Rhytidaspis Redtenbacher, 1891

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2019, Revision of the genus Rhytidaspis Redtenbacher, 1891 including the description of a new genus Haudrhytidaspis gen. nov. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae), Zootaxa 4661 (2), pp. 343-370 : 345

Rhytidaspis Redtenbacher, 1891

urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:17939

Type species: Rhytidaspis picta Redtenbacher, 1891 , by original monotypy.

Medium sized to large species. Fastigium verticis laterally compressed and wide in about basal two thirds, spiniform in apical third, with a small dorsal tubercle; separated from fastigium frontis by a narrow furrow ( Figs. 10 M–N). Frons covered with wide pits; from ventral margin of compound eye to above base of mandible with a slightly curved, granular, projecting ridge; genae faintly concave. Pronotum rugose, elongate, laterally rounded into narrow paranota, with a strong transverse furrow behind middle; anterior margin rounded; apical area in male little elevated and hind margin rounded, in female even and hind margin sub-truncate to slightly concave; ventral margin behind rounded anterior angle sub-straight with a narrow ventral lobe just before and a laterally projecting lobe above auditory spiracle, the latter lobe in female smaller than in male; humeral sinus distinct. Auditory spiracle covered from anterior and dorsal side, open posteriorly and ventrally ( Fig. 10L ). Wings strongly reduced, tegmen micropterous in male, squamipterous in female, base covered by pronotum; hind wings reduced to membranous lobes without venation. Prosternum bi-spinose with a pair of long spines; meso- and metasternal lobes rather short, mesosternal lobes with acute triangular tips, metasternal lobes with short apical cone. All femora with spines on both ventral margins; genicular area of hind femur basically bi-spinose with the ventral spine usually smaller than the dorsal spine and often missing.

Male. Tenth abdominal tergite with a pair of obtuse, pilose, apical lobes. Epiproct roughly triangular with rounded tip, depressed in middle. Paraprotes with long, compressed apical projections ( Fig. 6B ). Cerci divided in apical area into a dorsal and a ventral lobe, the dorsal lobe curved apico-mediad, the ventral lobe running straight behind; their shapes vary between species ( Figs. 5–7 ). Titillators with one pair of large, central sclerites and two pairs of small separate sclerites in apical area. The shape of the sclerites and the connected granular structures vary in detail between species, but they are based on the following common scheme: A pair of stout and elongate sclerites perform in about mid-length a huge U-shaped curvature; often the basal area is also curved thus that basal and central area together look S-shaped. The apical area of these sclerites is about straight. The central, U-shaped curvature supports along margin a granular stiffened structure of the membrane enclosing the sclerites. The outer surface of that structure is simply membranous, while the inner surface and the margin along top of the curve are granular and at base linked with the opposite structure by a stout muscular rope ( Figs. 9 F–G). Thus, both titillators obviously form a functional unit, and the inner side of these outgrowths can only be fully seen when that connecting rope is cut ( Figs. 8A, E ). The shape of the curvature and especially that of the granular structure on top of it varies between species ( Figs 8–10 ). The tip of the titillators is covered with spinules and also varies between species. In apical area of the large sclerites, in situ on dorso-proximal side there is another pair of simple elongate sclerites enclosed by the same membranes as the tips of the large sclerites. Finally, the external side of these membranes enclose a roughly oval and flat apico-lateral sclerite. Subgenital plate wide at base, lateral areas up-bent; lateral margins in ventral view moderately approaching toward end; apical margin with V- or U-shaped incision; styli elongate.

Female. Subgenital plate with ventral disc elongate with converging lateral margins and sometimes provided with a faint medial carina, apical area up-curved and divided into two angular lobes; lateral expansions upcurved and largely membranous, along margins stiffened, often broadly furrowed or with concave surface, wide at base, narrowing backward, but not fully reaching tip of ventral surface of subgenital plate. Ovipositor robust, elongate and in about apical half little up-curved, tip acute; ventral ovipositor valves at base with stout, elongate, ventral swellings, in situ hidden under subgenital plate.

Etymology. The genus name is obviously based on the Latin words rhytium drinking-horn and aspis asp viper and probably refers to the shape of the long fastigium verticis. The genus name was treated as of female gender by Rhedtenbacher (1891).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Male abdominal apex with cerci in dorsal view: A, Rhytidaspis picta Redt., 1891 (Fakfak); B, R. arfak sp. n. (Koffo); C, R. nigropunctata sp. n. (Mt. Nok); D–E, R. camela sp. n. (D, Sorong; E, Komara); F–G, R. variata meja ssp. n. (F, Dorey; G, Tafelberg); H–I, R. ornata sp. n. (H, Tiel; I, Mindiptana); J, R. variata brevis ssp. n. (Freeport); K, R. variata variata ssp. n. (Nabire).

