Subgenital Plate Research Articles

Descriptions of a new Brazilian Tacora species and the female of T. saturata, and a key to the species of the genus (Insecta, Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Cicadellini)

Tacora johanni, a new species from Rondônia State, North Brazil, is described and illustrated. The new species can be recognized by the male genital features, especially the subgenital plates with the basal half distinctly expanded and with outer lateral margin round, the long and slender preapical pygofer process, and the styles with apical half strongly curved. Also, the genus is recorded for the first time from Venezuela, based on specimens of Tacora saturata Young, 1977, while the female of this species (here described in detail for the first time) shows two unusual features of the genitalia. A key to males of all known Tacora species and a map showing the known distribution of the genus are provided.

Three new species of microcaddisflies (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Brazil

Three new species of Hydroptilidae are herein described and illustrated from specimens collected with light traps in the states of Pará and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Flintiella carajas sp. nov., from Floresta Nacional de Carajás, shares with F. panamensis Harris, Flint & Holzenthal, 2002, F. tamaulipasa Harris, Flint & Holzenthal, 2002, F. yanamona Harris, Flint & Holzenthal, 2002, and F. manauara Santos & Nessimian, 2009 a deeply incised phallic apex. However, males can be distinguished by a ventromesal process on segment VII, by lacking dorsal hooked processes on segment IX, by the elongate subgenital plate, and by the lateral lobes of the phallic apex slightly curved laterad. Rhyacopsyche diacantha sp. nov. is closely related to R. yatay Angrisano, 1989 and R. garuhape Angrisano & Sganga, 2009. All three species have complex inferior appendages with ventral and dorsal lobes. The new species is distinguished by the male genitalia with segment X two times longer than broad, inferior appendages with the apices obliquely truncate, and a bilobed dorsal lobe on the inferior appendages. Features of the male genitalia of Rhyacopsyche angra sp. nov., R. hagenii and R. dikrosa are similar, but the first species can be distinguished by the inferior appendages truncate apically and produced laterad, and a phallus with the internal tubule hooked subapically and apically.

Female genitalia as a taxonomic tool in the classification of Indian Acridoidea (Orthoptera)

A comparative study on female genitalia was carried out in Indian species of the superfamily Acridoidea. An attempt has been made to describe and illustrate the different structures viz., spermatheca, ovipositor, sub genital plate, supra-anal plate and cerci of female in Acridids with an aim to discover their significance in order to make the identification of genera and species, together with other generic characters more perfect and convenient. Genitalic structures particularly female subgenital plate, ovipositor and spermatheca makes it possible to put forward some suggestions regarding interrelations of families and subfamilies of Acridoidea more clearly than the external characters.

Phaneroptera Serville and Anormalous gen. nov. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) from China, with description of two new species

A list of and key to Phaneroptera from China is provided. One new species with comparatively short hind wings, Phaneroptera brevicauda sp. nov. is described. And a new small-sized genus and new species Anormalous zhangi sp. gen. & nov. is also described here. The new genus most resembles the genera in the tribe Ducetiini in shape of lateral lobe of pronotum, structure of the tympana, shape of fore tibiae, and male subgenital plate without styli, but differs by the special tegminal structure. Both new species are distributed in southwestern China. Necessary illustrations are provided.

A new species of Neoblattella Shelford (Blattellidae: Pseudophyllodromiinae) from Amazonas State, Brazil

Neoblattella mista sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on male genitalia and morphological characters of a single specimen collected in the town of Coari, State of Amazonas, Brazil. By studying the literature on the genus, we determined that N. mista sp. nov. differs from the other four known complexes in the morphology of its genital structures, including the supra-anal plate, subgenital plate, right and left phallomeres, median genital sclerite and tergal modification in the abdomen, and is placed in the new "mista complex".

