Eupolyphaga simila Qiu, 2022

Han, Wei, Qiu, Lu, Zhu, Jing, Wang, Zong-Qing & Che, Yan-Li, 2022, Exploring the diversity of Eupolyphaga Chopard, 1929 (Blattodea, Corydioidea): species delimitation based on morphology and molecular analysis, ZooKeys 1120, pp. 67-94 : 67

Eupolyphaga simila Qiu sp. nov.

Figs 6 , 7

Type material.

Holotype: China · male; Sichuan Prov., Lixian County, Miyaluo Town, Siboguo Village; 2944 m; 31°41.58'N, 102°44.80'E; 6 October 2019; Hao Xu, Lu Qiu, Zhi-Teng Chen leg.; SWU-B-CC-010023.

Paratypes: 2 males, same collection data as holotype; SWU-B-CC-010024 to 010025.

Other material examined.

2 nymphs & 4 oothecae, same collection data as holotype; SWU-B-CC-010026 to 010027.

Diagnosis.

The male of this new species resembles Eupolyphaga yunnanensis in external morphology. However, the male of E. simila Qiu sp. nov. has a darker abdomen (Fig. 6B ) than E. yunnanensis . The female and nymph of this new species have dense black markings on their bodies (Fig. 7G, H ), while E. yunnanensis is without black markings. The serrations of ootheca are bluntly rounded in this new species (Fig. 7A, B ) while they are triangular in E. yunnanensis ( Qiu et al. 2018).

Description.

Male holotype: Measurements (mm). Overall length: 28.9; body length: 16.2; body width (tegmina not included): 9.4; pronotum length × width: 8.3 × 5.1; tegmina length × width: 26.3 × 9.0.

Coloration. Body fulvous (Fig. 6A, B ). Vertex to the space between ocelli blackish brown, ocellar ridge slightly lighter in color, the rest of the face yellow. Antennae and labrum yellow-brown (Fig. 6D ). Pronotum brown, except for the yellow anterior margin (Fig. 6C ). Tegmina fawn with scattered and unequal-sized maculae. Wings nearly transparent, with sparsely small maculae terminally. Legs fulvous. Abdomen darkish brown, with a yellow vertical line in the middle (Fig. 6A, B ).

Head. Round, longer than wide. Interocular space narrower than the distances between antennal sockets and ocelli. Ocelli bulged, ocellar ridge pubescent (Fig. 6D ). Pronotum. Transversely elliptical, with anterior margin raised medially, and slightly truncated, the widest point located near the middle, and the posterior margin slightly arched. Boundary between anterior yellowish margin and the brownish portion fused (Fig. 6C ). Tegmina and hind wings. Tegmina slender, beyond the end of abdomen 13 mm. Wings transparent. Legs. Slender and hairy, arolia large. Abdomen. Posterior margin of supra-anal plate protruded posteriorly, with a median shallow concavity (Fig. 6E ). Subgenital plate slightly asymmetrical, media widely concaved, styli long (Fig. 6F ). Genitalia. Genital hook (L3) roundly curved, with a sharp apex. R2 divided into two asymmetrical chunks, slightly quadrate (Fig. 6G, H ).

Male paratype: Body length 29.1 mm including tegmina and hind wings, no significant differences from the holotype.

Nymph. Yellowish brown, dorsal surface black-brown to pale yellow-brown, with many black maculae. Vertex with a black strip between eyes, the space between ocelli with some black spots. Hind-clypeus black. Legs darkish brown to light yellowish brown, coxa with some black maculae. Abdomen yellow, with dark margins (Fig. 7G ).

Ootheca. Light reddish brown. Surface with longitudinal lines. Serrations of the keel small and bluntly rounded. Respiratory canals absent (Fig. 7A, B ).

Natural history.

This new species can be found in dry soil under cliffs along the roadside (Fig. 7C, D ).

Etymology.

The species epithet is from similis (Latin) indicating this species is similar to Eupolyphaga yunnanensis .

Remarks.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, all living females of the new species were uncared-for in the lab during the research time. Thus, no female specimens survived for further study, but LQ has taken a photograph of a female in the wild (Fig. 7H ), which provides a chance to compare the coloration with the female of E. yunnanensis . We also distinguished E. simila Qiu sp. nov. from E. yunnanensis by using DNA barcoding; the genetic divergence of the two species being 13.86-14.82%, and the ABGD analysis also supports the establishment of this new species.

Figures

Figure 6. Eupolyphaga simila Qiu, sp. nov., male holotype A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, ventral view C pronotum, dorsal view D head, ventral view E supra-anal plate, ventral view F subgenital plate (right stylus missing), ventral view G genitalia, dorsal view H right phallomere, right-ventral view. Scale bars: 1.0 cm (A, B); 0.2 cm (C, D); 0.1 cm (E-H).

Figure 7. Eupolyphaga simila Qiu, sp. nov. A ootheca, lateral view B serrations of ootheca C, D habitats of Eupolyphaga simila, Siboguo Village, Lixian County, Sichuan Province E, F the living holotype after emergence G the ventral side of a nymph H the ventral side of a female. Scale bars: 0.1 cm (A); 0.01 cm (B). Photographs C-H by LQ.