Neorhaphidophora siamensis Dawwrueng, Gorochov

Dawwrueng, Pattarawich, Gorochov, Andrei V., Tanomtong, Alongklod & Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon, 2020, Contribution to the knowledge of Rhaphidophorinae (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Rhaphidophoridae) from Thailand: three genera Neorhaphidophora, Eurhaphidophora and Minirhaphidophora, Zootaxa 4853 (2), pp. 235-253 : 237-239

Neorhaphidophora siamensis Dawwrueng, Gorochov et Suwannapoom sp. nov.

( Figs 1–14 , 42–43 , 46–47 )

Types. Holotype—male ; Southern Thailand, Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province , Thung Song District, environs of Na Luang Sen Village, forest near stream, elevation 300 m., 28 V. 2018, coll. P. Dawwrueng (AUP-02000). Paratypes: 2 males (AUP-02001– AUP-02002), 2 females (AUP-02003– AUP-02005); same data as for holotype .

Description Male (holotype). Body smaller than all other members of this genus. Head with rostrum divided in distal half by narrow and deep furrow into a pair of tubercles which are pressed to each other and have large oblong lateral ocelli on the lateral sides ( Figs 1–2 ); median ocellus nearly circular, slightly smaller than lateral ocelli ( Fig 3 ). Lateral lobes of all thoracic tergites are rounded ( Fig 4 ). Hind femur without spines except for 1 small inner spine at apex. Armament of all tibiae and hind basitarsus – ve, vi, ve, v2a / de, di, d~2, d2a, ve, ve, v2a / d19e–20i (d19e–21i), d2sa, 6a / d6c, dac; apex of dia of hind tibia projecting slightly beyond apex of dac. Abdomen with very short rounded median projection on ninth abdominal tergite; middle part of tenth abdominal tergite weakly elongated and separated by distinct transverse fold from the epiproct; epiproct with deep median fold running from base to apex, with a pair of short basal lobes (appearing in the shape of inflated convexities that touch each other in the dorsal view), and with the distal part strongly curved downwards but having an apical part (directed forwards) that is rather long and inserted deeply into the anal cavity above the paraprocts ( Figs 5–8 ); paraprocts with roundly angular apices approximately reaching the posterior edges of the basal lobes of the epiproct ( Figs 6, 7 ), appearing in the form of rather large plates with numerous very small spinules on the inner surface and on the posterior margin ( Fig 8 ); genital plate somewhat transverse with distinct angular posteromedian notch and with small but elongated spiniform processes near the base of the styles, processes appear rather short but wide in the profile styles which are slightly longer than the above-mentioned spiniform processes ( Figs 5–7, 9 ); genitalia membranous, with ventrolateral lobes slightly longer than the dorsolateral ones in a resting (compacted) condition and having thin elongated subapical lobules ( Figs 42, 43 ). Colouration: head from above and thoracic tergites are dark brown; genae pale brown; frons brown with pale brown area along clypeal suture; clypeus brown basally, pale brown in middle part and grey apically; labrum brown; mandible dark brown with basal area pale brown; palpi yellowish-whitish with brownish longitudinal stripes; rostral tubercles dark brown; antennae dark brown with scapes that are pale brown and have dark brown spots near the base and apex; eyes are dark brown in color; ocelli whitish; legs yellowish-whitish but with dark brown distal parts of all femora and proximal parts of all tibiae, dark brown oblique stripes on the dorsal surface of the hind femur and grayish oblique stripes on its lateral surface; abdominal tergites are dark brown to brown with slightly paler lower parts and dark spots on the posterior margin of the posterior tergites; sternites are light grayish brown; epiproct and genital plate are grayish brown, but latter plate appears with pale brown styles; paraprocts are brown with a dark brown inner area and posterior edge; cerci brown with pale brown area near the base.

Variations: Occasionally, frons are slightly paler, and leg armament is slightly varying.

Females: General appearance similar to that of males, but dorsal part of body somewhat darker than in males, lateral ocelli more circular ( Fig 11 ), middle part of tenth abdominal tergite shorter, epiproct distinctly smaller and simple in shape (triangularly-oval, rather narrow and with shallow median groove; Fig 12 ), paraprocts smaller and without spinules. Genital plate with membranous and transversely wrinkled proximal part which narrows before the distal part ( Fig 13 ) and is drawn under the last sternite (same as in female specimens of other congeners); distal part is ventrally wide (distinctly transverse) with whitish median sclerite (plate) having a membranous area at the base and with almost a straight posterior edge ( Fig 13 ); ovipositor appears as presented in Fig 14 .

Length (mm) Body 16.2–16.4 (male), 18.3–18.9 (female); pronotum 5.7–5.9 (male), 6.2-7.0 (female); fore femur 6.9–7.0 (male), 7.5–7.8 (female); hind femur 15.7–17.1 (male), 18.3–18.4 (female); hind tibia 13.7–14.6 (male), 15.9–17.4 (female); hind basitarsus 3.5–3.6 (male), 3.4–4.1 (female); ovipositor 9.5–9.6.

Comparison The new species is very similar to N. grata from the Pahang State ( Malaysia) in the structure of the epiproct and male genitalia, but it is clearly distinguished by the male epiproct with convexity-like (not tuberclelike) basal lobes and a male genital plate having a distinct posteromedian notch with wider (in profile) distal halves of the styles and sclerotized distal area of the female genital plate that is more transverse. From N. steineri , the new species strongly differs in the male epiproct with less projected basal lobes. The apical part of this epiproct appears to be much longer and is inserted into the anal (not genital) cavity, male genital plate is longer and apically notched as well as having distinctly shorter styli. From N. valentinae , it distinctly differs in the male epiproct with significantly shorter and more rounded (in profile) basal lobes ending approximately near the paraproctal apices; male genital plate with longer spiniform tubercles near styles, and lower median sclerite at the apex of the female genital plate that is more transverse.

Etymology The new species is named after “ Siam ” (the old name of Thailand).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Neorhaphidophora siamensis sp. nov., male: head and pronotum, lateral view (1); head, dorsal (2) and frontal (3) views; thoracic tergites, lateral view (4). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 5–10. Neorhaphidophora siamensis sp. nov., male: apex of abdomen, dorsal (5), lateral (6, 7), posteroventral (8) and ventral (9) views; hind tarsus, lateral view (10). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 11–14. Neorhaphidophora siamensis sp. nov., female: head and pronotum, lateral view (11); apex of abdomen, posterior view (12); genital plate, ventral view (13); ovipositor, lateral view (14). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 42–45. Male genitalia: Neorhaphidophora siamensis sp. nov., dorsal view (42), ventral view (43); Minirhaphidophora (Condylophora) ophioglossa subgen. et. sp. nov., dorsal (44) and ventral (45) views.

FIGURES 46–48. In-situ: Neorhaphidophora siamensis sp. nov., male (46) and female (47); Eurhaphidophora tarasovi doitungensis ssp. nov., male (48).