Taiyalia meridionalis, Chen & Chan & Tan, 2025

Chen, Po-Wei, Chan, Ming-Shu & Tan, Ming Kai, 2025, New species and notes on Meconematini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from southern Taiwan, Zootaxa 5711 (3), pp. 365-380 : 368-372

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5711.3.3
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:39B99BA3-C661-41D3-BB84-191BD934800E
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17884765
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2842540A-FF9E-FFB3-FF26-EB59FD4762C0
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Taiyalia meridionalis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Taiyalia meridionalis View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 2–5 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 )

Material examined. • ♂ holotype; TAIWAN, Pingtung County, Chunri Township , 大OiƜ; N22.40623 E120.75663, 1538.0± 8.5 m.a.s.l.; 28 May 2025, 22h00; on grass; coll. M.K. Tan, M.S. Chan, Yuan-Teng Wang ( Ɨāü) & Chia-Chien Hung ( Ṙ嘉Ḃ); TW.25.70 ( NMNS) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Taiyalia squolyequiana Yamasaki, 1992 by the subgenital plate having three ventral lobes, with the lateral ones more posterior and having tooth-like setae; but differs by the apical half of subgenital plate in ventral view distinctly narrower (more than half as wide as the basal half), in lateral view more bulbous, and posterior margin without strong setae. It also differs by the latero-ventral lobes, in lateral view flattened (instead of bulbous). The new species also differs by the tenth abdominal tergite having its posterior margin broadly and angularly emarginated (instead of faintly emarginated only at the middle); cercus longer; and the pronotum dorsum with its posterior margin having a brown band broader.

The new species is similar to Taiyalia sedequiana Yamasaki, 1992 by the subgenital plate with apical end distinctly narrower than basal end and the pronotum dorsum along posterior margin with a brown band broad; but differs by the subgenital plate not so elongated, ventral lobe without a tuft of strong setae and posterior margin without nodule at apex. It also differs from T. sedequiana by the tenth abdominal tergite having its posterior margin broadly and angularly emarginated (instead of straight); cercus less slender and less strongly curved dorsad and its inner basal process slenderer.

Etymology. The species name refers to the new species being the southernmost known species of the genus; meridionalis = “southern” or “of the south” in Latin.

Description. The habitus typical of genus, green when alive, habitus robust, short-winged, metazona flat, tegmen broad and short ( Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 , 3 View FIGURE 3 ). Eyes relatively small, globular ( Figs 4A, 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Frontal rostrum conical, stout, with rounded apex of upper tubercle having median sulcus feebly present ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Apical segment of maxillary palpus barely longer than subapical (fourth) segment, slender and bulbous apically; fourth segment slightly widened apically, slightly longer than third segment ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Frons broad ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ). Pronotum covering basal part of tegminal mirror ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Pronotal disc roundly turned into lateral lobes, transverse sulcus distinct; prozona slightly shorter than metazona, straight in profile; metazona slightly raised, faintly curved in profile; anterior and posterior margins broadly rounded ( Fig. 4A View FIGURE 4 ). Pronotal lateral lobe with ventral margin short and almost straight; thereafter raised oblique ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Thoracic auditory spiracle (= thoracic foramen) small, slender and pyriform; not covered by pronotal lateral lobe ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Tegmen rather broad, tapering obliquely into narrow apex, slightly surpassing abdominal apex ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Hind wing not surpassing tegminal apices ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Fore coxa with spine straight and apex rounded ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ). Fore tibia with inner ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ) and outer ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ) tympana open, oblong. Femora without spine; fore tibiae each with 4 outer and 3 inner subapical spines; middle tibiae each with 4 outer and 4 inner subapical spines; inner and outer knees of hind femora with triangular lobes not spine-like but having subacute apices; hind tibiae ventrally and dorsally with numerous outer and inner spines, as well as 2 ventral and 1 dorsal apical spur on each side.

Male. Stridulatory area of left and right as shown in Figs 4G and 4H View FIGURE 4 , respectively. Stridulatory file on left tegmen strongly curved, 1.4 mm in length, made up of ca. 101 small and stout teeth; teeth at both ends more closely packed ( Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 ). Tenth abdominal tergite with posterior margin at middle emarginated; emargination angular, broad and not deep ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ). Cercus stout, slightly longer than tenth abdominal tergite; at basal third bent dorso-posteriorly; apex obtusely rounded and very faintly curved inward; along inner margin before midpoint with process slightly hooked and having apex acute ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Subgenital plate in ventral view basal half broad, then strongly narrowed into apical half, apical half tongue-shaped with apex somewhat truncated and having numerous fine setae; in lateral view with apical half slightly swollen at apex; at middle with three ventral lobes; basal ventral lobe ( bl) tongue shaped and having long fine setae, in ventral view oval and in lateral view nipple-shaped; latero-ventral lobes ( ll) posterior of basal ventral lobe; flattened, with ventral margin having dentated setae ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ). Titillators ( ti) having a pair of sclerotized thin and somewhat flattened rods ( Figs 5B–E View FIGURE 5 ).

Female. Unknown.

Coloration. Generally green when alive ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Head dorsum, including fastigium, antennal scapus and pedicel green; behind eyes with longitudinal band cream colored and continuing with pronotal band. Antennae yellow brown. Eyes generally pale red. Pronotum green, disc along lateral and posterior inner margins with broad brown band, its lateral lobe along dorsal margin with white/ cream-colored band along brown band of dorsal disc ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Tegmen with veins and cross-veins cream colored; stridulatory area also cream colored with tint of brown, with a dark-brown spot posterior of mirror area; along anal margin cream colored. Legs generally green. Spines on legs unicolorous as rest of body, except spines on hind tibia black; tympanal region and knees (especially so for fore and hind legs) dark.

Measurements. BL = 10.8; PL = 5.8; PW = 2.8; TL = 11.6; HFL = 8.6; HTL = 9.2.

Type locality. TAIWAN: Pingtung County: Chunri Township : 大OiƜ .

Distribution. This species is so far known only from its type locality.

Life history. Similar to congeners, this species was also found in high elevation (ca. 1500 m.a.s.l.), but not as high as the congeners (> 2000 m.a.s.l.). While the congeners are found in higher latitudes, this new species also represents the southernmost record of this genus.