Pedicelliops gen. nov., a new genus from West Africa with striking antennae (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae)

Abstract

A new genus of Baetidae, Pedicelliops gen. nov., and a new species, P. capillifer sp. nov., are described from Guinea (West Africa) based on larvae. The new genus is characterized by having strongly enlarged pedicelli and very short flagella, a brush of dense, short setae between prostheca and mola of both mandibles, a small rectangular labrum, an apicolaterally pointed maxillary palp, a labial palp with a small distolateral protuberance and long setae ventrally on glossae and paraglossae. The femora of all legs are covered with numerous long, fine setae. The patellotibial suture is absent on the fore tibia and present on middle and hind tibiae. The claw is pointed with two rows of denticles. No spines are present on the posterior margins of the abdominal tergites. The imago remains unknown and the relationships with other African genera of Baetidae remains tentative. Despite being easily identifiable and of a fairly large size (body length ca. 5 mm), only two larvae were found in two highly sampled localities in West Africa.