Spaniacris deserticola(Bruner, 1906) (Orthoptera: Romaleidae) a New Grasshopper for Arizona

Spaniacris deserticola (Bruner, 1906) is an uncommon and localized grass hopper that inhabits one of the hottest regions in North America. Specimens have been reported from Imperial and Riverside counties of southeastern Cali fornia and northwestern Sonora, Mexico, and in elevations from sea level to as high as c. 305 m elevation. Members of this species exhibit a strong relationship with Tiquilia (formerly Coldenia) palmeri (Gray) A. Richardson, and T. plicata (Tor rey) A. Richardson (Boraginaceae), plants that survive with less than 21 cm of annual rainfall. After 40 years of fieldwork in the American Southwest, Tink ham (1975) stated that S. deserticola was confined to the Colorado Desert in extreme southeastern California and nearby northwestern Sonora, Mexico. Al though failing to find it in Arizona, he suggested that dunes just north of the Mexican border might harbor populations of this species. Queries to collections with holdings of Southwestern Orthoptera lead us to believe that S. deserticola has not been previously reported from Arizona. On 3 June 2009, we discovered a population of S. deserticola on sandy flats in the southern portion of Yuma, Yuma Co., Arizona. The location (32°28'48.44N x 114°37'51.31W) is 1.6 km south of the intersection of County 23rd St. S at Ave. A, and immediately southeast of the Arizona State Prison Complex – Yuma. The site is 17.2 km east of the Colorado River, 4.2 km north of the U.S./Mexico border, and 52 m above sea level. This sandy area is known as the Yuma Desert, a low-elevation portion of the Sonoran Desert, and the counterpart to the Colorado Desert lying west of the Colorado River. Plants at the site included: Creosote Bush, Larrea tridentata (de Candolle) Coville (Zygophyllaceae), the sparse but still dominant shrub, Tiquilia sp., and Desert Trumpet, Eriogonum inflatum Torrey and Fremont (Polygonaceae). Three S. deserticola, one female and two males, were collected from 1835 hrs to c.1930 hrs. Although found on sand, they may have been flushed from lowgrowing plants upon which they are known to perch. Body lengths (measured from the anterior margin of the fastigium to the posterior margin of the subgenital plate) were: female (31 mm measured dry), males (20 and 21 mm measured fresh). Voucher specimens, the female and one male, were deposited with the

Bioacoustic of Cohnia andeana (Hebard, 1924) comb. nov. (Insecta: Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

The Ecuadorean species Dichopetala andeana Hebard, 1924, is transferred to the new genus Cohnia. Cohnia g. nov. is characterized by short pronotum, subexagonal undivided elongated female subgenital plate, regularly up-curved and coarsely serrulated ovipositor, male simple cerci and presence in male of a structure titillators-like. Cohnia andeana comb. nov. is extensively illustrated and described, its song is presented for the first time as well as some ecological data.

Togoperla thinhi, a new stonefly from central Vietnam (Plecoptera: Perlidae)

A new and rare perlid stonefly, Togoperla thinhi n. sp., is described from male and female adults and egg specimens from tropical central Vietnam. The male adult of T. thinhi n. sp. can be distinguished from other congeners by the distinct head markings, bilobed processes on the posterior margin of the abdominal tergum V, and S-shaped aedeagus. The female adult has a long and tongue-shaped subgenital plate on the abdominal sternum VIII, which extends to the posterior margin of the abdominal sternum IX. A male key to the Vietnamese species of Togoperla is provided. The finding of this new species provides evidence of an extension of the geographical distribution of Togoperla to tropical mainland Southeast Asia.

