Phaulula Bolivar, 1906

Gorochov, A. V., 2025, TAXONOMY OF THE KATYDIDS (ORTHOPTERA: TETTIGONIIDAE) FROM EAST ASIA AND ADJACENT ISLANDS. COMMUNICATION 17, Far Eastern Entomologist 514, pp. 1-20 : 7-8

Genus Phaulula Bolivar, 1906

NOTES. This genus was firstly described as Phaula Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1878 for four new species from the Philippines, Java and Singapore ( Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1878). Later: one of these species ( Phaula laevis ) was designated as its type species, the two non-Philippine species were transferred to other genera ( Stictophaula and Arnobia ), the name Phaula in connection with its homonymy was replaced by a new generic name ( Phaulula ), and numerous additional species were attributed to Phaulula from different localities of Indo-Malayan and Papuan Regions (but some of these species were originally described in other genera, and these genera were synonymized with Phaulula ) (see references to these actions in OSF).

In accordance to OSF, this genus has three generic synonyms ( Phaula ; Phauloidea Matsumura et Shiraki, 1908 ; Dichophaula Karny, 1926 ) and includes 28 valid species which are not grouped into subgenera. However, its composition is very problematic, because ten of these species ( Phaula gracilis Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. indica Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. peregrina Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. lenzi Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. inconspicua Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. sumatrana Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. cornuta Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. gigantea Karny, 1923 ; Dichophaula longipes Karny, 1926 ; D. habroides Karny, 1926 ) really or probably belong to other genera, two of the rest species ( Phaula denticauda Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. reticulata Karny, 1926 ) are insufficiently known for any generic determination, and one generic name ( Dichophaula Karny, 1926 with D. longipes as its type species) possibly belongs to a separate genus.

All the other species (16) really or probably belong to Phaulula and may be characterized by the following features: the upper rostral tubercle is rather narrow but dorsoventrally flattened and with its apical part barely erected above the apex of the lower rostral tubercle; the dorsal field of each male tegmen is with the widened proximal portion having a stridulatory apparatus as well as distinctly separated from the very narrow more distal portion by an almost rectangular medial notch (similar to that of Mirolliini ) and usually by a small oblique fold (this fold may be developed in the both tegmina or only in the left tegmen, and the widened proximal portion of the right dorsal field has a small posteromedial lobule; Figs 24, 28 , 55, 57, 59 ); the tegminal lateral fields are with all branches of the tegminal RS usually branching from the tegminal R and RA ( Figs 22, 27 , 50, 52 ), but sometimes this RS with two branches ( Fig. 54 ); the legs are typical of Holochlorini including the presence of a distinct spine on each fore coxa as well as open outer tympana and slit-like inner ones in the fore tibiae; the last abdominal tergite in male has diverse posteromedian process which is not bilobed or only slightly bilobed (but not deeply bifurcated; Figs 29–31, 33–48 , 61–70 ); the cerci and genital plate in male are rather simple in shape, but these cerci usually lack additional branches or processes, and this plate is moderately short and with a rather wide posteromedian notch as well as with indistinct styli ( Figs 29, 31, 35, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 , 62–64, 66, 67, 69, 70 ).

These species are here grouped into three tentative groups on the base of the male abdominal structure: Ph. laevis group, Ph. ensigera group and a group with rather diverse male abdominal apices. The first group has the male last tergite gradually narrowing into a rather long and moderately thin posterior process which is more or less curved downwards in its distal half ( Figs 29, 30, 33–45 ); this group contains the following species (in the original binomen): Phaula laevis Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1878 (type species); Phauloidea daitoensis Matsumura et Shiraki, 1908 ; Ph. gracilis Matsumura et Shiraki, 1908 , nom. res. [= Phaulula macilenta Ichikawa, 2004 , syn. n.; the latter species name was proposed as a replacement one for Phauloidea gracilis , but the species with the older homonymic species name Phaula gracilis is here removed from Phaulula (see above)]; Phaula malayica Karny, 1926 ; Dichophaula leefmansi Karny, 1926 ; Phaulula apicalis Liu, 2011 ; possibly Phaula dammermani Karny, 1926 and Phaulula trukkensis Willemse, 1951 . The second group has this process very thin (spine-like) and distinctly separated from the last tergite ( Figs 61– 64 ); this group consists of Phaula rugulosa Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1878 , Ph. ensigera Karny, 1926 and possibly Phaulula carolinensis Willemse, 1951 . The third group includes five remaining but evidently unrelated species: Phaula compressa Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. phaneropteroides Brunner-Wattenwyl, 1891 ; Ph. galeata Hebard, 1922 ; Ph. luzonica Hebard, 1922 ; Ph. neglecta Karny, 1931 .

Figures

Figs 21–28. Phaulula, male: 21–24 – Ph. javanica sp. n.; 25–28 – Ph. tapienomima sp. n. Head with pronotum from above/side and in front (21, 26), as well as from side (25); left tegmen (22, 27); distal part of right tegmen in reversed view (23); tegminal stridulatory apparatus from above (24, 28).

Figs 55–60. Phaulula, male: 55, 56 – Ph. spinulenta sp. n.; 57, 58 – Ph. tuberculata sp. n.; 59, 60 – Ph. figurata sp. n. Tegminal stridulatory apparatus from above (55, 57, 59); stridulatory vein of left tegmen from below (56, 58, 60).

Figs 49–54. Phaulula, male: 49, 50 – Ph. spinulenta sp. n.; 51, 52 – Ph. tuberculata sp. n.; 53, 54 – Ph. figurata sp. n. Head with pronotum and fore leg from above/side and somewhat in front (49, 51, 53); left tegmen (50, 52, 54).

Figs 29–48. Phaulula, male: 29–32 – Ph. javanica sp. n.; 33, 34 – Ph. daitoensis; 35, 36 – Ph. malayica; 37 – Ph. trukkensis; 38, 39 – Ph. apicalis; 40, 41 – Ph. laevis; 42, 43 – Ph. gracilis; 44, 45 – Ph. leefmansi; 46–48 – Ph. tapienomima sp. n. Abdominal apex from side (29, 33, 35, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46), from above (30, 34, 36, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47) and from below (31, 48). [33, 34, 38, 39, 42, 43 – after Kang et al. (2014); 35, 36, 40, 41, 44, 45 – after Karny (1926); 37 – after Willemse (1951), modified.]

Figs 61–72. Phaulula: 61–63 – Ph. spinulenta sp. n.; 64 – Ph. rugulosa; 65–67 – Ph. tuberculata sp. n.; 68–72 – Ph. figurata sp. n. Male abdominal apex from above (61, 65, 68), from below (62, 66, 69) and from side (63, 64, 67, 70); female genital plate from below (71); ovipositor from side (72). [64 – after Karny (1926).]