Ornebius lupus Tan, 2022

Tan, Ming Kai, Japir, Razy, Chung, Arthur Y. C., Wahab, Rodzay Bin Haji Abdul & Robillard, Tony, 2022, Taxonomy and bioacoustics of scaly crickets (Orthoptera, Mogoplistidae Mogoplistinae) from Borneo and Singapore, Zootaxa 5213 (2), pp. 177-189 : 185-187

Ornebius lupus Tan , sp. nov.

( Figs 1C, 1D , 6 , 7 )

Ornebius sp. — Tan et al. under review [calling songs from Singapore]

Specimens examined. Holotype: SINGAPORE • 1♂; Pasir Ris mangrove boardwalk; N1.37805, E103.95147; 19 March 2022, night time; on foliage of mangrove tree; coll. M.K. Tan; ZRC

Paratypes: SINGAPORE • 1♂; Pasir Ris mangrove boardwalk; N1.37805, E103.95147; 2 May 2022, night time; on foliage of mangrove tree; coll. M.K. Tan; MNHN-EO-ENSIF11343

Diagnosis. The new species has genitalia which appear most similar to those in the species group Ornebius ( rufonigrus ) Ingrisch, 1987, but differs by the dark-grey colouration; the maxillary palps being not so elongated (more similar to Ornebius alvarezi Tan, Ingrisch, Baroga-Barbecho & Yap, 2019 from the Philippines; elongated oblong in Ornebius dumoga Ingrisch, 2006 from Sulawesi and in Ornebius consternus Ingrisch, 2006 from Sulawesi), the FW colouration darker (orange in O. dumoga and in Ornebius rufonigrus Ingrisch, 1987 from Indochina and Malay Peninsula) and less covered by the pronotum (compared to O. consternus ). The male genitalia of this new species differ from congeners from the species group by the internal sclerites at base being smaller instead of expanded.

We also compared the new species with other species currently not placed in any species group (i.e., with unknown male genitalia). Our species resembles species with wholly dark/ black or smoky FWs, such as Ornebius obscuripennis ( Chopard, 1930) from Sarawak and Ornebius fuscipennis ( Chopard, 1929) from Sumatra (including Padang, Pulau Sipura, Pulau Telo and Batu Islands). The new species differs from O. obscuripennis by the pronotal lateral lobe and lateral parts of the head being dark-grey (i.e., unicolorous with dorsal parts) instead of forming a yellow lateral band. It also differs from O. fuscipennis by much smaller body size (BL 8.4 vs. 10.5 mm; PL 2.8 vs. 4.5 mm; TL 2.5 vs. 2 mm; FIIIL 4.4 vs. 7 mm); by the FW more uniformly coloured instead of smoky with posterior margin blackish; by the apical segment of the maxillary palps longer than subapical and third; by the pronotal disc not covered with yellow-brown scales; and by the legs that are not unicolourous yellowish.

Lastly, the new species also differs from a syntopic species, Ornebius tampines Tan & Robillard, 2012 by the overall body and FW colouration, the body shape is more typical of Ornebius , instead of slenderly built, the shape of the male genitalia and by the calling songs (see Tan et al., under review). It is also somewhat similar to a sympatric species, O. pullus by the wholly black FWs, but differs by the lack of white margins along the lateral lobe and the posterior margin of the dorsal disc of the pronotum, by the shape of male genitalia and by the calling songs (see Tan et al., under review)

Etymology. The species name refers to the dark-grey colouration, resembling the grey-wolf, Canis lupus .

