Nesonotus vulneratus Hugel, 2013

Hugel, Sylvain & Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure, 2013, New Pseudophyllinae from the Lesser Antilles (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Tettigoniidae), Zootaxa 3741 (2), pp. 279-288 : 280-284

Nesonotus vulneratus Hugel , n. sp.

( Figs. 1–15 ; tab. 1)

Holotype. Male. [Caribbean, Lesser Antilles], Martinique, Le Marigot, D1, Trace des Jésuites O, 650 m alt., 14°43’53’’N, 61°04’40’’O, 2.VIII.2008, vue de nuit [sight by night], enregistré [recorded], leg. S. Hugel, 1♂, Martinique 2008 020, MNHN (MNHN-EO-ENSIF3218). Female. [Caribbean, Lesser Antilles, Martinique], l’Alma, 10.III.[19]55; Nesonotus sp. ? denticulatus Brunner 1895 appartient au R[évérend] P[ère] Pinchon à Fort de France Martinique, J. Bonfils det. IX 1969. Allotype. MNHN (MNHN-EO-ENSIF3219). Paratypes. [Caribbean, Lesser Antilles], Martinique, Fonds-Saint-Denis, plateau Boucher, sentier du Carbet, 650 m alt., 61°06'00"O - 14°43'09"N, 11.VIII.2008, ab larva, 1♂, Martinique 2008 117; 2♀, Martinique 2008 112, Martinique 2008 114; all leg. & coll. S. Hugel. Non type material. Specimens from breeding of paratypes females: 2♂, 1♀; coll. S. Hugel.

Diagnosis. N. vulneratus Hugel , n. sp. is characterized by the following: Head light brown, without dark pattern except mandibles and labrum distally; median ocellus very small, circular, not colored ( Fig. 1 ); face carina lateralis interna forming a basal bulge (fig.1); scape without conspicuous distal spine (Fig. 2); pro discus with parasagittal black pattern (Fig. 2); T1 with 4–5 conspicuous denticles on both dorsal carinae (Fig. 3); F1, F2 and F3 on both sides without distinct genicular spine; male subgenital plate neither notched, nor elongated (Fig. 7); male cerci with a long projection pointing inwards/downwards (figs. 7–9); female subgenital plate wider than long, with pointing lateral lobes, with a distinct U-shaped notch separating semi-circular distal lobes (Fig. 10); ovipositor regularly narrowed toward apex, slightly up-curved (Fig. 11).

Description. Head. Figs.1 , 2. Antennae about twice as long as length of body, scape with a minute bulge, not a spine. Head wide, slightly wider than pronotum. Face carina lateralis interna well distinct and marked in the basal half of the frons; forming a basal bulge. Face carina lateralis externa well distinct and marked from below the eyes to the mandibles. Cuticle of head smooth, not wrinkled. Fastrigium of vertex: from above with basal bulges harboring lateral ocelli separated by a furrow, apex pointing, reaching the scrobae. Space between eyes about 1.7 times as wide as the wider diameter of eye. Eyes ovoid. Thorax. Fig 2. Pronotum with numerous tubercles in the prozone and mesozone; metazone less densely tuberculated; lateral lobes without distinct tubercles; anterior transversal sulcus shallow, distinct in the discus only; posterior transversal sulcus deep, well distinct in the discus and the lateral lobes; short deep sagittal sulcus crossing the posterior transversal sulcus in the middle; pro- and mesozone of the discus with indistinct sagittal carina; discus anterior margin convex, with an indistinct median bulge; posterior margin of the discus with a shallow median concavity; lateral lobe posteriorly well developed and strongly rimmed. Thoracic auditory opening ovoid, well distinct. Prosternum with spines of medium length. Legs. Fore coxae dorsally with anteriorly directed long spine. F1: rounded dorsally; with distinct ventral carinae; inner (anterior) carina with 4 spines; outer (posterior) carina non armed. F2 rounded dorsally; with distinct ventral carinae; outer (anterior) carina with 3–4 spines (usually 4); inner (posterior) carina not armed. F3 with 7–11 spines in the ventral carina. All genicular lobes non armed (rarely with an indistinct tubercle). T1 (Fig. 3) squared in cross section, with well distinct carinae; tibia not enlarged after the tympanal area (side view, fig 3); tympanal organ orifices equal, opened dorsally; inner (anterior) dorsal carina with 4–5 blunt spines; outer (posterior) dorsal carina with 3–5 blunt spines; inner (anterior) ventral carina with 6–7 subapical spurs; outer (posterior) ventral carina with 4–6 subapical spurs. T2 usually with 6 subapical spurs on both ventral carinae. T3 squared in cross section; with 4– 5 inner (posterior) ventral subapical spurs; with 7–8 outer (anterior) ventral subapical spurs; with 8–11 inner (posterior) dorsal subapical spines; with 6–7 outer (anterior) dorsal subapical spines. Wings. Well developed; exceeding distinctly the abdomen and hind knees. FW: middle of large cells filled with fine veinlet nets. Abdomen: dorsal surface of tergites not modified.

