Ripipteryx gorgonaensis Baena-Bejarano & Heads

Baena-Bejarano, Nathalie & Heads, Sam W., 2015, Three new species of the genus Ripipteryx from Colombia (Orthoptera, Ripipterygidae), ZooKeys 502, pp. 129-143 : 134-136

Taxon classification Animalia Orthoptera Ripipterygidae

Ripipteryx gorgonaensis Baena-Bejarano & Heads sp. n. Fig. 4

Holotype.

♂ (no. IAvH-E 113896), Colombia, Cauca, PNN Gorgona, Alto el Mirador, 2°58'N, 78°11'W, 180 m, Malaise, 6-20.ix.2000, Col. H. Torres. Specimen dried and pinned; deposited at Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, Villa de Leyva.

Paratypes.

5 specimens from same locality as holotype: 1) ♂ (no. IAvH-E 113898), 08-30.xi.2000, specimen dried and pinned; 2) ♂ (no. IAvH-E 113901), 01-04.iii.2000, Col. M. Sharkey, specimen dried and pinned; 3) ♂ (no. IAvH-E 113908), 18.i.2001, specimen dried and pinned; 4) ♂ (no. IAvH-E 113899), 30.x-18.xii.2000, specimen dried and pinned; 5) ♂ (no. IAvH-E 143179), 18.xii.2000-03.i.2001, specimen preserved in alcohol. Specimens deposited at same institution as holotype. 6) ♂ (no. GOR 3728-1), Colombia, Cauca, PNN Gorgona, Sendero cerro Trinidad, 2°58'22"N, 78°10'43"W, 90 m, Captura directa (manual), 21.x.2010, Col. F. Sarria. Specimen dried and pinned; deposited at Colección de insectos del PNN Gorgona - Museo de Entomología de la Universidad del Valle (MUSENUV), Cali.

Diagnosis.

The new species is almost cryptically similar to Ripipteryx atra Serville, 1838 sharing with it the coloration of the antennae (white spots on flagellomeres 1 and 4-7). However, it is readily separated from the latter species by [1] flagellomeres 1 and 2 free (not fused as in Ripipteryx atra ); and [2] lateral lobes of epiproct with shallow lateral invagination.

Description.

Male (holotype). Body length including wings 6.80 mm, excluding wings 5.72 mm; pronotum length 1.34 mm, pronotum width 1.55 mm, tegmina length 2.84 mm, hind wings length 5.25 mm, interocular distance 0.41 mm (n=1) (Fig. 4A).

Head. Interocular distance more than half the eye width. Median ocellus fully developed. Patch that circumscribes the anterodorsal margin of compound eyes absent. Internal margins of compound eyes convergent dorsally. Patch of setae at posteroventral border of eye present. Maxillary palp black. Four maxillary palps. Labial palp black.

Antennae black and filiform. Number of antennae segments 10. Scape wider than pedicel. Pedicel shorter than 1stflagellomere. Flagellomere 2 shorter than 1. White spots on scape and pedicel absent. White dorsal spot on flagellomere 1 present. White dorsal spot on flagellomere 2 and 3 absent. White dorsal spot on flagellomere 4-7 present. White dorsal spot on flagellomere 8 absent. Color of gena below compound eye and antennae insertion black.

Thorax. Pronotum, mesonotum and tegmen black. White transversal groove on hind wings present. Procoxa black. Profemora black with a distal white spot. Protibiae black. Mesocoxa black. Ventral Mesotrochanter black. Mesofemora black. Mesotibiae black. Metafemora black. Semi-lunar process brown. Metatarsi brown.

Abdomen. Cerci unsegmented, black, spots absent. Brachium black, in lateral view with parallel sides. Brachium spine present. Subgenital plate with medial ridge (Fig. 4D). Lateral lobes of epiproct narrow with shallow lateral invagination, not covered by tergum. Medial epiproct tongue-like with a middle lobe (Fig. 4C). Uncus not embedded in brachium basis, 1-hooked.

Basal plate heavily sclerotized, long and narrow; strongly widened distally. Virga very slender not extended beyond cingulum. Cingulum well-sclerotized, but discontinuous; apodemes of cingulum elongate, at base 2-hooked (Fig. 4B).

Variations. Body length including wings 6.56-7.74 mm, excluding wings 5.11-7.48 mm; pronotum length 1.24-1.43 mm, pronotum width 1.45-1.66 mm; tegmina length 2.65-3.31 mm; hind wings length 4.97-5.77 mm; interocular distance 0.40-0.44 mm. (n=7).

Female unknown.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the name of the type locality.

Distribution.

This species is currently known from the type locality.

Sympatric species.

Ripipteryx gorgonaensis was found in sympatry with the species Ripipteryx atra and Ripipteryx nodicornis .

Remarks.

The terminalia and the subgenital plate of the new species resemble those of Ripipteryx atra , Ripipteryx laticornis Günther, 1963 and Ripipteryx antennata Hebard, 1924 suggesting placement in the Crassicornis Group. It shares the presence of numerous sharp spiculae on the cingulum with Ripipteryx antennata and Ripipteryx atra and the antennal color pattern with Ripipteryx atra . However, Ripipteryx gorgonaensis differs from the former species by the absence of modifications of the antennae. In other members of the Crassicornis Group, certain antennomeres are fused (e.g. in Ripipteryx atra ) or otherwise modified (e.g. flattened and wide in Ripipteryx laticornis and Ripipteryx antennata ); this is not the case in Ripipteryx gorgonaensis . The latter is easily distinguished from other species of the Crassicornis and Forceps groups by the form of the terminalia (Figs 4C, D).

A number of soft-bodied mites were found between the metanota and abdomina of some individuals. These are presumed to be ectoparasitic though further research is needed to clarify their biology and interaction with Ripipteryx gorgonaensis (O. Combita pers. comm.).