Mitrapsylla danieli, Malenovský & Serbina & Queiroz, 2025

Mitrapsylla danieli sp. nov.

( Figs 9–14 View FIGURE 9 View FIGURE 10 View FIGURE 11 View FIGURE 12 View FIGURE 13 View FIGURE 14 )

Type mAteriAl. HOlOtype ♂: Brazil: MINAS GERAIS: Parque Nacional Grande Sertão Veredas, Chapada Gaúcha, road to Mirante , S15.2326° W45.6116°, 880 m, 4–6.v.2021, Chamaecrista hedysaroides , cerrado vegetation, D. Burckhardt & D.L. Queiroz leg., #453(4) ( UFPR, dry-mounted). GoogleMaps

Paratypes. Brazil: MINAS GERAIS: 48 ♂♂, 61 ♀♀, 17 imm., same data as holotype ( UFPR, 1 ♀; NHMB, 7 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀ dry-mounted, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 imm. slide-mounted, 24 ♂♂, 36 ♀♀, 9 imm. in 70% ethanol; MMBC, 9 ♂♂, 9 ♀♀ dry-mounted, 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 2 imm. slide-mounted, 5 ♂♂, 5 ♀♀, 5 imm. in 70% ethanol) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Adult. Body with a striped pattern. Genal processes irregularly narrowing to broadly rounded apex, 0.6 times as long as vertex along midline. Antenna 1.9–2.0 times as long as head width. Forewing membrane with slight brownish tinge especially in the middle of all cells in apical third of wing and along the vein Cu 1b; surface spinules leaving distinct spinule-free bands along veins in all cells, absent in basal part of c+sc. Metatibia 0.8–0.9 times as long as head width. Paramere, in lateral view broad, weakly and irregularly clavate, widest slightly distal of middle, apex narrowly rounded; sclerotised apical ridge situated posterior to paramere apex in lateral view, forming a pointed hook oriented backwards in dorsal view. Aedeagus complex, with apical expansion of ventral process, in lateral view, slightly smaller than dorsal lobe; dorsal lobe tripartite. Female proctiger 1.0–1.1 times as long as head width; in lateral view, dorsal outline distinctly concave posterior to circumanal ring, almost straight in apical half up to apex. Female subgenital plate 0.6–0.7 times as long as proctiger, relatively broad in proximal half, strongly narrowed in distal half with a well-developed apex, densely beset with moderately long setae, without a group of long setae on dorsum or a spinule-free patch subapically. Fifth instar immature with dorsum covered with numerous long and short, weakly capitate setae, longer setae on forewing pad mostly subequal to distance between bases of adjacent setae; antenna with 8 segments, relatively short, 1.3–1.5 times as long as forewing pad; anus in terminal position, outer circumanal ring small, 0.4 times as broad as caudal plate width, weakly indented medially, hardly extending to dorsal side of caudal plate.

Description. Adult. Colouration ( Fig. 9A–F View FIGURE 9 ). Body with a striped-pattern. Dorsum of head and thorax creamy with orange to dark brown markings. Vertex with orange to brown obliquely longitudinal streaks next to discal foveae, lateral ocelli bordered with orange brown, discal foveae, antero-lateral margins of vertex and coronal suture narrowly dark brown to black. Genal processes light creamy dorsally, dark brown ventrally. Clypeus dark brown basally, light creamy apically. Rostrum brownish, with black apex. Antennae with segments 1–2 light brown, segments 3–8 light brown basally and dark brown apically (with apical dark portion of each segment gradually extending towards apex of antenna, from one fifth of the segment length in segment 3 to three quarters in segment 8), segments 9–10 entirely dark brown. Pronotum with a narrow dark brown streak at midline and a broader orange brown band on either side of midline, lateral tubercles surrounded by dark brown. Mesopraescutum with large orange brown semi-circular markings irregularly bordered with darker brown. Mesoscutum with two narrow dark brown streaks medially, each on either side of pale midline, and four broader orange to dark brown longitudinal bands sublaterally, anterior and posterior margins and lateral angles also orange brown. Mesoscutellum with a light brown stripe medially. Metanotum light medially, dark brown laterally. Lateral and ventral sclerites of thorax mostly orange to dark brown. Legs light brown, only coxae and tarsi infuscate and apical spurs on metatibia and metabasitarsus black ( Fig. 10G, H View FIGURE 10 ). Forewing with veins pale creamy at wing base, becoming light brown towards wing apex, anal vein with dark brown streak proximal of anal break, marginal vein with dark brown streaks at fields of radular spinules in cells m 1, m 2 and cu 1 medially; membrane hyaline, colourless basally, becoming infuscate towards wing apex, with slight brownish tinge especially in the middle of all cells in apical third of wing and along the vein Cu 1b, fields of radular spinules in cells m 1, m 2 and cu 1 darker brown ( Fig. 10A–D View FIGURE 10 ). Hindwing hyaline, costal vein light ochreous. Abdomen orange to dark brown, male terminalia lighter brown, female terminalia with proctiger and subgenital plate dark brown basally and apically, lighter brown medially. Teneral specimens generally lighter, mostly pale yellow or light ochreous with more or less distinct orange markings.

