Centroptella (Chopralla) ghatensis Kluge 2021, sp. n.
Creators: name: Kluge, Nikita J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Ephemeroptera
Baetidae
Centroptella
Centroptella ghatensis

description: 3.2. Centroptella (Chopralla) ghatensis sp. n.
(Figs 489–533)
Etymology. Distributional area of this species is located in the mountains of Western Ghats.
Material examined. Holotype: L-S-I ♂ {number [XXI](1)2013}: INDIA, State Tamilnadu, Tirunelveli District, Courtallam, Chittar river near Peraruvi (= Main Falls), 5.II.2013, coll. N. Kluge & L. Sheyko. Paratypes: the same locality and collectors, 3–7.II.2013: 6 L-S-I ♂, 3 L-S-I ♀, 45 larvae; Theni District, Suruli, 24–25.I.2016, coll. N. Kluge & L. Sheyko: 2 larvae.
Descriptions.
Larva. CUTICULAR COLORATION: Head with anterior side mostly colorless, frons can be bordered with brown (i.e. with brown arc connecting paired ocelli), median brown spot can be located just posteriad median ocellus; genae brown or colorless; dorsal side of head brown (Fig. 498). Pronotum and mesonotum with contrasting brown, ochre and/or colorless areas, forming characteristic pattern (Fig. 499). Thoracic pleura and metanotum partly brown, partly colorless; sterna colorless (Fig. 514). Legs with coxae partly colorless, partly brown; trochanteres colorless. Fore femur with long brown macula on posterior side and brown outer side, other sides mostly colorless; middle femur with smaller brown macula on posterior side and brown outer side; hind femur mostly colorless, with brown macula on posterior side near inner margin; tibia of each leg diffusively darkened with brown along rows of long, fine setae; tarsus of each leg brown proximally and along rows of long, fine setae; claws brown (Figs 502–504; as in Figs 554–559). Abdominal terga with brown, ochre and/or colorless areas forming characteristic pattern; each tergum II–VI with unpaired, median blank; among them, each tergum II–III and V–VI with pair of large, transverse blanks located posteriad-laterad of medioposterior sigilla; among them, terga III and V with more anterior pair of transverse blanks located laterad of medioanterior sigilla; on terga II and IV blanks occupy most part of tergum; terga VII–VIII mostly light (from colorless to light brown), with posterior and/or anterior margins bordered by darker brown; terga IX–X mostly brown (Fig. 500); medio-anterior and medioposterior sigilla lighter than background (as in Fig. 540). In some individuals coloration of abdominal terga mostly dark, and blanks not expressed. In some individuals brown areas either more extensive, or less contrasting than on Fig. 500 Caudalii light at base (from colorless to light brown), diffusely darkened distally (Fig. 496).
HYPODERMAL COLORATION: Abdomen of larvae of both sexes with composite and extensive reddishbrown hypodermal color pattern as in winged stages (Fig. 497).
SHAPE: Labrum either equally wide at base and middle (Fig. 507), or slightly wider at base. Incisor of left mandible terminated with 4 denticles decreasing from most distal to most proximal; incisor of right mandible terminated with 3 denticles of subequal width, without 4th denticle; left and right incisors with outer-ventral denticle (Figs 505–506). Prostheca of left mandible with 3 blunt processes and 2 pointed processes (Fig. 505). Prostheca of right mandible directed medially-proximally, bifurcate, with longest branch directed proximally; median margin of right mandible proximad of prostheca with short seta-like processes (Fig. 506). Maxillary palp nearly as long as lacinia, 2-segmented, with 2nd much longer than 1st segment (Fig. 508).
Pronotum without protuberances (in contrast to C. ingridae). Metanotum either with short vestiges of hind protoptera, or without them; in some individuals differently on left and right sides (Figs 510–511). Forelegs longest, hind legs shortest; on fore leg tarsus (measured on outer side) as long as tibia; on middle and hind legs tarsus slightly shorter than tibia (Figs 502–504). All femora parallel-sided, outer margin straight or slightly concave, inner margin slightly convex. Foreleg without patella-tibial suture, middle and hind legs with patella-tibial suture greatly shifted to apex of tibia [as in Figs 560–563; see Centroptella s. l. (2)]. Claw with two rows of 3–6 denticles in each [(as in Figs 547–548; see Chopralla (2)].
Denticles on posterior margins of abdominal terga and sterna flat (not conic). Terga I–IV without denticles; terga V–IX with triangular denticles, small and irregular on tergum V and long on posterior terga; on tergum IX row of denticles interrupted medially, behind pair of submedian setae (Fig. 518). Posterior projection of tergum X without denticles on median part, laterally with pair of long denticles (Fig. 501), with or without 1 or 2 pairs of smaller denticles by sides of them (as in Fig. 433). Sterna I–IV without denticles; sterna V–VIII with regular, small, pointed, triangular denticles (Fig. 519). Posterior margin of sternum IX in female convex, with row of triangular denticles interrupted medially (as in Fig. 450), in male without denticles between protogonostyli (Fig. 529). Paraprocts with thin and colorless antero- median apodeme, with large pointed denticles on posterior margin (Fig. 501).
Tergalius I narrow, elongate-ellipsoid; other tergalii wider, gradually changing in shape from tergalius II to tergalius VII (Figs 489–495). Each tergalius II–VII, besides costal and anal ribs, with straight and narrow middle rib, located on dorsal surface on background of main trachea (see Centroptella s. l.).
Enlarged denticles on outer side of cercus relatively large (reaching or exceeding midlength of next segment), located on every 4th or every 2nd segment and arranged by 1–3 on each side of secondary swimming setal row [see Centroptella s. l. (3)] (Fig. 496).
