Afrophaloria hempae Desutter-Grandcolas

Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure, 2015, Phalangopsidae crickets from Tropical Africa (Orthoptera, Grylloidea), with descriptions of new taxa and an identification key for African genera, Zootaxa 3948 (3), pp. 451-496 : 462-463

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3948.3.5
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:809AC895-779E-419D-8EBE-071F0ACCD72E
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5687685
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038D8783-FF9E-324E-FF7D-F88CFCF6F852
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Afrophaloria hempae Desutter-Grandcolas
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Afrophaloria hempae Desutter-Grandcolas View in CoL , n. sp.

( Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 C, G, H, K, O, 3D–F)

Type locality. Tanzania, Coast reg. Kisarawe distr., Kazimzumbwi forest Reserve, 39°03'E 6°57'S.

Type material. Holotype. Tanzania, Coast reg. Kisarawe distr., Kazimzumbwi forest Reserve, 39°03'E 6°57'S, Jan–Feb 1991, 1 male (Frontier Tanzania leg.), ZMC. Allotype. Same data as the holotype, 1 female, ZMC. Paratypes, 7 M, 15F. Same data as the holotype, 6 males, 14 females, ZMC; 1 male, 1 female, MNHN-EO- ENSIF 3607–3608.

Etymology. Species named after Dr. Claudia Hemp, who kindly gave me opportunity to study cricket material from Eastern Africa.

Diagnosis. Within the genus, Afrophaloria hempae Desutter-Grandcolas , n. sp. can be identified by its large size, its very dark coloration with contrasting yellow face with a clear cut limit of coloration on the cheeks, its maxillary palpi (joints 3 and 4 subequal, the joint 4 only slightly longer than joint 3: Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 C), its rounded TIII, not produced dorsally as a keel, and the larger and more numerous spines on TIII and basitarsomeres III. In females, the subgenital plate is wider than long and emarginate ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 K); the copulatory papilla is not bifurcate, having an undivided, broadly triangular ventral sclerite ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 O). By its male genitalia, Afrophaloria hempae Desutter- Grandcolas, n. sp. is close to A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas , n. sp., from which it can be separated by its larger size, transverse pronotum, maxillary palpi (joints 3 and 4 subequal in length), female subgenital plate (transverse) and longer ovipositor, male subgenital plate (wide, short, truncate apically straight) and male genitalia (pseudepiphallic hooks longer, Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 E; pseudepiphallic parameres raised dorsally, Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 F; ectophallic fold with a distinctive dorsal spine, Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 F).

Description.

In addition to the characters of the subfamily and genus:

Maxillary palpi: joint 4 very slightly longer than joint 3 ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 C). DD only slightly wider than long, posterior margin straight or slightly convex. TIII without serrulation between apical and subapical spurs, and between subapical spurs (one spine between outer subapical spurs 3 and 4 in male holotype); serrulation more numerous, and spines bigger than in other species; above subapical spurs, outer spines: eight to ten (mean 9.3) in males, six to nine (mean eight) in females; inner spines: four to eight (mean 5.8) in males, three to five (mean four) in females. Basitarsomeres III quite long for the genus, the longest inner apical spur reaching about four fith of basitarsomere length; serrulation: no inner spine in addition to apical one; outer spines: four to six (mean five) in males, four to five (mean 4.3) in females.

Coloration. Similar in male and females. Head dorsum black brown, including the fastigium; lateral ocelli ivory, a black spot behind the median ocellus. Cheeks black brown with yellow lower margin, the limit with the yellowish coloration of the face clear cut and oblique. Face, mouthparts, maxillary palpi, scapes and antennae yellowish. Pronotum black brown, including anterior margin and LL; DD distal third and posterior margin ochre brown. PI, PII yellowish, FI, FII with a faint brown distal ring; TI, TII darker, with four undistinct rings. PIII light ochre, FIII with a faint brown distal ring, TIII dark, darker in distal half, with four still darker rings. Tarsomeres yellowish, with a short brown ring basally and a longer one apically; TIII spurs brown on their basal half length, then yellowish with black apex. Tergites dark brown to black brown, the supra anal plate, sternites and subgenital plate lighter (see infra). Cerci light yellowish brown.

Male. Posterior margin of metanotum and tergites lighter, except the most distal tergites, entirely dark brown. Supra anal plate wider than long, its distal part very setose with the basal part of the median furrow very deep; plate more lightly coloured, except for the brown anterior margin. Subgenital plate high and short, regularly truncate apically, distal margin straigth ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 G, H).

Male genitalia. Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 E–F. Upper part of pseudepiphallus narrow and very thick ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 D). Pseudepiphallus membranous, except for a pair of distal sclerites having the shape of thick hooks directed ventrally and extending below the ectophallic fold; rami entirely invaginated as long and heavy apodemes, their externally visible part very thin and short; pseudepiphallic parameres long, hardly sclerotized, curved upward at right angle. Ectophallic apodemes short, curved ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 E); dorsal and ventral sclerotization of epi-ectophallic invagination separated (no arc). Ectophallic fold very long, raised vertically between pseudepiphallic hooks ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 F); sclerotized and almost symmetrical; apex widely split, each side as a narrow plate ending with a dorsal spine. Endophallic sclerite as a thin and very short sclerite, not prolonged distally on the ventral side of ectophallic fold ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 E); endophallic apodemes very short.

Female. Much bigger than males. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 K) wider than long; apex deeply bisinuate. Ovipositor shorter longer TIII, but shorter than FIII.

Female genitalia. Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 O. Copulatory papilla not divided apically; shaped as a membranous dome, with a small triangular, ventral sclerite. Spermatheca thin and elongate.