Tyrannoraptor venator, Mendes & Sobral & Neto, 2023

Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello, Sobral, Rafael & Neto, Alberto Moreira Da Silva, 2023, New species of Tyrannoraptor Mendes, Oliveira, Chamorro-Rengifo & Rafael, 2018 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae: Phlugidini) with asymmetrical jaws from the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, Zootaxa 5318 (4), pp. 531-542 : 534-540

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.4.6
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:37388CF3-8742-4BC0-935A-574C1301F271
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8181838
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC87A2-1364-323C-FF16-F715B5DDDD5D
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Tyrannoraptor venator
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Tyrannoraptor venator sp. nov.

Figures 1–12 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 View FIGURE 10 View FIGURE 11 View FIGURE 12

Diagnosis. Male with asymmetrical mandibles, left mandible elongated, curved and projected frontwards, highlighted among the other mouthparts ( Figs. 2A–D View FIGURE 2 ). Apical region of cerci sinuous, tip round, inner margin with few small spines curved (>10), spines slightly longer intercalated by shorter spines, in dorsal and ventral view ( Figs. 2I–J View FIGURE 2 ). Styli straight with apex round ( Figs. 2I–J View FIGURE 2 ).

Description. Holotype Male.

Head. Head dorsally with small and elongated fastigium-vertex, in frontal and dorsal view ( Figs. 2B–C View FIGURE 2 ); eyes large and globular ( Figs. 2B–D View FIGURE 2 ). Frons, clypeus and gena smooth ( Fig. 2B–D View FIGURE 2 ). Mandibles asymmetrical, with left mandible elongated, curved and projected frontwards, highlighted among the other mouthparts ( Figs. 2A–D View FIGURE 2 ).

Thorax. Pronotal disc anteriorly quadrangular, without carina, posteriorly elongated, slightly projected upwards and concave, in dorsal view ( Fig. 2C View FIGURE 2 ); dorsolateral suture slender and straight, in lateral view ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Furcal suture transversally straight, forming a small depression on its extension, in dorsal and lateral view ( Figs. 2C–D View FIGURE 2 ). Dorsolateral suture and furcal suture concolorous with pronotal disc ( Figs. 2C–D View FIGURE 2 ). Mesobasisternum with shape trapezoidal, anteriorly concave and narrow, medially with two subtriangular projections with apex round ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ). Metabasisternum hexagonal ( Fig. 2F View FIGURE 2 ).

Wings. Tegmina narrow with apex round, with anterior margin concave and posterior margin straight ( Fig. 3A–B View FIGURE 3 ). Left stridulatory file sinuous ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ); basal and apical teeth shorter than middle teeth; teeth on apical extremity short and straightly aligned ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Total length of left stridulatory file 2.3 mm, greatest width of the vein of 0.2 mm, with 74 teeth ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Right stridulatory file sinuous; basal and apical teeth shorter than middle teeth ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Total length file of 2 mm, greatest width of the vein 0.2 mm, with 46 teeth ( Figs. 4B View FIGURE 4 ).

Legs. Fore femur straight, with apex slightly curved, narrower than the base; ventral region with four large spines inward and three spines outward ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ). Fore tibia straight; ventral region with six large spines inward and four spines outward; tympanum open and tympanic region enlarged ( Fig. 2G View FIGURE 2 ). Mid femur slightly curved, thickened at base and narrowing towards apex; ventral spines absent ( Fig. 2H View FIGURE 2 ). Mid tibia straight, basal half thickened with four pairs of large ventral spines ( Fig. 2H View FIGURE 2 ). Hind femur thickened at basal half ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ). Hind tibia straight, narrow, with several short ventral spines and several dorsal spines bigger than ventral spines ( Fig. 2A View FIGURE 2 ). All legs with short bristles ( Figs. 2A, G–H View FIGURE 2 ).

Abdomen. Cerci slender, cylindrical, with basal half curved and apical half sinuous, in dorsal and ventral view ( Figs. 2I–J View FIGURE 2 ); presence of pair of spurs curved inward on apical third; cerci apex round, with inner margin with few short spices curved (>10), spines slightly longer intercalated by shorter spines, in dorsal and ventral view ( Figs. 2I–J View FIGURE 2 ). Tergite X with posterior margin expanded, forming a bifurcated projection with both apices round, in dorsal and ventral view ( Figs. 2I–J View FIGURE 2 ). Subgenital plate rectangular and straight apically ( Fig. 2J View FIGURE 2 ). Stylus straight, elongated, parallel and with apex round ( Figs. 2I–J View FIGURE 2 ).

Internal male genitalia. Not examined.

