Rhagovelia boyacensis Galindo-Malagón & Morales & Moreira 2021, sp. nov.

Rhagovelia boyacensis sp. nov.

(Figs. 5C, 6C, 7C, 8C, 19G, 20G, 23C)

Holotype apterous male. BL 3.86; HL 0.43; HW 0.92; INT 0.29; ANT I 1.30, ANT II 0.85, ANT III 0.82, ANT IV 0.61; EYE 0.28; PL 0.26; PW 1.20; FORELEG: FEM 1.65; TIB 1.82; TAR I 0.07; TAR II 0.06; TAR III 0.39; MIDLEG: FEM 2.72; TIB 1.98; TAR I 0.15; TAR II 1.05; TAR III 0.98; HINDLEG: FEM 2.05; TIB 2.07; TAR I 0.11; TAR II 0.25; TAR III 0.37.

Head dorsally black, covered with golden pubescence; longitudinal midline and a pair of oblique indentations at base impressed and shiny. Venter of head black. Buccula and labium brown. Eye dark red. Antenniferous tubercle brown. Antennomere I yellow on basal third; apex of I and rest of antenna brown. Pronotum dark orange between eyes behind vertex of head; dark brown laterally and posteriorly. Meso- and metanota black, covered with golden pubescence. Pro-, meso- and metapleura black, covered with greyish pubescence. Pro-, meso- and metasterna black, covered with greyish pubescence. Pro- and metacetabula yellow. Mesoacetabulum black with yellow margin. Fore and hind coxae dark yellow. Middle coxa black. Trochanters black. Femora, tibiae and tarsi black. Abdominal mediotergites black, covered with brownish pubescence. Mediotergites V –VII with central shiny black spots; tergum VIII shiny black, covered with short golden setae. Abdominal laterotergites black, covered with golden pubescence, with lateral margins shiny black. Abdominal sterna black, covered with greyish pubescence, except for a shiny brown mark posteriorly on sternum VII. Sterna II– V with abundant long golden setae medially; VI –VIII black, with marked median carina covered with short golden setae.

Head short, covered with short setae. Antenna covered with brown setae, denser on antennomere IV; I with at least eight long, thick brown setae; II with two of these setae at the middle. Antennomeres I– III cylindrical; IV fusiform; I and IV wider in the middle than II– III, which are subequal. Labium short. Ocular setae present. Pronotum short, not covering mesonotum, covered by short golden setae, denser laterally, with posterior margin slightly concave. Mesonotum covered with short golden setae, denser on the posterior margin; posterior margin convex centrally. Metanotum short; posterior margin straight centrally. Metasternum covered with long golden setae. Sides of thorax with long brown setae. Legs with abundant long black setae (Figs. 5C, 6C). Trochanters without spines. Fore tibia slightly curved apically, with weak preapical depression; grasping comb extending slightly beyond the apex. Hind femur distinctly surpassing apex of abdomen, slightly wider than middle femur, with posterior margin sinuous; distal half with a row of about 10 to 11 spines decreasing in size towards apex. Hind tibia slightly curved, with denticles along posterior surface; apical spur straight. Abdominal mediotergites subrectangular. Abdominal laterotergites raised, with short golden setae. Proctiger subtriangular; lobes thick and short; apex rounded, densely covered with setae. Paramere long, subrectangular, apex rounded, with long setae on upper margin.

Paratype apterous female. BL 4.44; HL 0.4; HW 0.95; INT 0.33; ANT I 1.37, ANT II 0.79, ANT III 0.79, ANT IV 0.62; EYE 0.28; PL 0.23; PW 1.19; FORELEG: FEM 1.60; TIB 1.69; TAR I 0.06; TAR II 0.05; TAR III 0.41; MIDLEG: FEM 2.62; TIB 1.83; TAR I 0.10; TAR II 1.03; TAR III 1.01; HINDLEG: FEM 1.91; TIB 2.03; TAR I 0.09; TAR II 0.23; TAR III 0.41.

Similar to apterous male in structure and color. Hind femur shorter than in male, with about five spines. Dorsum of abdominal segments V –VIII with shiny black areas centrally. Abdominal laterotergites strongly elevated, almost touching at apex of last segment, which bears abundant brown setae posteriorly.Abdominal sterna without carina or long setae; VII shiny brown medially, covered with short golden setae.

Distribution. Colombia: Boyacá (Fig. 23C).

Comments. Rhagovelia boyacensis sp. nov. is a large species superficially similar to R. cardia, R. cimarrona, R. gastrotricha and R. tenuipes, because of the elongated and sinuous male hind femur. The body length of ~ 3.90 mm in the male and ~ 4.40 mm in the female immediately distinguishes the new species from R. tenuipes, in which body length is ~ 3.20 mm in the male and ~ 3.70 in the female. The abundant long black setae on the legs (Figs. 7C, 8C) separates the new species from all of the above, as well as the female abdominal laterotergites strongly elevated, almost touching at apex of last segment, which bears abundant brown setae posteriorly (Fig. 7C), and the paramere shape (Fig. 19G).

Etymology. This species is named after the department in which it was first collected.

Type material examined. Holotype ♂ apterous (UPTC-In-0005): ‘ Colombia \ Boyacá \ Sutamarchán \ Río Sutamarchán \ Acueducto Roa-Carrisal \ 2112 m \ 2008-02 \ Col: C. Vargas’. Paratypes 22 ♂ apterous, 8 ♀ apterous (UPTC-In-0006): same data as holotype.

Additional material examined. Boyacá: Ráquira, Candelaria River, Monasterio exit, 2179 m, 2016-II (C. Vargas): 1 ♂ apterous, 1 ♀ apterous (UPTC). Villa de Leyva, sector Pozo Viejo, bridge, Cane River, 2007-III-20 (C. Vargas, A. Estupiñan & F. Alvarado): 27 ♂ apterous, 69 ♀ apterous (UPTC). Tinjacá, San Pedro, Tinjacá River, 2008-II to 2008-IV (C. Vargas): 6 ♂ apterous (UPTC).