Odontura martae, Massa, 2022

Massa, Bruno, 2022, A review of the Odontura (Orthoptera, Phaneropterinae) from Italy, Malta, Algeria and Tunisia, Zootaxa 5168 (5), pp. 561-577 : 566-570

Odontura martae sp. nov.

As reported above, La Greca (1994) and Baccetti et al. (1995) both recorded Odontura borrei from the island of Lampedusa, basing their identification on the taxonomic key published by Llorente & Pinedo (1990). However, as has already been demonstrated, O. borrei is a junior synonym of O. algerica . Thus, the species that occurs on the island of Lampedusa and also in central-north Tunisia, uniquely characterized by male cerci apically folded at right angles, is presently unnamed. In view of the foregoing, a new species is herewith proposed by the present authors and described; it is being accorded the name (nomen novum) Odontura martae .

Material examined. Sicily , Lampedusa Is. (35°30’43”N, 12°35’31”E) (♂ holotypus, 4♂ 7♀ paratypi) ( MSNG) ; Sicily , Lampedusa Is. 7–9.IV.1987, F. Lo Valvo (3♂, 1♀ paratypi) ; 20.IV.1996, T. La Mantia (1♀ paratypus); 26.III.1997, T. La Mantia (1♂ paratypus); 17.IV.1997, A. Catalisano (2♀ paratypi); 4–5.IV.2022, L. F. Cassar & B. Massa (4♂, 2♀ paratypi) ( BMPC) ; Tunisia, Ain Draham (36°46’38”N, 8°41’04”E) 31.V.1993, B. Massa (1♂ paratypus) ; Tunisia, La Skhira (34°21’35”N, 10°01’55”E) 1.VI.1979, B. Massa (1♂, 2♀ paratypi) ; Tunisia, Thala (35°37’46”N, 8°40’24”E) 3.VI.1979, B. Massa (3♂, 1♀ paratypi) ; Tunisia, Kairouan (35°39’57”N, 10°06’09”E) 8.V.1992, I. Sparacio (3♂ paratypi) ; Tunisia, Zaghouan (36°25’10”N, 10°08’19”E) 10.V.1992, I. Sparacio (1♂ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Teboursouk (36°28’19”N, 9°14’54”E) 21.V.2010, F. Angelini (1♂ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Beni M’Tir (36°44’35”N, 8°44’07”E) 26.V.2010, F. Angelini (1♂ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Protville (36°57’58”N, 10°03’54”E) 26.V.2010, F. Angelini (2♂, 1♀ paratypi) ; Tunisia, Cap Bon (36°59’43”N, 10°55’40”E) 4.VI.1979, B. Massa (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Sebka Tunis (36°55’38”N, 10°11’48”E) 5.VI.1979, B. Massa (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Sakiet sidi Youssef (36°13’24”N, 8°21’49”E) 31.V.1993, B. Massa (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Sousse (35°56’07”N, 10°27’09”E) 7.V.1992, I. Sparacio (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Kasra (35°49’10”N, 9°21’43”E) 19.V.2010, F. Angelini (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Thala-Kasserine (35°17’34”N, 8°44’07”E) 17.V.2010, F. Angelini (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, Ain Draham (36°46’38”N, 8°41’04”E) 25–27.V.2010, F. Angelini (6♂ paratypi) ( BMPC) ; Tunisia, Fernana (36°39’47”N, 8°41’04”E), Gadeau (1♂, 1♀ paratypi) ; Tunisia, Ile de Tabarka (36°57’50”N, 8°45’32”E), Gadeau (1♀ paratypus) ; Tunisia, col Allanquet , Dubrony (1♂, 2♀ paratypi) ( MNCN) .

