Temeritas paradoxalis sp. nov.

Figs 25–48, Table 1

Type material. Holotype female in slide (TY /0021, CC / UFRN): Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte state, João Câmara municipality, “Cauaçu Farm”, 05°32’15” S, 35°49’11” W, 07-viii-2011, entomological aspirator, Ferreira, A.S. & Bellini, B.C. coll. Paratypes 16 females and 4 males in slides (TY /0021, CC / UFRN) plus 4 females and 1 male in slides (CRFS-UEPB), all with the same data as holotype .

Description. Body (head + trunk) length of type series ranging between 0.93–1.77 mm, males average 1.04 mm, females average 1.42 mm, type series average 1.27 mm, holotype with 1.18 mm. Habitus typical of the genus. Background color pale to yellowish, with several spots of purple pigment on head, trunk and legs apparently forming longitudinal stripes on body. Antennae almost entirely purple, furca mostly whitish, with dark pigments over dorsal dens (Fig. 25). Body chaetae slightly serrated and acuminate.

Head (Figs 26–34). Antennae subequal to body length, with 1.11 mm in holotype (Figs 25 – 27). Antennal segments ratio of Ant I:II:III:IV as 1:1.69:2.71:6.83. Ant IV in holotype with 19 subsegments, subsegment 1 with 12 chaetae, subsegment 2 with 7 chaetae, subsegment 3 with 8 chaetae, subsegments 4–5 with 9 chaetae each, subsegments 6–17 with 10 chaetae each, subsegment 18 with 9 chaetae, subsegment 19 with about 15 chaetae (Fig. 26). Three specimens with only 18 subsegments, with 18 th and 19 th segments seen in holotype fused together. Ant III with 42 chaetae, none remarkably longer, apical organ typical with two sense rods inside two separate invaginations, surrounding subapical microsensillum present (Fig. 27). Ant II with 20 chaetae, none remarkably longer or thicker (Fig. 27). Ant I with five normal chaetae plus one smaller and one apical reduced (Fig. 27). Head length (eyes to mouth) of holotype 0.55 mm. Eyes 8+8, lenses subequal in size (Fig. 28). Clypeal area a–g lines with 7/7/6/6(+1)/7(+1)/7/3 chaetae respectively, central pairs of remarkably longer chaetae absent, five extra chaetae with unclear homologies (circled) (Figs 28–29). Interantennal area with α and γ lines with 2 and 1 chaetae respectively, γ chaeta slightly longer than others; frontal area with A–E lines with 1(+1)/2/2(+1)/2(+1)/4(+1) chaetae respectively, 1 external longer chaeta on line A; 1, 1, 2, 1 spiniform chaetae in lines B, C, D and E respectively (Fig. 28). Ventral head chaetotaxy as in Fig. 29, ventral groove with 1 surrounding chaeta, three anterior post-labial chaetae; labial basomedian field with four chaetae, one of them slightly longer, basolateral field with five chaetae, one of them longer. Maxillary outer lobe with basal chaeta subequal to apical in length, both smooth, apical chaeta with proximal internal barb; sublobal plate entire, with three chaeta-like appendages (Fig. 30). Labial palp papillae as in Fig. 31 with six proximal chaetae, formula of guard chaetae of each papilla as: H (2), A (0), B (5), C (0), D (4), E (6) + blunt lateral process not reaching papilla E base. Labral chaetotaxy with 3 pl, 2(+1) p, 2(+1) m and 2 a chaetae, p2 larger than others, a1 longer than a2; labrum with four labial crests (Fig. 32), with four pointed papillae. Maxillae typical, with six lamellae, two internal serrated, the third fringed (Fig. 33). Mandibles with 4–5 incisive apical teeth (Fig. 34).

