Brinckiella karooensis, Naskrecki, Piotr & Bazelet, Corinna S., 2009

Naskrecki, Piotr & Bazelet, Corinna S., 2009, A species radiation among South African flightless spring katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Brinckiella Chopard), Zootaxa 2056, pp. 46-62 : 57-58

Brinckiella karooensis n. sp.

( Figs. 1 N; 2I –J; 3B, F; 5C–D)

Type locality. Republic of South Africa: Northern Cape, Goegap Nat. Res., Kraaifontein (29°37'42.5''S, 18°2'33.6''E), 1059 m, 2–3.x.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet - male holotype ( SAMC)

Diagnostic description (male, except where specified) – General characteristics as for the genus, diagnostic characters listed below. This species is similar to B. mauerbergerorum in the presence of minute denticles on the phallus, but differs from this and other species within the genus in the unique shape of the male cercus ( Fig. 3 F), an extended and strongly sclerotized 10th tergite, and the shape of the female subgenital plate ( Fig. 2 I.)

Thorax. Lateral lobe of pronotum about twice as long as high; anterior margin of pronotum flat; broadly rounded; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded.

Legs. Genicular lobes of front femur armed with one spine on posterior (outer) and two spines on anterior (inner) side. Front tibia usually unarmed dorsally, except for one or two apical spines. Genicular lobes of mid femur armed with single spines on both sides. Genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed.

Wings. Stridulatory file flat, weakly bent, 6.0 mm long, 0.2 mm wide, with 47 teeth ( Fig. 1 N.)

Abdomen. Tenth tergite with posterior edge sclerotized and somewhat extended, completely covering epiproct. Cercus short, nearly straight; apex slightly thickened, blunt; unarmed ( Fig. 3 F); phallus mostly membranous, with central, inner lobes somewhat sclerotized and covered with minute teeth ( Fig. 3 B.) Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, straight apically; styli cylindrical, more than 3 times as long as wide, parallel, widely separated and held horizontally ( Fig. 2 Q.) Female subgenital plate about 2.5 times as wide as long, with two short lateral lobes and convex central portion, posterior lobes rounded ( Fig. 2 I.)

Ovipositor. Ovipositor strongly curved, shorter than half of hind femur, dorsal edge of upper valvula parallel to lower valvula; apex pointed, with minute dentitions on both lower and upper valvulae ( Fig. 2 J.)

Coloration. Coloration light green ( Figs. 5 C–D), antennae concolorous; antennal scapus without markings. Face pale green; eyes uniformly colored. Pronotum green, with dark and light stripes on upper edge of lateral lobe, continuous with those on thorax and abdomen. Tegmen mostly dark brown, with costal area lighter than rest of wing. Legs with basal parts sometimes darker or lighter than distal parts; hind femur uniformly colored; genicular lobes of front legs without markings; abdominal sterna without markings; abdominal terga with horizontal dark and light stripes laterally, area between stripes sometimes lighter then rest of abdomen; subgenital plate without markings; ovipositor green, apex brown.

Measurements (2 males, 4 females). total body: female 17.5–18.5 (18.1±.4); body: male 12, female 14–15.5 (15.1±.7); pronotum: male 2.5–2.8 (2.7±.2), female 2.5–3 (2.9±.3); tegmen: male 2–2.1 (2.1±.1); hind femur: male 14–14.5 (14.3±.4), female 13–14 (13.4±.5); front femur: male 7.5–8.1 (7.8±.4), female 5.5–6 (5.9±.3); mid femur: male 7.5–7.8 (7.7±.2), female 6–6.5 (6.3±.3); ovipositor: 5.5–6.1 (5.8±.3) mm.

Material examined. Republic of South Africa: Northern Cape, Namakwa Distr., 12 km N of Okiep, on rt. N7, elev. 757 m (29°29'35.7''S, 17°50'24.8''E), 27.ix.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _5) - 2 females (paratypes) ( MCZ, USEC); Goegap Nat. Res., Kraaifontein, elev. 1059 m (29°37'42.5''S, 18°2'33.6''E), 2–3.x.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _29) - 1 female, 4 males (incl. holotype, 4 paratypes) ( ANSP, MCZ, SAMC); Goegap Nat. Res., on 4x 4 route, elev. 940 m (29°40'41.5''S, 18°1'11.1''E), 3.x.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _31) - 1 female (paratype) ( ANSP).

Etymology. Named after the Succulent Karoo biome, the habitat of this new species.

Remarks. Specimens of this species were collected on low shrubs and grasses within the Namaqualand Hardeveld (most individuals were found within the Namaqualand Blomveld biome, but one female was collected from a low shrub in the Namaqualand Klipkoppe Shrubland)( Mucina and Rutherford 2006) within the Goegap Nature Reserve ( Fig. 5 G.)

Figures

FIGURE 1. Diagnostic characters of Brinckiella spp.: A. B. mauerbergerorum – male head and pronotum, lateral view; B. ditto, female; C. B. wilsoni - male head and pronotum, lateral view; D. ditto, female; E – F. dorsal views of the male, typical coloration patterns; G. B. arboricola - female head and pronotum, lateral view; H. B. elegans - female head and pronotum, lateral view; I. B. aptera - male head and pronotum, lateral view; J. ditto, dorsal view; K – N. male stridulatory files: K. B. mauerbergerorum; L. B. wilsoni; M. B. arboricola; N. B. karooensis.

FIGURE 2. Diagnostic characters of Brinckiella spp.: A. B. mauerbergerorum – female subgenital plate; B. ditto, ovipositor; C. B. viridis - female subgenital plate; D. ditto, ovipositor; E. B. arboricola - female subgenital plate; F. ditto, ovipositor; G. B. wilsoni - female subgenital plate; H. ditto, ovipositor; I. B. karooensis - female subgenital plate; J. ditto, ovipositor; K. B. serricauda - female subgenital plate; L. ditto, ovipositor; M. B. elegans - female subgenital plate; N. ditto, ovipositor; O. B. aptera - male subgenital plate; P. B. wilsoni - male subgenital plate; Q. B. karooensis - male subgenital plate.

FIGURE 3. Diagnostic characters of Brinckiella spp.: A – D. phallus: A. B. mauerbergerorum; B. B. karooensis; C. B. wilsoni; D. B. arboricola; E – I. male cercus: E. B. mauerbergerorum; F. B. karooensis; G. B. wilsoni; H. B. arboricola; I. B. aptera; J. tegmen, B. karooensis; K. the mid-section of the ovipositor, B. wilsoni; L. ditto, B. serricauda (note the distinct serration on the upper valvula); M – N. eggs: M. B. serricauda; N. B. wilsoni; O. B. arboricola; P. the position and size of the thoracic auditory spiracle, Poecilimon turcicus Karabag, female (the red arrow indicates vestigial tegmina); Q. ditto, B. arboricola.

FIGURE 5. Species of Brinckiella: A. B. elegans, female; B. B. serricauda, female; C. B. karooensis, female; D. ditto, male; E. B. arboricola, female, yellow form; F. fynbos vegetation near Clanwilliam (Western Cape), the habitat of B. wilsoni; G. Namaqualand Hardeveld biome of the Succulent Karoo (Goegap Nature Reserve, Northern Cape), the habitat of B. arboricola and B. karooensis.