Phaloria nigricollis, Desutter-Grandcolas, 2009

Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure, 2009, New and little known crickets from Espiritu Santo Island, Vanuatu (Insecta, Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Pseudotrigonidium Chopard, 1915, Phaloriinae and Nemobiinae p. p.), Zoosystema 31 (3), pp. 619-659 : 638

Phaloria nigricollis n. sp.

( Fig. 5 E-G)

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype: Vanuatu. [Tafea province], I. Tanna, env. de Lamuemaura, 1935-1936, E. Aubert de la Rüe, 1 ♂ (MNHN-ENSIF2113).

ETYMOLOGY. — Species named after the distinctive colouration of its pronotum.

DIAGNOSIS. — Species close to P. chopardi n. comb., from which it can be readily separated by the uniform black colouration of its pronotum.

DESCRIPTION (HOLOTYPE)

Species very similar to P. chopardi n. comb. Global colouration quite homogeneously ochre, except for black pronotum. Characters as in P. chopardi n. comb., except for: TII with 4 apical spurs, the inner spurs longer than the outer.TIII serrulation: inner spine number: 0 between apex and spur 1, and between spurs 1 and 2; 1 or 2 between spurs 2 and 3; 2 between spurs 3 and 4; 7 or 8 above subapical spur 4; number of outer spines: 0 between apex and spur 1; 3 between spurs 1 and 2; 5 between spurs 2 and 3; 4 or 5 between spurs 3 and 4, 14 above subapical spur 4. Basitarsi III as in P. chopardi n. comb., but with 3 or 4 dorsal spines in addition to apical one. HWs and FWs as in P. chopardi n. comb.

Colouration

Head almost entirely ochre, the head dorsum, upper part of the face, tibiae and femora apex somewhat darker; eye dorsal third lighter. Pronotum black, with ochre margins; a wider ochre band along the posterior margin of dorsal disc and a narrow one along the lower margin of lateral lobe. Legs without distinct coloured stripes or rings.

Male

FWs and stridulatory apparatus similar to that of P. chopardi ; file with 38 stridulatory teeth (n = 1);

Lpron lpron LFW lFW LFIII LTIII File

Holotype 2.9 4.9 14.7 7.2 11 10 32

harp with 9 veins, 5 of which crossed by CuP; mirror crossed by 2 veins, the upper one beginning below (= more distally) the junction between the mirror and c1 cell; lateral field: R bifurcated 19 times. Subgenital plate as in P. chopardi n. comb.

Male genitalia. Similar to that of P. chopardi , in size and structure, in particular for the pseudepiphallic sclerite and lophi, the parameres as on Figure 5E .

Measurements

See Table 6.

REMARK

Two females from Vanuatu, Shefa province, Epi island (Mt. Alempe, 1935-1936, E. Aubert de la Rüe [MNHN-ENSIF2114, 2115]), could also belong to P. nigricollis n. sp., with which they share the same pattern of pronotum colouration. In one female distinct yellowish spots are however visible on the face and cheeks. Th ese females have an ovipositor which is much smaller than that of P.chopardi n. comb. (see measurements); their subgenital plate is large, with a deeply concave posterior margin; their FW venation shows 3 anal veins, A1 bifurcated with or without distal anastomosis, CuP and CuA bifurcated twice or 3 times each. Their copulatory papilla is hardly sclerotized only dorsally, its apex sinuated dorsally ( Fig. 5F, G ). See Table 7 for measurements.

Figures

FIG. 5. — A-D, Phaloria chopardi (Willemse, 1925) n. comb.; A-C, male genitalia, ♂ MNHN-ENSIF2102, in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views; D, right pseudepiphallic paramere, ventral view; E, P. nigricollis n. sp., male genitalia, ♂ MNHN-ENSIF2113, right pseudepiphallic paramere, ventral view; F, G, P. nigricollis n. sp. (?), female copulatory papilla in lateral (F) and dorsal (G) views, ♀ MNHN-ENSIF2114. Scale bars: A-C, F, G, 1 mm; D, E, 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: see text.