Five new species of the genus Sphelodon (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Brazil with a key to the Neotropical species

The parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae currently includes approximately 37 subfamilies worldwide. Banchinae subfamily is a cosmopolitan group with three tribes: Atrophini, Banchini and Glyptini, this last characterized with oblique grooves on tergites II-IV, a dorsal subapical notch on the ovipositor, and a median apical impression in the subgenital plate. From the latter tribe, the genus Sphelodon, with eight species reported, can be recognized for the presence of a prominent basolateral tooth in the first abdominal tergite. Significant previous comprehensive studies for that group have been done in Costa Rica by local and international experts, but it is highly probable that many species remain undescribed in the region; before this survey, only one species (S. annulicornis) was registered from Brazil. The material reviewed in this study was obtained from main entomological collections of Southeast and South Brazil, from localities corresponding to 17 of the 27 States of the country, although most of the specimens (70.3%) were collected in São Paulo State. Approximately 3 000 specimens of the subfamily have been examined, 29 belonging to Sphelodon. The description format in this work broadly follows previous works; the species were illustrated through SEM in low vacuum mode (without uncoated the specimens). Here five new species of the genus Sphelodon are described and illustrated, one of these (S. brunicornis), differs from the rest of the species by lacking a median band in the flagellum. An identification key to the Neotropical species is provided.

Lebaziella gen.nov. (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini): a new sharpshooter genus with descriptions of two new species

The sharpshooter genus Lebaziella is described and placed in the tribe Cicadellini. Two new species of Lebaziella gen.nov. are described and illustrated: the type-species L. renatae sp. nov. (Bahia State, Brazil) and L. viridis sp. nov. (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Paraná States, Brazil). Species belonging to the new genus can be distinguished from other genera of Cicadellini based on the following characters: (1) pronotum narrower than head with lateral margin parallel; (2) male pygofer without processes; (3) subgenital plate longer than pygofer with many microsetae distributed across its surface; (4) aedeagus with an unpaired apical process, and (5) paraphyses absent.

A new genus and species of Agalliinae from Brazil (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

A new genus, Paranagallia, and a new species, P. takiyae sp. n., are described and illustrated from south Brazil. Paranagallia gen. n. can be distinguished from all other known genera of Agalliinae by morphological features such as: crown truncate in dorsal view, and in frontal view bearing well-developed foveae; face and pronotum strongly flattened; pronotum striated; pygofer L-shaped; styles not forked; subgenital plates fused to each other; segment X bearing sword-shaped processes; female pregenital sternum reduced and first tarsomere of the metathoracic tibiae bearing two platellae. Chaetotaxy characters of the metathoracic legs are for the first time illustrated through scanning electron microscopy.

Genitalic morphology and copulatory mechanism of the scorpionfly Panorpa jilinensis (Mecoptera: Panorpidae)

Specific genitalic morphology reflects vital sexual functions in insects and examination of genitalic structures is important in understanding copulatory mechanisms. The morphology of male and female genitalia was investigated in the scorpionfly Panorpa jilinensis using light and scanning electron microscopy. The male genitalia are located between the epandrium and hypandrium of the ninth abdominal segment. The hypandrium comprises a broad basal stalk and two long hypovalvae. The gonopods are two-segmented, each consisting of a basal gonocoxite and a distal gonostylus. The parameres are Y-shaped, with a basal stalk and two apical branches (ventral and dorsal parameres), each of which terminates into a flattened lobe. The aedeagus bears a pair of well-developed ventral and a pair of small dorsal valves with the phallotrema situated centrally. In the female genitalia, the subgenital plate is emarginated in a V-shape at the distal end and seems to be paired in the origin, with the gonopore (the opening of the common oviduct) at its base. The genital plate is composed of a plate, two long posterior arms, and a long broad axis, the ventral groove of which bears the spermathecal duct. The copulatory pore (the spermathecal opening) is situated medially at the posterior end of the genital plate. Based on the morphology of the male and female genitalia and mating behaviour observations, the copulatory mechanism of P. jilinensis is briefly discussed.

