Makalapobius, Hugel & Desutter-Grandcolas, 2021

Hugel, Sylvain & Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure, 2021, New intertidal crickets from Comoros and Mascarene islands (Orthoptera Trigonidiidae: Nemobiinae: Burcini), Zootaxa 4995 (1), pp. 1-26 : 3-4

Makalapobius n. gen.

( Figs. 1–24 ; 71–72 ; 77 )

Type species. Malakapobius aigrettensis n. gen., n. sp., here designated.

Species included. Malakapobius n. gen. includes Malakapobius aigrettensis n. gen., n. sp. and Malakapobius masihu n. gen. n. sp. .

Distribution. South Western Indian Ocean: Mascarene islands, Mauritius; Comoros, Ngazidja (Grande Comore).

Diagnosis. Makalapobius n. gen. is s uperficially similar to Burcus Gorochov, 1986 , to Paraburcus Gorochov, 2018 , and to Gabusibius n. gen. It is characterized by the following characters. TIII with 2 sai ( Fig. 5 ; unlike Neoburcus Gorochov, 2018 which has 3 sai). Male winged ( Fig. 1 ; unlike Taiwanemobius Yang & Chang, 1996 ); with distinct stridulum ( Fig. 7 ; unlike Paranemobius Saussure, 1877 ); wings oval, truncated ( Fig. 1 ; unlike Burcus Gorochov, 1986 with relatively long FW); without mirror ( Fig. 7 ; unlike Speonemobius Chopard, 1924 with full mirror); with relatively long diagonal vein ( Fig. 7 ; unlike Paraburcus with short diagonal vein). Male SGP trilobated ( Figs. 6 , 15 ); median lobe small, membranous, not longer than lateral lobes (unlike Burcus with only one single median lobe). Male genitalia ( Figs. 19–24 : pseudepiphallus lightly curved upwards distally (curved downwards in Paraburcus , strongly upcurved from the middle in Burcus ); apex narrow in side view (unlike Gabusibius n. gen. with very wide apex in side view); apex with rounded distal lophi relatively contiguous; without apical lateral extensions forming large apical concavity visible dorsally (unlike most Burcus species ). Epi-ectophallic invagination not extending more anteriorly than rami insertion (unlike Burcus and Gabusibius n. gen. with long epi-ectophallic invagination exceeding rami insertion); rami very wide in side view (unlike all other genera except Gabusibius n. gen.).

Description. Including characters shared by other Burcini . Burcini of average size. General coloration typical for Burcini , from light grey to light yellowish, with numerous black patterns. Head, pronotum and femora with long black bristles ( Figs. 1–3 ).

Head. Not wider than pronotum ( Figs. 1 , 12 ). Antennae dark, unbanded. Eyes moderately protruding, not flattened on head dorsum ( Figs. 1–3 , 12–13 ). Ocelli small; lateral ocelli rounded, well distinct; median ocellus less distinct, localized dorsally to fastigium tip; distance between lateral ocelli larger than distance between one lateral ocellus and median ocellus. Fastigium between antennae not wider that scapes ( Figs. 3 , 13 ); scapes wider than high (front view); palpi short, article length: 5>3>4; article 5 apex strongly widened.

Thorax. Pronotum ( Figs. 1–2 , 12 ) wider than long, 0.65–0.70 times as long as wide; DD sides subparallel, DD slightly narrower anteriorly, slightly enlarged before mid-length; DD anterior margin inconspicuously concave; DD posterior margin weakly rounded; DD longitudinal median furrow weakly imprinted; DD anterior transverse furrow distinct on the sides; LL shallow, higher anteriorly, less high posteriorly.

Legs. Legs of average size for Burcini , not elongated. TI with long narrowly oval outer tympanum; without inner tympanum. TI and TII with 2 ventral apical spurs, the inner the longest. FIII not particularly widened nor narrow ( Figs. 4 , 14 ): ca. 3.0–3.3 times as long as wide. TIII apical spurs typical of burcini ( Figs. 4–5 ): 3 ao, 2 ai; relative length of apical spurs: ao2>ao3>ao1, ai2>ai1. TIII with 3 outer and 2 inner subapical spurs; relative length of subapical spurs: sao1=sao2>sao3, sai1>sai2. Hind tarsi long, particularly hind basitarsi. Hind basitarsi without dorsal serration (as usual in Nemobiini, see Desutter-Grandcolas et al. accepted); with 3 apical spurs: 2 dorsal apical spurs, the inner very small, 1 inner ventral apical spur longer than the dorsal outer one.