Description. Small species; habitus of male as shown in Fig 1C, 1D . Dorsum of head flattened, covered with dark-grey scales ( Figs. 6A ). Frontal rostrum 2.0 times wider than scapus ( Fig. 6A ). Scapus dark-grey ( Fig 6A ); basal antennal segments black, thereafter brown with some segments black ( Figs 6B, 6C ). Frons and mouthparts of dark colour ( Fig. 6B ). Maxillary palps pale grey; with apical (= fifth) segment longer than subapical (= fourth) segment, third segment of subequal length as subapical segment; apical segment pyriform ( Fig. 6C ). Lateral parts of head, including genae, of dark colour, without bands ( Fig. 6C ). Pronotal disc brown and wholly covered with dark-grey scales, about 1.3 times longer than wide, with anterior margin narrow and straight; lateral margin widening slightly posteriorly; covering only base of mirror of FW; posterior margin convex ( Fig. 6D ). Lateral lobe of pronotum also wholly covered with dark-grey scales ( Figs 1D , 6C ). TI with internal tympanum small and oval; without external tympanum. FIII 1.4–1.5 times longer than TIII; TIII 2.6 times longer than MTaIII. Femora generally pale, covered with marmoration of dark-grey scales except in basal parts. Tibiae and tarsi generally grey. Abdominal tergites covered with dark-grey scales; sternites pale. Abdominal apex darkened. Cercus covered with grey scales.

Male. FW mostly infumated black, dorsal field darkest at posterior margin ( Fig. 6D ); lateral field likewise in some areas with infumated white veins ( Fig. 6E ). Supra-anal plate with last abdominal tergite and epiproct distinctly separated by a transverse suture. Last abdominal tergite transverse, posterior margin abruptly indented in middle; with oval pale spot in middle (not obvious in dry-pinned specimen) ( Fig. 6F vs. 6G); posterior margin on either side of the indentation with two patches of short and strong setae. Supra-anal plate less transverse than last abdominal tergite, black coloured, apex subtruncate ( Figs 6F, 6G ). Subgenital plate black ( Fig. 6H ). Paraproct process black, elongate, cylindrical and tapering into a subacute apex ( Fig. 6H ). Genitalia as in Fig. 7 . Central lobe of phallus with lateral valves (lv) elongate, apical area curved slightly ventrad in lateral view; tapering into obtuse apex, in apical area with inner margin curved in dorsal view; both sides together almost forming a dorsally and ventrally open tube. External sclerite (es) well developed, with external part more strongly sclerotized than inner part (in dorsal view). Medial valve (mv) membranous with base widened (in dorsal view) and upcurved (in lateral view). Internal sclerites (is) at base small but widened and curled, afterwards straight and elongate.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (2♂, in mm). ♂ Holotype: BL = 8.4; PronL = 2.8; PronW = 2.2; FWL = 2.5; FWW = 2.3; FIIIL = 4.4; TIIIL = 3.1; MaTIIIL = 1.2. ♂ paratype: BL = 8.4; PronL = 2.8; PronW = 2.2; FWL = 2.5; FWW = 2.3; FIIIL = 4.4; TIIIL = 2.9; MaTIIIL = 1.1.

Ecology. This species is found among foliage of mangrove trees, occurring in syntopy with another mangrovespecialist, Ornebius tampines .

Distribution. SINGAPORE

Type locality. SINGAPORE, Pasir Ris mangrove

Calling song. Described in Tan et al. (under review). The calling song of this species is similar to that of Ornebius rufonigrus Ingrisch, 1987 from the same species group with regard to echeme duration and dominant frequency, although the new species produces echeme-sequences composed of triple-chirps instead of double-chrips as in O. rufonigrus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. ♂ habitus of Cycloptiloides bimaculatus Tan et al., 2021(A), Ornebius pullus Ingrisch, 2006 (B) and Ornebius lupus sp. nov. (C, D) in dorsal (A–C) and dorso-lateral view (D). Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Ornebius lupus sp. nov. ♂ holotype: head and pronotum in dorsal view (A); head in anterior (B) and lateral (C) views; FWs in dorsal (D) and lateral (E) views; abdominal apex in dorsal (F, G) and lateral (H) views. (F) shows the specimen preserved in ethanol and (G) shows the specimen dry-pinned. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Ornebius lupus sp. nov. ♂ holotype genitalia in dorsal (A, B) and lateral (C) views. es = external sclerite, is = internal sclerite, lv = lateral valve, mv = medial valve. Scale bar: 1 mm.