Assamacris trimaculata, Mao, Ben-Yong, Ren, Guo-Dong & Ou, Xiao-Hong, 2007

Mao, Ben-Yong, Ren, Guo-Dong & Ou, Xiao-Hong, 2007, Two new species of the genus Assamacris (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Catantopinae) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 1516, pp. 61-68 : 62-63

Assamacris trimaculata sp. nov.

( Figs 1–14 , 27–29 )

Type material. Holotype: male, CHINA: Yunnan, Lushui Pianma, 26°00'N, 98º39'E, 1900m, 23 Jul. 2005, collected by Ji-shan Xu ( CLDU) and Ben-yong Mao ( CLDU). Paratypes: 2 males, 2 females, same data as holotype.

Diagnosis. This new species differs from all known Assamacris species by stouter and shorter cerci of male terminating in a thick, obtuse dorsal and a slender, decurved ventral branch and by the color pattern of the hind femora. From A. spinipicta Ingrisch et al., 2004 and A. striata Uvarov, 1942 it differs by somewhat straight and entire light bands on disc of pronotum; from A. longicerca ( Huang, 1981) and A. curticerca ( Huang, 1981) by the longer tegmina and larger triangular furculae on 10th abdominal tergite. The male of the new species differs from A. spinipicta also by details of the phallic complex.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the three maculas on hind femur.

Description. Head almost as long as prozona in male, slightly shorter than prozona in female. Fastigium prominent forwards and downwards; dorsal surface weakly concave. Vertex with a median longitudinal carina. Face foveolate, in profile strongly oblique in male or slightly oblique in female; frontal ridge projecting between antennae with margins somewhat parallel and raised; subobsolete below transverse facial sulcus; width between antennae 1.0–1.1 (male) or 0.9–1.0 (female) as wide as interocular distance; lateral facial carinae interrupted in middle by dots. Antennae narrow, reaching middle of hind femur (male) or hind coxa (female), any middle segment 3.7–4.3 (male) or 3.2–3.8 (female) times longer than wide. Eyes long oval, longitudinal diameter 1.3 (male) or 1.4 (female) times as long as horizontal one, and 1.3–1.4 (male) or 1.2–1.3 (female) times as long as subocular furrow. Pronotum cylindrical; surface dotted and rugose; anterior margin broadly rounded, with a shallow emargination in middle; posterior margin roundly angular; median carina faint, distinctly intersected by three sulci; lateral carinae absent; prozona 1.2–1.3 times as long as metazona in both sexes. Prosternal spine conical with apex subacute (fig. 1). Brachypterous, tegmina nearly reaching 5th abdominal tergite or middle of hind femur in male, 5th–7th tergite or faintly beyond middle of hind femur in female (figs 27–29). Mesosternal lobes 1.1 (male) or 1.3 (female) times as wide as long; mesosternal interspace 1.9–2.0 (male) or 1.1 (female) times as long as minimum width; lateral lobes of metasterum subcontiguous in male, separate in female (figs 2–3). Hind femur 4.8–5.2 (male) or 5.0 (female) times longer than wide; upper carina weakly serrate, terminating in a short spine; lower knee lobes roundly angular. Hind tibia with 8– 9 spines on both dorsal margins; inner spines longer than outer spines, outer apical spur absent. Hind tarsi with 1st and 2nd segments nearly as long as 3rd segment; arolium somewhat shorter than length of claw. Tympana opening oval.

Male genitalia. 10th abdominal tergite partially excised in middle, with distinct triangular furculae (figs 4– 5). Supra-anal plate tongue-shaped with median area somewhat raised and shallowly furrowed from base to apex; with a weak, transverse, median fold; lateral margins a little raised; posterior margin roundly rectangular (figs 4–5). Cerci stout, reaching beyond apex of supra-anal plate; terminating in a thick, obtuse dorsal branch and a narrow, decurved ventral branch, the ventral longer than the dorsal one (figs 4–6). Subgenital plate short conical; apex obtuse (fig. 5). Epiphallus with parallelogrammic lophi projecting in a 90° angle from bridge, width larger than length; anchorae hooked, stout, pointing entad and ventrad (figs 9–11). Ectophallic membrane with extra sclerites: paired dorsal sclerites lying on phallus and a band-shaped ventral sclerite surrounding phallic complex ventrally and laterally (figs 12–14).

Female genitalia. Supra-anal plate almost rhombic with lateral areas sloping; with a broad and shallow median longitudinal furrow, interrupted by a transverse fold in middle. Cerci conical; apex subobtuse. Valves of ovipositor narrow, without teeth along margins; apices hooked (fig. 7). Posterior margin of subgenital plate sinuate with a short angular flap in middle (fig. 8).

Coloration (figs. 27–29). The following notes according to fresh specimens. Olivaceous brown. Vertex with two light greenish-yellow bands along lateral margins, contiguous between eyes, separating backwards to occiput, continuing as lateral bands on disc of pronotum and dorsal area of tegmina; vertex and occiput with a black band between light ones, continuing as olivaceous brown median band on pronotum and dorsal area of tegmina; postocular bands olivaceous brown (male) or brown (female), continuing along dorsal area of lateral lobes of pronotum and lateral areas of tegmina; all three brown bands black-marginated. Antennae with scape greenish yellow; apical six segments black; others yellowish brown. Fore and middle legs greenish yellow; femora with three series of dark spots. Hind femur olivaceous brown, with three irregularly black-margined greenish yellow maculas (including ring-like one before knee) on outer and upper sides, basal one on upper side with a black spot in middle; knee black. Hind tibia greenish yellow, black at base, in middle third and at apex; spines black. Abdominal tergits yellowish green, with some irregular black spots; supra-anal plate with median longitudinal furrow black, lateral area in basal third black; cerci with apical half black. Color of dried specimens is similar to that of fresh ones except abdominal tergits greenish yellow.

Measurements (mm). Length of body: male 24.0–25.5, female 30.5–31.0; length of pronotum: male 6.2– 6.5, female 8.3–8.4; length of tegmen: male 10.2–11.1, female 13.5–14.5; length of hind femur: male 14.0– 14.3, female 17.3–17.6; length of antenna: male 15.5–17.5, female 15.5–17.5; length of eye: male 2.5–2.7, female 2.9–3.2; interocular distance: male 0.5–0.6, female 0.8–0.9.

Distribution. China: Yunnan (Lushui Pianma).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 14. Assamacris trimaculata sp. nov. 1. prosternal spine, lateral and anterior view; 2 – 3. mesosternum and metasternum, male and female; 4 – 5. male terminalia, dorsal and lateral views; 6. male circus, external view; 7. female abdominal apex, lateral view; 8. subgenital plate and ovipositor, ventral view; 9 – 11. epiphallus, lateral, dorsal and anterior views; 12 – 14. phallic complex, dorsal, ventral and lateral views. an = anchora; esd = dorsal sclerite of ectophallic membrane; esv = ventral sclerite of ectophallic membrane; lo = lophus of epiphallus. scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 27 – 32. dorsal and lateral views of body (photo from fresh specimens). 27 – 29. Assamacris trimaculata sp. nov.; 30 – 32. Assamacris bidentata sp. nov.; 27, 30. male; 28 – 29, 31 – 32. female.