Varitrella (Cantotrella) suikei Tan, Japir & Chung, 2020

Tan, Ming Kai, Japir, Razy, Chung, Arthur Y. C. & Wahab, Rodzay Bin Haji Abdul, 2020, New taxa of crickets (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phaloriinae, Phalangopsinae Itarinae and Podoscirtinae) from Borneo (Brunei Darussalam and Sandakan), Zootaxa 4810 (2), pp. 244-270 : 264-269

Varitrella (Cantotrella) suikei Tan, Japir & Chung , sp. nov.

( Figs. 15–18 )

Material examined. Male holotype (SDK.19.78), East Malaysia, Sabah, Sandakan , Kabili Sepilok Forest Reserve , N5.86985, E117.93805, 69.8± 7.7 m.a.s.l., on foliage, 1 October 2019, coll. M. K. Tan, R. Japir & J. Lee Yukang ( FRC) .

Diagnosis. This new species differs from congeners by male genitalia with dorso-anterior epiphallic spine more laterally pointed; ectoparameres stout and strongly curved with apex acute; and rachis surpassing lateral lobe of epiphallus and with apex strongly emarginated.

Comparison with congeners. This new species resembles Bornean congeners but differs by dorso-anterior epiphallic spine (ds) more laterally pointed than V. mjobergi , V. striata and V. trusmadi , appearing shorter in profile (instead of absent in V. quadrata ); ectoparameres (ec) stouter and more strongly curved in profile than V. striata and V. trusmadi ; rachis (ra) more strongly emarginated at apex than V. striata (instead of truncated to faintly emarginated in V. amoena , V. sukau , V. tawau and V. trusmadi ). It also differs from V. manukan by presence of dorsal epiphallic spine (ds), lateral apical lobe of epiphallus (al) not pointing dorsad at apex, ectoparameres (ec) curved and pointing ventrad posteriorly (instead of dorsally) and rachis (ra) with apical emargination wider. The new species also differs from V. sukau from Sandakan by distinctly shorter dorsal epiphallic spine (ds) and shape of ectoparameres.

Description. Habitus very typical of the genus, medium sized ( Fig. 15 ). Head with dorsum slightly flattened, very finely pubescent; rostrum 1.1 times as wide as scapus, with apex truncated (in dorsal view) ( Fig. 16A ); scapus large and elongated; maxillary palpi with apical segment longest, cylindrical and oblong with obtuse apex, with subapical segment shorter than third segment ( Fig. 16B ); eyes projected anteriorly in dorsal view ( Fig. 16A ); median ocellus round and small; lateral ocelli oblong and large, located near eyes. Pronotal disc 1.4 times as wide as long, faintly widening posteriorly (posterior margin 1.2 times as wide as anterior margin); finely and densely pubescent; anterior margin of disc distinctly concave in middle; posterior margin of disc nearly straight to slightly convex ( Fig. 16A ). Pronotal lateral lobe 1.4 times as long as high, with ventral margin straight ( Fig. 16B ). Metanotal gland absent ( Fig. 16C ). Fore tibia slightly swollen, with inner tympanum slit-like, with outer tympanum open and having elongate, oval tympanal membrane; hind tibiae with 7 inner and 5 outer long spines in distal half, 2–6 denticles spines, with small denticles before most proximal spines, and with inner spurs (apical spines) longer than corresponding outer ones.

Tegmen ( Fig. 16D ) covering abdomen and surpassing apex of hind femur; with mirror 1.5 times as long as wide, dividing vein typical of subgenus; with 5 veins in harp area; with around 16 branches on Sc ( Fig. 16D ); hind wings clearly surpassing tegmina.

Anal plate broad, with two whitish oval parts at base, slightly indented at apex ( Fig. 16E ). Subgenital plate typical of subgenus.

Male genitalia as shown in Fig. 17 : Epiphallus in dorsal view with dorso-anterior epiphallic spine (ds) strongly sclerotised, somewhat laterally pointed, lateral margin concave, posterior end produced into two latero-apical lobular parts (al), deeply V-emarginated between latero-apical lobules; in profile with posterior part rounded with a dorsoapical spinule and two smaller spinules on dorsal margin, dorsal margin straight. Ectoparameres (ec) hooked-like, curved tapering into an acute apex, and pointing ventrad posteriorly. Rachis (ra, guiding rod) rather long, but not surpassing epiphallus, produced into two lateral lobes (lo) at posterior end, with apical emargination wider between lateral lobes in dorsal view; lateral lobe (lo) strongly widened and roundly rectangular in profile. Endoparameral apodemes (ae) very long, narrowing and converging towards each other anteriorly.

Female. Unknown.

Colouration. Body generally grey-brown ( Fig. 15 ). Head and pronotum with few dark spots (more in pronotal lateral lobe), but not as plentiful as some congeners ( Figs. 16A, 16B ); scapus and pedicel slightly lighter in colouration; maxillary palps with apical segment dark distally. Tegminal dorsal field yellowish, with some darker infumation but not obvious, veins range from yellow to dark; with a dark patch where the stridulatory file, diagonal and chords converge and a dark strip between mirror and CuA ( Fig. 16D ). Lateral tegminal field paler, almost transparent with darker brown veins, with small black spots near Sc between branches of Sc ( Fig. 16E ). Hind wings trans- parent. Legs generally pale brown with irregular and sparse dark spots. Thoracic and abdominal segments yellow brown to brown; anal plate brown with two whitish oval parts at base and another whitish spot before apex.

Measurements (in mm). Male holotype BL = 16.9; HL = 2.8; PL = 2.7; PW = 4.0; TL = 18.7; TW = 4.0; HFL = 14.0; HTL = 13.1.

Etymology. This new species is named after Sui-Kei (first name) Lee (last name), noun in apposition.

Calling song ( Fig. 18 ). The song consists of doublets of syllables at length to form a continuous trill. Each syllable has a duration of 25.1±2.0 ms (21.9–28.1 ms); each doublet has a duration of 69.4±2.2 ms (67.2–73.4 ms) and period of 320.4±62.4 ms (246.9–417.2 ms). The spectrum shows a dominant peak at 6.44±0.03 kHz (also the fundamental frequency), followed by the second dominant peak at 12.85±0.13 kHz and several peaks harmonically related.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Varitrella (Cantotrella) suikei sp. nov. male holotype in natural environment (A), habitus in lateral (B) view. Scale bar: 5 mm.

FIGURE 16. Varitrella (Cantotrella) suikei sp. nov. male holotype: head and pronotum in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views, metanotal area in dorsal view (C), right tegmen in dorsal view (D) and abdominal apex in dorsal view (E). Scale bars: 5 mm (D), 1 mm (remaining).

FIGURE 17. Varitrella (Cantotrella) suikei sp. nov. male holotype genitalia in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views.

FIGURE 18. Varitrella (Cantotrella) suikei sp. nov. male holotype’s calling song: oscillograms (A, C) and spectrogram (B) of four echemes (A, B) and one echeme (C) and power spectrum of one echeme (D).