Epitettix obtusus Storozhenko et Dawwrueng

Storozhenko, Sergey Yu. & Dawwrueng, Pattarawich, 2014, Three new species of the subfamily Cladonotinae (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) from Thailand, Zootaxa 3811 (3), pp. 325-337 : 326-329

Epitettix obtusus Storozhenko et Dawwrueng , sp. nov.

Figs. 1–13

Material examined. Holotype—female, Thailand: Nakhon Ratchasima Province, environs of National park Khao Yai, 500–1000 m, 26 October–4 November 2000, coll. A. Gorochov and L. Anisyutkin (Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg). Paratypes: 3 males, same data as in holotype (Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg); 3 females, Thailand: Chiang Mai Province, Chiang Mai, Huai Hongkhrai Royal Development Study Center, 18°47′2″ N, 98°59′ E, 500–700 m, 22–24 June 2013, coll. P. Dawwrueng (Department of Entomology, Kasetsart University, Bangkok).

Description. Female (holotype). Body robust, medium sized for genus. Antennae filiform, 16-segmented; antennal bases situated on the level of lower margin of eyes. Length of antennae 1.4 times longer than length of fore femur; mid segments of antennae 4.5–5 times as long as wide. Eyes not protruding above vertex in lateral view. Lateral ocelli placed near the middle of eyes. Fastigium of vertex with deep concavities behind lateral carinae, slightly produced in front of eyes from dorsal aspect, 2 times wider than width of one eye from above; anterior margin of fastigium broadly rounded, median carina of fastigium short; lateral carinae elevated. Frontal ridge in lateral view rounded. Width of frontal ridge near base of antennae 1.5 times more than width of 1st antennal segment. Pronotum rugulose, not reaching apex of abdomen; in dorsal view anterior margin of pronotum acute angular in the middle; posterior process of pronotum in dorsal view with rounded apex. Median carina of pronotum almost straight in profile; in cross-section carina broadly triangular. Lateral carinae of pronotum in prozona reduced. Hind margin of lateral lobes of pronotum with lower sinus only; posterior angles of lateral lobes in dorsal view truncated. Tegmina and hind wings absent. Fore and mid femora with almost straight and finely serrate lower and upper carinae. Fore femur 3.2 times, mid femur 3.5 times as long as wide. Hind femur stout, 2.2 times as long as wide; upper and lower carinae smooth; lower outer keel of hind femora without projections. Upper side of hind tibia with 6–8 outer and 4 inner teeth; numerous denticles are situated in basal part of outer side and especially in apical and basal parts of inner side of tibia. First tarsal segment of hind legs 1.4 times longer than 3rd segment (without claws). Subgenital plate as long as wide, with strongly angularly projecting posterior margin. Cerci conical, 1.5 times as long as wide near base, with pointed apex. Valves of ovipositor narrow, dentate. Upper valve of ovipositor 3.8 times longer than its maximum width. Lower valve of ovipositor 6.6 times longer than its maximum width.

Body brown, with few blackish and light brown spots on pronotum and legs. Head dark brown, with light brown spot situated above lateral ocelli and light brown stripes below eyes. Antennae light brown with shiny dark brown apex. Dorsal side and lateral lobes of pronotun light brown. Fore and mid femora dark brown with indistinct light spots. Fore and mid tibiae blackish, with three light rings. First segment of fore and mid tarsi brown, second segment with whitish base and black apex; claws brown. Hind femora light brown, lower side with black pregenicular spot; upper and lower carinae of hind femora with numerous black marks. Hind tibiae brown, with blackish ring near the middle. First and second segment of hind tarsus brown, third segment with light brown base and blackish apex; claws brown. Abdomen light brown with two blackish longitudinal stripes on the lateral sides of tergites. Ovipositor light brown.

