Phaloria (Phaloria) rotundata Tan, 2023

Tan, Ming Kai, Salvador, Jewel Anne G., Sabang, Aira Mae M., Bahoy, Daphne Cayle M., Nuñeza, Olga Macas & Robillard, Tony, 2023, Taxonomy and bioacoustics of little-known Grylloidea crickets (Orthoptera, Ensifera) from Mindanao, Philippines, Zootaxa 5323 (3), pp. 301-348 : 335-339

Phaloria (Phaloria) rotundata Tan & Salvador, sp. nov.

( Figs 31–33 )

Specimens examined. Holotype: PHILIPPINES • ♁; Mindanao, Agusan del Sur, Bunawan, Barangay San Marcos ; N8.2176432, E125.9302862; 17 August 2022, 22h26; calling on top of foliage of small bushes or plants; coll. J.A. Salvador, M. Salvador, B. Kiseo, M. Kiseo, E. Bancairen, D.C. Lastua, A. Anobong, M.A. Anobong, A.J. Zamora, R. Zamora, J. Amarante, E. Ruiz, M.A. Kiseo, 39JAS1131 ( PNM)

Diagnosis. This new species is very similar to Phaloria (Phaloria) modulator (Saussure, 1878) from Luzon ( Philippines) in its overall habitus and male genitalia (characterised by the pseudepiphallic lophi long and slender before broadening at the apex and strongly sclerotized pseudepiphallic parameres); but differs by the darker brown head dorsum; the pseudepiphallic parameres, in profile view having the posterior half forming a large and rounded process (rather than having a dorsal basal process and a subacute apex); the pseudepiphallic lophi having a club-shaped apex (instead of bending internally into a subacute apex); and by the ectophallic fold smaller and slenderer.

Etymology. The species name refers to the characteristic rounded pseudepiphallic parameres; in Latin, rotundatus = rounded.

Description. Head dorsum dark brown, pubescent ( Fig. 31A ). Fastigium somewhat red brown with two rows of setae. Scapes yellow brown with brown patterns ( Fig. 31A ). Eyes in dorsal view distinctly protruding anteriorly ( Fig. 31A ) and in profile view taller than long ( Fig. 31B ). Median ocellus oval; lateral ocelli more elongated, located near scapes ( Fig. 31A ). Maxillary palpi cream-coloured; with apical segment longest and enlarged obliquely at the apex; with subapical segment shorter and faintly expanding apically; with third segment cylindrical ( Fig. 31B ). Face in anterior view 1.2 times taller than wide; yellow brown with vertical dark-brown bands (one running down from eye and forked in middle; two running down from median ocellus and somewhat fused in middle before forking ventrad again); with setae ventrad of eyes ( Fig. 31C ). Mouthparts generally yellow brown ( Fig. 31C ). Gena yellow brown, with two dark brown bands; slightly dark brown posterior of eye ( Fig. 31B ). Pronotal disk unicolourous dark brown; 1.7 times as wide as long, widening posteriorly (posterior margin 1.7 times as wide as anterior margin); densely and finely pubescent, with a row of setae along posterior and anterior margins; anterior margin broadly concave; posterior margin somewhat substraight ( Fig. 31A ). Pronotal lateral lobe same colouration as dorsal disk; ventral margin strongly raised dorsad posteriorly ( Fig. 31B ). Inner tympanum oblong, oval ( Fig. 31D ); outer tympanum smaller and slightly more rounded. TIII with 4 inner and 4 outer long subapical spurs, 3 larger inner and 3 small outer apical spurs; with small spines before most proximal subapical spurs and between subapical spurs. Legs generally pale yellow brown. FIs and FIIs each with faint brown ring before knee; ventral margin brown. TIs with very faint brown rings. TIIs with three brown rings. FIIIs yellow brown with brown oblique lines, with broad palebrown ring just before knee, knees dark brown. TIIIs pale brown with faint brown bands; spurs generally pale brown with apices dark brown. Tergites and sternites dark brown.

Male. FW 2.1 times longer than wide, surpassing abdominal apex, mostly yellow brown and hyalinous ( Fig. 31E ). FW venation typical of genus: dorsal field 7 sinuous veins in harp; mirror 1.2 times as wide as long, very large and separated by two dividing veins: anterior one mostly straight, posterior one strongly and angularly bent ( Fig. 31E ). Apical field relatively long, 0.8 times shorter than length of mirror ( Fig. 31E ). Lateral field with R and M diverging posteriorly, with ca. 10 faint cross-veins; Sc with 32 projections ( Fig. 31F ). Hind wings barely surpassing apex of FW.

Male genitalia ( Fig. 32 ). Pseudepiphallus [epiphallus] fairly stout, with lateral margins curving converging posteriorly; anterior margin angularly emarginated; posterior margin with two small triangular lobes in middle, and broadly emarginated between the lobes. Pseudepiphallic lophi [posterolateral epiphallic lobe] long and slender before broadening into truncated club-shaped apex. Pseudepiphallic parameres [ectoparameres] large and strongly sclerotized; in ventral view elongated (but not surpassing pseudepiphallic lophi), forked anteriorly and tapering into truncated apex; in profile view with posterior half forming a large and rounded process, somewhat appears curling anteriorly. Ectophallic apodeme [endoparameral apodeme] very long, reaching anterior end of rami; forked at the posterior end, with basal end narrow; inner apical arm pointing posterio-innerly; outer apical arm straight, with apex enlarged. Ectophallic fold [rachis] forming small two flattened and slender lateral lobes; lobe with obtuse apex. Endophallic sclerite [formula] plate-like, longer than wide; with latero-anterior lobes (la l) slightly elongated and converging anteriorly; posterior end rounded. Rami short, only slightly longer than half the pseudepiphallus length, bent apically, but not connected.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (in mm). BL = 12.3; BWL = 16.2; HL = 2.0; PronL = 2.5; PronW = 4.4; FWL = 12.5; FWW = 6.0; HWT = 1.6; FIIIL = 11.9; TIIIL = 11.8.

Ecology. Unknown.

Type locality. PHILIPPINES, Mindanao Island, Agusan del Sur, Barangay San Marcos

Distribution. PHILIPPINES (Mindanao Island: Agusan del Sur)

Calling song (1J, 29.7°C) ( Fig. 33 ). The calling song consists of an echeme made up of 4 to 8 syllables (usually 4–6 syllables) and has an average duration of 0.15±0.04 s (0.11–0.25 s). Each syllable has an average duration of 18.5±2.9 ms (11.9–23.8 ms). The average interval between consecutive syllables is 13.2±2.4 ms (8.9–17.9 ms). The frequency spectrum is pure-tonal and forms a harmonic, with the energy peaking at the fundamental frequency of 4.75 kHz.

Figures

FIGURE 31. Phaloria (Phaloria) rotundata sp. nov.: head and pronotum in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views; face in anterior view (C); inner tympanum on TI in lateral view (D); FWs in dorsal (E) and lateral (F) views. Scale bars: 5 mm (E, F), 2 mm (A–C), 1 mm (D).

FIGURE 32. Phaloria (Phaloria) rotundata sp. nov. ♁ genitalia in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 33. Phaloria (Phaloria) rotundata sp. nov. ♁ calling song: oscillograms showing four echemes (A) and one echeme (B); spectrogram of the same echeme (C); power spectra of a syllable (D) where the grey line represents the power [dB] (axis name and scale in grey) and the black solid peak represents the relative amplitude (axis name in black).