Sepedonea guianica (Steyskal 1951)

Sepedonea guianica (Steyskal)

Sepedon guianica Steyskal, 1951:295.

Sepedonea guianica.—Steyskal, 1973:145 [list].—Knutson et al., 1976:11 [catalog].—Knutson and Valley, 1978:198 [review].

Sepedonea vau.—Mello and Bredt, 1978:1459 [nomen nudum; phenology].

ADULT.—Head: Lateral facial spot large.

Thorax: Mesonotum grayish black; postpronotum brownish; setulae near posterior spiracle moderately strong and dense. Legs: Midfemur posteroventrally usually without spines but with setulae only, sometimes setulae near apex of femur distinctly stronger than basal setulae (Figure 7), and in some Brazilian specimens there are 3–6 spines, not extending beyond half distance to base; hindcoxa posteriorly with short setulae, mainly restricted mesally; hindfemur usually without dark preapical marks. Wing: Grayish, with crossveins r-m and dm-cu not clouded, or brownish and clouded anteroapically and over the crossveins; length 5–6 mm.

Abdomen: Male terminalia: Posterior margin of sternum 4 deeply emarginate, with pair of posteriorly directed protuberances (Figure 40); anterior plate of sternum 5 with wide, indented flange at posteromesal margin (Figure 40); distiphallus (Figure 41) sinuous, with posteroventral angle covered by large flat, hairy epiphallus; anterior surstylus indistinct; posterior surstyli with (Figure 42a) or without (Figure 42b) median lobe; median lobe, when present, rounded; posterior surstyli with lateral lobe moderately strongly curved anterad (Figure 43a, b). Female synsternum: In ventral view posterior margin distinctly projecting in middle (Figure 44); in lateral view with ventral surface more or less straight, and with posterior ridge distinctly projecting (Figure 45).

TYPE SPECIMEN.—Holotype : Comoro Is., Maroni, Guyane, Purch. E. Le Moult, B.M. 1933-189, Type H. T. [round label with red margin], [red label], BMNH. This locality refers to an island in the Maroni River (= Marowijne River), which is the border between Surinam and Guiana. The river is about 150 km in length, and the exact location is not known.

OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED.—COLOMBIA. VALLE DEL CAUCA: Morga, 20 km SE Univ., 22–25 June 1964, C.O. Berg, 16 12. 6.5 km SE Cali (Navarro), 11 June 1969, Karl R. Valley, 1 (field collected), 1, 19 (laboratory reared). 14 June 1969, Karl R. Valley, 2, 2, 1 puparium. 5 km SE Cali, near Navarro, 11 June 1969, Karl R. Valley, 1. VENEZUELA. COJEDES: L. Taguanes, near Tinaquillo, 13 April 1972, L. Knutson, 1. BRAZIL. MINAS GERAIS: Lagoa Santa, near Belo Horizonte, 18 January 1977, L. Knutson, 11, 6. 17 km N Belo Horizonte, 18–23 July 1964, C.O. Berg, 4 (field collected), 1 puparium (laboratory reared). Jockey Club, 23 August 1966, C.O. Berg, 1, 15 September 1966, C.O. Berg, 2. Serra Verde, 30 km E Belo Horizonte, 22 August 1974, A. Bredt, 1, 10 October 1974, A. Bredt, 1. PARANÁ: Praia do Leste, 4 May 1967, Berg and Abercrombie, 3, 17 May 1967, Berg and Abercrombie, 1, 1 puparium. 4, 17 May 1967, Berg and Abercrombie, 3 (field collected), 4, 10 (laboratory reared). 61 km S Curitiba, Rio Varzea, 16 May 1967, Berg and Abercrombie, 2. SĀO PAULO: Sāo Vicente, Parque Bitaru, 29 May 1967, Berg and Abercrombie, 1, 1 (field collected), 8 eggs (laboratory reared). Rio Claro, 14 January 1977, L. Knutson, 1. Sāo Joseé do Rio Preto, 27 July 1966, N. Papavero, 9. GOIÁS: Rio Preto, 70 km NE Brasilia, 7 November 1974, Bredt and Knutson, 1. ESHRITO SANTO: Baixo Guandu, October 1970, P.C. Elias, 1. ARGENTINA. TUCUMÁN: Monteros, 7 February 1967, Berg and Abercrombie, 1, (all USNM).

