Saussurella brachycornis, Deng & Zheng & Lei, 2017

Deng, Wei-An, Zheng, Zhe-Min & Lei, Chao-Liang, 2017, A new species of the genus Saussurella Bolivar 1887 from China, with a key to the species of the genus (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae), Journal of Natural History 51, pp. 1-10 : 4-7

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293747

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0361023A-FFF1-B631-99A4-249C74253C17

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Saussurella brachycornis
status

sp. nov.

Saussurella brachycornis View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figures 1–2 View Figure 1 View Figure 2 )

Diagnosis

Female. Size small and medium and its head not exerted above the pronotal surface. Vertex wide, its width 2.0 times the width of an eye ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (d)), anterior margin slightly protruding beyond the eyes; in profile, frontal ridge and vertex forming an obtusely rounded, slightly concave area before lateral ocelli and protruding as arch between antennae ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (c)), longitudinal furrow distinctly wider than width of first segment of antennae, carinae nearly parallel ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (e)). Antennae filiform, 21-segmented, inserted between lower margin of eyes ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (c)), mid segments six to seven times as long as wide. Eyes globose; lateral ocelli placed in the middle between eyes ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (e)).

Frontal cornu of pronotum protruding forward, over the head in front ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (a,b)), shorter, length of horn-like process of pronotum about 1.7 mm; in profile, horn-like process of pronotum slightly ascendant, oblique, lower margin straight and upper margin curved forward ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (c)); apex of horn-like process rounded in dorsal view ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (d)), length of horn-like process about 0.95× longer than length of tegmina; mid keel of pronotum entire, upper margin of pronotum straight in profile ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (a)). Lateral keels of prozona parallel, humeral angle obtusely rounded, without abbreviated carinae between shoulders; posterior process of pronotum narrow, long cone-shaped, surpassing apex of hind femur and reaching middle of hind tibia ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (a,b)). Lateral lobes of pronotum turned downwards, posterior angles nearly right angles, posterior margin of each lateral lobe with two concavities. Visible part of tegmina ovate, 1.8 mm in length, its width equal to width of mid femur. Hind wings developed, surpassing apex of posterior process of pronotum about 1.2 mm. Fore femora elongate, upper and lower margins conspicusly sulcate ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (a)); middle femora elongate, apex of its upper margins with a small acute genicular spine ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (f)). Hind femur stubby, with length 2.8 times its width, mid keel of dorsal and ventral side of hind femur dentate, antegenicular small and acute, genicular denticles large and right angled. Outer and inner side of hind tibia with eight to nine spines. First segment of posterior tarsus slightly shorter than third in length, three pulvilli equal in length, apices of all pulvilli obtuse ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (b)). Ovipositor narrow and long, length of upper valvulae 2.8 times its width, upper and lower valvulae with slender saw-like teeth ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (c)). Posterior margin of subgenital plate with three lobes ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (d)), middle lobe shorter than lateral lobes in length.

Colouration

Body dark brown. Antennae yellow-brown, the last four segments black. Tegmina black and edge light colour. Hind femora yellow-brown, with dark transverse bands. Hind tibiae black-brown.

Male ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (e)). Similar to female, but smaller and narrower. Width of mid femur wider than tegmina. Subgenital plate short, apex truncate, lateral margins slightly constricted inwards in middle ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (f)).

Measurements

Length of body ♂ 13.0– 13.5 mm, ♀ 14.0– 14.5 mm; length of pronotum ♂ 16.0– 16.5 mm, ♀ 17.0– 17.5 mm; length of hind femur ♂ 6.5–7.0 mm, ♀ 7.5–8.0 mm.

Holotype female and allotype male, China, Yunnan, Jinping, Fenshuiling National Nature Reserve , 22.76° N, 102.93° E, 1450 m altitude, 7 September 2012, collected by Xun Bian and GoogleMaps

Guang-Lin Xie, SCBHU. Paratypes: Same data, two male; one females, leg. Xun Bian and Guang- Lin Xie, SCBHU.

Remarks

This species can be easily distinguished from other species of the genus by length of horn-like process of pronotum being shorter, and approximately 1.7 mm. It is only similar to Saussurella borneensis Hancock 1912 , from which it differs in: lateral keels of prozona parallel and conspicuous, width of mid femur equal to width of tegmina in female, middle lobe of posterior margin of female subgenital plate shorter than lateral lobes in length, and lateral margins of male subgenital plate slightly constricted inwards in middle. Saussurella borneensis Hancock 1912 exhibits inconspicuous lateral keels of the prozona, width of mid femur wider than width of tegmina in female, middle lobe of posterior margin of female subgenital plate equal to lateral lobes in length, lateral margins of subgenital plate widened apically in male.

Etymology

The new species’ name is derived from Latin brachy and cornis, referring to the short length of the horn-like process of pronotum.

Habitat

The new species lives in shrubbery in tropical rainforests.

Distribution

China (Yunnan).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Orthoptera

Family

Tetrigidae

Genus

Saussurella

Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF