Cuspicera luxoria, Ingrisch, 2023

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2023, New and little-known genera and species of Agraeciini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 5249 (2), pp. 190-212 : 200-202

Cuspicera luxoria spec. nov.

Fig. 5

Holotype (male): Papua New Guinea: East Sepik, Schraderberg , elev. 2100 m (-4.883333, 144.216667), 1–4.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 345)— 1 male (Berlin, ZMB).

Other specimens studied (adult specimens paratypes): Papua New Guinea: East Sepik, Schraderberg , elev. 2100 m (-4.883333, 144.216667), 22–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 340)—1 nymph male ( ZMB) ; same locality, 22–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 341)—1 nymph male ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5–13.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 350)— 9 females, 3 males, 1 nymph male ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5–13.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 355)— 1 female, 1 male, 1 nymph female, 1 nymph male ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5–13.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 353)— 1 female ( ZMB) .

Etymology. The new species is named for the luxurious modification of the female subgenital plate.

Diagnosis. Little smaller than medium sized species ( Fig. 5B ); face elongate conical ( Fig. 5J ); prosternum provided with a pair of long spines; mesosternal lobes with a distinct spinose extension; metasternal lobes rounded or angularly rounded. Hind femur provided only on anterior ventral margin with spines; hind knees with a single apical spine on both sides. In general aspect the new species appears similar to Papucera dentata sp. nov. from the same locality but is of smaller size and has the rounded ventral projection of the male pronotum little before mid-length instead of behind mid-length in Papucera , and the posterior dorsal surface of pronotum is more strongly vaulted than in the latter genus. The male tegmina have the apical lobe behind stridulatory area markedly shortened, nearly absent in the new genus instead of distinct in Papucera . The male cerci are straight, with a simple, narrow, internal projection behind base and in apical area with a compressed internal projection that terminates into two short, swollen apical lobes of which the most apical lobe carries a spinule at tip ( Fig. 5F ), while in Papucera the cerci carry at end a single internal projection or an apical or a pre-apical projection. The stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen is rather narrow, curved anteriorly, and has the central area convex and markedly elevated against basal and apical areas, while in Papucera the central area is not markedly elevated, and the file is curved posteriorly.

Description. Femora of adult specimens with the following number of spines on ventral margins: fore femur 4–5 anterior of normal size, 0–7 minute posterior; mid femur 4–5 anterior, 0–2 minute posterior near base; hind femur 5–7 anterior over the whole length, without posterior spines. Hind knee lobes with 1 spine on both sides.

Male. Pronotum elongate, almost fully covering reduced tegmina; central to apical area in dorsal view appearing swollen, with down-curved lateral and apical margins. Tegmina reduced to stridulatory area in male ( Fig. 5C ), squamipterous in female ( Fig. 5I ). Stridulatory file on underside of left male tegmen rather narrow, curved anteriorly, socle carrying the file toward central area markedly swollen: file 1.20 mm long with 106 teeth or 88.3 teeth at 1 mm; area with reasonably large teeth 0.96 mm with 82 teeth ( Fig. 5A ). Cerci short with two compressed internal projections, one at base and the other at end, the latter with a spinule at wide tip ( Figs. 5F–G ). Titillators of normal shape for Agraeciini with basal area narrow and out-curved toward base, apical area widened with stiffened rim that carries in apical area a small lobular projection with dark rim; ventral-apical surface densely covered with clinging hairs; with a pair of compressed and rather large lateral sclerites from tip of titillators ( Fig. 5G–H ).

Female. Pronotum shorter than in male, with ventral-apical angle behind mid-length; apical margin truncate. Subgenital plate with central area membranous, terminating into two short, about triangular lobes with rounded end; more than basal half forming on both sides a conchate, sclerotized projection projecting from surface and opening latero-apically toward lateral margin; from dorso-lateral margin of conchate projection and separated by a narrow membranous furrow with a sclerotized, vaulted plate which appears in lateral view elongate triangular with rounded angles ( Figs. 5K–L ). Ovipositor stout at base, curved and with narrowing margins from about mid-length to acute tip ( Fig. 5I ).

Measurements (5 males, 11 females, adults only).—body w/o wings: male 17.0–22.0, female 16.5–22.0; pronotum: male 7.0–7.5, female 5.3–6.3; tegmen: male 4, female 1.5; hind femur: male 11.0–11.5, female 11–12; antenna: male 70, female 60–70; ovipositor: female 9–10 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Cuspicera luxoria sp. nov.: A–H, male holotype: A, stridulatory file; B, habitus dorsal view; C, pronotum in oblique apical and tegmen in dorsal view; D–E, abdominal apex in dorsal (D) and in lateral view (E); F, cercus in ventral view; G, abdominal apex with cerci and titillators in situ; H, extracted titillators in ventro-apical view.—I–L, female: I, habitus lateral view; J, face and thoracic sternites; K–L, subgenital plate in ventral (K) and in lateral view (L).—Measurements: 10 mm (B, I), 5 mm (J), 1 mm (A, C–H, K–L).