Kurtguentheria macroxipha Gorochov, 2008

Gorochov, Andrej V. & Mostovski, Mike B., 2008, Apterous crickets of the tribe Gryllini from South Africa and Namibia (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), African Invertebrates 49 (1), pp. 109-109 : 112-114

Kurtguentheria macroxipha Gorochov , sp. n.

Figs 1–4

Etymology: From Greek macros (long) and xiphos (sword).

Description:

Male.

Coloration yellowish, but with very light (almost indistinct) brownish areas on labrum and distal half of mandibles, 4 longitudinal stripes on vertex, and spot on apical part of hind femora; eyes dark brown. Head large, hemispherical, with comparatively small eyes and wide area between antennae (distance between antennal cavities slightly greater than width of eye, and almost twice greater than width of scape); clypeal suture distinct, slightly arched; mandibles comparatively short, as in majority of Gryllini . Pronotum slightly widened in front, with rather high lateral lobes; pronotal disc moderately transverse, with slightly concave fore and almost straight hind edges. Fore and middle legs typical of Gryllini , neither thickened nor shortened; hind legs significantly adapted for jumping; hind tibiae very weakly inflated in middle and almost not narrowed (in profile) in distal part, with 5 pairs of articulated spines and 3 pairs of apical spurs (2 upper pairs of spurs very long, almost half as long as hind basitarsus or somewhat longer; spines gradually increase in length from proximal to distal position, longest spine almost equal in length to middle outer spur); hind basitarsus comparatively thin and almost straight, provided with 6 inner and 8 outer denticles on dorsal surface. Hind abdominal tergites simple, without any projection; anal plate with rounded distal part; genital plate large, comparatively long, and with slight median notch at apex. Genitalia with long and almost straight epiphallus having wide membranous median area and deep hind median notch; lateral lobes of epiphallus each with 2 apical processes (ventral process longer and more curved, and shorter dorsal process almost straight in profile) and rounded (in profile) dorsal ridge near them; first and second ectoparameres long and narrow, first ectoparameres distinctly shorter than second ones; each endoparamere with elongate lateral apodeme in middle; spermatophore sac with numerous loops; virga very long and rather narrow ( Figs 1–3 ).

Female.

Coloration and structure of majority of body parts similar to those of male, but number of basitarsal denticles slightly varied, and some females with following additional darkish spots that somewhat more distinct than spots in holotype: brown horseshoe-shaped spot between antennal cavities and upper part of eyes, a pair of small light brown spots on pronotal disc, and brownish spots along fore edge of visible part of pterothoracic and abdominal tergites. Abdominal apex simple, typical of Gryllini , but genital plate comparatively short, with almost truncate apex; ovipositor very long, with acute apical part clearly adapted for digging ( Fig. 4 ).

Length (in mm): Body: _ 16.5, ^17 –19; pronotum: _ 3.2, ^3.4 –3.8; hind femur: _ 11.5, ^13.0 –14.2; hind tibia: _ 7, ^8.0 –8.6; hind basitarsus: _ 4, ^4.4 –4.7; ovipositor 20–22.

Holotype: _ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: “ Raapenberg Cape Prov. 23-2-1915 ”, “Collector C.W. Mally Ag Dp S Afr”, “Ac.-C 2443” ( SANC).

Paratypes: 5^with same data as holotype ( SANC, ZIAS) .

Comparison: The main differences of the new species from all congeners are given in the key. Additionally it differs from K. simonsi and K.? fasciata in the more-or-less uniform, light coloration, and from K. laciniosa , by larger size and much longer ovipositor.

Figures

Figs 1–5. Kurtguentheria: (1–4) K. macroxipha sp. n., male genitalia dorsally (1), their distal half ventrally (2) and laterally (3), distal half of ovipositor laterally (4); (5) K. simonsi (after Otte 1987), distal half of male genitalia laterally.Abbreviations: (e) epiphallus, (1ec) first ectoparamere, (2ec) second ectoparamere, (en) endoparamere, (la) lateral apodeme of endoparamere, (m) mesal lobe of ectoparamere, (r) ramus, (s) spermatophore sac, (v) virga.