Listroscelis cyanotibiatus Mendes & Silva-Neto, 2023

Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello & Neto, Alberto Moreira Da Silva, 2023, The Blue Legged Predatory Katydid-a new species of Listroscelis Serville, 1883 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Listroscelidinae: Listroscelidini) from the Atlantic Rainforest, Zootaxa 5254 (3), pp. 425-433 : 426-430

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5254.3.8
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:48F4433C-6177-4347-90CB-FD1064A85BEF
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7727804
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/92748797-BF44-FFBD-FF67-CBD99C1EE604
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Listroscelis cyanotibiatus Mendes & Silva-Neto
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Listroscelis cyanotibiatus Mendes & Silva-Neto sp. nov.

Figures 1–7 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7

Diagnosis. The turquoise blue coloring of tibiae and part of tegmina makes this katydid unique and easily differentiated from other species of Listroscelis ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). Tegmina long, surpassing apex of cercus and subgenital plate, in lateral view ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Cercus fang-shaped, apically with inward curved tip; apex of cercus not exceeding base of stylus ( Figs. 1I–K View FIGURE 1 ).

Description. Holotype Male.

Head. Head laterally wide, with frons and gena rough, in frontal view ( Figs. 1B–C View FIGURE 1 ); fastigium-vertex small and laterally compressed, in frontal view ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ); Globular eyes ( Figs. 1B and 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Scape and pedicel wide and cylindrical, in lateral view ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Mandibles asymmetrical; left mandible very elongate, ensiform, acuminate and projecting forward; right mandible curved and not elongated ( Figs. 1A–C View FIGURE 1 ).

Thorax. Pronotal disc rectangular, without carina, anteriorly slightly concave and posteriorly straight, in dorsal view ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ); dorsal margin of pronotal disc with undulations, in lateral view ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ); Dorsal-lateral suture curved and bifurcate ( Figs. 1D–E View FIGURE 1 ). Furcal suture curved and concolorous with pronotal disc ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Mesobasisternum triangular-shaped, anteriorly slightly concave and posteriorly narrow ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Lateral lobes of mesobasisternum anterolaterally and laterally convex and posteriorly straight ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Metabasisternum trapezoidal ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Lateral lobes of mesobasisternum laterally slightly convex and posteriorly rounded ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Mesobasisternum and metabasisternum with two rounded projections on each ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ).

Wings. Tegmina narrow with rounded apex, with about 1/3 of the tegmina surpassing the apex of the cerci ( Figs. 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A–B View FIGURE 2 ). Left stridulatory file sinuous; teeth apical minor in relation to middle teeth ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Total length of left stridulatory file 4 mm, greater vein width of 0.2 mm and a total of 178 teeth ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Right stridulatory file sinuous; teeth basal and apical shorter than middle teeth ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Total length file of 2 mm, widest vein of 0.1 mm and total of 156 teeth ( Figs. 3B View FIGURE 3 ).

Legs. Fore femur straight, with apex narrower than the base, presence of four ventral spines, a pair of apical spines and numerous small ventral spines, in lateral view ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Fore tibia sinuous with six pairs of long spines in ventral region, in lateral view ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Mid femur curved, with four pairs of large spines and numerous small spines on ventral margin, in lateral view ( Fig. 1G View FIGURE 1 ). Mid tibia with enlarged basal half with six pairs of ventral spines and three dorsal spines, in lateral view ( Fig. 1G View FIGURE 1 ). Hind femur enlarged at basal half, with several large ventral spines ( Figs. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Hind tibia straight, narrow, with several small ventral and dorsal spines ( Figs. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). All legs with short bristles ( Figs. 1A, F–G View FIGURE 1 ).

Abdomen. Cercus fang-shaped, apically with inward curved tip; apex of cercus not exceeding base of stylus ( Figs. 1I–K View FIGURE 1 ). Subgenital plate trapezoidal and posteriorly bifurcated ( Figs. 1I–K View FIGURE 1 ). Space concave between the base of stylus ( Figs. 1I–K View FIGURE 1 ). Stylus long and narrow ( Figs. 1I–K View FIGURE 1 ).

