Bioacoustics of Typhlocharis mendesi

Description: Length of holotype: 1.14 mm . Length of paratypes : 1.12-1.23 mm (males) and 1.15- 1.27 mm (females). Head ( Figs 1, 2 , 9, 10 ): Almost as long as wide [length: 0.21-0.24 mm (males) and 0.22-0.26 mm (females), width: 0.24-0.26 mm (males) and 0.24-0.27 mm females)] with hexagonal microsculpture; vertex with transverse microsculpture which, in the middle area bellow the anterior margin of the pronotum, is arranged in parallel ridges forming a stridulatory organ ( pars stridens ) ( Fig. 9 ); posterolateral region of the head with a semilunar notch ( Fig. 1 ); labrum sub-rectangular, anterior margin almost straight; anterior margin of clypeus almost straight; moniliform antennae with 11 rounded antennomeres progressively more quadrate (morph 1, subquadrate, as defined in Pérez-González & Zaballos, 2013a ), except last one, pyriform ( Fig. 10 ). The last antennomere has a pattern of three anterodorsal and one posterodorsal sensilla coeloconica ( type A). Ventral sensilla coeloconica in antennomeres 5° and 6°. Stem of third antennomere short (average proportion of stem length/antennomere body length=0.38). Labium with epilobes and middle tooth slightly sharp. Ligula with convex middle lobe and paraglossae not long. Gula wide with sutures visible through light microscopy. Cephalic chaetotaxy: two pairs of submarginal labral setae (l-s/s-l) and two pairs of marginal labral setae (m-m/m-m), two pairs of clypeal setae (l-s/s-l), one pair close to frontal sulcus; two pairs of supraocular setae (anterior and posterior) and 1-2 pairs of setae on the posterior region between vertex and lateral carinae. Pronotum ( Fig. 3 ): Rectangular, slightly longer than wide [length: 0.3-0.33 mm (males) and 0.31-0.34 mm (females); width: 0.26-0.28 mm (males) and 0.27- 0.29 mm (females)], with hexagonal microsculpture, lateral margins slightly arcuate, slightly narrowed posteriorly, with 3-4 small crenulations before the posterior angles, which are marked with one small tooth; disk flattened, anterior margin almost straight and posterior margin slightly arcuate outwards in median region, anterior margin with medial hiatus. Pronotal chaetotaxy: four longitudinal series of erect setae between midline and lateral margins, directed inwards and slightly anteriad; lateral groove of each side with one long seta in the anterior quarter and one long seta on hind angle; a row of five pairs of setae (l-l-l-l-l/l-l-l-l-l) parallel to the anterior margin, two pairs of setae near the posterior margin (l-l/l-l); a row of regularly placed setae in anterior, posterior and lateral margins, more spaced in the later. Elytra ( Figs 4, 5, 6 ): 2.1 times longer than wide [length: 0.58-0.65 mm (males) and 0.59-0.66 mm (females); width: 0.22-0.30 mm (males) and 0.29-0.30 mm (females)], parallel and oval posteriorly, dorso-ventrally flattened on the disk; transverse scutelar organ present; disk with hexagonal and pentagonal micro-sculpture, almost scaly in the lateral regions; scutelar region not punctured; humeral angles rounded; lateral margins serrate, the teeth decreasing in size posteriorly; apical margin without teeth. Elytral chaetotaxy: Part of the pubescence of the disk is arranged since the sutural region in four or five rows of short setae slightly directed anteriad; a very irregular series of minute setae between the outer row and the lateral margins directed outward; umbilicated series aggregated with four seta in the anterior group and two in the posterior group (4+2) ( Figs 4, 5 ). Legs : Femora robust, inner margin of pro- and mesofemora inerm, slightly dentate in metafemora; metatrochanters similar in both sexes and without any special features ( Figs 7, 8 ); meso- and metatibiae without apical teeth ( Figs 7, 8 ); apex of fore tibia with a comb of setae (cleaning organ) similar in both sexes ( Fig. 11 ); male protarsus without dilated segments. Abdomen ( Figs 7, 8 ): Sterna II and III with lateral fovea, deeper in females than in males; last abdominal sternite (both sexes) presents in its anterior region a more or less invaginated area of smooth and scaly zone of microtrichia (abdominal ‘belt’) ( Figs 13, 14 ); last sternite chaetotaxy with sexual dimorphism: male (s-l-s-s-l-(s)s/s(s)-l-s-sl-s), female (s-l-s-s-l-(m)m/m-l-s-s-l-s) ( Figs 13, 14 ). Male genitalia ( Figs 15, 16 ): in lateral aspect with median lobe sickle-shaped, basal lamina markedly arcuate, the apex slightly shaped like an eagle’s beak; in dorsal aspect with apex broadly rounded, slightly bent to left; internal sac with several tangled membranes, in central area with one twisted sclerite in continuous by one fusiform membrane ( Fig. 16 ); parameres bisetulose apically; external tegument of median lobe with several presumably chemo- or chemo-mechano sensilla sunken in pits ( Fig. 15 ). Ring sclerite (IX abdominal sternum) subtriangular-arcuate, the apical margin is slightly projected in a triangular blunt extension, gently tilted. Female genitalia ( Fig. 12 ): Tubular ovipositor gonocoxites weakly sclerotized, each one in ventral aspect without a lateral seta and with a double apical one ( Fig. 12 ); internal genital tract with spermathecal duct short, spermatheca spherical ( Fig. 17 ) and short (length: 0.022 mm ); conical spermathecal gland (length: 0.047 mm ) sclerotized in distal region ( Fig. 17 ). Variability: There is a certain degree of intraspecific variation affecting some characters, such as the chaetotaxy of the labrum, the number and marking of posterolateral denticles in the pronotum (from faintly marked to almost absent), or the chaetotaxy of the last ventrite, showing some variability of the number and length of marginal seta. It is also common that some individuals show short and long setae irregularly mixed in the anterior row of setae in pronotum.