ADDITIONAL RECORDS FROM LITERATURE.—BRAZIL. PARAÍBA: Campina Grande, 2 August 1975, Mello and Bredt DISTRITO FEDERAL: Nöcleo Bandeirantes, 11 November 74, Mello and Bredt. Highway L 2 Norte, Brasilia, 9 January 74, Mello and Bredt. Riberao Extrema, DF 21, 6 February 1974, Mello and Bredt MINAS GERAIS: Hipódromo Serra Verde, Santa Luzia, 24 August 1974, Mello and Bredt. GoiAs: Rio Preto, DF 06, Formosa, 19 June 1974, Mello and Bredt. Lagoa das Pedras, Formosa, 9 January 1974, January–May, July–October, December 1975, January–February, April, June, July, October–December 1976, Mello and Bredt (all from Mello and Bredt, 1978).

IMMATURE STAGES.—Egg: White. Length 1.20–1.24 mm (average = 1.24); greatest width 0.32–0.44 mm (average = 0.40). Larger than S. incipiens, but otherwise very similar in shape, ridging, reticulation, and subglobular ends. (Based on 9 specimens: Praia do Leste, Parana, Brazil).

First-instar Larva: White. Integument transparent. Length 1.2-2.9 mm (average = 1.9); greatest width 0.3–0.7 mm (average = 0.4). Cephalopharyngeal skeleton 0.28–0.31 mm long; mandible 0.05–0.06 mm long, with 3 component parts; very similar to that of other Sepedonea. Indentation index 29–38. Segment 1 bilobed anteriorly, each lobe bearing a sensory papilla. Segments 2–4 each with 1 seta dorsolaterally, 1 laterally, and 1 ventrally, all quite small. Segments 5–10 each with dorsolateral patch of setulae; segment 11 with single seta dorsolaterally; segments 5–11 each with lateral tubercle group arrangement as in other Sepedonea; none with setae; main ventral tubercle group with 4 tubercles in transverse row, each bearing short, stout setae. Posterior spiracular disc with 5 pairs of lobes: ventral pair subconical, quite wide basally; ventrolateral pair two-segmented, basal section truncate, distal section digitiform; lateral, dorsolateral, and dorsal lobes low, rounded, each bearing 1 long seta distally; annulation of ventral lobes and distal section of ventrolateral lobes mostly obscured by very long setulae; center of disc glabrous. Two stigmatic tubes, each bearing a spiracular plate with a B-shaped spiracular slit and 4 transparent, irregularly branched float setulae, larger in proportion to size of disc than in second- or third-instar larvae. Anal proleg small, inconspicuous, hookless. (Based on 15 specimens: 4 from Praia do Leste, Paraná, and 11 from Parque Bitaru, Sāo Vicente, Sāo Paulo, both in Brazil).

Second-instar Larva (Figure 126): Light brown. Integument diaphanous. Length 2.8–5.3 mm (average = 3.9); greatest width 0.6–1.1 mm (average = 0.8). Cephalopharyngeal skeleton 0.49–0.52 mm long, with paired mandibles 0.09–0.10 mm in length, each with 3 mesally directed accessory teeth; very similar to others in Sepedonea. Ventral arch connected posterolaterally on each side to mandibles. Parastomal bars of epipharyngeal sclerite connected to fused hypopharyngeal-pharyngeal sclerite; the latter light to dark brown with small clear areas near dorsal margin of dorsal cornu; ventral window indistinct in light ventral cornu. Indentation index 31–35. Segment 1 as in first-instar larva. Seta arrangement of segments 2–4 as in first-instar larva. Segments 5–10 each with dorsolateral patch of setulae; segment 11 with single seta dorsolaterally. Segments 5–11 each with lateral tubercle group of 3 contiguous tubercles in a vertical row, the middle 1 slightly anterior to other 2; dorsal and ventral tubercles of lateral tubercle group of segment 11 with single seta each and middle tubercle with group of small, stout setae; main ventral tubercle group of 4 tubercles in a transverse row. Posterior spiracular disc with 5 pairs of lobes, very similar to that of S. telson; ventral pair subconical; ventrolateral pair two-segmented; lateral pair low, rounded; dorsolateral pair even less conspicuous; dorsal pair somewhat larger, broadly rounded. Two stigmatic tubes arising from center of disc, each bearing a spiracular plate (Figure 126) with a stigmatic scar, 3 rather small spiracular slits, and 4 large, prominent, irregularly branched, semitransparent float setulae each with glandular pore at base. Anal proleg scarcely larger than a main ventral tubercle when viewed laterally; without hooks. (Based on 12 specimens: Praia do Leste, Paraná, Brazil).