Structure. Head inclined at a 25–30° angle to the longitudinal axis of the body ( Fig. 9A, B View FIGURE 9 ). Vertex slightly less than twice wider than long, with scaly microsculpture ( Fig. 10E View FIGURE 10 ), anteriorly separated from genae by deep grooves and with elongate depressions passing obliquely through discal foveae on either side of coronal suture, separated from coronal suture by a relatively broad and flat area, anteorbital and lateral ocellar tubercles slightly bulging ( Fig. 9E, F View FIGURE 9 ). Genal processes ( Figs 9E, F View FIGURE 9 ; 10E View FIGURE 10 ) irregularly narrowing to broadly rounded apex, 0.6 times as long as vertex along midline. Antenna 10-segmented, filiform, 1.9–2.0 times as long as head width; segment 8 the longest, relative length of individual segments as 1: 0.7: 1.9:1.9: 1.9: 2.6: 2.4: 2.7: 1.7: 1.2; terminal setae 0.66 and 0.52 as long as antennal segment 10, respectively ( Fig. 10F View FIGURE 10 ); one single subapical rhinarium on each of segments 4, 6, 8 and 9. Rostrum relatively short, but visible in profile ( Fig. 9B View FIGURE 9 ), 0.48–0.60 as long as head width. Forewing ( Fig. 10A, B View FIGURE 10 ) obovoid, 2.9–3.0 as long as head width, 2.0–2.6 as long as wide; costal margin strongly, unevenly curved, wing widest in its apical third; wing apex broadly, evenly rounded, lying in cell r 2 close to M 1+2 apex; pterostigma relatively narrow, at base about as broad as adjacent part of cell r 1; vein Cu 1a strongly arched at basal third, cell cu 1 0.7–0.8 times higher than wide. Veins bearing microscopic setae that are about as long as vein diameter ( Fig. 10C, D View FIGURE 10 ). Surface spinules present in all cells, relatively fine and moderately dense in both males and females, becoming denser in cell cu 2 and at wing apex, leaving distinct spinule-free bands along veins in all cells ( Fig. 10C, D View FIGURE 10 ), absent in basal part of c+sc and in some specimens also submedially in cell r 2; radular spinules forming narrow subtriangular patches at wing margin in cells m 1, m 2 and cu 1 medially. Hind wing with five costal setae (1 basally, 3 medially and 1 apically on costal vein). Metacoxa with horn-shaped, subacute meracanthus; metatibia 0.8–0.9 times as long as head width, slightly curved submedially, basally with a distinct genual spine, apically with 4–5 sclerotised spurs, usually grouped as 1 + 3 + 1; metabasitarsus with two sclerotised lateral spurs ( Fig. 10G, H View FIGURE 10 ).

