Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti 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 : 242-246

Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti Dawwrueng, Gorochov et Suwannapoom sp. nov.

( Figs 19–31 , 49–50 )

Types. Holotype—male; Northern Thailand, Nan Province, Pua District , Doi Phu Kha , elevation 900m., 5 X. 2018, coll. P. Dawwrueng & T. Suddeepong (AUP-02007). Paratype—female; same data as the holotype (AUP- 02008) .

Description Male. Body is medium-sized. Head appears the same as the previous congener described here ( Figs 19–20 ), but lateral ocelli are medium-sized ( Fig 21 ). Ventral parts of the lateral lobes of the pronotum, mesonotum and metanotum are more or less broadly rounded ( Fig 21 ). Hind femur without spines ventrally but with one distinct inner spine at the apex; armament of all tibiae and hind basitarsus – v2, ve, v2a (right fore tibia possibly damaged in nymphal stage, because it appears with only internal ventroapical spine and small spinule located very near the spur) / d2, d2a, ve, ve, v2a / d18e–19i, d2sa, 6a / d3c, dac; apex of dia of hind tibia not reaching apex of dac. Abdomen with very short rounded median projection on the eighth abdominal tergite ( Fig 22 ); the ninth abdominal tergite is weakly sclerotized in the dorsal part, with small membranous median areas, and is entirely separated from the posterior median process. This process is wide and moderately long with a widened distal part ( Figs 22, 24 ), strongly arcuately curved downwards, and with an apical part that is directed slightly forward ( Figs 23, 25 ). This process also appears with a short dorsomedian ridge proximally, and with a posterior margin that is roundly angular in the dorsal view. In the posterior view, it is roundly truncated ( Fig 24 ); the epiproct is cup-shaped, broad and rather short with an apical process that is very narrow and slightly curved forward in the lateral view ( Figs 23, 25 , 27, 28 ). The genital plate is transverse and broader than it is long with a posterior margin that is slightly concave between the styli ( Fig 26 ).

Female. General appearance the same as male, but median projection of the ninth abdominal tergite is much shorter and it appears convex in the middle part ( Fig 31 ). Epiproct is smaller and simple in shape (triangularly-oval). Genital plate is presented in Fig 30 ; ovipositor is slightly curved with ventral serration in the distal part and with a narrowly rounded apex ( Fig 29 ).

Colouration. Head with reddish brown dorsum appears with five distinct dark longitudinal lines, pale brown frons and areas on the genae appear brown to pale brown on the clypeus with two dark spots, brown labrum, dark brown mandibles, yellowish-whitish palpi having brownish areas in the basal and apical parts of each segment, dark brown rostral tubercles and eyes, brown antennae having pale brown scapes, and whitish ocelli. Thoracic tergites appear to be dark brown with slightly paler lower parts. Legs (including coxae) are yellowish-whitish with dark brown distal parts of all femora and proximal parts of the tibiae, the rest of the hind femora is light brown with dark brown oblique stripes on the dorsal surface and grayish oblique stripes on the ventral surface, and whitish tarsi of all legs. Abdominal tergites and epiproct are dark brown; paraprocts are pale brown; male genital plate is brown at the basal half and pale brown at the apical half. In the female of the species, there is a genital plate that is grayish brown with a dark brown apical area; the styli of the male genital plate is pale brown with a greyish brown dorsal longitudinal stripe. Cerci is brown with pale brown areas near the base. Ovipositor is dark brown.

Length (mm) Body 20.6 (male), 26.1 (female); pronotum 6.3 (male), 7.3 (female); fore femur 7.7 (male), 8.9 (female); hind femur 17.5 (male), 21 (female); hind tibia 16 (male), 19.6 (female); hind basitarsus; 3.7 (male), 3.9 (female); ovipositor 16.3.

Comparison The new species is very similar to E. orlovi in general appearance, but clearly differs in terms of the following characteristics: the process of the male ninth abdominal tergite in the dorsal view appears with almost straight lateral margins from the middle part to the apex and with a more angularly convex apical part ( E. orlovi in dorsal view has lateral margins that are arcuate and the apical part is truncated); male epiproct is shorter, broader, and with narrow apical process (in E. orlovi , epiproct is longer, narrower, and with slightly bilobate apex); male genital plate between styli is more concave (almost straight in E. orlovi ). Female of the new species is distinguished from that of E. orlovi by the eighth and ninth abdominal tergites with small projections posteriorly, genital plate that is broader than it is long (without lateral lobes at the base) with short median projection, and ovipositor with a more widened apical part (female of E. orlovi lacks any projections on the eighth and ninth tergites, with a genital plate that is longer than it is broad with long median projection, and with ovipositor having a more narrowed apical part).

Etymology The new species is named after Mr. Parinya Pawangkhanant, a young Thai herpetologist who assisted in collecting specimens during fieldwork.

Figures

FIGURES 19–21. Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti sp. nov., male: head, dorsal (19) and frontal (20) views; head and pronotum, lateral view (21). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 22–26. Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti sp. nov., male: apex of abdomen, dorsal (22), lateral (23), posterior (24), posterolateral (25) and ventral (26) views. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 27–28. Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti sp. nov., male: apex of epiproct, posterior (27) and lateral (28) views.

FIGURES 29–31. Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti sp. nov., female: ovipositor, lateral view (29); genital plate, ventral view (30), apex of abdomen, dorsal view (31). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 49–51. In-situ: Eurhaphidophora pawangkhananti sp. nov., male (49) and female (50); Minirhaphidophora (Condylophora) ophioglossa subgen. et. sp. nov., female (51).