Hirrius ruber Skejo, Patano et Kasalo, 2024

Skejo, Josip, Husemann, Martin, Jr, Romeo Patano, Tumbrinck, Josef, Pushkar, Taras I., Pavlović, Marko, Mohagan, Alma, Pamin, Jan-Henrik & Kasalo, Niko, 2024, Revision of the polyphyletic genus Hirrius Bolívar, 1887 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae), with descriptions of three new genera and insights into antennal sensilla morphology, Zootaxa 5524 (1), pp. 1-61 : 20-22

Hirrius ruber Skejo, Patano et Kasalo , sp. nov.

Zoobank ID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6A108D3E-9F87-4CC2-9C66-C3BFA89F7766

Vernacular name: Red Mindanao Blackhopper ( Figs. 12 , 13 )

Type specimens: 1♀ holotype THE PHILIPPINES: Mindanao Island : Bukidnon: San Fernando: Mount Natampod 905 m a. s. l. 24.VII.2022. leg. Romeo Patano R. Jr. ( CMU) ; 1♂ paratype THE PHILIPPINES: Mindanao Island : Bukidnon: San Fernando: Mount Natampod 905 m a. s. l. 24.–25.VII.2022. leg. Romeo Patano R. Jr. ( CMU) .

Type locality. THE PHILIPPINES: Mindanao Island: Bukidnon: San Fernando: Mount Natampod rainforest 905 m a. s. l. (7.86N, 125.42E), Pantaron Range.

Type depository. Holotype and paratype are deposited in the Central Mindanao University ( CMU) Orthoptera Collection, Mindanao, Philippines

Etymology. From Latin ‘ruber , rubra’ meaning ‘red’, referring to bright red abdomen coloration. Species epitheton is of masculine grammar gender, fitting the genus gender.

Diagnosis. New species shares similarities with its congeners, H. punctatus and H. mindanaensis , but can easily be distinguished from them by the following set of traits: (1) alae visible under the pronotum (not visible in H. punctatus ), (2) prozonal carinae indistinct (distinct in H. mindanaensis ), (3) pronotum uniformly black in color (richly ornamented in yellow and red dots and lines in H. punctatus , while variable in H. mindanaensis , from fully black to brown with pale markings), (4) hind femora slender (robust in H. mindanaensis ), (5) abdominal sternites bright red in color (black in H. punctatus and H. mindanaensis ), (6) slightly smaller than H. punctatus (see measurements).

Description. Relatively small species with smooth head, pronotum, and legs. All structures colored uniformly black except for a pair of bright yellow lines in the occipital area of the head; yellow maxillary palps; a pair of bright yellow dots on the basal fifth of the hind femora; a pair of narrow bright yellow lines on the margin of paranota; and abdomen with bright red ventral surface (sternites).

Antennae. Antennae with 15 black antennomeres and with all the antennomeres flattened and widened (except for the reduced apical segments): 1st massive scapus; 2nd large pedicel; 3 rd to 6 th basal antennomeres, robust and shorter than the central segments; 7 th and 8 th central antennomeres, elongated and widened; 9 th antennomere very long and widened, pennate; 10 th the longest and the widest, the most pennate one; 11 th segment widened and elongated; 12 th to 15 th apical segment fused and small.

Head. Eyes in frontal view globose, the dorsal margins elevated above the level of the fastigium. Vertex in the level of pronotum in lateral view. Frons and vertex forming 60 degrees angle. In frontal view, vertex of almost the same width as a compound eye. In lateral view, vertex and frons not visible because of the protruding eyes. In dorsal view, vertex oblique with middle indrawn/excised into a wide V-shape, not projecting before the eyes. Lateral carinae of the vertex not elevated (above the eyes). In dorsal view, tip of the vertex slightly narrower than a compound. Medial carina of the vertex present, recognizable in the apical fourth. Fossulae deep. Lateral and transverse carinae forming V-shape in dorsal view and U-shape in frontal view. Frontal costa short, recognizable above the lateral ocelli in frontal view. Whole vertex is lowered in the anterior part, so the frontal costa might be in fact the upper part of the medial carina of the vertex. Frontal costa bifurcation situated in the upper fourth of the compound eyes height. Frontal costa in lateral view not projected forwards. Dorsal margin of the antennal groove placed between the compound eyes. Lateral ocelli placed in upper third of the compound eyes height. Maxillary palps yellow, smooth. Occipital area as wide as a half of a compound eye.

