Abstract
The taxonomy of the North American Gymnodamaeidae is currently intractable, because (1) the adults are covered in a thick, ornamented cerotegument that provides useful characters, but that obscures the cuticle; (2) many descriptions appear to be based on newly moulted or cleared specimens and are incomplete or contain misinterpretations; and (3) there is considerable disagreement in the literature about valid genera and generic limits, leading some authors to sink some or all of the North American genera into Gymnodamaeus s.l. Several nomenclatorial problems have added to the confusion. In this paper I use new diagnoses to demonstrate that seven previously described genera based on North American species can be separated from Gymnodamaeus s.s. and provide a key to distinguish them. I clarify the correct publication dates for Paschoal’s genera and after consultation with the original author, propose replacements for two of these generic names that are preoccupied: Donjohnstonella nom. nov. for Johnstonella Paschoal and Roynortonella nom. nov. for Nortonella Paschoal. New Canadian provincial distribution records are provided for Gymnodamaeus cf. ornatus Hammer (AB), Jacotella quadricaudicula (Jacot) (AB, ON), Joshuella agrosticula Paschoal (AB, YK), and Pleodamaeus plokosus (Woolley & Higgins) (AB). Finally, I discuss the similarity between the cerotegumental pustules in the Gymnodamaeidae and the epicuticular wax crystalloids on the leaves of plants such as the water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and suggest that they may have a similar water repellent “Lotus-effect.References
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