Description. Male ( Figures 3a–3b ). Colour. Green, with three longitudinal lines, of which the central lightcoloured one (ranging from whitish to a pale yellow across individuals) runs lengthwise on the pronotum and abdomen; flanking either side of this middle line are marginally broader parallel lines, whitish in colour on the pronotum and bicoloured on the abdomen, with a whitish outer and inner purple coloration that reaches the tip of the abdomen; the margin between tergites and sternites is also whitish. The lower area of paranota is whitish. Head and antennae. Fastigium of vertex very narrow, scarcely furrowed above, separated from the fastigium of frons, which is tuberculated. Eyes rounded and slightly protrusive. Antennae longer than the body. Thorax. Pronotum small, round above, anterior margin a little concave, posterior straight, lower margin of lateral lobes widely rounded. Tegmina very short with convex fore margin and rounded apex, second pairs of wings atrophic. Stridulatory area of left tegmen raised, speculum of right tegmen wide, oval, the stridulatory file under the left tegmen is arched and consists of three series of 15–17 teeth, with the distal ones more spaced, the central ones less spaced, and the proximal ones lower and very close to each other ( Figures 4a–4b ). Legs. All limbs comparatively long, fore coxae unarmed, fore tibiae furrowed on upper margin, distinctly widening on tympanum area. Tympana open on inner and outer sides. Fore, mid and hind femora unarmed, fore and mid tibiae with 4–5 spines on inner and outer ventral and dorsal margins, hind tibiae with 4–5 outer and 2–3 inner ventral spines and more than 20 spines on both sides of dorsal margins + 2 spurs on each apical side. Abdomen. Tenth tergite with a straight margin, subgenital plate concave, styli absent. Cerci stout, apically folded at right angle ( Figures 1c–1d ).

Female ( Figure 3c ). Same common characters as in the male, but slightly more robust and stout. Overall colour green, similar to the male, but with three longitudinal whitish lines, thus lacking the purple line. Tegmina very short, less than pronotum, overlapped. Subgenital plate short and wide with a pointed hind tip ( Figure 4e ). Ovipositor long and gently upcurved with several spines on dorsal and ventral margins.

Measurements (in mm). Males. Body length: 14.4±1.4 (11.9–17.0); length of pronotum: 2.8±0.2 (2.5–3.1); length of tegmina: 2.9±0.2 (2.5–3.1); length of hind femora: 15.7±1.3 (13.5–18.0). Females. Body length: 18.2±2.6 (14.0–21.5); length of pronotum: 3.4±0.3 (2.9–3.9); length of tegmina: 2.1±0.5 (1.7–3.0); length of hind femora: 17.4±0.9 (16.4–19.2); length of the ovipositor: 10.1±0.6 (9.4–11.9).

Etymology. Odontura martae sp. nov. is dedicated to Marta Visentin, as a sign of affection and friendship; she accompanied the present authors to Lampedusa in April 2022 when some specimens of Odontura were collected.

Habitat description of the locus typicus on the island of Lampedusa. ( Figure 5 ). Odontura martae sp. nov. was noted to occur in two principal biotope types on Lampedusa. One is based on ‘old-field’ succession colonizing former agricultural plots and the other on a mosaic of labiate and composite garrigues with steppic elements on coastal karstland. The species was recorded from at least two localities (and potentially a third), namely, (i) the coastal karst at Cala Francese, and (ii) within long-abandoned agricultural fields on the NW periphery of the main town, in ruderal vegetation. The specimens recorded from these two locations were all in adult phase and therefore presented no difficulties in determination. In addition, unidentified second-instar nymphs were noted on the field margins of fallow plots near the harbour area, where patches of a predominantly mesic environment (given the area forms part of the mouth of a seasonal valley bed) seem to prevail. These rather small individuals proved much too underdeveloped for a positive determination, even to genus level, although they did bear a resemblance with Odontura . In view of this uncertainty, the description of the locus typicus of the species will focus on the two locations that were confirmed to host the species. The floral associations cited below are mainly referenced from Bartolo et al. (1990).

The coastal habitat at Cala Francese is characterised by a gently sloping karst and colonised by the following biotopes (or in-part assemblages) and key floral elements: Coridothymo capitati-Cistetum parviflora Bartolo, Brullo, Minissale & Spampinato 1990 (characterised by the typical species of this Association, together with a fair coverage of Phagnalon rupestre ), Chiliadenetum lopadusani Bartolo, Brullo, Minissale & Spampinato 1990 (with a predominant presence of Chiliadenus lopadusanus , Triadenia aegyptica and Lotus cytisoides ), Filagini-Daucetum lopadusani Brullo 1985, Lavateretum cretico-arboreae Br.-Bl. & Molinier 1935, and sparsely distributed archaeophytes such as Ficus carica within rocky, soil-filled depressions. Odontura martae sp. nov. mainly occurred within dense, low-lying shrubbery.