The adults of Harpagobaetis Mol and Tomedontus Lugo-Ortiz and McCafferty (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) with notes on the nymphal stage

In the present study the imagos of Harpagobaetis Mol and Tomedontus Lugo-Ortiz & McCafferty are described for the first time. They can be differentiated from other genera of Baetidae by the following combination of characteristics: Harpagobaetis, forewing with paired marginal intercalary veins; hind wing present with two complete longitudinal veins; costal projection of hind wing pointed, placed in the basal third of anterior margin, cross veins absent; forceps three-segmented, segment I with bulbous base, segment III long, about 3 × as long as wide; Tomedontus, dorsal portion of turbinate eye circular; forewing with paired marginal intercalary veins; hind wing absent; forceps three-segmented, segment II with strong medial projection; subgenital plate without projection.

A new species of Ripipteryx from the Ecuadorian Andes (Orthoptera: Tridactyloidea: Ripipterygidae)

A new species of Ripipteryx Newman (Orthoptera: Tridactyloidea: Ripipterygidae) is described from a fragment of primary Andean forest on the slopes of the extinct Pasochoa volcano in Pichincha Province, northern Ecuador. Ripipteryx pasochoensis sp. nov. is distinguished from congeners by the morphology of the male terminalia, particularly the structure of the subgenital plate. Based on colouration, modification of the subgenital plate and structure of the phallic complex, the new species is assigned to the Forceps Group and appears most closely related to Ripipteryx processata Günther. Keys to the species groups of Ripipteryx and to the species of the Forceps Group are provided, and a preliminary subgeneric classification appended.

A Study of Acaenitinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Turkey, with Description of a New Species

A new Phaenolobus species from Turkey is described and figured. This species is close to Phaenolobus areolator Constantineanu and Constantineanu (1968), and it is distinguished by its smaller body, head roundly narrowed behind, smaller number of flagellomeres, absence of ramulus on discocubital vein, longer subgenital plate and ovipositor sheath, black labrum and coloration of the body. A key for Western Palaearctic Phaenolobus species is given. A check list for Turkish Acaenitinae is added.

Studies on Oemopteryx vanduzeea (Claassen, 1937) and a new species in the O. vanduzeea species group (Plecoptera: Taeniopterygidae) from the Pacific Northwest, USA

The Holarctic genus Oemopteryx is represented in the Nearctic region by three species groups, including the far western O. vanduzeea group. In this paper, we redescribe and illustrate O. vanduzeea (Claassen, 1937) and describe O. leei sp. n. from California and Oregon, USA. The new species is distinguished in the male from O. vanduzeea by the epiproct complex having a tongue-shaped prong that is hood-like at the apex, by the sleeve containing a filament that bears a terminal hook, and by a ventral, elongate, finger-like process that inserts into the apex of the prong. The female of O. leei sp. n. exhibits a large, wide subgenital plate that terminates in a narrow notched apex, whereas the subgenital plate is smaller and trapezoidal, with a flat, truncate margin in O. vanduzeea.

Revision of the Rhabdiopteryx neglecta species group (Plecoptera: Taeniopterygidae)

In the genus Rhabdiopteryx (Klapálek, 1902), the neglecta group sensu Illies 1957 forms a well distinguished set of species. In the male, the group is characterised by the ninth sternite subgenital plate being slightly depressed in the middle of its hind margin and by the very peculiar shape of the epiproct. The anterior process is a prong with bifid tip, and the posterior process has a stout base prolonged by two curved lateral arms. Even the females clearly differ in their postgenital plate widely covering the paraprocts. This group comprises three species: R. neglecta (Albarda, 1889), R. alpina Kühtreiber, 1934 and R. harperi sp. n. which are compared and illustrated by SEM photos. R. doiranensis Ikonomov, 1983 is removed from the neglecta group.