SCALES: Scales on thoracic terga varying from short to band-like: certain areas of pronotum and mesonotum with colorless scales 2 mkm width and 5–15 mkm length (Fig. 513). Femora, tibiae and tarsi densely covered with colorless, short, oval scales (sockets 5–6 mkm). Scales on abdominal terga elongate, oval, with longitudinal striation (Fig. 518). Scales on abdominal sterna, metanotum, thoracic pleura and leg coxa shorter and partly colorless (Fig. 519).
STOUT SETAE: Outer side of femur with regular row of 6–17 long, clavate setae and 2 subapical setae of same form (Figs 502–504). Inner-anterior side of each femur with few very short (5–8 mkm length), stout, blunt setae. On fore leg inner-anterior side of trochanter and/or proximal part of femur with or without one or several longer (15–20 mkm length), stout, pointed, setae with small denticles by sides (as in Figs 41, 362–363). Tibia and tarsus with small stout setae on inner side. Outer-apical seta of tibia small, blunt and elongate (as in Fig. 364).
LONG, FINE SETAE: Bifurcate setae of metasternum (i) (see Centroptella s. l.) form pair of dense, regular rows partly with contiguous sockets (Fig. 517). Posterior arm of U-shaped row of long setae on fore- and middle leg situated across tibia,; on hind leg longitudinal (as in Figs 560–563) [see Chopralla (1)]. Dorsal side of each tarsus with long, fine setae situated irregularly and partly forming two longitudinal rows (as in Figs 562–563; see Centroptella s. l.). Tergum VII with pair of fine, V-shaped setae sublaterally (g) (as in Fig. 406). Each sternum IV–V with pair of regular, transverse rows of long, fine, bifurcate setae with spaced sockets (j); other sterna either without such setae, or with few setae irregularly situated.
MALE GENITALIA IN LARVA: In last larval instar, developing subimaginal gonostyli folded under larval cuticle in « Nigrobaetis - type » pose, with 2nd segment bent by convexity medially, and 3rd segment directed caudally and inserted into 2nd segment (Fig. 529) [see Chopralla (5)].
RESPIRATORY MOVEMENTS: Tergalii able to make rhythmic respiratory movements.
Subimago. CUTICULAR COLORATION: Head nearly colorless, antennae light brown. Pronotum light brown. Mesonotum light brown with certain sutures darker and medioparapsidal suture colorless (Fig. 524). Thoracic sterna and pleura mostly colorless, with certain sclerites brown (Fig. 525). Legs mostly colorless or light brownish, with brown articulations. Wings light, without brown circles at bases of microtrichia. Abdominal terga light brownish, sterna and cerci nearly colorless.
HYPODERMAL COLORATION: As in imago (see below).
TEXTURE: On all legs of both sexes all tarsal segments entirely covered with pointed microlepides (as in Fig. 391).
Imago, male (Fig. 520). Head ochre with reddish-brown. Turbinate eyes relatively low and wide, entirely dark orange. Thorax contrastingly darker (ochre with reddish-brown) in dorsal half and lighter (pale ochre) in ventral half. Wing with membrane colorless, veins pale ochre or colorless, extreme base of costal vein proximad of costal brace brownish. Femora of all legs ochre, apically more or less intensively tinged with reddish; fore tibia light ochre, apically tinged with reddish; middle and hind tibiae ochre, with more or less expressed longitudinal reddish stripe; tarsi light ochre (Figs 521–533). Tarsus of middle and hind legs with 1 apical spine on initial 3rd tarsomere (next after 1st+2nd tarsomere) (Figs 522–523; as in Fig. 392). Abdominal terga mostly reddish- brown with lighter ochre areas; abdominal sterna ochre; lateral tracheal trunks and some other abdominal tracheae bordered with blackish (Fig. 526). Cerci ochre, in proximal part with joinings reddish-brown.
Genitalia (Fig. 527). Sterno-styligeral muscle slender and paired [see Chopralla (7)]. Gonostylus with 1st segment narrowed apically; 2nd segment thickened toward apex; 3rd segment elongate, thickened toward apex. Penial bridge medially with large, sclerotized, hemispheric or conic projection. Gonovectes shallowly bent S-like, i.e. with apices bent cranially.
Imago, female (Fig. 530). Coloration of head, thorax, abdomen, wings and cerci as in male. Fore tibia ochre, tinged with reddish on inner side; other leg coloration as in male. Patella-tibial suture present on middle and hind legs, absent on forelegs [as in male; see Centroptella s. l. (2)]. Tarsus of each leg with 1 apical spine on initial 3rd tarsomere (on foreleg—on tarsomere next after 2nd tarsomere, on middle and hind leg—on tarsomere next after 1st+2nd tarsomere) (as in Figs 391–392).
Egg (Figs 532–533). Oval; chorion with isoedric net-like relief, without pores, Sperm guide small, occupying one cell of net-like relief.
Dimension. Fore wing length 4.8 mm (male); 5.4 mm (female).
Distribution. Western Ghats (India).
Comparison. Larva and imago of the south Indian species Centroptella (Chopralla) ghatensis sp. n. are very similar to C. (Chopralla) ceylonensis, which inhabit both southern India and Sri Lanka. Larva of C. ghatensis sp. n. differs from C. ceylonensis in having well developed denticles on abdominal terga V–VIII. In India, C. ghatensis sp. n. and C. ceylonensis were collected in different localities, never being found together.
description: Published as part of Kluge, Nikita J., 2021, Review of Centroptella Braasch & Soldán 1980 (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae), pp. 1-144 in Zootaxa 5054 (1) on pages 105-113, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5054.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5577421