FIGURE 6. Male abdominal apex in apical view: A, Rhytidaspis picta Redt., 1891 (Fakfak); B, R. arfak sp. n. (Koffo); C–D, R. camela sp. n. (C, Komara; D, Sorong); E–F, R. ornata sp. n. (E, South N.G.; F, Mindiptana); G, R. variata brevis ssp. n. (Freeport); H, R. nigropunctata sp. n. (Mt. Nok); I, R. ornata sp. n. (Tiel).—Abbreviations: at apical lobe of tenth tergite, dc dorsal apical lobe of cercus, e epiproct, pa paraproct, pp projection of paraproct, vc ventral apical lobe of cercus.

FIGURE 7. Male abdominal apex or only cercus in lateral and ventral view: A–C, Rhytidaspis arfak sp. n. (A–B, Siwi; C, Koffo); D–E, R. picta Redt., 1891 (Fakfak); F–G, R. ornata sp. n. (South N.G.); H–J, R. camela sp. n. (H, Komara; I–J, Sorong); K–M, R. ornata sp. n. (K–L, South N.G.; M, Tiel); N, R. variata variata ssp. n. (Nabire); O–Q, R. variata meja ssp. n. (O–P, Tafelberg; Q, Dorey); R–S, R. variata brevis ssp. n. (Freeport); T–U, R. nigropunctata sp. n. (Mt. Nok).—Ventral view (A, E–I, K, P, S, U), oblique lateral view (B–D, J, L–O, Q–R, T).

FIGURE 8. Male titillators in lateral or oblique lateral view (A in internal, B in external view; E left in internal, right in top view): A–C, Rhytidaspis arfak sp. n. (A–B, Siwi; C, Koffo); D, R. picta Redt., 1891 (Fakfak); E–F, R. camela sp. n. (E, Sorong; F, Komara); G, R. nigropunctata sp. n. (Mt. Nok); H–J, R. ornata sp. n. (H, Tiel; I, Mindiptana; J, South N.G.); K, R. variata variata ssp. n. (Nabire); L–M, R. variata meja ssp. n. (L, Tafelberg; M, Dorey); N, R. variata brevis ssp. n. (Freeport).—Abbreviations: ap apical projection of granular sac, as oval apico-lateral sclerite, at apical branch of titillator, ea elongate apical sclerite, gs granular sac on top of U-shaped fold, ms basal muscular sac, ti base of titillator.—Tip of titillator is on top (A–F, H–K); tip is right (G, L–N).

FIGURE 9. Male titillators in ventro-apical view (tip on top): A, Rhytidaspis picta Redt., 1891 (Fakfak); B, R. arfak sp. n. (Koffo); C, R. variata meja ssp. n. (Tafelberg); D, R. variata brevis ssp. n. (Freeport); E, R. variata variata ssp. n. (Nabire); F, R. camela sp. n. (Sorong); G, R. nigropunctata sp. n. (Mt. Nok); H–I, R. ornata sp. n. (H, Mindiptana; I, South N.G.).—Abbreviation: fc flexible connection between both titillators.

FIGURE 10. A–C, Rhytidaspis picta Redt., 1891 (A–B. Banda; C, Fakfak); D, R. nigropunctata sp. n. (Mt. Nok); E–H, R. ornata sp. n. (E–F, Tiel; G, Mindiptana; H, South N.G.); I–J, R. camela sp. n. (I, Sorong; J, Komara); K–N, R. arfak sp. n. (Siwi).—A–K, Male titillators (A–B, extracted titillators in specimen; C–K, preparation in alcohol): View on apical area in ventro-apical view (A, E), oblique ventro-apical view (C–D, F), lateral view (B), dorso-proximal view (G), view on tip (H–K).—L, ventro-posterior angle of pronotum and auditory spiracle in ventro-apical view; M, tip of head with fastigium verticis in oblique dorsal view; N, do. in lateral view.—Abbreviations: ap apical projection of granular sac, as oval apico-lateral sclerite, at apical branch of titillator, bt base of titillator, ea elongate apical sclerite, gs granular sac on top of U-shaped fold, oc lateral ocellus. Scales 1 mm.