Zootaxa 4768 (4): 591–595 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition)

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Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press
Correspondence ZOOTAXA
ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition)
https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4768.4.10
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:07A283F0-853D-45A6-99AE-6E6447B20163

The nymph of Hermanellopsis arsia Savage & Peters, 1983 (Ephemeroptera:

Leptophlebiidae) from Brazilian Northeastern Region
STÊNIO R. S. NASCIMENTO1,4, ERIKCSEN A. RAIMUNDI3, LUCAS R. C. LIMA2 & CARLOS A. S. AZEVÊDO1
1
Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, Centro de Estudos Superiores de Caxias, Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática, CEP 65604-
380, Caxias, MA, Brazil.
� stenio04@hotmail.com; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3073-9039
� casazevedo@yahoo.com.br; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0503-3843
2
Universidade Estadual do Piauí, Campus Heróis do Jenipapo, Laboratório de Biodiversidade, CEP 64280-000, Campo Maior, PI,
Brazil.
� lucaslima_86@hotmail.com; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5943-3351
3
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Genética, Laboratório de Citogenética e Evolução, CEP 90650-970,
Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil.
� erikcmundi@gmail.com; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3539-2062
4
Corresponding author. E-mail: stenio04@hotmail.com

Hermanellopsis Demoulin, 1955 is a genus of Leptophlebiidae known from adults of both sexes and is represented
solely by two species, both from South America: Hermanellopsis arsia Savage & Peters, 1983, described only from male
subimago; and H. incertans (Spieth, 1943) described from male imago and female subimago. Edmunds et al. (1976) pro-
vided the generic description for the supposed nymph of Hermanellopsis. However, Savage & Peters (1983) revised the
genus, and study of related genera raised doubt about the identity of the proposed nymph. Thus, the nymph of Hermanel-
lopsis has remained unknown until now.
Recently, nymphs of an unknown taxon belonging to the family Leptophlebiidae were reared to subimagos. Based
on study of these subimagos, it was determined that the nymphs belonged to Hermanellopsis arsia, because they matched
the original description of the species. Thus, the nymph of H. arsia—and consequently the bona fide nymph of the genus
Hermanellopsis—is described here for the first time. The nymphs were collected using entomological nets and reared to
subimagos and imagos following the methods of Boldrini & Cruz (2013). We highlight the fact that the imago of this
species is currently being described by Raimundi et al. (in prep.), so it is not mentioned here. The material examined is
housed in the collection of the Laboratório de Entomologia Aquática (LEAq), Caxias, Brazil and Museu Regional de
Entomologia da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil (UFVB).

Hermanellopsis arsia Savage & Peters, 1983

(Figs 1–14)
Diagnosis. Nymph (Figs 1–2): 1) width of labrum equal to width of clypeus, lateral margins rounded (Fig. 5); 2) outer
margin of mandibles smoothly curved with few setae medially (Figs 6–7); 3) glossae of labium ventrally curved; 4) gills
on abdominal segments I–VII oval, each with very short median apical projection and two shorter lateral lobes (Figs 3–
4); dorsal portion of gills smaller than ventral portion; 5) posterolateral spines present on abdominal segments V–IX, more
developed on VII–IX (Fig. 3); 6) denticles on tarsal claws progressively larger apically, apical denticle largest (Fig. 11).
Description. Mature nymph.
Lengths. Body: 4.54–4.82 mm. Foreleg: 2.30–2.32 mm; middle leg: 2.37–2.40 mm; hind leg: 2.75–2.76 mm (coxa
and trochanter not included). Medial caudal filament: 7.10–7.49 mm. Cerci: 6.21–6.85 mm. Ratios. Mouthparts: man-
dibles with width 0.6 x length; labial palp with width of segment I 0.8 x its length; segment III length 0.4 x segment II
length; segment III length 0.6 x segment I length; segment II length 1.5 x segment I length; maxillary palp with segment
III length 0.4 x segment II length; segment II length 0.9 x segment I length. Abdomen: dorsal gill IV with length of medial
filament 0.1 x length of body of gill.

Accepted by L. Jacobus: 14 Apr. 2020; published: 5 May 2020 591

Figures 1–4. Hermanellopsis arsia, nymph. 1, habitus; 2, lateral view; 3, detail of abdominal sterna; 4, Gill IV. (scale: Figs.
1–2 = 2 mm. Fig. 3 = 1 mm. Fig. 4 = 0.5 mm).

592 · Zootaxa 4768 (4) © 2020 Magnolia Press NASCIMENTO et al.