Legs (Figs 35–40). Legs length of holotype as: leg I 0.51 mm, leg II 0.62 mm, leg III 0.65 mm. Coxa I with 1 chaeta (two specimens with another anterior chaeta); trochanter I with five chaetae, one of them spiniform; femur I with 15 chaetae; tibiotarsus I with 59 chaetae plus four oval organs, distal whorl with nine chaetae, dorsal face with a row of longer chaetae (Fig. 35). Coxa II with 2–3 chaetae; trochanter II with five chaetae; femur II with 17 chaetae, one distal smaller; tibiotarsus II with 62 chaetae plus four oval organs, distal whorl with nine chaetae, dorsal face with a row of longer chaetae (Fig. 36). Coxa III with 3–4 chaetae; trochanter III with five regular chaetae plus one trochanteral spine; femur III with 19 chaetae, two of them reduced; tibiotarsus III with 64 chaetae plus four oval organs, distal whorl with nine chaetae, dorsal face with a row of longer chaetae (Fig. 37). Tibiotarsi I–III proximal chaeta FPe longer than FPae, FPpe and FSe↑ (the last one smaller than others) (Figs 35–37). Empodial complexes I–III similar, two pretarsal chaetae present (Figs 38–40); ungues without tunica or cavity, with two internal teeth, lateral and dorsal margins serrated. Unguiculi I–III main lamellae about 2/3 to 1/2 the ungues length, with one internal and one apical teeth, filament almost reaching the unguis tip (Figs 38–40).

Abdominal appendages (Figs 41–43). Ventral tube with 1 distal chaeta, with a pair of long warty sacs. Tenaculum typical with three teeth on each ramus and two apical chaetae on corpus. Furca size in holotype as: manubrium 0.25 mm, dens 0.36 and mucro 0.12. Manubrium with eight dorsal plus one ventral smaller chaetae (Fig. 41); dens dorsally with 29 chaetae, one proximal, one medial and one distal longer than others (Fig. 42); dens ventrally with 13 chaetae, with the following formula from proximal to distal region 1:1:2:2:2:2:3 (Fig. 43); mucro apically truncate with both edges serrated, with about 11–15 teeth on each edge, mucronal chaeta absent (Fig. 43). Ratio mucro: dens: manubrium in holotype 1:3.18:0.89.

Trunk (Figs 44–48). Trunk length of holotype 1.1 mm. Large abdomen (Fig. 44). Thorax continuous with abdomen, without any visible segmentation or constrictions; Th II with one a and one m chaetae; Th III with two a and one m chaetae; Abd I with three a, five m and three p chaetae. Bothriotricha A, B and C present in Abd II, forming an obtuse angle anteriorly; bothriotricha A with one (a), B with one (m) and C with at least two (p) accessory chaetae each, respectively. Large abdomen with about 20 large dorso-posterior chaetae, four of them unpaired. Parafurcal area with 13–14 main chaetae on females (Fig. 45), males without plumose chaetae. Small abdomen of female in Fig. 46, with bothriotrichum D; dorsal anal valve with as1–4, ams1–3, ms1–4, mps1–4 and ps1–2 chaetae present, as1, ams1, ms1 and ps1 unpaired; ventral anal valves each with aai1–2, ai1–6, mi1–5, mpi1–3 (mpi3 present or absent) and pi1–3 chaetae; mi5 as large subanal appendage curved toward the anus opening, smooth, thick and apically blunt. Small abdomen of male in Fig. 47, with bothriotrichum D; dorsal anal valve with as1–4, ams1–3, ms1–4, mps1–2 and ps1–2 chaetae present, as1, ams1, ms1 and ps1 unpaired; ventral anal valves each with ai1–4, mi1–4, mpi2 and pi1–3 chaetae; mi5 not seen. Genital opening of male with about 15 chaetae on each side (Fig. 48).

Etymology. The new species is named after its very distinct morphology, especially concerning its unique antenna among other Temeritas spp.

Distribution and habitat. See distribution and habitat of Temeritas andreazzei sp. nov.

Remarks. Temeritas paradoxalis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other congeners by the combination of the following characters: Ant IV with 18–19 subsegments; absence of remarkably long chaetae on Ant II, III and clypeal and interantennal areas of head; trunk without spine-like chaetae, with four dorso-distal unpaired chaetae; ungues with serrated dorsal and lateral margins; and relatively short apically truncate mucro, lacking mucronal chaeta. Regarding neotropical taxa, the new species resembles most T. ormondae by few Ant IV subsegments, absence of long chaetae on Ant II and III, shape of subanal appendage of females, absence of mucronal chaeta and mucro truncate. In the other hand Temeritas paradoxalis sp. nov. differs from T. ormondae by 18–19 subsegments on Ant IV (vs. 21), absence of pairs of long chaetae on clypeal and interantennal head (vs. five pairs), dorsal large abdomen without spines (vs. with posterior spines), ungues serrated (vs. normal), dorsal dens with 29 chaetae (vs. 20). For more comparisons see Table 1 and discussion.