Male. Wings. Figs. 4–6. Left FW mirror opaque, without nets of veinlets; about 1.4 times as high (maximal height) as wide (maximal width). File with ca. 170 lamellar teeth (Fig. 6). Terminalia. Figs. 7–9. Subgenital plate symmetrical, with weakly converging lateral sides; without posterior emargination; with distinct long styli. Cerci long, projecting interiorly and ventrally, with a small dorsal callosity in the inflection point. Female. Terminalia. Figs. 10–11. Ovipositor almost strait; regularly narrowing toward apex. Subgenital plate strongly modified; wider than long, with pointing lateral lobes, with a distinct U-shaped notch separating semi-circular distal lobes. Lateral sclerites ovoid, slightly concave.

Color. Similar in male and female. Light brown; head without black pattern except mandibles and labrum distally ( Fig. 1 ). Apex of spines black, particularly in T1. T1 darkened. Pro discus with parasagittal black pattern (Fig. 2); FW veins and veinlets light brown, cells darkened, particularly large cells without veinlets. HW: slightly infumated. Male anal field darkened. Ovipositor apex darkened.

Bioacoustics. Fig. 12–15 . Nesonotus vulneratus Hugel , n. sp. sings by night hours, staying in the highest branches of the undergrowth and probably the canopy as well. The call consists of long (> 1 min) irregular repetitions of simple syllables. At 25°C, syllables are repeated at the rate of 2.65±0.06 syllable/s (syllable duration: 18.8±5.5 ms; inter-syllable interval: 375.7±9.7 ms). Syllables are made of 5.9±0.1 distinct trains of waves. The frequency peaks between 14–16 kHz. This species produces sometimes tremulations while singing. Unlike Nesonotus reticulatus , Nesonotus vulneratus Hugel , n. sp. does not tremulate on a regular basis (Stumpner et al., in press).

Biology. This large species occurs on the hygrophilous forest of Martinique where it is often observed by night high on trees. In captivity, it feeds mostly on plant material and drills shelters on soft wood.

Etymology. After the strong bite of the species.

Remark. N. vulneratus Hugel , n. sp. is close to N. salomonoides also from Martinique, and to N. denticulatus from Saint Lucia (new record; type locality unknown). N. vulneratus Hugel , n. sp. can be distinguished from N. salomonoides by: the condition of T1 dorsal carinae (non armed in N. salomonoides ); the condition of T1 genicular lobe (inner lobe with a spine in N. salomonoides ); the head color (darkened except the clypeus in N. salomonoides ); the size (smaller in N. salomonoides ); the male cerci (upcurved with a basal bulge and a terminal spine in N. salomonoides ); the female subgenital plate (longer than wide with a narrow notch in N. salomonoides ). N. vulneratus Hugel , n. sp. can be distinguished from N. denticulatus by: the head color (large yellow median ocellus and darkened head in N. denticulatus ); the male subgenital plate (with a V-shaped notch in N. denticulatus ); the male cerci (with a terminal spine in N. denticulatus ); the female subgenital plate (longer than wide with a narrow notch in N. denticulatus ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. 11Nesonotus vulneratus Hugel, n. sp. 1, head (frontal view). 2, head and pronotum (dorsal view). 3, right T1 outer view. 4, male left FW, anal field. 5, male right FW, anal field. 6, stridulatory file, SEM, ventral view. 7, male terminalia, ventral view. 8, male terminalia left side view. 9, male right circus, SEM, inner ¾ side view. 10, female terminalia, ventral view. 11, female terminalia, left side view. 6, 9 are scan electron microscope pictures. Scale bars: 6, 9: 1 mm; others: 5 mm.

FIGURE 12–15. Oscillogram of the calling song of Nesonotus vulneratus Hugel, n. sp. in natura. 13–15 are details of 12 (arrows). Martinique, Le Morne Rouge, 2.VIII.2008, 22h00, 25°C.