Ctenolepisma phantasma Molero-Baltanas, Raphel, Mitchell & Jose 2025, n. sp.

Ctenolepisma phantasma Molero-Baltanás, Raphel, Mitchell & Jose, n. sp. (Figs 12-22) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 935E494A-9190-458B-885A-C74ABDB09749 Ctenolepisma calvum (non C. calvum Ritter, 1910) – Querner et al. 2022: 5. — Kulma et al. 2022: 112. — Shimada et al. 2023: 4. — Bednár et al. 2023: 3. — Molero-Baltanás et al. 2024a: 14. TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Spain • 1 ♀; Córdoba, basement of a house in the city of Córdoba; 7.XI.2021; M. Gaju leg.; mounted on slide; MNCN _ Ent 283578. Paratypes. Spain • 1♀; same locality as for the holotype; 31.X.2023; mounted on slide; UCO, Ref. Z2764b • 2 ♀; same locality and date than the first paratype; preserved in alcohol; UCO, Refs. Z2764c and Z2764d • 2 ♀; preserved in alcohol; MNHN-EA-EA110321; same locality as for the holotype, resulting from parthenogenetic reproduction of one of the aforementioned paratypes. OTHER MATERIAL STUDIED. — Spain • 3 ♀; Córdoba, basement of a house in the city of Córdoba; 31.XI.2023; M. Gaju leg., UCO Ref. Z2764. Czechia • 6 ♀; Prage; 2021; M. Kulma leg., UCO, Ref. 2868). These specimens were referenced in Molero-Baltanás et al. (2024a); the Czechian specimens were previously examined for the descriptive remarks given in Kulma et al. (2022). Additional specimens have been reared in the laboratory of the Department of Zoology of UCO (Córdoba, Spain) and some of them will be deposited in the near future in the collection of MNCN, Madrid, Spain. DIAGNOSIS. — Body length up to 12 mm. Macrosetae pectinate plumose. Epidermic pigment whitish to light yellowish. Dorsal scales transparent or light grey, heterogeneous but the most abundant widely spaced ribs. Coxae with scales similar to those covering the body. Inner side of femora with subtriangular elongated scales, with apex truncated or bifid; all the remaining articles of legs and appendages without scales. Antennae slightly shorter than body length. Cephalic chaetotaxy typical of Ctenolepisma, with a gap without macrosetae on the frontal margin and 1 + 1 tufts on clypeus and labrum. Last article of labial palp with three sensory papillae. Setal collar of pronotum with 2-3 rows of macrosetae. Lateral margins of thoracic nota bearing 5-8 pairs of lateral bristle-combs; posterior margins with 1 + 1 posterior small combs of 1-3 macrosetae each. Anterior trichobothrial areas of pronotum associated to the N-3 lateral combs; those of mesonotum associated to the antepenultimate (N-2) combs and those of metanotum associated to positions occupied by the penultimate comb. Posterior trichobothria inserted on the last lateral comb of each notum, although on metanotum the position of the last comb can lack insertions of macrosetae. All thoracic sterna with 1 + 1 subapical bristle-combs. Abdominal tergite I with 1 + 1 infralateral combs of 2 macrosetae. Urotergites II-V with 3 + 3 combs, urotergites VI-VIII with 2 + 2 combs and urotergite IX glabrous; infralateral combs consisting of 3-4 macrosetae; remaining dorsal combs of abdomen only with 1-3 macrosetae. Urotergite X trapezoidal, short; its posterior margin straight or slightly concave. Urosternites I and II bare; urosternites III-VIII with 1 + 1 lateral combs of 4-8 macrosetae. Only one pair of styli inserted on abdominal segment IX. Inner process of coxite IX about 1.2 times longer than wide at its base and about four times longer than the outer process. Ovipositor short, with about 20 divisions; its apex not clearly surpassing the tip of styli. Maximum length of cerci up to 7 mm. Male unknown (all populations studied parthenogenetic). Ctenolepisma phantasma Molero-Baltanás, Raphel, Mitchell & Jose, n. sp. is the only European Ctenolepisma with 3 + 3 urotergal combs on abdominal segments II-V (the remaining species bear 3 + 3 combs on urotergites II-VI or II-VII) and the species with a lowest number of macrosetae per comb and shorter ovipositor. The presence of only three labial papillae and the pattern of scales of legs (truncate subtriangular scales on femora combined with absence of scales on tibiae) are other exclusive characteristics of this species in the European continent. It can be distinguished from other synanthropic species following the characters indicated for C. calvum in the key presented by Molero-Baltanás et al. (2024a). Ctenolepisma calvum (Ritter, 1910) from Kerala and Sri Lanka and C. rothschildi Silvestri, 1907 are the closest species, but both species show five papillae in labial palp, a greater number of macrosetae on most combs, and two pairs of abdominal styli; for a more detailed comparison with C. calvum from Kerala, see discussion and Tables 4 and 5. ETYMOLOGY. — The specific name “phantasma ” is taken from the Latin word that derives from the Ancient Greek ΦΆντασµα (phántasma), which means phantom or ghost, and is used to follow the common name used in some previous publications (for example, Querner et al. (2022)) for records of this insect in Europe (ghost silverfish). TYPE LOCALITY. — Spain, Córdoba, basement of a house in the city of Córdoba. DESCRIPTION Male unknown.Body length of holotype: 9 mm; some Japanese specimens up to 12 mm, but the maximum body length of studied European specimens not surpassing 10 mm. Habitus as in Figure 12 (see also figures in Kulma et al. 2022; Querner et al. 2022; Shimada et al. 2022). Epidermic pigment whitish to light yellowish, more intense on head and last abdominal segments; scales and appendages almost hyaline, except for dorsal scales of some specimens that can be light greyish.Head width up to 1.2 mm, thorax width up to 2.1 mm. Antennae shorter than body, reaching 7.5 mm when intact. Caudal filaments shorter than antennae, frequently broken; maximum length preserved in a paracercus about 7 mm. Macrosetae plumose, hyaline to yellowish. Scales Scales hardly visible even with stereomicroscope. Dorsal scales ovoid to quadrangular, with several widely spaced parallel ribs (Fig. 13); most of them with a low number of ribs, about 12- 15, and a waxy sheen when observed by SEM. Ventral scales similar in shape but with more dense and numerous parallel ribs (up to 40 ribs per scale; see Figure 14). Appendages without scales except for antennal scape, coxae and femora (see below); clypeus and labrum also without scales. Head Frons with 1 + 1 tuft of about 40 macrosetae separated by a distance similar to the width of a tuft. Inner margin of each eye surrounded by one row of 8-10 macrosetae; lateral areas of head bearing 1 + 1 frontolateral tufts of about 20 macrosetae between these periocular tufts and the frontal ones, and 1 + 1 small group of 2-3 macrosetae above the frontolateral tufts (Fig. 15). Clypeus with 1 + 1 lateral tufts bearing about 35 macrosetae and some thin acute setae on the median area between these tufts. Labrum with 1 + 1 small tufts of macrosetae and an irregular transverse fringe of thin acute setae connecting the tufts. Antennal scape about twice longer than the pedicel, with a subapical ring of setae. Pedicel with a similar ring, and some additional setae forming two lateral groups. Scape covered with scales and pedicel without scales (Fig. 16). Scales of scape rounded, orbicular, with dense parallel ribs. Flagellomeres with one or two rows of chaetic sensilla. Basal flagellomeres with trichobothria; only some annuli of the distal part of the flagellum bearing trichobothria.Apart of these types of sensorial setae, other types of sensilla present on the flagellum: trichoid sensilla, coeloconic sensilla, campaniform sensilla and three types of basiconic sensilla; these latter belonging to types A, B and C according to the classification presented by Adel (1984). Mandibles typical, bearing a subapical group of about 10 strong short setae that are pigmented and apically bifurcated, and a large outer tuft of about 55-60 macrosetae. Galea of the maxilla with 5-6 smooth acute setae in its basal half and some apical cilia; lacinia with two strong teeth, 6-7 lamellate processes and a row of five thin setae. Apical article of maxillary palps slender, about seven times longer than wide and similar in length to the penultimate article; distal part of the article with several basiconic sensilla of types B and C. Antepenultimate article of the maxillary palp slightly longer than the apical one. Labium wider than long; distal part of the prementum with a transverse row of setae. Glossae and paraglossae with some groups of setae forming an oblique fringe. Apical article of labial palp oval, about 1.1-1.2 times longer than wide and as long as the penultimate article or slightly shorter; bearing only three papillae arranged in a row (Fig. 17). Thorax Pronotum (Fig. 18A) with a setal collar consisting of 2-3 irregular combs of pectinate macrosetae. Between this collar and the anterolateral corners of the pronotum, an anterolateral row with some smooth and bifid setae. Lateral margins of the pronotum bearing about eight combs of 1-4 macrosetae; some of these combs difficult to identify because consisting of only one macroseta and, as a consequence of this reduction, interpretable as isolated marginal macrosetae. Anterior trichobothrial areas associated to the comb N-3, i.e., the anterior to the antepenultimate lateral comb; posterior trichobothrial areas associated to the last lateral comb or, if the comb in this position is not clearly distinguishable, posterior trichobothria located at about 0.72 the total length of the lateral margin. Trichobothria inserted on the inner part of the trichobothrial area. Mesonotum (Fig. 18B) with 7-8 combs of 1-3 macrosetae on each lateral margin and usually two additional isolated setae on the anterolateral corner. Anterior trichobothrial areas on the antepenultimate lateral comb (N-2). Posterior trichobothrial areas associated with the last lateral comb or, when this comb is not clearly visible, to the position 0.77 of the lateral margin of this mesothoracic dorsal plate. Metanotum (Fig. 18C) with 5-8 lateral combs on each lateral margin and usuall