67–73 ) (while glossae of P. christinae have length less than width— Waltz & McCafferty 1989: fig. 18).