Myrmeleotettix ethicus Sirin & Ciplak

Sirin, Deniz, Mol, Abbas & Ciplak, Battal, 2011, Myrmeleotettix Bolivar (Orthoptera, Gomphocerinae) in Anatolia on the basis of morphological and behavioural characters: data suggest a new species from southern end of the Anatolian refugium, Zootaxa 2917, pp. 29-47 : 39-43

Myrmeleotettix ethicus Sirin & Ciplak sp. n.

Holotype (male): Turkey, Antalya, Gombe, Akdag Mt., around Ikizgol, N 36°44.449, E 029°35.414, 2570 m., 28.7.2006 (D. Sirin & O. Eren).

Other material studied. Paratypes 10 males, 7 females, same data as holotype; paratypes 11 males and 8 females, same locality as holotype, 7.8.2007 (D. Şirin & Ö. Eren) (Holotype and paratypes in Akdeniz University, Zoology Museum—AUZM; Collection of B. Ciplak).

Diagnosis. Myrmeleotettix ethicus sp. n. is a member of the genus Myrmeleotettix characterized by the complex courtship song ( Fig. 9 D–E) and by the morphological character combination defining the genus ( Figs 3–6 ). It is similar to M. maculatus in the calling and courtship song including different phases with different syllable pattern. In addition to the characters given in the key to species below, these two species differ in several other characters (see Morphology and Stridulation sections in the Results part). A key to all species of the genus is given below with the aim of diagnosis of the new species according to all members of the genus (based mainly on the data by Bei-Bienko & Mistshenko 1951; Xiang-chu & Kai-ling 2003). Since the description by Mistshenko (1968) for M. zaitzevi do not allow to determine the sates for all the characters below this species has not been given in the key to species. However, the new species M. ethicus well differs from M. zaitzevi by the angulated lateral keels (very weakly curved in the second).

Description. Head moderately projecting forward and lateralward; vertical diameter of eye/maximum length of foveolae 3.8–4.2 in male, 2.9–3.2 in female; interocular distance (minimum)/length of sub ocular groove 0.7–0.8 in both genders; length/width of the widest segment of antennae 2.5–3.0 in male, 3.8–4.2 in female; length of subocular groove/vertical diameter of eye 0.6 in male, 0.8 in female; maximum length of foveolae/maximum width of foveolae, 2.0– 2.4 in male, 2.0– 2.2 in female; the antenna with distinct apical club and its length 5.6–6.2 mm in male and 4.5–4.8 mm in female.

Pronotum. lateral carinae distinct and posterior margin projecting; more thicker in the beginning of metazona in both genders and curved almost in the middle half of prozona; the maximum/minimum distances between lateral carinae 2.2–2.5 in male and 2.2–2.6 in female; first and second lateral sulcus reach close to lateral carinae or sometimes pass them, typical transversal sulcus (third sulcus) straight or indistinctly curved, located just before middle or exactly on middle; length of pronotum before /after typical sulcus 0.8–1.0 in male, 0.8–0.9 in female. Mesosternal interspace 1.75–2.0 times wider than long; margins of mesosternal lobes slightly divergent backward.

Tegmen. 3.6–4.1 times as long as its maximal width in male, 3.9–4.4 times in female; maximum width of precostal area/maximum width of costal area 0.5–0.7 in male, 0.6–0.8 in female; medial area extend far beyond the middle of the tegmen in both genders; precostal vein fuse with costal vein around 2/3 part of tegmina from base in male, 3/4 part of tegmina from base in female; maximum widths of costal/subcostal areas 1.3–1.7 in male, 1.1–1.5 in female; maximum widths of medial/precostal areas 2.5–3.2 in male. 2.4–3.0 in female: maximum width of medial/cubital areas 2.4–2.6 in male, 2.2–2.5 in female; stigma located in 2/10 of the tegmen in male and 2/10–3/ 10 in female.

Femur. Length/maximum width of hind femur 3.5–4.0 in male, 3.7–3.9 in female; number of stridulatory pegs 132–164 in male, 133–174 in female.

Abdomen. Abdominal segments with long and dense setae especially ventrally; subgenital plate in male and ovipositor valves in female densely setose. Tympanal opening slit-shaped, maximum length/width of tympanum 3.0– 3.2 in male and 5.0– 5.8 in female. Cerci 1.6–1.8 times as long as wide in male and 2.0–2.3 times in female, cerci extending beyond middle of epiproct in male and shorter in female. Ventral valves of the ovipositor narrowing near apex.

