Nanoleptopoda albifrons, Braun, Holger, 2011

Braun, Holger, 2011, A brief revision of brachypterous Phaneropterinae of the tropical Andes (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Odonturini), Zootaxa 2991, pp. 35-43 : 39

Nanoleptopoda albifrons sp. nov.

Braun 2002, p. 88: Parangara sp. 2, Weißbart-Gnomschrecke Braun 2008, p. 219: Parangara sp. 2

Species page in OSF: http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=75081

Etymology. Derived from Latin and referring to the white face.

Specimens and type locality. Holotype female (specimen cbt073s01, originally no. 284), Ecuador, Provincia Zamora-Chinchipe, Romerillos (upper Río Jamboe, Parque Nacional Podocarpus), 1790 m, leg. H. Braun 23 August 1999, deposited in the Museo de La Plata, Argentina; female (cbt073s02), Ecuador, Provincia Zamora- Chinchipe, Alto Nangaritza, south of Zurmi, near Las Orquídeas, 1200–1300 m, leg. Juan M. Guayasamin 10 April 2009 (in collection of author).

Description ( Fig. 3 ):

Diagnosis. Face mostly white, tegmina only slightly longer than pronotum. General coloration lighter than previous species, lucid green with few delicate dark markings.

Head. Major part of frons and genae, upper portion of clypeus, labrum, and mandibles whitish; upper margin and thin vertical line on each side of frons dark brown or black, as well as latero-ventral portion of scapus. The frontal portion of the vertex is in the middle slightly angulate and drops almost perpendicular to the fastigium, and has there two dark markings separated by a thin whitish median line. Antennae in life with lucid green bands.

Thorax. Pronotum dorsally green, lateral margin of disk partially with thin blackish line, lateral lobes darker reddish green, anterior part of ventral margin light. In female auditory spiracle similar to previous species, directed rearward. Sternites and middle coxae ventrally partly, hind coxae ventrally completely blackened. Tegmina slightly longer than pronotum, venation green, enclosing black fields. In female right tegmen with dorsal stridulatory file on inner margin, comprising ten minuscule toothlets. Legs light green with some dark markings, especially dorsally on the base of the hind femora, tympana light. All tarsi blackened, the ones of the hind legs only ventrally.

Abdomen. Light green, tergites basally whitish with black ventral margin. Abdominal sternites and female subgenital plate mostly black. The latter is triangular with narrow tip.

Measurements of two females. Body length 10–11 mm, pronotum 2 mm, tegmina 2.5 mm, hind femora 13.5– 14 mm (see also photographs with scales).

Note on distribution. The localities of the two known specimens, upper Río Jamboe and Alto Nangaritza, are roughly 30 km apart, separated by the Contrafuerte de Tzunantza (1800–2600 m) and the Río Nangaritza (there about 900 m). At most 50 km farther south are connections with less elevation differences between Podocarpus National Park and the Cordillera del Cóndor, to which the second site belongs. The locality of N. nigrifrons at the northern margin of Podocarpus, about 40 km northwest of the first site of N. albifrons , is separated by some fairly high mountain ridges (2000–3000 m) and the Río Sabanilla and Río Bombuscaro valleys.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Nanoleptopoda albifrons sp. nov.: female alive (second specimen), and frontal view, subgenital plate, and lateral