Three new species of cockroach genus Symploce Hebard, 1916 (Blattodea, Ectobiidae, Blattellinae) with redescriptions of two known species based on types from Mainland China

Abstract Three new species of Symploce Hebard from China are described: Symploce sphaerica sp. n., Symploce paramarginata sp. n. and Symploce evidens sp. n. Two known species are redescribed and illustrated based on types. A key is given to identify all species of Symploce from mainland China.


Introduction
The genus Symploce was erected by Hebard in 1916, and it is the most primitive genus of the family Ectobiidae, for related to the earliest fossil species Pinblattella citimica according to Vršanský (1997). Princis (1969) lists 109 species of this genus in Orthopterorum Catalogus, among which 23 species were known from China. Asahina (1974) added 2 species named S. miyakoensis and S. okinoerabuensis from Japan, and in 1979, Symploce torchaceus Feng & Woo, 1999: 51. Description. Length, male, pronotum: length × width: 3.2 × 3.8mm, tegmen: 15mm, overall length: 18mm. Body brown (Fig. 1). Head brown with a dark brown band on disc, which is wide and short. Face brown with a dark brown band. Maxillary palpomus brown and apex dark brown (Fig. 2). Pronotum pale brown with a pair of V-shaped rufous maculae in centre (Figs 1, 11). Tergum (except T 1 ) with a dark brown spot on each side, and a dark brown stripe on disk. Vertex with interocular width slightly less than ocellus width, distinctly narrower than distance between antennal sockets. Fourth and fifth maxillary palpomus of same length, both distinctly shorter than third (Fig. 2). Pronotum elliptical and width longer than length, with anterior margin nearly truncate and hind margin slightly produced in the middle (Fig. 11). Tegmen and hind wing well developed, entirely covering abdomen (Fig. 1). Tegmen narrow and long; radius vein with apical posterior branch, which terminates at the apical margin, and with 2 small branches, one of them branched; median vein with 2 branches (Fig. 12). Radius vein of hind wing branched beyond the middle and the branches bifurcated again near apex, median vein slightly curved and simple; cubitus slightly curved with 3 complete and 3-4 incomplete branches, triangular apical area reduced and small (Fig. 13). Anteroventral margin of front femur type A 3 , pulvilli present on 4 proximal tarsomeres, tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized, and arolia present. The 1st abdominal tergum (T 1 ) unmodified, T 7 specialized with some setae on disc; lateral plates of T 9 similar with hind margin rounded and unspecialized (Fig. 14).
Male genitalia. Supra-anal plate ( Fig. 15) in ventral view symmetrical and nearly trapeziform, hind margin nearly straight, left side with 3 small spines and right side with 2 small spines. Right and left paraprocts ( Fig. 15) obviously asymmetrical, left one dendritic and apices tapering, right one with apex scattered with many fine spines and 1 branch near base, which resembles an antler. Subgenital plate (Fig. 16) weakly asymmetrical and hind margin slightly produced in the middle, left side concave at apical half and right side curved; two styli dissimilar and lying at apex, left style large which is similar to one torch directed laterad, and with 3 small teeth at outer margin near base, right style smaller and with 3 acute spines at apex. Hook of left phallomere with sclerotized portion very small, on left side, slender and with V-shaped incision (Fig. 17). Median phallomere (Fig. 18) long and lanciform with apex tapering, right phallomere ( Fig. 19)  Description. Length, male, pronotum: length × width: 4.0 × 5.0mm, tegmen: 19.0mm, overall length: 19.5-20.0mm. Body brown (Fig. 3). Head brown with area between and beyond ocellus reddish brown. Occiput region pale yellow. Antenna brown with base yellowish brown and apex dark brown. Maxillary palpomus yellowish brown and apical segment blackish brown (Fig. 4). Pronotum brown with dark brown maculae on disc (Figs 3,20). Tergum reddish brown and both sides pale brown. Vertex with interocular width slightly narrower than ocellus width, distinctly less than distance between antennal sockets. Fourth and fifth maxillary palpomus about same length, both distinctly shorter than the third (Fig. 4). Pronotum more or less elliptical, with anterior margin nearly truncate and hind margin obviously produced in the middle; pronotum with irregular maculae as Fig. 20 on disc. Tegmen and hind wing well developed, entirely covering abdomen. Tegmen narrow and long; radius vein with apical posterior branch, which bifurcated at apical part; median vein branched near the middle (Fig. 21). Radius vein of hind wing branched around the middle and apex of branch bifurcated, median vein simple; cubitus vein with 3 complete and 4 incomplete branches, triangular apical area small (Fig. 22). Anteroventral margin of front femur Type A 3 , pulvilli present on 4 proximal tarsomeres, tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized, and arolia present. T 1 , T 7 unmodified, 1 semitransparent spot present on disc of T 3 , T 4 , T 5 , T 6 . Lateral plate of T 9 about similar and with hind margin unproduced and unspecialized ( Fig. 23).