Palaeoleptus burmanicus n. gen., n. sp., an Early Cretaceous shore bug (Hemiptera: Palaeoleptidae n. fam.) in Burmese amber

Palaeoleptus burmanicus gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Leptopodomorpha: Palaeoleptidae fam. nov.) is described from Early Cretaceous Burmese amber. The fossil is characterized by nearly completely coreaceous wings with only a small membranous area at the distal tip, and a unique wing venation consisting of eight closed cells, including four obliquely orientated toward the embolar wing margin and two large vertically-positioned cells extending nearly to the apical wing margin. Additional characters are large, compound eyes, three pairs of cephalic trichobothria, four antennal segments all similar in texture, spines on the profemur, ocelli positioned on a tubercle and a rostrum extending to the mesocoxae, with the second segment bearing four pairs of spines. The female fossil contains an asymmetrical subgenital plate orientated toward the left side of the body, indicating a side-by-side mating behavior as occurs in extant Leptopodomorpha.

A new species of microcaddisfly genus Flintiella Angrisano (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae) from Amazonas State, Brazil

The genus Flintiella was erected by Angrisano (1995) for a species from Argentina and Uruguay. Harris et al. (2002b) reviewed the genus, and described eight species occurring throughout Central and South America. Adults of Flintiella are minute, ranging from 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm in length. The genus is assigned to the tribe Stactobiini and is closely related to Orinocotrichia Harris et al., 2002a. Flintiella and Orinocotrichia share the absence of ocelli, the triangular posterior warts on the head, the elongate apodemes from the anterolateral margin of abdominal segment IX, and the keyhole-like vaginal sclerite of the bursa copulatrix (Harris et al. 2002a; 2002b). Flintiella is distinguished from Orinocotrichia by the structure of the subgenital plate, the presence of a diagonal row of short setae on the forewing, and the anterior position of the vaginal sclerite (Harris et al. 2002b).Currently, only Flintiella astilla Harris et al., 2002b and Flintiella boracea Harris et al., 2002b are recorded from Brazil. Pes (2005) recorded the occurrence of larvae of the genus from Amazonas State. Now, a new species is described from Manaus municipality, Amazonas State, Brazil.

Male and female genitalia in some Libyan species of Acrididae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea)

AbstractA comparative study of male and female genitalia was carried out in thirty‐seven Libyan species representing twenty genera of the family Acrididae. An attempt has been made to describe and illustrate the different structures, namely, epiphallus, aedeagus, subgenital plate, supra‐anal plate and cerci of the male, and spermatheca, ovipositor, subgenital plate, supra‐anal plate and cerci of the female, in Acridids, with an aim to discover their significance in order to make the identification of genera and species, together with other generic characters, more perfect and convenient. Distinct family characters are shield or bridge‐shaped condition of epiphallus; presence or absence of dorso‐lateral appendices, oval sclerites and lophi on epiphallus; divided, undivided or flexured condition of aedeagus; presence or absence of gonopore process on aedeagus; condition of apical and pre‐apical diverticula of spermatheca; presence or absence of glandular pouches of Cornstock and Kellog on female subgenital plate; and rudimentary or well developed condition of egg‐guide. Stable characters for separating the subfamilies are taken to be presence or absence of ancorae on epiphallus, long or short condition of aedeagal sclerites; elongate, slender or short and broad condition of ovipositor valves: presence or absence of Jannone's organs and setae on posterior margin of female subgenital plate; and shape of diverticula of spermatheca. Useful generic characters are shape of male subgenital plate, supra‐anal plate and cerci, broad or narrow condition of bridge, presence or absence of branch of bridge connecting lophi with bridge of epiphallus; mono‐, bi‐ or tri‐lobate condition of lophi of epiphallus, length and upcurved or downcurved condition of apical valve of aedeagus, shape of posterior margin of female subgenital plate, presence of setae on the whole posterior margin or confined to lateral margins only; and toothed, tuberculate or smooth condition of ovipositor valves, length of the lateral apodeme in relation to the dorsal valves. Specific characters are shape of egg‐guide of female subgenital plate, shape of ovipositor valves and apical tips, shape of male supra‐anal plate and cerci, size of anterior and posterior lobes of lophi of epiphallus, size and shape of ancorae, shape of apical valves of aedeagus; and size of apical and pre‐apical diverticula and presence of protuberance on pre‐apical diverticulum.