Merucata capixaba Scorpione, Soares & Camargo, 2025

Merucata capixaba Scorpione, Soares & Camargo

( Figs 4 View FIGURE 4 , 5 View FIGURE 5 , 20 View FIGURE 20 )

Diagnosis (male). This species can be distinguished from other congeners by the face mostly covered with golden pruinosity ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ); anterior surface of all femora wholly covered with short black setae ( Fig. 4C, D View FIGURE 4 ); middle posterior region of hypandrium bare, with a long tuft of macrosetae at mid-lateral region of posterior margin ( Fig. 5J View FIGURE 5 ); and gonostylus distinctly hook-shaped, with three apical projections and a series of short spines ( Fig. 5F View FIGURE 5 ).

Description. Holotype male ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Body length: 7.4 mm; Wing length: 5.2 mm. Similar to M. caipora sp. nov., except as noted: Head ( Fig. 4A, C, D View FIGURE 4 ). Face mostly golden pruinose, except at middle with discrete narrow stripe with mixed silvery pruinosity; mystax with dense black macrosetae, and tuft of white macrosetae at middle of gibbosity; facial and parafacial setae short and black. Frons mostly golden pruinose, except for ocellar tubercle and a small triangular area between base of antenna and ocellar tubercle black; a few long and black orbital setae; ocellar tubercle with 4–5 pairs of slender black setae, a few slender, white occipital median setae; upper-most 5 postocular macrosetae black; occiput silvery pruinose, except dorsal 1/3 golden pruinose. Thorax ( Fig. 4A, B View FIGURE 4 ). Antepronotum with row of strong black macrosetae. Scutum covered with short and sparse black setae, mostly golden pruinose, 2 black postalar macrosetae; 4–6 postsutural dorsocentral macrosetae, scutellum with 4–5 apical black macrosetae, dorsal surface covered with scattered black short setae. Anepisternum with black and white fine setae on dorsal and posterior margins; middle of anepimeron with vertical row of fine white setae; posterior margin of katatergite with vertical row of black macrosetae surrounded by white fine setae; metanepisternum with row of fine white setae at anterior margin. Legs ( Fig. 4A, C, D View FIGURE 4 ). Leg I. Coxa with dense white macrosetae anteriorly and a few black macrosetae near outer edge. Femur with anterior and dorsal surfaces with short, black setae; ventral surface with sparse, long, white setae, mixed with some black setae; posterior surface with longer white setae. Tibia mostly covered with short black setae and posterior surface covered with longer white setae. Leg II. Coxa with strong white macrosetae at apical edge, posteriorly with white macrosetae and a few black macrosetae extending to middle, anteriorly. Femur with anterior and dorsal surfaces with short black setae; ventral surface with sparse white setae, mixed with a few black setae; posterior surface with longer sparse white setae. Tibia covered with short black setae, except posterior surface, with short white setae; posteroventral row of 3 black macrosetae; ventrally with 3–4 longer, black, macrosetae at apical 1/2; apex with crown of macrosetae. Leg III. Dorsal surface of coxa with a few short white setae, with 1–2 black setae near apex. Femur mostly covered with short black setae, except posteroventral surface with few sparse white setae. Tibia covered with short black setae. Wing ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ). Hyaline light brown, slightly darker at apex, veins brown; cell cua closed and petiolate, petiole subequal to length of humeral vein. Abdomen ( Fig. 4A, B View FIGURE 4 ). Mostly black, except posterior margins of tergites 1–3, 6 and entire tergite 7 with dense silvery pruinosity in dorsal view; antero- and posterolateral margins of tergites 2 and 3; posterolateral margins of tergites 4–6 with triangular areas with dense silvery pruinosity. Tergites mostly covered with short black setae; tergite 1 with posterolateral white and black macrosetae, preceded by some long and slender white setae, and mostly covered with short white setae, except posterior margin covered with black setae; tergites 2–6 covered with short black setae, except for posterolateral margins, with slender white setae, mostly confined to triangular pruinosity areas; posterior margin with a row of macrosetae, black in middle and white laterally; tergite 7 mostly covered with white setae, except for a few middorsal black setae. Tergite 8 slightly concave at middle of anterior margin and covered with short black setae and few black macrosetae at posterolateral margins ( Fig. 5H View FIGURE 5 ). Sternites mostly covered with short black setae, except for a few mixed short white setae. Sternite 8 subrectangular, with short concavity at middle of anterior margin and long macrosetae at posterior margin ( Fig. 5I View FIGURE 5 ). Terminalia ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Black and covered with black macrosetae/setae. Epandrium glove-shaped in lateral view with strong U-indentation at dorsal posterior margin ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ); inner edge with median short, pointed dorsal process; inner margin covered with dense, short spine-like macrosetae ( Fig. 5C View FIGURE 5 ); apical edge of epandrium with comb of short and stout macrosetae ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ). Hypandrium subrectangular, slightly concave at mid-posterior margin with middle region asetose and posterior corners with long macrosetae, lateral margins with short setae ( Fig. 5J View FIGURE 5 ). Gonocoxite broad basally, narrowed and curved dorsally at distal apex, forming short concavity at mid-dorsal length; outer edge covered with short setae, dense at ventral margin ( Fig. 5E View FIGURE 5 ). Gonostylus about 1/3 longer than gonocoxite, basally elongated and hook-shaped apically, somewhat resembling an adjustable plumb plier, with three projections, including apical hook, which is sclerotized, covered in spicules; projections with small spines at tip; deep concavity starting at mid-length, reaching apex of gonostylus (apex seems folded horizontally) ( Fig. 5E, F View FIGURE 5 ). Ejaculatory apodeme spoon-shaped, weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 5G View FIGURE 5 ).

Female. Unknown.

Type examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂ ( DZUB) labelled: “ BRASIL, ES [ Espírito Santo], Sooretama | Rebio Sooretama | 15.xii–20.xii.2019 | -19,054281 -40,148633 |Armadilha Malaise ( III) | Waichert et al col.” “ HOLOTYPE | Merucata capixaba | Scorpione, Soares & Camargo [red label]” “UNB | 241748” GoogleMaps . PARATYPE: Same data as holotype except, -19,053911 -40,148978, Armadilha Malaise ( IV) ( 1 ♂, dissected, MZUSP) GoogleMaps .

Remarks. The new species is easily recognized by the face mostly golden pruinose ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ), legs black and dense covering of short black setae on the anterior surfaces of all femora ( Fig. 4A, C, D View FIGURE 4 ), and by the glove-shaped male epandrium in lateral view ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ). The terminalia closely resembles that of Merucata pujoli sp. nov., but can be distinguished by the gonostylus, which in M. pujoli has two projections ( Fig. 16E, J View FIGURE 16 ), while in M. capixaba sp. nov. has three projections and is covered with a greater number of spines ( Fig. 5E, F View FIGURE 5 ).

Distribution. Brazil (state of Espírito Santo) ( Fig. 20 View FIGURE 20 ). This is the only known species recorded from the Atlantic Forest biome.

Etymology. From the Tupi-guarani: kopi’xawa = farmland. Used by the native people who lived in the territory now corresponding to the state of Espírito Santo, to call their corn and cassava plantations. It is used as a gentilic nowadays to denote the inhabitants of this state. The species name is treated as a noun in apposition.