Male (paratypes). Similar to female. Antennae 15-segmented; length of antennae 1.4–1.6 times longer than length of fore femur; mid segments of antennae 3.8–4 times as long as wide. Fastigium of vertex 2.0–2.1 times wider than width of one eye from above. Width of frontal ridge near the base of antennae 1.6–1.8 times more than width of 1st antennal segment. Pronotum as in female. Tegmina and hind wings absent. Fore and mid femora as in female, but lower carina of femora slightly sinuate; fore femur 3.1–3.4 times, mid femur 3.1–3.2 times as long as wide. Hind femur 2.2–2.4 times as long as wide; upper and lower carinae smooth; lower outer keel of hind femora without projections. Upper side of hind tibia with 6–8 outer and 4–6 inner teeth and with numerous denticles situated as in female. First tarsal segment of hind legs 1.4–1.5 times longer than 3rd segment (without claws). Epiproct narrow triangular, with pointed apex. Subgenital plate in lateral view short with pointed apex; in ventral view apex of plate excised. Cerci 1.5–1.7 times as long as wide, with pointed apex.

There are two color forms. Body of two paratypes dark brown. Head blackish, without spots or stripes. Antennae colored as in female. Dorsal side and lateral lobes of pronotum dark brown. Fore and mid legs, hind tibiae and tarsi colored as in female. Hind femora blackish brown, with indistinct light marks; lower side completely black. Abdomen from above blackish with two light brown longitudinal stripes. Sternites brown, except blackish subgenital plate and apical sternite. Epiproct blackish brown, cerci brown. Third male differs from other paratypes in color of pronotum, hind femora and tibiae. In this specimen the lateral lobes of pronotum and anterior quarter of disk black, posterior 3/4 of pronotum light brown, with 5 small black spots situated around lateral carina; hind femora light brown like in female, but blackish pregenicular spot on lower side indistinct; hind tibiae light brown, without blackish ring near the middle.

Measurements (in mm). Length of body (from frontal ridge to apex of subgenital plate) male 8.4–8.5, female 8.5–8.6; pronotum male 7.5–7.7, female 7.7–7.8; antenna male 2.3–2.5, female 2.5–2.6; fore femur male 1.6–1.7, female 1.7–1.8; mid femur male 1.9, female 2.1; hind femur male 5.1–5.5, female 5.5; ovipositor 1.4.

Distribution. Thailand: provinces Nakhon Ratchasima and Chiang Mai.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to E. punctatus from Borneo and E. striganovae from Vietnam. It is distinguished from the former by acute angular anterior margin of pronotum (in E. punctatus anterior margin of pronotum truncate) and from the latter by median carina of fastigium reaching the anterior margin of eyes, the almost straight lower side of posterior process of pronotum, and the color of the hind tibiae (in E. striganovae median carina of fastigium reaching the mid of eyes, lower side of posterior process of pronotum sinuate, and hind tibiae black, with two light rings). The new species differs from E. tamilus , E. dammermanni , E . humilicolus and E. spheniscus by the absence of lateral carinae in the prozona (in all above mentioned species the prozona bears distinct lateral carinae), and similar in this respect to E. emarginatus , E. fatigans , E . lativertex and E. tumidus from New Guinea. However, these species are clearly distinguished from E. obtusus sp. nov. by their sinuate lower side of posterior process of pronotum and by the finely punctured pronotal integument (in E. obtusus sp. nov. the lower side of posterior process is almost straight and the pronotal integument is coarsely punctured).

Habitats. New species was collected in the mountain mixed forests at elevation 500–1000 m in the moist place between fallen leaves.

Etymology. The name of new species is originated from Latin adjective ‘ obtusus’ (blunt).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Epitettix obtusus sp. nov.: 1 — male head and pronotum, lateral view; 2 — male head and anterior part of pronotum, dorsal view; 3 — female head, frontal view; 4 — female fore leg, lateral view; 5 — male fore femur, lateral view; 6 — female hind tarsus, lateral view; 7 — male apex of abdomen, lateral view; 8 — the same, ventral view; 9 — female apex of abdomen, lateral view; 10 — the same, ventral view. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 13. Epitettix obtusus sp. nov.: 11 — female body, lateral view; 12 — male body, dorsal view; 13 — male head, frontal view.