Eurycorypha pseudomeruensis, Hemp, 2017

Hemp, Claudia, 2017, New Eurycorypha species (Orthoptera: Tettigonoidea: Phaneropteridae; Phaneropterinae from East Africa, Zootaxa 4358 (3), pp. 471-493 : 485-487

Eurycorypha pseudomeruensis n. sp.

( Figs. 18–20 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:500281

Holotype male, Tanzania, Tabora, Puge Simbo Forest Reserve, 1280 m, February 2016, Latitude: - 4°57'0", Longitude: 33°1'0.01". Depository MfN . 1 female, same data as holotype, depository MfN .

Further paratypes: 5 males, 1 female, same data as holotye and April 2016, collection C Hemp . 1 male, Tanganyika Terr. Old Shinyanga, Boma , 4. V. 1925, E. Burtt, B.M. 1935-351 ; 1 male, 1 female, Tanganyika , Old Shinyanga, 12.II. 1954, E. Burtt ; 1 male, Kenya, Masai c/s Mara Kipleleo Plain, 26.IV.1962, P. E. Glover, B.M . 1964-84; 1 male, Kenya, 6 mi S.W. Kakamega, Cent. Kavirondo, 5200 ft, Vanderbilt Exped., J.A.G. Rehn , 5. Aug. 1934 ; 1 male, Tanzania, Tabora, Light Trap, 19.5.1966, I. A. D. Robertson, B.M. 1968-749; depository: BMNH.

Description. Male. General habitus & colour. Comparatively small and slender Eurycorypha . Dark green with net of yellowish veins and light green patches on dark green ground on tegmina ( Fig. 18 A ). Head and antennae: Antennae thin, dark green and about as long as folded wings. Fastigium of vertex very broad, more than three times as wide as scapus of antenna; fastigium of vertex meeting equally broad fastigium of frons along well developed horizontal line with shallow median sulcus; face with callose frontogenal carinae; eyes typical for Eurycorypha , elongate and oval, green with yellow line as part of parallel lines from head over lateral sides of pronotal disc surpassing upper part of the eye. Thorax. Pronotum with lateral carinae with slightly rugose surface; anterior margin of pronotum slightly and broadly incurved, posterior margin broadly rounded. Pronotal lobes with numerous shallow tubercles or rugosities. Wings. Both pairs of wings fully developed; tegmina elongate, evenly rounded at tips, about 3.7 times longer as broad. Tegmina with veins and veinlets very light contrasting to darker remaining parts giving tegmina pattern of strongly veined leaf ( Fig. 18 A ), this pattern fading in preserved insect. Alae shiny with green area near tips which surpass tegmina when folded. Stridulatory file long, with numerous densely set teeth gradually tapering in size ( Fig. 19 B ). Legs. Fore coxa with spine. Fore tibiae with open tympana and without dorsal spines on fore and mid femora. Fore and mid femora ventrally with three outer spines, inner ridges unarmed. Hind femora with 5–6 outer spines and 1–2 inner spínes, most distal spines set a s a pair shortly before apex. Fore tibiae ventrally two rows of 3–4 irregular set spines, mid tibiae with 7–8 outer and 5–6 inner spines mostly set in pairs getting denser distally. Hind tibiae with three slender apical spurs on each side and four rows of numerous spines getting denser distally. Abdomen. Green without any pattern. Last abdominal tergite elongated with narrow shaft and two fork-like spread thin spines ( Fig. 19 A, C ). Cerci short, slightly incurved with acute sclerotized tip. Subgenital plate with broad base, getting narrow to distal end, almost circular incised at posterior margin forming two lateral stout processes each bearing a minute stylus ( Fig. 19 D ).

Female. Similar in size and coloration as male ( Fig. 18 B ). Ovipositor well developed and curved up-wards, as in Fig. 20 A . Subgenital plate with broadly rounded posterior margin ( Fig. 20 B ), laterally pair of semi-circular bulges.

Measurements (mm). Male (N = 4). Body length 17.8–18.3. Median length of pronotum 4.1–4.2. Posterior femur length 13.0–13.2. Length of tegmina 27.1–30.5. Width of tegmina 7.6–8.0.

Measurements (mm). Female (N = 1). Body length 21. Median length of pronotum 4.2. Posterior femur length 14.5. Length of tegmina 30. Width of tegmina 10.

Habitat. Submontane forest.

Etymology. Morphologically similar to Eurycorypha meruensis , therefore – pseudomeruensis .

Distribution. West-central Tanzania to western Kenya.

Diagnosis. An elongated tenth abdominal tergite with two processes is also found in E. meruensis and E. lesnei Chopard. In E. meruensis the 10th abdominal tergite beak-like with a thick downward curved posterior part ending in two short spines while in E. pseudomeruensis n. sp. the posterior part of the elongated 10th abdominal tergite is a narrow shaft ending in two spines. In E. lesnei the tenth abdominal tergite narrows very suddenly to form a thick and short median process which ends in two blunt lobes. The females are well characterized by their broadly rounded subgenital plate and the two semi-circular bulges laterally at the base of the ovipositor.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Male (A) and female(B) Eurycorypha pseudomeruensis n. sp. from Puge Simbo forest reserve near Tabora, central Tanzania.

FIGURE 19. Morphological details of male E. pseudomeruensis n. sp. A. Semilateral view and rear view (C) on apex with cerci and tip of elongated process of 10th abdominal tergite B. Stridulatory file D. Subgenital plate.

FIGURE 20.Morphological details of female E.pseudomeruensis n. sp.