The habitat on the northwest periphery of the main town consists of an ‘old field’ succession, comprising various pioneer species, ranging from ruderal to more stable assemblages. On the basis of the Corine Biotope categories, it is classified as “Mediterranean subnitrophilous grass communities” (code: 34.81). In terms of ecological succession, such assemblage has the potential of developing into a xeric grasslands community (6220* = priority habitat of the EU Habitats Directive) and subsequently a phrygana, comprising elements of habitats 5430, 5330 and 5334 ( La Mantia et al. 2009). In most areas, the vegetation is generally low but patches of a taller shrubbery, particularly those colonised by relatively dense stands of Foeniculum vulgare ssp. piperitum , also occur. The following main biotopes (or in-part assemblages) colonize the site: Hordeo-Sisymbrietum orientalis Oberd. 1954, Plantagini-Carrichteretum annuae Bartolo, Brullo, Minissale & Spampinato 1990, and Polycarpo-Spergularietum rubrae Brullo & Marcenò 1976.

Affinities. The cerci of Odontura martae sp. nov. are apically folded at right angle ( Figures 1c–1d ), while those of O. stenoxypha are apically incurved, quite abruptly ( Figure 1f ), those of O. calaritana are apically gently incurved ( Figure 1e ), and those of O. algerica have only a small apical spine ( Figures 1a–1b ). The male subgenital plate of the four species may be rounded or V-shaped, and, as a consequence, these do not represent a reliable diagnostic character. For the same reason, the female subgenital plate ( Figures 4d, 4e, 4f ) cannot be used as a diagnostic character. Conversely, the length of the ovipositor is a good character to distinguish O. martae sp. nov. from O. stenoxypha ; from specimens examined, it transpired that in O. martae sp. nov. the ovipositor measured 10.1±0.6 (min–max: 9.4–11.9), while in O. stenoxypha it was 9.3±0.60 (min–max: 8.2–10.3). A significant variance in ovipositor length between O. stenoxypha and O. martae sp. nov. was detected (Student’s t-test = -2.982, P = 0.008, fd = 18). The ovipositor of the holotype of O. borrei is 11.1, the length of the ovipositor in O. algerica 9.9±0.8 (min–max: 8.9–10.7); no statistical differences were found neither between the length of the ovipositor of O. algerica and O. martae sp. nov., nor between O. stenoxypha and O. algerica . Concerning the stridulatory file, we examined those of O. martae sp. nov. from Lampedusa and from Tunisia, O. stenoxypha from Sicily (Ficuzza), O. algerica from Algeria and O. quadridentata from Algeria; in the specimens analysed, three series of 14–16 teeth were found to be common to all, with the distal ones more spaced, the central ones less spaced, and the proximal ones lower and very close to each other ( Figures 4a, 4b, 4c ). In summary, when comparing stridulatory files of specimens of different taxa, no evident differences were observed.

Interestingly, O. martae sp. nov. and O. algerica have been collected in the same locality and on the same date ( Tunisia, Ain Draham 25.V.2010). It was possible to separate males by the cerci shape and the female by the presence of distinctly overlapped ( O. martae sp. nov.) or just minimally overlapped tegmina ( O. algerica ).

Distribution. O. martae sp. nov. is distributed in central-north Tunisia and on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Close up of cerci of: a) O. algerica from Constantine; b) O. algerica from Algiers; c) O. martae sp. nov., from Tunisia; d) O. martae sp. nov., from Lampedusa; e) O. calaritana (= O. festai, holotypus) from Sardinia; f) O. stenoxypha from eastern Sicily.

FIGURE 3. O. martae sp. nov. in the wild state on Lampedusa. a) dorsal view of a male (photo: L.F. Cassar); b) dorso-lateral view of a male (photo: A. Catania); c) lateral view of a female (photo credit: A. Catania).

FIGURE 4. Stridulatory files and subgenital plates: a) Stridulatory file under the left tegmen of O. martae sp. nov. from Lampedusa; b) O. martae sp. nov. from Tunisia; c) stridulatory file of O. stenoxypha from Sicily; d) subgenital plate of the female of O. stenoxypha from Sicily; e) subgenital plate of the female of O. martae sp. nov. from Lampedusa; f) subgenital plate of the female of O. calaritana from Sardinia.

FIGURE 5. Habitat of O. martae sp. nov., in Lampedusa, NW periphery of main town (photo credit: J.J. Borg).