Comments on the neglected nymphs of mud crickets in the genus Mirhipipteryx (Caelifera: Tridactyloidea: Ripipterygidae)
Author
Baena-Bejarano, Nathalie
Author
Heads, Sam W.
Author
Taylor, Steven J.
text
Zootaxa
2018
2018-09-27
4486
2
180
188
journal article
29545
10.11646/zootaxa.4486.2.7
5ed41365-7509-4b29-8168-41ba48ceec39
1175-5326
1436743
5458E789-08BA-4AFF-8070-F92E636DFC3C
Remarks on
M. pulicaria pulicaria
The specimens studied from
Belize
are in the group of species
“peruviana-pronotopunctata
”
sensu
Günther (1969)
based on the uncus being strongly curved downward and with a simple hook.
Mirhipipteryx pulicaria pulicaria
from
Belize
is typical of this subspecies from elsewhere in the coloration pattern, and differs from
M. pulicaria interposita
in having fewer darker (black and brown) areas on the pronotum. However,
M. pulicaria pulicaria
from
Belize
is darker in antennal coloration, has white coloration restricted to the scape, pedicel and flagellomeres 1–5, sometimes 6, and flagellomeres 7 and 8 completely brown. Meanwhile
M. pulicaria interposita
has completely white flagellomeres 6–7 and
M. pulicaria pulicaria
has white spots from 1–6, and sometimes 7.
In reviewing the Belizean specimens, we found that the virga of the male extends beyond the membrane, whereas the original description of the species mentions that the virga does not reach the membrane in
M. pulicaria pulicaria
and
M. pulicaria interposita
. However, after reviewing the
paralectotype
of
M. pulicaria pulicaria
the MHN, we found the virga extending beyond the membrane. All subspecies of
M. pulicaria
and Belizean individuals share identical phallic complex shape; the margin of the female subgenital plate is similar in shape between the two subspecies with only slight differences in length of teeth, with females from
Belize
. and
M. pulicaria interposita
more alike in this character. However, in terms of pronotum coloration
M. pulicaria pulicaria
types
and
M. pulicaria pulicaria
from
Belize
are more alike. Because we did not find any other characters from the terminalia or genitalia to differentiate these subspecies, in addition to a small sample size, we elected not to erect a new subspecies for the
Belize
specimens, anticipating that future research should shed more light on the potential status of subspecies.