Coloration. Described based on photos of live specimens ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). General coloration light green with patches of dark green. Scape and pedicel light green. Antennal sclerite with base light brown and apex dark brown. Eyes yellow with longitudinal red stripe medially and a short area light green dorsally. Asymmetrical mandible dark brown with apex black. Pronotal disc light green with posterior projection slightly light brown. Legs light green. Tarsi light brown with tarsal claws dark brown. Tegmina light green, with dorsal region with a dark brown stripe. Abdomen, cerci and subgenital plate light green.

Female: Similar to male ( Fig. 6A, C–H View FIGURE 6 ), except for the following traits:

Head. Symmetrical mandibles ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ).

Wings. Anal veins not modified for sound production.

Abdomen. Tergite X posteriorly convex, in dorsal view ( Fig. 6I View FIGURE 6 ). Cercus curved inward and with apex acuminated. Cercus with long white bristles ( Fig. 6I View FIGURE 6 ). Subgenital plate subtrapeziodal, with apex bilobated ( Fig. 6J View FIGURE 6 ). Ovipositor ensiform ( Fig. 6K View FIGURE 6 ); absence of teeth on dorsal valve; ventral valve with tiny teeth on apex.

Coloration. General color pattern similar to males ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ). Ovipositor with general coloration light brown with areas dark brown ( Fig. 6K View FIGURE 6 ).

Nymph. Old nymphs are very similar to adults, except by wings not developed, with coloration light green with areas pale yellow ( Figs. 8A–B View FIGURE 8 ). Young nymphs are strongly different from adults, with the red stripe of eyes absent, dorsal region of body with longitudinal stripe and spots dark green; abdominal apex dorsally with dark brown spot ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ).

Etymology. From Latin venator , meaning “hunter”. In reference to the predatory habit of this katydid.

Geographical records. Brazil: Amazonas ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ).

Type material. Holotype ♁: BRASIL, Amazonas , Iranduba, AM 070 , km 30, 3°09'15.1"S – 60°14'20.0"W, 29.x–10.xi.2019, coleta manual, D.M.M. Mendes & G.M. Lourido leg. ( INPA) GoogleMaps . Paratypes ♀: Idem (3♀ INPA) .

Measurements (mm). Holotype ♁: TL: 31; TegL: 23; TegH: 3; WF: 2,5; PL: 3,3; PH: 2,7; FF: 3,2; FT: 4,1; MF: 3,7; MT: 4,5; HF: 13,5; HT: 14,7; Lplac: 3,2; LC: 3,1.

Paratype ♀: TL: 27; TegL: 15,3; TegH: 1,8; WF: 2,4; PL:3,2; PH: 3; FF: 3,2; FT: 4; MF: 3,8; MT: 4,3; HF: 10; HT: 10; Lplac : 3,5; LC: 2,8; OL: 4 .

Habitat. Specimens of T. venator sp. nov. were collected in Terra Firme forests near edge areas ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 ), associated with the plants Conceveiba martiana ( Fig. 9A View FIGURE 9 ) and Aparisthmium cordatum ( Figs. 9B–C View FIGURE 9 ) ( Euphorbiaceae : Alchorneae). Adults and nymphs were observed several times on the same plant, but every time there was only one specimen per leaf ( Fig. 9C View FIGURE 9 ) and the leaves were between 2 m to 5 m above the ground. This behavior is identical to that observed for T. arboreus ( Mendes et al. 2018) and similar to other Amazonian Meconematinae , such as Arboraptor Mendes et al., 2018 Phlugiola Karny, 1907 ( Mendes et al. 2017, Mendes et al. 2018). It is clear that there is a correlation between these observed Meconematinae and the plants Conceveiba sp. and Aparisthmium sp. The description of these behaviors is being addressed in a manuscript in preparation.

The type locality of T. mandibularis sp. nov. is Iranduba, a municipality approximately 30 Km from Manaus (Amazonas), delimited to the north by the Rio Negro and to the south by the Rio Solimıes ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ). Iranduba is inserted in the endemic area of Imeri ( Da Silva et al., 2005). In the Amazonian biome, the separation of areas caused by large rivers is an important speciation factor. At the region between the Rio Negro and the Solimıes, this speciation process is noticeable in several groups, with similar species inhabiting the opposite banks of the rivers, as in birds (i.e. Pteroglossus azara x Pteroglussus aracari ) and in mammals (i.e. Bradypus variegatus x Bradypus tridactylus ). It is possible that this scenario also had happened between T. arboreus and T. venator sp. nov.

Iranduba has suffered in recent years an intense anthropic action ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ), with the rapid advance of deforestation of native vegetation for civil construction. The distribution limits of T. venator sp. nov. are so far restricted to Iranduba, but further studies are needed to find out how much this species may be threatened by anthropic actions and what measures are necessary for its preservation.