Wings. FW ( Figs. 71, 72 ) present in males, absent in females. HW absent in both sexes.

Coloration. Head ( Figs. 1–3 , 12–13 ): Face with black patterns below the eyes converging to clypeus; semicircular area below antennae black; face black patterns surrounding a light yellow triangle pointing upwards; mandibles light yellow; scapes light yellow, antennae darker than scapes, not banded; palpi light yellow; genae light yellow; tip of fastigium black dorsally; semicircular area dorsal to antennae with dark pattern; occiput dark yellow. Thorax ( Figs. 1–2 , 12 ): Pronotum color variable, DD light yellow with black lateral spots near anterior margin or very dark with two light lateral spots near anterior margin; LL black, anterior ventral margin light yellow. Abdomen dark with or without light yellow spots. Legs ( Figs. 4–5 , 14 ): yellow or light yellow with darker bandings; FIII lateral side with dark basis, with 3 transverse dark bandings; TIII dark.

Male. Wings. FW ( Fig. 1, 7 , 12, 16 ) oval in shape, truncated apically. Stridulatory apparatus well developed, with relatively long diagonal vein; with well distinct chords, relatively long for Burcini ; without a mirror: FW distal part with reticulation ( Fig. 7 ). Subgenital plate. Apex trilobated ( Fig. 6 ), median lobe small, membranous, not longer than lateral lobes. Genitalia ( Figs. 19–24 ). Pseudepiphallus narrow in dorsal view and side view, elongated, lightly curved upwards (sideview); apex with rounded distal lophi; without apical lateral extensions; without large apical concavity visible dorsally. Apodemes absent. Epi-ectophallic invagination not extending more anteriorly than rami insertion. Rami very wide (side view).

Female. No trace of wings ( Figs. 18 , 72 ). Subgenital plate ( Fig. 8 ) trapezoidal. Ovipositor weakly up curved; weakly enlarged apically ( Fig. 17 ). Genitalia. Copulatory papilla not examined.

Calling song. When known, male call is made of verses of increasing amplitude lasting more than 1 second ( Fig. 9–11 ).

Figures

FIGURE 77. Distribution of Makalapobius n. gen. and Gabusibius n. gen. in South Western Indian Ocean.

FIGURES 1–8. Makalapobius aigrettensis n. gen. n. sp. 1, Male paratype in dorsal view (specimen 2011MauRod026). 2, same in side view. 3, same, face. 4, same, left hind leg in outer view. 5, same in inner view. 6, same, SGP, flattened. 7, same, right FW, flattened. 8, female paratype (specimen 2011MauRod027): Ovp in left side view (top) and in ventral view (bottom). Scales: 1–2: 10 mm; 3–8: 1 mm.

FIGURES 9–11. Makalapobius aigrettensis n. gen. n. sp. stridulation in natura (specimen BIOTAS2008 424, afternoon, 30°C; in a cave). 11, power spectrum of 10.

FIGURES 12–18. Makalapobius masihu n. gen. n. sp. 12, Male holotype in dorsal view. 13, same, face. 14, same, left FIII in outer view. 15, same, SGP, not flattened. 16, same, FW. 17–18, female allotype. 17, Ovp in right side view. 18, body in right side view. Scales: 12: 5 mm; 13–18: 1 mm.

FIGURES 19–24. Makalapobius n. gen. male genitalia. 19–21, Makalapobius aigrettensis n. gen. n. sp.; Makalapobius masihu n. gen. n. sp. Left panels: dorsal views; middle panel: ventral views; right panels: left side views. Scale: 1 mm.

FIGURES 71–76. Makalapobius n. gen. (71–72) and Gabusibius n. gen. (73–76) in natura. 71–72, Makalapobius aigrettensis n. gen. n. sp. 73–74, Gabusibius mosi n. gen. n. sp. 75–76, Gabusibius dzindzanu n. gen. n. sp. Left panels are males, right panels are females.