Rhabdoblatta cavicola Guo et Che, 2024

Guo, Lin, Zhang, Zhi-Yu, Cai, Jin-Zhuo, Wang, Zong-Qing & Che, Yan-Li, 2024, Establishment of three new species of Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903 (Blattodea, Blaberidae, Epilamprinae) from China on the basis of molecular and morphological data, Zootaxa 5463 (4), pp. 545-558 : 554-556

Rhabdoblatta cavicola Guo et Che , sp. n.

Figs 4A–N

Type material. Holotype. male; Guangxi Prov., Chongzuo City ; 3 May 2023; Zhi-Yu Zhang leg. Paratypes. 1 female, 1 nymph; same collection data as holotype .

Differential diagnosis. This species resambles the male of R. belokobylskii Anisyutkin, 2005 in tegminal markings, but can be distinguished from the latter by the following characters: 1) no spots on the tergites and sternites, while a pair of black spots on the 1-6 tergites and 2-6 sternites in R. belokobylskii ; 2) sclerite L3 with long carina on the outer-lateral margin, but without carina on the outer-lateral margin in R. belokobylskii .

Description. Measurements (mm). Overall length: male 50.4, female 53.8; pronotum length × width: male 10.8 × 12.5, female 12.8 × 15.9; tegmen length × width: male 45.3 × 15.7, female 46.7 × 17.5.

Male. Head yellowish brown except eyes black, ocelli yellowish white and antennae with about 18 basal segments dark brown, the remainder brown. Pronotum yellowish brown, densely covered with dark brown spots of various size ( Fig. 4B ). Tegmina yellowish brown with scattered irregularly dark brown large stains. Hind wings with costal field, radial field, and mediocubital field dark brown and anal field pale brown ( Fig. 4H, I ). Legs yellowish brown. Abdominal terga brown and sterna yellowish brown. Supraanal plate and subgenital plate yellowish brown, cerci and styli dark brown ( Fig. 4B ).

Vertex slightly exposed ( Fig. 4B ). Interocular space slightly wider than the distance between ocelli, less than the distance between antennal sockets ( Fig. 4A ). Pronotum nearly heptagonal, anterior margin gently arc-shaped, lateral margins convexly rounded, middle of posterior margin obtusely produced, widest part about the middle before ( Fig. 4E ). Tegmina and wings fully developed extending well beyond end of abdomen and venation distinct, the former with a deep depression at apex ( Fig. 4A, B, H, I ). Anteroventral margin of front femur Type B 2 ( Fig. 4F ). Hind metatarsus nearly equal to the remaining segments combined, with two equal rows of ventral spines; pulvilli present on all tarsomeres apically; tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized, with large arolia ( Fig. 4G ). Supraanal plate symmetrical with small bristles; the middle of the hind margin slightly concave with a cluster of long bristles, lateral margins slightly arc-shaped. Paraprocts asymmetrical, the right hind margin with a big finger-shaped bulge bending at the end. Cerci distinctly segmented and densely covered with bristles ( Fig. 4J ). Subgenital plate hind margin nearly straight, the base of the inner plate bifurcated, styli flat, apically rounded ( Fig. 4N ).

Male genitalia. Right phallomere with caudal margin of sclerite R1T broadly round; end of sclerite R2 rounded; R3 interlinked with R 5 in caudal part; R4 existed independently ( Fig. 4K ). The basal part of sclerite L2D slender and rod-shaped, almost straight; the apical part small, with chaetae-covered membrane ( Fig. 4L ). Sclerite L3 hooked and deeply bent, outer-lateral margin with long carina; inner margin toothless but with a tooth-shaped convexity at apex ( Fig. 4M ).

Female. Similar to male, but slightly larger. Tegmina without irregularly scattered dark brown large stains.

Etymology. The species name is derived from the Latin word “ cav ” and “ cola ”, and refers to the species that lives in a cave.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Rhabdoblatta cavicola Guo et Che, sp. n. A, B, E–N male; C, D female; A holotype, dorsal view; B holotype, ventral view; C paratype, dorsal view; D paratype, ventral view; E pronotum, dorsal view; F front femur, ventral view; G hind tarsi, ventral view; H tegmen; I wings; J supraanal plate, ventral view; K right phallomere, dorsal view; L median phallomere (sclerite L2D), dorsal view; M left phallomere (sclerite L3), dorsal view; N subgenital plate, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 cm (A–D, H, I); 2.0 mm (E, G); 1.0 mm (F, J–N).