Neelus fimbriatus

Description. Addendum to Bretfeld & Trinklein (2000). Antenna, adult. Total length of antenna ~ 143.3 µm; max width (Ant. III) ~ 19.4 µm; ratio width: length ~ 0.14; ratio length of Ant. I: Ant. II: Ant. III: Ant. IV ~ 0.22: 0.59: 0.82: 1. Ant. I with three chaetae on dorsal side (Fig. 36 A). Ant. II with five chaetae in two whorls, one chaeta in basal whorl, four chaetae in apical whorl (Fig. 36 A). Ant. III with 13 mesochaetae in five rough whorls (distribution from base to apex: 1, 1, 3, 2 and 6 chaetae), 10 of those chaetae particularly thick; five apical S-chaetae (S 1 – S 5), S 1 and S 4 long and tubular, S 2 and S 3 short and tubular, S 5 short and flam-shaped (Fig. 36 B). S 4 full length could not be assessed. Ant. IV with 15 thin mesochaetae; 11 S-chaetae, nine long with round apex (S), one shorter than S with pointed apex (Sx, 6 µm) and one thicker than S with round apex (Sy); two apical special chaetae with long and thin apex in apical (a) and sub-apical position (sa); a sub-apical organite Or with two apical filaments, in basal position in regard to sa, and apical position in regard to Sx (Fig. 36 C, D). Antenna, sub-adult. Total length of antenna ~ 107.5 µm; max width (Ant. III) ~ 22.3 µm; ratio width: length ~ 0.20; ratio length of Ant. I: Ant. II: Ant. III: Ant. IV ~ 0.35: 0.59: 0.75: 1. Only two chaetae could be see on Ant. I. Ant. II and III as the adult, S 4 full length could not be assessed (Fig. 36 E, F). Only 13 ordinary chaetae could be see on Ant. IV, rest of the chaetotaxy as the adult (Fig. 36 E, F). The chaetotaxic pattern of the apex of the antenna matches with Bretfeld & Trinklein (2000) — see their Fig. 6. Male sexual apparatus. Abd. VI sternum with at least 1 + 1 swollen chaetae sm, maybe 2 + 2 (Fig. 36 G); genital plate with 13 + 13 chaetae (Fig. 36 G); testis slender and curved (Fig. 36 H).

Diagnosis. Whitish with dark brown or reddish brown. 500 µm. Labrum: chaetae a 1 and a 2 with 3 to 7 external teeth. Posterior pair of post-labial chaetae ciliate. Ant. IV with nine S-chaetae S, a and sa acuminate. Abdomen with numerous microspines (tertiary rods). Manubrium with 3 + 3 posterior chaetae. dp with 1 + 1 chaetae.

Comments. There were two pairs of females labeled with the same number (“ ♀ 1 ” and “ ♀ 2 ”). I added a label “ ♀ 4 ” on one of the females “ ♀ 1 ” and a label “ ♀ 5 ” on one of the females “ ♀ 2 ”, at the back of the slides. Early instars were not available but most of the specimens of Neelus fimbriatus I observed did not seem to have reach full development of the antenna morphology (while having mature genital plate). Adult morphology of the antenna was drawn after the specimen “ ♀ 4 ” and sub-adult morphology was drawn after the specimen “ ♀ 5 ”. The antennae of the juvenile were not studied due to a poor positioning on the slide.

Discussion. Closely related to Neelus murinus and Neelus koseli from which it differs in antennal chaetotaxy, labral chaetae morphology and post-labial chaetae morphology.

Material examined. Holotype. ♀ on a slide, Cotopaxi Province, Otonga Reserve, cloud forest, 1900 m, litter sample C, 26. viii. 1996, N. Trinklein leg., [SMC]. Paratypes. 4 ♀ on 13 slides, 1 ♂ on a slide and 1 juvenile on a slide, same data as the holotype, [SMC].