Eurycorypha elongata, Hemp, 2017

Hemp, Claudia, 2017, New Eurycorypha species (Orthoptera: Tettigonoidea: Phaneropteridae; Phaneropterinae from East Africa, Zootaxa 4358 (3), pp. 471-493 : 479-482

Eurycorypha elongata n. sp.

( Figs. 10–13 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:500279

Holotype male. Tanzania, East Usambara Mountains , Nilo Forest Reserve , April 2016. Depository MfN . Paratype female, same data as holotype. Depository MfN .

Further paratype material: 1 male, 2 females, same data as holotype . 1 male, East Usambara Mountains , Amani Nature Reserve, November 2017. Collection C. Hemp.

Description. Male. General habitus & colour. Comparatively large Eurycorpyha species with elongate tegmina. Green with net-like pattern of lighter veins on dark green ground ( Fig. 10 ) sometimes with few scattered black dots on tegmina. Yellowish to white line starting on genae of face through eyes, along lateral edges of pronotal disc and over part of tegmina. Head and antennae: Scapus green, antennae green to whitish, very thin and slightly surpassing folded tegmina. Fastigium of vertex broad, about 3 times as wide as scapus of antenna. Fastigium of vertex meeting equally broad fastigium of frons along well developed horizontal line with shallow median sulcus; face with callous and sharp frontogenal carinae giving face triangular shape; eyes typical for Eurycorypha , elongate and oval, green, white and reddish. Thorax: Pronotum with well developed smoothly rounded lateral edges. Anterior margin of pronotum broadly and shallowly incurved, while posterior margin broadly rounded. Wings: Both pairs of wings fully developed; tegmina very elongate, evenly rounded at tips, about 3.2–3.6 times longer as broad. Alae shiny with green area near tips which surpass tegmina when folded. Stridulatory file contiguous, tooth size decreasing gradually ( Fig. 11 D ). Legs: Fore coxa with spine. Fore femora on outer ventral side with 3 small spinules, mid femora with 1–2 short spines on outer side or unarmed. Hind femora distally at outer side 3–4 spines. Hind tibiae with four rows of densely set short spines and three slender apical spurs on each side. Abdomen: Light green without any pattern. Last abdominal tergite elongated into beaklike structure with a constriction midway and a dorsal shallow groove. Posterior half of this structure somewhat inflated, then suddenly narrowing into pointed apex. Ventrally at apex membranose thorn-like short process pointing downwards ( Fig. 11 A, C ). Cerci thick and short, apices slightly flattened and curved inwardly; sclerotized at tips ( Fig. 11 A ). Subgenital plate v-shaped incised at posterior margin ( Fig. 11 B ).

Female. As male with same body shape and spination. Ovipositor well developed, with characteristically shape: comparatively large, constriction at base and then midway expanded ( Fig. 12 A ). Subgenital plate tri-angular with rounded posterior margin. Lateral beside the subgenital plate ear-like structures are present ( Fig. 12 B ).

Nymph. Freshly hatched nymphs are red and elongate. The late 1 st instar and the second instar get increasingly dark with the second instar having a whitish venter. From instar 3 onward more greenish and loosing ant-like appearance from instar fourth onwards.

Measurements (mm).- Male (N = 2). Body length 24.5–25.5. Median length of pronotum 4.9–5.1. Posterior femur length 14.5–15.5. Length of tegmina 32.5–33.0. Width of tegmina 9–10.

Measurements (mm).- Female (N = 2). Body length 20.0–23.5. Median length of pronotum 4.7–5.0. Posterior femur length 16.5–17.5. Length of tegmina 33–37. Width of tegmina 11–12. Lateral length of ovipositor 7–7.2.

Diagnosis. E. elongata n. sp. is beside E. divertata n. sp. and E. flexata n. sp. one of the three species from the East Usambara Mountains with a similar habitus: comparatively large and elongated. From its male genitalic morphology it belongs to the E. meruensis - combretoides group with an elongated 10th abdominal tergite. The shape of the 10th abdominal tergite, however, is unique and males of this species can easily distinguished from males from other species of this complex when comparing the 10th abdominal tergites. Females are of same body shape and size than the males. Their subgenital plate is flap-like with an evenly rounded posterior margin. Laterally beside the subgenital plate ear-like structures are present, structures unique so far for females of any Eurycorypha species.

Habitat. Lowland wet forest.

Etymology. Because of the elongate body shape, - elongata .

Distribution. At present only known from Nilo Forest and Amani Nature Reserves in the East Usambara Mountains.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Female Eurycorypha elongata n. sp., East Usambara Mountains.

FIGURE 11. Morphological details of male Eurycorypha elongata n. sp. A, C. Lateral view on apex with beak-like elongated 10th tergite B. Subgenital plate D. Stridulatory file (scale bar 0.5 mm).

FIGURE 12. Morphological details of female Eurycorypha elongata n. sp. A. Lateral view on ovipositor B. Subgenital plate. Note ear-like expansions lateral beside subgenital plate typical for this species.

FIGURE 13. Eurycorypha flexata n. sp. male (A) from the Nilo Forest Reserve and(B) female, from the Zigi Trail in the East Usambara Mountains.