Tachycines (Gymnaeta) tongrenus, Feng & Huang & Luo, 2020

Feng, Xueli, Huang, Shihui & Luo, Changqing, 2020, Three new cave species of the subgenus Tachycines (Gymnaeta) (Orthoptera Rhaphidophoridae: Aemodogryllinae) from northern Guizhou, China, Zootaxa 4820 (3), pp. 563-571 : 568-570

Tachycines (Gymnaeta) tongrenus sp. nov.

( Figs. 5 , 6 )

Description. Male. Body large size ( Figs. 5 A–C). Vertex of head divided into two conical tubercles, bases of the well-developed tubercles drawn together, obtusely rounded apices separated ( Fig. 5D ). Eyes normal, not reduced.

Anterior margin of pronotum straight, posterior margin protruding caudad, ventral margin arc-shaped; posterior margin of mesonotum protruding caudad; posterior margin of metanotum straight.

Legs long and slender. Coxae with small medial projections. Fore femur about 2 times longer than the pronotum, ventrally unarmed, internal genicular lobe with 1 small spine, external genicular lobe with 1 long spine; fore tibia ventrally with 1 inner spine and 2 outer spines, apex with 1 small outer spine on dorsal surface and 1 pair of long spines on ventral surface, between the paired ventral spines with 1 small spine. Middle femur ventrally unarmed, internal and external genicular lobes with 1 long spine respectively; middle tibiae ventrally with 1 inner spine and 1 outer spine, apex with 1 pair of dorsal spines and 1 pair of ventral spines, between the paired ventral spines with 1 small spine. Hind femur ventrally unarmed; hind tibia dorsally with 49–48 inner spines and 56–54 outer spines, arrange in groups, ventral and dorsal surface with a pair of small subapical spines respectively, apex with 1 pair of long dorsal spines and 1 pair of long ventral spines; the longest dorso-apical spine not exceeding the dorso-apical spine of hind metatarsus ( Fig. 5E ). Hind metatarsus with bristles beneath.

Abdominal sternites with well-developed conical ventral projections. Epiphallus of male genitalia like the shape of “H”; median lobe of genitalia with 1 pair of apical lobules, divided by a shallow notch; paired lateral sclerites rather large, with basal expansions ( Figs. 5F, G ).

Female. General appearance similar to that of male ( Figs. 6 A–C). Ovipositor shorter than the half of hind femur; base of ovipositor broad, narrowing to apex; apex pointed and slightly curved upwards; small denticles on ventral edge of distal part of inferior valves ( Fig. 6D ). Subgenital plate rounded, with a projection in the middle part of hind margin ( Fig. 6E ).

Coloration. Body deep brown. Legs light brown with brown stripes. Face without distinct longitudinal bands.

Material examined. Holotype: 1♂, Shuangcha Cave, Mayanghe National Nature Reserve, Yanhe Tujia Au-tonomous County , Tongren City , Guizhou Province, 17.VII.2019, coll. Changqing Luo & Xueli Feng. Paratypes: 12♂, 3♀, same data as the holotype .

Measurements (mm). Body: ♂ 14.37–15.59, ♀ 11.27–14.67; pronotum: ♂ 6.03–6.37, ♀ 5.09–5.24; fore femur: ♂ 11.57–13.04, ♀ 12.31–12.45; hind femur: ♂ 22.59–24.42, ♀ 21.38–21.93; ovipositor: ♀ 8.11–9.05.

Distribution. China (Guizhou).

Discussion. This species and T. (G.) shuangcha sp. nov. occurs in a same cave, but these two species exhibit obvious differences in body size, coloration, male genitalia and hind metatarsus. This new species is similar to T. (G.) chenhui ( Rampini & Di Russo, 2008) which occurs in caves in southern Guizhou Province, but can be distinguished from the latter by several morphological characteristics. First, the shape of the lateral sclerites of male genitalia is different between these two species, and the lateral sclerites of T. (G.) tongrenus sp. nov. are more developed than those in T. (G.) chenhui . Second, the number of spines on the hind tibiae of this new species is higher than that in T. (G.) chenhui . Third, these two species differ in the shape of the female subgenital plate.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Tongren City.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) tongrenus sp. nov. (male). A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, lateral view; C. habitus, ventral view; D. vertex of head, showing conical tubercles; E. hind tarsus, lateral view; F. genitalia, dorsal view; G. genitalia, ventral view.

FIGURE 6. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) tongrenus sp. nov. (female). A. habitus, dorsal view; B. habitus, lateral view; C. habitus, ventral view; D. ovipositor, lateral view; E. subgenital plate, ventral view.