Terminalia. Male proctiger ( Figs 11A View FIGURE 11 , 12A View FIGURE 12 ) 0.4–0.5 times as long as head width, with small, rounded posterior lobes in basal third. Subgenital plate subglobular. Paramere, in lateral view ( Figs 11A, B View FIGURE 11 ; 12A, B View FIGURE 12 ), broad, weakly and irregularly clavate, widest slightly distal of middle, with anterior margin distinctly convex in apical two thirds and posterior margin convex along most of paramere length, apex narrowly rounded; outer face with many fine, moderately long, evenly distributed setae in apical two thirds; inner face with short fine setae and several slightly stouter short setae subapically; sclerotised apical ridge situated posterior to paramere apex in lateral view, forming a pointed hook oriented backwards in dorsal view ( Figs 11C View FIGURE 11 , 12C View FIGURE 12 ). Distal segment of aedeagus ( Figs 11D, E View FIGURE 11 ; 12D, E View FIGURE 12 ) complex, with tripartite dorsal lobe; dorsal lobe in profile ovoid, in dorsal view broad, subglobular; ventral proces slightly upturned, its apical expansion ovoid, smaller than dorsal lobe, with lateral tubercles situated near apex and not surpassing apex in dorsal and lateral views; sclerotised end tube of ductus ejaculatorius short, sinuous. Female proctiger ( Figs 11F View FIGURE 11 , 12F View FIGURE 12 ) 1.0–1.1 times as long as head width; in lateral view, dorsal outline distinctly concave posterior to circumanal ring, almost straight in apical half, apex straight, obliquely, narrowly truncate; with moderately long setae around circumanal ring and in proximal two thirds, distal third with a submedian longitudinal row of shorter setae on each side and densely arranged peg setae laterally; circumanal ring about 0.25 times as long as proctiger, consisting of two rows of unequal pores. Female subgenital plate ( Figs 11F View FIGURE 11 ; 12F View FIGURE 12 ) 0.6–0.7 times as long as proctiger, relatively broad in proximal half, strongly narrowed in distal half with a well-developed apex, densely beset with moderately long setae, without a group of long setae on dorsum or a spinule-free patch subapically; in lateral view, ventral outline slightly sinuous, pointed apically; in ventral view ( Fig. 12G View FIGURE 12 ), lateral margins abruptly narrowing to a narrowly rounded apex.

Mesurements (in mm, 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀). Body length ♂ 2.2–2.5, ♀ 2.5–2.8. Head width ♂ 0.61–0.67, ♀ 0.66–0.72. Antenna length ♂ 1.33, ♀ 1.30–1.33. Forewing length ♂ 1.73–1.96, ♀ 1.94–2.09. Metatibia length ♂ 0.54–0.58, ♀ 0.56–0.61. Male proctiger length 0.27–0.30. Paramere length 0.23. Length of distal segment of aedeagus 0.26–0.28. Female proctiger length 0.63–0.76.

Fifth instar immature. Colouration ( Fig. 13A, B View FIGURE 13 ). Creamy (specimens preserved in ethanol), apical half of antenna dark brown and apex of rostrum, tarsi, dorsum with cephaloprothoracic sclerite, small sclerites on meso- and metathorax and abdomen, wing pads and caudal plate all light brown.

Structure. Body ( Fig. 14A View FIGURE 14 ) 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide. Dorsum densely covered with numerous slender, moderately long ( 0.07–0.09 mm) and short ( 0.03–0.04 mm) weakly capitate setae on head, thorax and abdomen, venter with sparse, fine, short simple setae. Antenna ( Fig. 14B View FIGURE 14 ) with 8 segments (divisions), 0.4–0.5 times as long as body, 1.3–1.5 times as long as forewing pad, each segment bearing 2–5 short, fine, simple setae subapically and/or medially, segment 8 with subequal, short, narrowly truncate terminal setae; segments 3, 5, 7 and 8 each with a single subapical rhinarium. Rostrum (labium) short, hardly reaching middle coxae in slide-mounted specimens ( Figs 13B View FIGURE 13 , 14A View FIGURE 14 ). Dorsum with large cephaloprothoracic sclerite on each side of midline, meso- and metathorax with several small oval or elongate sclerites. Forewing pad 0.3 times as long as body, oval, lacking humeral lobe, bearing 9 long, slender, weakly capitate setae alternating with 5 shorter setae on the margin and ca. 10–11 long and 3–4 short capitate setae on dorsum; longer setae mostly subequal to distance between bases of adjacent setae ( Fig. 14D View FIGURE 14 ). Hindwing with two long marginal capitate setae and 6–7 long and 3–4 short capitate setae dorsally. Legs with sparse short and long fine setae, long setae on outer side of tibiae indistinctly capitate; metatibiotarsus (including apical tarsal segment) 0.3 times as long as body, 0.9 times as long as forewing pad; apical tarsal segment broad, with one pair of short fine setae ventrally; claws relatively small; tarsal arolium twice as long as claws, broadly fishtail-shaped, with unguitractor and short pedicel ( Fig. 14C View FIGURE 14 ). Abdomen smooth and weakly sclerotised dorsally anterior to caudal plate, on each segment with a narrow transverse sclerite on either side of midline and several small circular sclerites sublaterally. Caudal plate relatively long on dorsum, apex broadly rounded, with four (1 + 1 + 2) small, narrowly truncate sectasetae situated on three small marginal tubercules on either side, sectasetae much shorter ( 0.02–0.03 mm) than surrounding capitate setae ( Fig. 14E View FIGURE 14 ). Anus in terminal position, outer circumanal ring narrow, shallowly indented medially, hardly expanding on venter or dorsum, 0.4 times as broad as caudal plate width, consisting of one row of narrowly slit-like pores ( Fig. 14F View FIGURE 14 ); extra pore fields absent.