Male genitalia. Supra-anal plate in ventral view symmetrical and about linguiform ( Fig. 22). Right and left paraprocts ( Fig. 24) evidently asymmetrical, left one dendritic and apices tapering, right one with apex scattered with lots of fine spines and 1 branch near base, which resembles an antler. Subgenital plate (Fig. 25) slightly asymmetrical, hind margin slightly concave in the middle and produced, where with two styles lying at both sides; style nearly elliptical and with small spines at outer margin. Hook of left phallomere with sclerotized portion very small, on left side, slender and with V-shaped incision (Fig. 26). Median phallomere long and lanciform, with apex tapering and rarely curved near apex (Fig. 27).
Male genitalia. Male supra-anal plate (Fig. 33) symmetrical with some setae scattered in ventral view, hind margin nearly triangular and slightly concave in the middle. Right and left paraproct dissimilar and unspecialized (Fig. 33). Subgenital plate (Fig. 34) asymmetrical, apex of lateral borders thickened, middle of hind margin slightly produced where two preapical styli are lying; the styli dissimilar, the left one larger, nearly spherical and apex with 3-4 teeth, the right smaller, nearly cylindrical and apex with 2 processes (Fig. 34). Hook of left phallomere with sclerotized portion very small, on left side, hook portion slender and with V-shaped and subapical incision (Fig. 35); median phallomere slightly curved at apical half and apex spine-like and acute (Fig. 36); right phallomere irregular sclerite (Fig. 37) (Feng & Woo), but can be distinguished as follows: 1) hind margin of anal plate with indistinct incision (hind margin of anal plate with distinct V-shaped concavity in E. mamillatus); 2) right and left paraprocts unspecialized (paraprocts specialized in E. mamillatus); 3) subgenital plate with two nearly spherical styli (styli spine-like in E. mamillatus). And the species differs from all other Symploce spp. by the special styli.

Remarks. The species is similar to Episymploce mamillatus
Etymology. The specific epithet "sphaericus" is derived from Latin, which refers to the left style being nearly spherical (dissimilar from the right style).
Vertex with interocular space distinctly wider than distance between antennal sockets, and ocellus width slightly less than distance between antennal sockets. Third and fourth maxillary palpomus about same length, both distinctly longer than the fifth. Tegmen with apical posterior branch behind radius vein, and the branch bifurcated, one of the second division further branched (Fig. 39). Hind wing with radius vein branched over the middle and the branches bifurcated at apex; both median and cubitus veins slightly curved, median vein simple, but cubitus veins with 2-3 complete and 1-4 incomplete branches, and triangular apical area reduced and small (Fig. 40). Anteroventral margin of front femur type B 3 , pulvilli present on 4 proximal tarsomeres, tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized, and arolia present. First abdominal tergum (T 1 ) specialized with a tuft of hair; seventh abdominal tergum (T 7 ) unmodified; and ninth abdominal tergum (T 9 ) with lateral plates similar, not produced and unspecialized (Fig. 41).
Male genitalia. Supra-anal plate (Fig. 42) symmetrical and trapeziform, hind margin slightly concave. Right and left paraproct (Fig. 42) dissimilar, right paraproct with spine-like process on the base. Subgenital plate asymmetrical, left side thickened and upturned, right side slightly upturned; two styli similar and padlike, both apices with minute spines (Fig. 43). Hook of left phallomere large and robust at apex and slender at hook portion, on left side, with V-shaped and subapical incision (Fig. 44); median phallomere distinctly curved at middle and lanciform, and apex spine-like and acute (Fig. 45). right phallomere (Fig. 46) same to that of Symploce torchaceus.
Female is similar to male; supra-anal plate symmetrical and trapeziform; subgenital plate simple and hind margin round.