Coloration. Mostly yellowish rarely reddish brown dorsally and ventrally in general appearance; there are dark patterns on head posterior of the compound eyes. pronotum light yellow or brownish around two sides of median carina, black or blackish along lateral carinae, pronotum totally brown including lateral carinae in some specimens; tegmina mostly brownish, there are 3–5 dark spots along medial field and 2–3 in radial field; costal field totally light in. Hind femur in body colour, with an vertical blackish line internally near the base and irregular dark patterns externally, brown or brownish yellow ventrally; hind knee dark brown; hind tibiae yellow or yellowish-brown; there are ring-like dark lines on the two ends of tibia.

Calling song. The calling song of a male is a typical phrase ( Fig. 8 D) consisting of 25–60 syllables (40.4 ± 12.7) (see Table 6 for details). Phrase duration varies from 12.2 to 39.8 (23.3 ± 10.3 s). The phrase begins quietly, intensity of syllables gradually increases and reaches to maximum around 4/5 of the phrase, in some of the songs there is a more rapid crescendo roughly up to half of the phrase. The syllable period lasts about 420.7–640.1ms (500.3 ± 40) ( Fig. 8 D). There is a sharpen and loud pulse in the beginnings of each syllable periods ( Fig. 8 D).

Courtship song. The courtship song of Antalya population was recorded from six different males. During recording the male was put in a cage together with a female. One of the males produced a song different than that of the other five. Pattern of the song produced by this single male is similar to that of M. maculatus while that of other five is specific to this population ( Fig. 9 D–E, Table 6). Each of five males successfully mated with the female put together. Three different records with three different females were made from the single male producing M. maculatus type courtship song ( Fig. 9 E, Table 6). Females did not accept this male and moved away during or after the courtship, and the male was unsuccessful in mating. So, the courtship song type produced by five males was accepted typical for the new species. The question that “how could such a pattern survive” offers good hypotheses to be tested.

The typical courtship song consists of three phases. Phase I is similar to Phase Ib in M. maculatus ( Fig. 9 D). This phase lasts 7.4– 10.3 s (8.9 ± 0.8) and involves 11–15 (13 ± 1.1) syllables that are very similar to those of calling song in structure. Syllable periods of Phase I ranges between 613–830 ms (681 ± 50). The Phase I is followed by Phase II which begins with relatively loud sound produced by the sudden jerked downstroke of the hind legs. Male wave the antennae occurs synchronously with this second phase. Duration of Phase II ranges between 9.3– 13.9 s (11.3 ± 1.3) and composed of 11–16 (13.3 ± 1.5) syllables each of which lasts 784–960 ms (852 ± 30). The last phase contains non-regular mixed louder and slower syllables and is similar to Phase IV in M. maculatus .

Distribution. This species is presently known only from its type locality. The data suggest that it is restricted to the South Western Anatolian Taurus ( Fig. 1 ).

Etymology. The new species named as " ethicus " to highlight this importance of ethic in all scientific activities.

Figures

FIGURE 1. The localities of Myrmeleotettix in Anatolia (open small circles represent the localities visited but no specimens were found; large filled circles show the records of M. maculatus large open circles show records in previous publications; large open quadrangle localities of specimens in the museums not published previously; filled triangle represents the record of M. ethicus sp. n.; (see Table 1 )).

FIGURE 9. A phrase of male courtship song; M. maculatus (A—Erlangen, Germany, B— Bursa, Turkey and C—Trabzon, Turkey) and M. ethicus sp. n. (D – E Antalya, Turkey).

FIGURES 3 – 4. M. ethicus sp. n. habitus (A), tympanum (B) and antennae (C). 3 — Male and 4 — Female.

FIGURE 5. Pronotum M. ethicus sp. n. (A—male and B—female) and M. maculatus (C—male and D—female).

FIGURE 6. Tegmina M. ethicus sp. n. (A—male and B—female) and M. maculatus (C—male and D—female).

FIGURE 8. A complete phrase of male calling song; M. maculatus (A—Erlangen, Germany, B—Bursa, Turkey and C—Trabzon, Turkey) and M. ethicus sp. n. (D—Antalya, Turkey).