Pronotum. Pronotum covering whole abdomen. Pronotum surface very smooth, finely granulated. Anterior margin of the pronotum truncated. Median carina continuous, except in the anterior part where it is intercepted by two sulci. Generally, median carina of pronotum is low and hardly recognizable. Pronotal discus in lateral view flat, plain. Prozonal carinae almost indistinct, short and convergent. Interhumeral carinae not recognizable. Humeroapical carina weak. Tegminal sinus absent. Ventral sinus deep. Infrascapular area narrow and with parallel margins. Lateral area very narrow. Lateral lobes directed sidewards, without projections. Apex of the lateral lobe narrowly truncated. Pronotal tip acute, reaching hind knees.

Wings. Tegmina absent or reduced and covered by infrascapular area. Hindwings visible, dark with red tips, shorter than the tip of pronotum for 0.5 mm.

Legs. Fore and mid femora elongated, smooth, and finely granulated. Dorsal and ventral carinae of the fore and mid legs straight, finely granulated. Hind femur slender, about 3 times as long as wide. Five strong transverse ridges recognizable in the middle outer area. Dorsal carina of the hind femur smooth and straight Antegenicular teeth small and blunt, genicular teeth long and sharp. Hind tibia with blunt spines. First tarsal segment shorter than third tarsal puvilli obliquely angular. Proximal pulvillus smallest, middle a bit larger, while the distal largest.

Ovipositor. Ovipositor elongated and with strongly armed valvulae. Upper valvulae wider in lateral view than the lower ones. Also, upper valvulae have more teeth (>10) than the lower ones (8-9). Cerci conical and hairy.

Holotype measurements (female). Body length from tip of head to the tip of pronotum 11.65 mm; antenna length 6.10 mm; eye width 0.60 mm; vertex width 0.80 mm; pronotum length 9.90 mm; pronotum width (at shoulders) 3.40 mm; fore femur length 2.80 mm; fore femur width 0.60 mm; mid femur length 3.00 mm; mid femur width 0.60 mm; hind femur length 6.00 mm; hind femur width 2.00 mm;

Paratype measurements (male). Body length from tip of head to the tip of pronotum 9.95 mm; antenna length 5.80 mm; eye width 0.70 mm; vertex width 0.60 mm; pronotum length 9.25 mm; pronotum width (at shoulders) 3.20 mm; fore femur length 3.00 mm; fore femur width 0.60 mm; mid femur length 3.00 mm; mid femur width 0.60 mm; hind femur length 5.20 mm; hind femur width 1.65 mm.

Distribution and habitat: So far only known from the mountainous tropical rainforests of Mount Natampod, Pantaron Range, 905 m a. s. l. on the island of Mindanao, the Philippines ( Fig. 2C ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Distribution of the species belonging to the genera Hirrius and Parahirrius gen. nov., both endemic to the island of Mindanao. A) H. punctatus, B) H. mindanaensis, C) H. ruber sp. nov., D) P. parvus sp. nov., E) P. amorosus sp. nov.

FIGURE 12. Hirrius ruber Skejo, Patano et Kasalo sp. nov., living type specimens at the type locality, Mount Natampod 24.VII.2022., before being caught. A) ♀ holotype right lateral view, B) ♂ paratype left lateral view, C) same as previous one, D) ♀ in left dorsoventral view. Photo R. Patano Jr.

FIGURE 13. Hirrius ruber Skejo, Patano et Kasalo sp. nov., ♀ holotype (A–G) and ♂ paratype (H). A) ♀ holotype in dorsal view, B) ♀ holotype in ventral view, C) ♀ holotype in right lateral view, D) ♀ holotype head in frontal view, E) ♀ holotype head and pronotum details in lateral view, F) ♀ holotype head and pronotum details in dorsal view, G) ♀ holotype abdomen apex in lateral view, H) ♂ paratype abdomen apex in lateral view. Photo R. Patano Jr.