Based on type of vein, the unmodified seventh tergum and symmetrical supra-anal plate, this species should be placed in Symploce, and the species is different from other species in this genus for it's dark brown colors and special macula on pronotum.
Etymology. The Latin word "paramarginata" refers to the superficial resemblance of this species to Episymploce marginata Bey-Bienko.
Vertex with interocular space wider than distance between antennal sockets, and ocellus width about same as distance between antennal sockets. Third and fourth maxillary palpomus about same length, both distinctly longer than the fifth. Pronotum nearly trapezoid with shallow U-shaped macula near base, and hind margin distinctly curved (Figs 9,47,(56)(57)(58). Tegmen with apical posterior branch of radius vein unbranched; median vein also unbifurcated (Fig. 48). Hind wing with radius vein branched beyond the middle, median vein simple, cubitus with 2 complete and 3 incomplete branches, and triangular apical area reduced and small (Fig. 49). Middle of the first abdominal tergite elevated, with a tuft of hair directed forward, T7 and T9 unmodified (Fig. 50).
Male genitalia. Supra-anal plate (Fig. 51) symmetrical, hind margin truncate and turning ventrad. Paraprocts dissimilar, right one bearing a long spine-like process and a hand-like process on distad; left one with a spine-like process distad (Fig. 51). Sub-  genital plate (Fig. 52) asymmetrical, hind margin produced in the middle, right stylus arising at apex and left stylus spine-like directed downwards near base of right one, right side with an irregular sclerite with apex is serrated. Hook-like phallomere on the left (Fig. 53), median phallomere with tapering apex (Fig. 54); right phallomere with lots of irregular sclerites and one of them with slim setae (Fig. 55).
Female is similar to male. Supra-anal plate symmetrical, triangular; subgenital plate broad, hind margin slightly arced, near lateral sides concaved. Remarks. This species resembles Symploce striata, but can be differed by the following characters: 1) pronotum with shallow U-shaped macula, without macula in S. striata; 2) apex of tegmen with blackish brown macula, without macula in S. striata; 3) terminal half of subgenital plate distinctly triangular, trapezoidal in S. striata.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin adjective "evidens", referring to the pronotum with an evident shallow U-shaped macula.

Discussion
The small order-Blattodea has been investigated and researched for more than two hundred years (Wang and Che 2010). Why are there still more unknown species? The main reason might relate to diversity of habitats, and the methods we used in investigation. In the past time we usually collected cockroaches by searching the habitat for Blattodea by day or at night, especially under dry branches and fallen leaves, or rotting logs, and before obtaining specimens periods of observation may be preceded. This collection tends to be more specific and less ineffective. Passive collecting, such as light traps, also tends to be ineffective. For instance, the most cockroach specimens were obtained by light traps, but species concerned was few; occasionally some were sampled by sweep net, similarly, a narrow variety of cockroaches could be collected.
Traditional sweep at ground litter by day well known by most of cockroach researchers, few collectors can search for cockroaches at night with the aid of highlight torches or cap-lamp, and fewer has a wide knowledge that cockroaches also live on the trees. To everyone's surprise, Blattodea represented most of the biomass in the canopy (Basset 2001). We have obtained a great number of cockroach specimens by night searching and canopy fogging in recent years. One new species of this paper, Symploce evidens sp. n., only several specimens were acquired by traditional collection after years of effort; but by night searching, we have got a large number of specimens of this species (some soaked in alcohol are excluded) and ecological photos (Figs 56-58) have also been taken successfully. They are mostly secretive and typically ground-dwelling insects that hide by day in cracks and crevices, or under stones (Wang ZQ, pers. obs.). Although having tegmina and well-developed wings, Symploce evidens sp. n., usually like to crawl on the leaves and fly slowly at night; even frightened by light or sound, they will not flee in panic like Periplaneta americana Linnaeus (Wu KL, pers. obs.).
Adult cockroaches usually have two sets of wings. The tegmina are somewhat sclerotized; while the hindwings are membranous, and generally wider than tegmina. It is generally believed that cross veins play an important role in supporting and reinforcement of the hindwings. Cross veins are normally present throughout most of the wings of cockroaches, and it is only in certain of the more specialized forms such as the Ectobiinae, Anaplectinae and Oulopteryx in Corydiidae that they are reduced to a number that can be used in classification (Rehn 1951).