Ultragryllacris rubricapitis Bin et Bian, 2021

Dawwrueng, Pattarawich, Gorochov, Andrei V. & Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon, 2023, Revision of the genus Ultragryllacris (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae: Gryllacridinae), with description of new species, Zootaxa 5389 (4), pp. 445-458 : 452

Ultragryllacris rubricapitis Bin et Bian, 2021 , stat. nov.

Figs. 33–34, 42–43, 51–52, 59–60 , 68, 76–77

Ultragryllacris pulchra rubricapitis Bin et Bian, 2021 ; Lu et al., 2023

Materials examined. Known only from the original description ( Bin & Bian, 2021) and one paper with additional geographical data ( Lu et al., 2023).

Discussion. This species is known only from China (Holotype: male, China, Yunnan, Mengla, Mengxing, 6 August 2021, coll. by Ping Yang. Paratypes: 2 males and 2 females with same data as in holotype). Later, Lu with co-authors recorded this species from another locality of China (Yunnan, Simao, Nanping). After we studied the description of holotype and paratype as well as the figures given by them in original description, we decided to raise the taxonomic status of this subspecies to full species by the diagnosis here: The coloration of the body parts (Head reddish purple; fore and mid tibia light color; base of dorsal spines on hind tibia without dark areas, whereas the holotype of U. pulchra with lighter head; fore and mid tibia and base of dorsal spines on hind tibia with blackish ornaments), the process of male 9 th abdominal tergite slightly shorter and wider in apical part than U. pulchra ; female subgenital plate with distinctly narrowed and transverse sclerotized band on basal part with arcuate apex, whereas in U. pulchra , its subgenital plate with narrowed and transverse sclerotized band with subtruncate apex; ovipositor slightly curved upward began at near basal part, whereas in U. pulchra , its ovipositor almost straight. We combined these characters for made the decision to raise this subspecies to full species. The Simao’s population differs from Mengla’s population (holotype and paratypes) in the following characters: face brownish yellow; pronotum with brownish margins, anterior margin with 2 connected black spots; fore tibiae brownish yellow with black spot at basal area; process of male ninth abdominal tergite clearly narrowing to distinctly narrower apical part (vs. this process sub-rectangular in dorsal view, i.e. its apical part wider, and lateral edges of its distal half more or less parallel); posteromedian notch of male subgenital plate more distinct (larger); female subgenital plate somewhat narrower, with larger (wider and less thin) basal sclerotized stripe and with truncated but not widely rounded apex (see Figs. 34, 43, 52, 60 , 77 ) here and photographs from Lu et al., 2023: figs 10–12). Possibly this Simao’s population belongs to different subspecies or even species.

Figures

FIGURES 29–63. Apex of male abdomen. Ultragryllacris alboclypeata alboclypeata (29, 38, 47, 56); Ultragryllacris a. triangula (30, 39, 48, 57); Ultragryllacris pulchra (31, 40, 49); Ultragryllacris nan (32, 41, 50, 58); Ultragryllacris rubricapitis from Mengla’s population (33, 42, 51, 59) and from Simao’s population (34, 43, 52, 60); Ultragryllacris intermediata sp. nov. (35, 44, 53, 61); Ultragryllacris jiaranaisakuli sp. nov. (36, 45, 54, 62); Ultragryllacris chandra sp. nov. (37, 46, 55, 63): 9th abdominal tergite, dorsal view (29–37), lateral view (38, 40, 42–46), lateral and slightly dorsal view (39, 41), ventral view (47, 48, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55); distal half of subgenital plate, ventral view (56–63); abdominal apex, ventral view (49). Modified from Gorochov et al., 2015 (31, 40, 49), from Ingrisch, 2018 (30, 32, 39, 41, 48, 50, 57–58), from Bin & Bian, 2021 (33, 42, 51, 59) and Lu et al., 2023 (34, 43, 52, 60).

FIGURES 64–80. Apex of female abdomen: Ultragryllacris alboclypeata alboclypeata (64, 72); Ultragryllacris a. triangula (65, 73); Ultragryllacris pulchra (66, 74); Ultragryllacris nan (67, 75); Ultragryllacris rubricapitis from Mengla’s population (68, 76) and Simao’s population (77); Ultragryllacris intermediata sp. nov. (69, 78); Ultragryllacris jiaranaisakuli sp. nov. (70, 79); Ultragryllacris chandra sp. nov. (71, 80). Ovipositor, lateral view (64–71); subgenital plate, ventral view (72–80). Modified from Gorochov et al., 2015 (66, 74), from Ingrsich, 2018 (65, 73), from Bin & Bian, 2021 (68, 76) and Lu et al., 2023 (77). Note for subgenital plate: small dots near greyish area (75, 79, 80) denote membranous area; greyish area of all subgenital plate denote sclerotized band excepted basal part of this plate (73) is not pictured (no clue about sclerotized band from Ingrisch, 2018).