Procloeon ( Psammonella ) flavonigrum, Kluge, 2025

Procloeon ( Psammonella) flavonigrum sp. nov.

( Figs 31 View FIGURES 29–31 , 53–59 View FIGURES 32–59 , 159–189 View FIGURES 159–164 View FIGURES 165–173 View FIGURES 174–180 View FIGURES 181–189 )

Material examined. Holotype: male larva ready to molt to subimago, INDIA, state Kerala, river Periyar in Malaytoor, 15.II.2015, coll. N. Kluge & L. Sheyko. Paratypes: the same locality, date and collectors: 6 larvae .

Etymology. The species name flavonigrum refers to bright yellowish color of larva with contrasting black markings on metanotum, abdomen and femora ( Fig 159 View FIGURES 159–164 ).

Larva. CUTICULAR COLORATION. Head light ochre. Pronotum and mesonotum with protoptera light ochre, tips of longitudinal veins darkened with brownish ( Fig. 179 View FIGURES 174–180 ). Cuticle of leg from light ochre to colorless; each femur with narrow, contrasting, dark brown band distad of midlength ( Figs 159, 161 View FIGURES 159–164 , 174–177 View FIGURES 174–180 ). Cuticle of abdomen mostly colorless, with very contrasting dark brown (nearly black) markings: in most pigmented individuals, dark brown are most part of metanotum, most part of abdominal tergum I, maculae on tergum II, unpaired macula on tergum VIII, most part of tergum IX, small macula on tergum X, pair of maculae near anterior margin of sternum VIII and most part of sternum IX ( Figs 159–164 View FIGURES 159–164 ). In two individuals dark brown cuticular pigmentation of abdomen is limited by pair of lateral lines on tergum IX and paired markings on sternum IX ( Figs 161–162 View FIGURES 159–164 ). Caudalii light ochre, with darker brownish joining of each 4th segment; swimming setae with light bases, darker brownish middle parts and colorless tips ( Fig. 186 View FIGURES 181–189 ).

HYPODERMAL COLORATION. These or that abdominal terga with or without unpaired and/or paired reddish markings ( Fig. 161 View FIGURES 159–164 ). Tergalii maculated due to dark brown pigmentation on some areas of tracheae ( Figs 53–59 View FIGURES 32–59 ).

SHAPE AND SETATION. Labrum widened distally, with distal margin sharply concave ( Fig. 165 View FIGURES 165–173 ). Mandibles with incisor and kinetodontium separated up to base ( Figs 166–167 View FIGURES 165–173 ). Maxilla modified as characteristic for Psammonella ( Figs 31 View FIGURES 29–31 , 171 View FIGURES 165–173 ). Maxillary palp with 3rd (terminal) segment shorter than 2nd segment ( Fig. 171 View FIGURES 165–173 ). Hypopharynx with 3 apices ( Fig. 170 View FIGURES 165–173 ). Glossae short and wide, with rounded margins, laterally longer than medially; paraglossae longer and narrower than glossae, arched, parallel-sided ( Fig. 168, 173 View FIGURES 165–173 ). 3rd (distal) segment of labial palp with inner angle stretched and distal margin concave ( Fig. 168–172 View FIGURES 165–173 ); stretching and concavity not expressed on left palp of holotype (right side of Fig. 168 View FIGURES 165–173 ).

Hind protoptera completely absent ( Fig. 164 View FIGURES 159–164 ).

Legs with thin, rather long, pointed, stout, two-channel setae located on inner sides of trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsus; no stout setae on outer side of leg ( Fig. 178 View FIGURES 174–180 ). Claws long and slender, without denticles ( Figs 174–176 View FIGURES 174–180 ).

Abdominal segments II–VII with pair of posterolateral denticles; segments VIII–IX with several denticles on lateral sides. Posterior margin of abdominal tergum I without denticles; that of terga II–X with pointed denticles alternated with small denticles or blunt protuberances ( Fig. 181, 184 View FIGURES 181–189 ). Posterior margins of abdominal sterna I–III without denticles; that of sterna IV–V with or without denticles; that of sterna VI–IX with pointed denticles shorter than denticles on terga ( Fig. 183 View FIGURES 181–189 ). Paraprocts with long, pointed denticles ( Fig. 185 View FIGURES 181–189 ). Sterna II–VIII with one or few colorless, bifurcate setae sublaterally ( Fig. 182 View FIGURES 181–189 ).

Tergalii ( Figs 53–59 View FIGURES 32–59 ) without dorsal lamella; tergalii I–VI short and roundish; tergalius VII stretched posteriorly, of usual Procloeon - type ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 32–59 ). Tracheae of tergalii partly clean and colorless, partly densely covered with pigmented granules, that makes tergalii maculated.

In middle part of cerci and paracercus, denticles on posterior margin of each 4th segment enlarged on dorsal side ( Fig. 187 View FIGURES 181–189 ) and smaller on ventral side ( Fig. 188 View FIGURES 181–189 ). In distal part of cercus, greatly enlarged denticle on lateral side of each cercomere (peculiar for Procloeon ) widened at midlength and slightly longer than cercomere ( Fig. 189 View FIGURES 181–189 ).

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

Subimago (based on male subimago extracted from larva).

CUTICULAR COLORATION. Cuticle very light or colorless; mesonotum colorless. Wing membrane entirely colorless, microtrichia brown.

HYPODERMAL COLORATION. Wings crumpled under larval cuticle in proximal part light ochre, in middle part darker brow, in distal part yellowish; large, dark, purple-brown macula near costal brace ( Fig. 180 View FIGURES 174–180 ).

Legs with trochanter dark brown; tibia and tarsus ochre, tibia darkened with brown near base and indistinctly darkened near apex; femur of fore leg reddish-brown ( Fig. 174 View FIGURES 174–180 ); femora of middle and hind legs ochre, darkened with reddish-brown near apex ( Figs 175–176 View FIGURES 174–180 ). These or that abdominal terga with or without unpaired and/or paired reddish markings ( Figs 161, 164 View FIGURES 159–164 ).

TEXTURE. In both sexes, on all leg pairs, all tarsomeres are covered with pointed microlepides ( Figs 98–99 View FIGURES 98–102 ) (Kluge 2022).

Imago. Unknown.

Eggs. Unknown.

Dimension. Body length of last instar larva 4 mm.

Comparison. Larva of the new species Procloeon ( Psammonella) flavonigrum sp. nov. differs from Procloeon ( Psammonella) ceylonicum (Glazaczow in Jacob & Glazaczow 1987) by stretched inner angle of 3rd segment of labial palp, dark brown band near middle of each femur, dark brown markings on abdominal tergum and sternum IX in line with absence of pigmentation on terga III–VII, and by roundish, maculated tergalii.

Larva of Pr. ( Ps.) flavonigrum sp. nov. differs from incompletely described Pr. ( Ps.) christinae ( Waltz & McCafferty 1989) at least by less shortened glossae, which have length exceeding width (Fig.) (while glossae of P. christinae have length less than width— Waltz & McCafferty 1989: fig. 18) and by shorter, roundish tergalius IV ( Fig. 57 View FIGURES 32–59 ) (while in P. christinae this tergalius is longer— Waltz & McCafferty 1989: fig. 23).