Platycercotura caricauda Tan, Muhammad & Gorochov, 2024

Tan, Ming Kai, Muhammad, Amira Aqilah, Gorochov, Andrei V. & Abdullah, Nurul Ashikin, 2024, An account on some katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea) from Panti Forest Reserve in Johor, Peninsular Malaysia, Zootaxa 5415 (1), pp. 117-143 : 135-141

Platycercotura caricauda Tan, Muhammad & Gorochov , sp. n.

( Figs 19D–F , 22 , 23 )

Specimens examined. PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: Johor State: PFR • ♁ (holotype); Bunker Trail ; N1.86100, E103.88699, 28.4± 8.8 m.a.s.l.; 16 August 2023, 20h16; under the foliage of a tree; coll. M. K. Tan, Amira A. Muhammad & N. Ashikin Abdullah; PANTI.23.2 (ZRC)

Etymology. The species name refers to the unpaired posterior process of the tenth abdominal tergite resembling the tail of a shrimp; “cari-” obtained from Caridea, commonly known as true shrimp; “-cauda” refers to tail in Latin.

Diagnosis. See above.

Description. Habitus typical of Meconematini; generally pale green with yellow-brown dorso-medial stripe running from pronotum to the apex of the tegmina when alive ( Figs 19D , 22 ). Head generally pale green, pedicel of antenna yellow brown ( Figs 19E, 19F ). Eyes globular, faintly protruding anteriorly in profile ( Fig. 19E ). Frontal rostrum dark coloured, conical, stout, with rounded apex of upper tubercle having median sulcus feebly present ( Fig. 19F ). Antennal segments unicolourous ( Fig. 19E ). Mouthparts, including maxillary palpi generally light coloured ( Fig. 19E ). Apical segment of maxillary palpi slightly widened apically at apex; apical, fourth and third segments subequal lengths ( Fig. 19E ). Pronotal disc covering most part of tegminal mirror, pale green with yellow-brown medial band, anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin subobtusely rounded ( Fig. 19F ). Ventral margin of pronotal lateral lobe straight ( Fig. 19E ). Thoracic auditory spiracle (= thoracic foramen) large and bean-shaped; not covered by pronotal lateral lobe ( Fig. 19E ). Tegmen rather narrow, with oblique apex, reaching basal part of hind tibiae; with a few irregular black or dark spots ( Fig. 19D ). Hind wing surpassing tegminal apices ( Fig. 19D ). Legs generally unicolourous pale green; tarsi and apex of tibiae yellow brown ( Fig. 19D ). Femora without spine; fore and middle tibiae each with four outer and four inner subapical spines (spines black and tibia at base of spine dark coloured); inner and outer knees of hind femora with rounded lobes with obtuse apices; hind tibiae ventrally and dorsally with numerous outer and inner brown spines as well as two ventral and one dorsal apical spurs on each side.

Male. Abdominal apex as in Figs 23A–E . Last abdominal tergite with unpaired posterior process; this process at posterior end broadly obcordate (heart-shaped) with posterior margin emarginated, lateral lobes rounded and obtuse; at dorsum surface with broad lobe at apex with two triangular lateral lobules (with obtuse apices) and a small medial spine-like lobule. Epiproct lobule, tongue-shaped with apex subtruncate. Cercus with basal area with large and broad inner plate-like ventral process pointing inwardly (process with posterior margin sclerotized and finely denticulated, lateral margin somewhat irregular and anterior margin obtuse), dorsal margin also plate-like but not forming a large process; slender and tubular thereafter, with apex obtuse and slightly swollen. Subgenital plate with relatively short styles. Phallic complex ( Figs 20F–H ) consists of transverse plate-like median sclerite with two lateral, elongated sclerite; median sclerite with posterior margin dentated, at middle with a stout lobule with emarginated apex; lateral sclerite elongated, bent at middle, with inner margin dentated, apex obtuse to subacute.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (1♁, in mm). BL = 10.5 (dry-pinned), BWL = 19.7, PL = 3.5, TL = 16.4, HWT = 1.9, HFL = 12.0, HTL = 12.9.

Ecology. Unknown.

Type locality. PENINSULAR MALAYSIA: Johor State: PFR

Distribution. PENINSULAR MALAYSIA (Johor State: PFR)

Calling song. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 19. Cercoteratura reflexa sp. n. (A–C) and Platycercotura caricauda gen. et sp. n. (D–F) ♁ adult holotypes: body and tegmina (A, D) in lateral views, head and pronotum in lateral (B, E) and dorsal (C, F) views. Scale bars: 5 mm (A, D), 2 mm (all except A, D).

FIGURE 20. Cercoteratura reflexa sp. n. ♁ adult holotype: abdominal apex in dorsal (A), posterior (B), lateral (C, D) and ventral (E) views (A–C dry pinned; D, E in ethanol with genitalia intact), cercus in lateral view (F), genitalia in ventral (G), dorsal (H) and lateral (I) views. Scale bars: 1 mm (all except G–I), 0.5 mm (G–I).

FIGURE 22. Platycercotura caricauda gen. et sp. n. ♁ adult holotype in its natural environment.

FIGURE 23. Platycercotura caricauda gen. et sp. n. ♁ holotype: abdominal apex in dorsal (A), lateral (B), ventral (C, D) and ventro-lateral (E) views (A–C dry pinned; D, E in ethanol with genitalia intact), genitalia in ventral (F), posterior (G) and dorsal (H) views. Scale bars: 1 mm (all except F–H), 0.5 mm (F–H). Arrows indicates the lobular epiproct.