Internal male genitalia. Upper fold of ventral lobe large, asymmetric; margins slightly sinuous ( Figs. 4A–D View FIGURE 4 ). Titillator with two large sclerites, parallel, inward curved and anteriorly exceeding the dorsal lobe ( Figs. 4A–D View FIGURE 4 ). Sclerite of ventral fold of dorsal lobe with one large sclerite, sinuous, narrow medially and wide distally; apex acuminate ( Figs. 4A–D View FIGURE 4 ). Lower fold of ventral lobe small, bilobed, posteriorly not exceeding the upper fold of ventral lob ( Figs. 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ). Dorsal lobe anteriorly with median projection large elongated, anterolaterally with two convex projections, laterally and posteriorly slightly rounded ( Figs. 4A–D View FIGURE 4 ). Dorsal fold asymmetric, elongated and narrow ( Figs. 4C–D View FIGURE 4 ).

Coloration. Described based on photos of live specimens ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). Scape, pedicel dark brown and antennal sclerite light brown. Eyes dark brown. Head, pronotal disc, fore leg and mid leg dark brown with some light brown areas. Jaws black. Tibiae with black brown base and apex and turquoise blue middle region, with black spines. Tarsi dark brown. Hind femur light brown with apex dark brown. Thorax light brown with some dark brown areas. Tegmina dark brown; basal region of the wing a large blue-white and posteriorly turquoise-blue spot slightly hyaline between the costal margin and the main branch of vein R. Stridulatory region of tegmina light brown. Abdominal segment dorsally dark brown with a turquoise blue lateral band. Cerci light green.

Female: Similar to male, except for the following features ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ):

Wings. Anal veins unmodified for sound production.

Abdomen. Cercus slightly inward curved with acuminate and inward curved apex ( Figs. 5H–J View FIGURE 5 ). Cercus with long white bristles ( Fig. 5H View FIGURE 5 ). Subgenital plate triangular, anteriorly straight and posteriorly slightly bilobate ( Fig. 5I View FIGURE 5 ). Ovipositor slightly curved, without teeth, with enlarged base and subsequently narrow to the apex; apex of ovipositor triangular ( Fig. 5J View FIGURE 5 ).

Coloration. Ovipositor with light brown base and other dark brown regions.

Etymology. The epithet is from Latin, cyano (blue) + tibia (tibia, leg) + atus (provided with), meaning “provided with blue tibia”, in reference to the striking and diagnostic blue coloration of the legs of this katydid.

Geographical records. Brazil: Bahia ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ).

Type material. Holotype ♁. BRASIL, Bahia, Cachoeira, Fazenda Vila Rial , 19.v.2018, D.M.M. Mendes & A.M.S. Neto leg. ( INPA) . Paratypes: Idem , Itanagra , 19.ii.2021, A.M.S. Neto leg. (1♀ INPA); Idem , Santa Teresinha , Serra da Jiboia, Base Gambá, 12°52′19.8″S – 39°28′51.7″W, 08–10.v. 2018, 500 m de altitude, coleta manual, D.M.M. Mendes & A.M.S. Neto leg. (1♀ INPA) GoogleMaps .

Measurements (mm). Holotype♁: TL: 52; TegL: 50; TegH: 8; WF: 4,5; PL: 5,3; PH: 3,2; FF: 10; FT: 10,5; MF: 6,7; MT: 7,5; HF: 16; HT: 18; Lplac: 3,5; LC: 2,8.

Paratypes ♀: TL: 52; TegL: 50; TegH: 8; WF: 4,5; PL: 5,3; PH: 3,2; FF: 10; FT: 10,5; MF: 6,7; MT: 7,5; HF: 16; HT: 18; Lplac : 3,5; LC: 2,8; OV: 3.

Comments. The state of Bahia currently has records of three species of Listroscelis : Listroscelis magnomaculata Fialho et al., 2014 , Listroscelis monnei Fialho et al., 2014 , Listroscelis cohni Fialho et al., 2014 . L. cyanotibiatus sp. nov. appears to be closer to L. magnomaculata (differentiating by long tegmina versus short tegmina, not exceeding the apex of cercus in L. magnomaculata ).