Third-instar Larva (Figures 110, 113, 116, 135, 138): Length 8.2–9.3 mm (average = 8.7); greatest width 1.8–2.3 mm (average = 2.0). Light to dark brown, with dark brown middorsal stripe and dorsolateral V-shaped marks prominent anteriorly; laterally, a less prominent, broken, irregular lateral stripe; quite similar to S. trichotypa. Integument opaque. Cephalopharyngeal skeleton length 0.74–0.82 mm, with paired mandibles (Figure 110), each with 4–6 large, sharply pointed accessory teeth, directed mesally; hook strongly decurved; entire sclerite 0.08–0.16 mm long; ventral arch (Figure 113) with 20–25 denticles directed anteriorly; connected posterolaterally with both mouth-hooks; hypopharyngeal and labial sclerites (Figure 116) uniquely shaped among Sepedonea; former free from tentoropharyngeal sclerite; epipharyngeal sclerite very similar to that of S. telson and S. trichotypa, with parastomal bars fused to tentoropharyngeal sclerite; latter light to dark brown, lacking small clear areas in dorsal cornu and with ventral window very indistinct. Indentation index 31–33. Segment 1 as in first-instar larva. Seta arrangement of segments 2–4 as in first-instar larva. Segment 2 with 2 anterior spiracles (Figure 138), each 0.13–0.14 mm long and bearing 6 or 7 papillae distally. Segments 5–10 each with dorsolateral patch of setulae with short setulae; segment 11 with single dorsolateral seta; lateral tubercle group on segment 11 with dorsal and ventral ones bearing single seta each; other lateral tubercles setaless; segments 5–11 each with main ventral tubercle group of 4 tubercles in a transverse row, followed posteriorly by 2 rows of much smaller intrasegmental tubercles arranged in transverse rows. Segment 8 with posterior spiracular disc (Figure 135) of 5 lobes: ventral pair quite wide at base, tapered sharply distally; ventrolateral pair basically similar to those of other species of Sepedonea; lateral pair rather acute; dorsolateral pair very low and inconspicuous; dorsal pair each with tuft of setulae distally, lobes broadly rounded. Entire disc moderately setulose, with glabrous center, with 2 separate stigmatic tubes, each scalloped basally, and each with a stigmatic scar, 3 spiracular slits, and 4 irregularly branched float setulae on a spiracular plate much lighter in color than S. incipiens and S. telson. Anal proleg larger than in other species of Sepedonea but still relatively inconspicuous and hookless. (Based on 8 specimens: Praia do Leste, Paraná, Brazil).

Puparium (Figure 97): Light brown with dark brown stripes along middorsal line and dorsolaterally on anterior segments, strongest on segments 6 and 7. Integument opaque. Length 5.2–5.7 mm (average = 5.4); greatest width 2.2–2.3 mm (average = 2.2). Barrel-shaped, with ends of cephalic caps projecting anteriorly slightly dorsal to the longitudinal body axis and slightly upturned. Anterior spiracles protruding from anterolateral corners of dorsal cephalic cap. Lateral tubercle group of segments 5–11 visible as strongly contrasting dark areas; main tubercles of ventral tubercle group persisting as 4 less noticeable light spots in a transverse row. Dorsolateral patches of setulae of segments 5–10 with setulae appearing appressed to puparium surface. Posterior end sharply upturned, stigmatic tubes forming an angle of 100–110 degrees with longitudinal body axis. Lobes of posterior spiracular disc shrunken. Anal plate invaginated; anal proleg lacking. Quite similar to S. telson and S. trichotypa, but much lighter, color pattern being dark-on-light rather than light-on-dark as in 5. telson and S. trichotypa. (Based on 5 specimens; Praia do Leste, Paraná, Brazil).