Measurements (in mm, 3 exx.). Body length 1.55–1.83. Body width 1.01–1.21. Antenna length 0.72–0.78. Forewing pad length 0.48–0.56. Metatibiotarsus (including apical tarsal segment) length 0.43–0.53. Caudal plate width 0.38–0.51. Circumanal ring width 0.17–0.23.

Host plant. Chamaecrista hedysaroides (Vogel) H.S.Irwin & Barneby ( Fabaceae ).

Distribution. Brazil: Minas Gerais ( Fig. 15A, B View FIGURE 15 ). Known from only one site on the edge of the Grande Sertão Veredas National Park near the municipality of Chapada Gaúcha in the north of Minas Gerais, at an altitude of 880 m.

Etymology. Dedicated to Daniel Burckhardt who collected the type series together with Dalva L. Queiroz.

Comments. Using the identification key for Brazilian Mitrapsylla by Rendón-Mera et al. (2020), the character states of the adult males of M. danieli sp. nov. lead to the couplet no. 22. Mitrapsylla danieli sp. nov. resembles M. clavata Rendón-Mera et al. in the multicoloured head and thorax and the tripartite dorsal lobe of the aedeagus, but differs in the shape of the genal processes, which in M. danieli are expanded and have a broadly rounded apex (subconical with subacute apex in M. clavata ), the paramere, which is relatively shorter and broader and is strongly expanded in the apical third in M. danieli (relatively slender, only weakly apically expanded in M. clavata ), and the relatively longer subgenital plate (only 0.4–0.5 times as long as the proctiger in M. clavata ). The general structure of the genal processes, paramere and aedeagus of M. danieli sp. nov. is also similar to M. fusca Brown & Hodkinson from Panama and M. machaerii Rendón-Mera et al. from Brazil. Mitrapsylla danieli differs from M. fusca in having larger genal processes (0.4–0.5 times as long as vertex in M. fusca according to Brown & Hodkinson 1988), more extensive surface spinules on the forewing membrane (in M. fusca only in the cells cu 2, m 2 and r 1) and the paramere with convex posterior margin and narrowly rounded apex (with sinuous posterior margin and broadly rounded apex in M. fusca ). Mitrapsylla danieli sp. nov. differs from M. machaerii by the less pronounced apicoposterior lobe of the paramere and sclerotised apical ridges as well as by the absence of a group of thick setae in this region (present in M. machaerii ) and by the relatively longer subgenital plate (0.5–0.6 times as long as the proctiger in M. machaerii ). It also differs from M. fusca and M. machaerii by the host plant ( Machaerium spp. in the latter two species).

The fifth instar immature of M. danieli sp. nov. resembles M. gloriae Burckhardt & Queiroz and M. surinamensis (Šulc) in the small, weakly indented outer circumanal ring, which barely extends to the dorsal side of the caudal plate. It differs from these species by longer and more numerous capitate setae on the dorsum and by the host plant; in M. gloriae the host plants are Copaifera spp. and in M. surinamensis Andira inermis and Machaerium spp. ( Burckhardt & Brown 1992; Burckhardt & Queiroz 2020).

For the differences between M. danieli sp. nov. and M. burckhardtiella sp. nov. see the comments under the latter.