Gryllacris (Gigantogryllacris) ligulata, 2018

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2018, New taxa and records of Gryllacrididae (Orthoptera, Stenopelmatoidea) from South East Asia and New Guinea with a key to the genera, Zootaxa 4510 (1), pp. 1-278 : 64-65

Gryllacris (Gigantogryllacris) ligulata sp. nov.

Figs. 11H , 12P , 15 G–I

Material examined. Holotype (male): Papua New Guinea: Madang, Baiteta , elev. 57 m (5°1'S, 145°45'0''E), 29.vi.1995, leg. Olivier Missa (FOG AR 21)—(Brussels RBINS).

Diagnosis. Although the new species is in general appearance and coloration very similar to G. bilineata sp. n., it differs by the following diagnostic features: Face more elongate and mandibles distinctly longer with concave lateral margins in basal half; tegmen narrower (length to width 34:10.5 instead of 34: 12 mm); ninth abdominal tergite simply bent down from dorsal to apico-ventral surface, without a pair of black maculae in dorsal area of apico-ventral surface; the pair of compressed and bent apical projections of ninth tergite are inserted at apical margin more mediad, can be seen from behind when the ninth tergite is pressed up and the subgenital plate widely opened, while in G. bilineata they are inserted more proximad and must be forced with strong pressure with distortion of the hind margin to see them from behind.

Description. Medium large to large species. Head: Face ovoid; forehead nearly smooth with scattered impressed dots and very fine transverse riffles (formerly conserved in alcohol); fastigium verticis wider than scapus, separated by a fine transverse suture from fastigium frontis; ocelli distinct; subocular furrows distinct ( Fig. 12P ). Abdominal tergites two and three each with two rows of stridulatory pegs (3, 7; 9, 13; n = 1).

Wings surpassing hind knees ( Fig. 11H ). Tegmen: Radius releases RS between basal third and mid length of tegmen, both branches forked in apical area. Media anterior fused in basal area with radius, divides behind end of basal third; media posterior absent; cubitus anterior divides little before mid-length of tegmen into CuA1 and CuA2; cubitus posterior undivided, free throughout; with 4 anal veins.

Legs: Fore coxa with a spine at fore margin; fore and mid femora unarmed; fore and mid tibiae with 4 pairs of large ventral spines and one pair of smaller ventral spurs; hind femur with 9 external and 7–8 internal spines on ventral margins; hind tibia with spaced spines on both dorsal margins, ventral margins with one pre-apical spine; with 3 apical spurs on both sides.

Coloration. General color uniformly light brownish. Face including anterior area of vertex and basal segments of antennae black; compound eyes light, ocelli light yellow; lateral and ventral areas of clypeus brownish yellow. Pronotum light brownish with black rim (along hind margin little wider than rim). Legs with a small black spot at genicular area; ventral spines of hind femur and dorsal spines of hind tibia black. Tegmen yellowish semitransparent, towards base cells faintly infumate; veins and veinlets yellow; hind wing semi-transparent greyish; veins dark yellow, cross-veins yellow.

Male. Eighth abdominal tergite prolonged, with lateral areas nearly rectangularly bent to dorsal surface, although the angle itself is gradually curved. Ninth abdominal tergite at very base laterally rounded, otherwise in dorsal view roughly triangular with rather flat surface (in lateral view slightly concave), at tip rounded; lateroapical areas nearly rectangularly bent to dorsal surface, although the angle itself gradually curved; angle between dorsal, lateral and apical surfaces simply conical; apical surface in middle little flattened, bent ventro-proximad, widening ventrally, with a faint furrow along midline; at ventral margin (in situ hidden) with a compressed and except at base black projection at each side; projections with approaching margins to about two thirds of their lengths, then bent medio-proximad and widening to truncate tip ( Figs. 15 G–I). Subgenital plate wide in about basal half, then strongly narrowed and at tip bilobate; styli inserted at apico-lateral angles of wide area and largely surpassing tip of plate.

Female unknown.

Measurements (1 male).—body w/wings: 47; body w/o wings: 34; pronotum: 8.5; tegmen: 36; tegmen width: 10.5; hind femur: 23; antenna: male 150 mm.

Etymology. The new species is named for the roughly spoon-shaped projections at interno-apical tip of male ninth abdominal tergite; from Latin ligula (spoon).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Genus Gryllacris: Habitus dorsal view (A–D, G–I) and lateral view (E): A, G. kinabaluensis Griffini, 1915 female; B, G. incornuta sp. nov. male holotype; C–D, G. (Pardogryllacris) longiloba Gorochov & Dawwrueng, 2015 male (C) and female (D); E–F, G. (P.) lineolata menzeli (Karny, 1924) male (E) and female (F); G, G. (P.) l. lineolata Serville, 1838 male; H, G. (Gigantogryllacris) ligulata sp. nov. male holotype; I, G. (Gi.) bilineata sp. nov. male holotype. Scales 10 mm (E and F not to scale).

FIGURE 12. Genus Gryllacris: Face: A, G. (Pardogryllacris) ovulicauda sp. nov. male holotype; B–C, G. obscura cambodiae Gorochov, 2007 male (B) and female (C); D, G. f. fuscifrons Gerstaecker, 1860 female holotype; E, G. s. signifera (Stoll, 1813) male; F, G. sok sp. nov. female holotype; G, G. incornuta sp. nov. male holotype; H, G. bancana Karny, 1930; I, G. o. obscura Brunner, 1888; J, G. v. vittata Walker, 1869 female holotype; K, G. kinabaluensis Griffini, 1915 female; L, G. (P.) longiloba Gorochov & Dawwrueng, 2015 female; M, G. (P.) lineolata menzeli (Karny, 1924) male; N, G. (P.) l. lineolata Serville, 1838 male; O, G. (Gigantogryllacris) bilineata sp. nov. male holotype; P, G.(Gi.) ligulata sp. nov. male holotype.

FIGURE 15. Genus Gryllacris fuscifrons group (A–F) and subgenus Gigantogryllacris (G–L): A–B, G. f. fuscifrons Gerstaecker, 1860 from Brunner collection in NMW (A) and from ZMB (B); C–F, G. incornuta sp. nov. holotype; G–I, G. (Gi.) ligulata sp. nov. holotype; J–L, G. (Gi.) bilineata sp. nov. holotype.—Male abdominal apex in about apical (A, C, G, K), dorsoapical (B), oblique lateral (E–F), and ventral view (J); lateral with uplifted 9th tergite, the arrow marks the insertion point of the in situ hidden projections of 9th tergite (H); apical with strongly uplifted 9th tergite and out pressed projections (I); ventral with uplifted ninth tergite (L). The arrows mark the hidden position of the apical teeth or projections of the ninth abdominal tergite.