Figures 5–15. Hermanellopsis arsia, nymph. 5, labrum (right, dorsal view; left, ventral view); 6, left mandible; 7, right
mandible; 8, maxilla (ventral view); 9, hypopharynx (ventral view); 10, labium (left, dorsal view; right, ventral view); 11, tarsal
claw; 12, foreleg; 13, middle leg; 14, hind leg. (scale: Figs. 5–10 = 0.2 mm. Fig. 11 = 0.05 mm. Figs. 12–14 = 0.5 mm).

nymph of Hermanellopsis arsia Zootaxa 4768 (4) © 2020 Magnolia Press · 593
 Coloration and Morphology. Body. brown washed with orange (Figs 1–2). Head: brownish; pale between upper
and lower portion of compound eye, around lateral ocelli and anterior to medial ocellus; antenna translucent yellow; com-
pound eye reddish brown; ocelli blackish. Labrum yellowish with apical and subapical rows of bristles present, medially
excavated and five small denticles ventrally; lateral margins rounded; ventral surface with two median rows of robust,
median bristles and dorsal surface with several, long bristles scattered (Fig. 5). Mandibles light brown, with row of setae
on outer margin extending to middle region; setae long on distal half and short on proximal half; molar area with serrated
ridges; prosthecae well-developed; left mandible with three denticles on inner and outer incisors (Fig. 6); right mandible
with two apical denticles on inner incisor and three on outer incisor (Fig. 7). Maxilla pale brown, palpi with few and scat-
tered bristles on segment I, and segments II–III covered with bristles scattered on inner margin and outer margin (Fig.
8). Hypopharynx pale brown, with superlinguae bearing long setae on apical margin; lingua with medial deep cleft and
anterolateral apex pointed, ventral portion covered by short setae (Fig. 9). Labium pale brown; glossae curved ventrally,
densely covered by bristles; paraglossae densely covered by bristles on apical third; submentum light brown (Fig. 10).
Legs: greyish. Coxae and trochanters washed with brown. Femora uniformly washed with brown (except fore femur
with medial area unpigmented) and with blackish line on anterior surface; inner margin with short bristles, outer margin
with long bristles, varying in size, concentrate on apical half (Figs 12–14). Tibiae uniformly washed with brown with
long and simple bristles on outer margins and short bristles on inner margins (hind tibiae with short spine-like setae on
inner margin), with concentration of long spines at apex (Figs 12–14). Tarsal claws with 13 denticles progressively larger
apically with apical denticle largest (Fig. 11).
Abdomen: light brown. Terga I–X with dark brown marks on lateral and medial regions (Fig. 1). Posterolateral spines
present on abdominal segments V–IX, more developed on VII–IX (Fig. 3). Gills on abdominal segments I–VII, oval,
with very short median projection on apex and two shorter lateral lobes; dorsal portion smaller than ventral one and main
trachea unbranched; membrane purplish and trachea darker (Fig. 4).
Biology. The nymphs were collected inhabiting leaves in a stream 3 m wide, with moderate current, and under a
closed canopy.
Life cycle association. Male imago reared from nymph.
Distribution. Brazil: states of Amazonas (Savage & Peters 1983) and Roraima (Raimundi et al. 2017). New record
from Maranhão State: Caxias municipality.
Material examined. Three mature male nymphs and one male imago (reared, exuviae mounted on slides), Brazil,
Maranhão State, Caxias municipality, Inhamum Municipal Environmental Protection Area (APA Inhamum), Riacho Areia
Branca, 4°53’34.9”S/ 43°26’11.1”W, 22.viii–04.x.2019, Nascimento, S.R.S. col. (Two nymphs in LEAq; one nymph
and male imago reared in UFVB—EP00090 and EP00091).
Discussion. With the description of the nymph of Hermanellopsis arsia, it will be possible to improve understanding
characteristics of the genus and its relationship with the four genera of the Miroculis-lineage proposed by Savage & Peters
(1983): Miroculis Edmunds, 1963; Microphlebia Savage & Peters, 1983; Hermanellopsis Demoulin, 1955; and Miroculi-
tus Savage & Peters, 1983. The nymph described here has similarities with Microphlebia, such as a labrum with rounded
lateral margins, glossae of the labium ventrally curved, and gills on abdominal segments I–VII oval, with dorsal portions
smaller than ventral portions. However, the most important characteristic that distinguishes the nymph of H. arsia is the
presence of gills each with a very short median apical projection and two shorter posterolateral projections on segments
I–VII (absent in Microphlebia). Besides this, the lingua of the hypopharynx has a very deep medial cleft, the cleft being
more shallow in Microphlebia.

Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the FAPEMA (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do
Maranhão – Process: Universal-01460/16) for supporting this research financially. We would also like to thank the UEMA
(Universidade Estadual do Maranhão) and the CESC (Centro de Estudos Superiores de Caxias) for their logistical sup-
port.

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