Grylloblatta oregonensis, Schoville, Sean D., 2012

Schoville, Sean D., 2012, Three new species of Grylloblatta Walker (Insecta: Grylloblattodea: Grylloblattidae), from southern Oregon and northern California, Zootaxa 3412, pp. 42-52 : 43-47

Grylloblatta oregonensis new species

( Figs. 1 A, 2A–B)

Type material. Holotype female in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M. N42.098 W-123.407 WGS84, Note: in dark zone of cave 15-VI-2010 J. Roth SDS10-007” [white label]/ “ HOLOTYPE Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [red label]; dark zone of cave, Oregon Caves National Monument, 42.098o North and - 123.407o West, Josephine County, Oregon, U.S.A.

Other specimens. Juvenile in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M. 20-III-2010. Note: in the dark zone, drowned in a pool of water.” [white label]/ “ Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [white label]. Juvenile in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M. 30-XI-2006 ” [white label]/ “ Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [white label]. Juvenile in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M. 11-VII-2008 ” [white label]/ “ Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [white label]. Juvenile in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M. 14-I-2009 ” [white label]/ “ Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [white label]. Juvenile in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M.” [white label]/ “ Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [white label]. Penultimate male in ethanol, deposited in CAS, labeled: “ USA OR: Josephine Co., Oregon Caves N.M. SDS10-003” [white label]/ “ Grylloblatta oregonensis Schoville det. S.D. Schoville 2011” [white label].

Etymology. The specific epithet, oregonensis , is named for the state of Oregon in which the type locality, Oregon Caves National Monument is located.

Diagnosis. Adult females of this species can be distinguished from all other Nearctic Grylloblatta species by the following combination of character states: color buff yellow on dorsum and white ventrally; large body size (> 1.4cm); long legs; fewer than 30 antennomeres; ratio of antennomere lengths 2 and 1 2.67; broad head; head slightly wider than pronotum; compound eyes large; pronotum square-shaped with flat posterior edge; long, narrow and weakly up-curved ovipositor; dorsal valve of ovipositor noticeably down-curved at tip; ovipositor half as long as cercus; cercomeres long. Holotype specimen with slight damage limited to the juncture of the pronotum and head on the left side (caused during transfer to alcohol).

Description of holotype female. Antennomere number on right antennae 28 and on left antennae 26. Compound eyes well developed, black. Interocular distance slightly smaller than pronotum width. Head width less than head length. Head slightly damaged by split in the exoskeleton and swelling tissue in the posterior end. Pronotum square-shaped with rounded corners, surface broad and flat, length greater than width, width at anterior and posterior ends similar, slight inward curve laterally, transverse sulcus at anterior end straight, posterior edge flat. Slightly damaged along anterior and left sides by a split in the exoskeleton and swelling tissue. Legs long and robust, same yellowish color as dorsum with distinctive brown setae. On abdomen, ovipositor half as long as cercus. Ventral valve gradually becoming narrower and curving gently upwards towards distal end, lightly setaceous with short setae. Dorsal valves barely extending beyond ventral valve (<one-eighth total length) and at distal end curving downward. Dorsal valve coloration noticeably darkened along dorsal surface near proximal end. Cercal segments long, coloration of proximal ends amber yellow and distal ends white. Dorsal body color buff yellow (87), with amber yellow (84) head and pronotum, abdomen white, appendages lighter amber buff yellow, antennomeres and cercomeres buff yellow fading to white at distal ends, ovipositor salmon-orange (50). Juveniles sharing characteristic pale dorsal coloration on the head and pronotum, sometimes completely white.

Measurements of holotype female (cm). BL 1.905, HL 0.476, HW 0.378, EL 0.103, EW 0.064, ID 0.325, Ant1L 0.024, Ant2L 0.064, AntRatio 2.67, PL 0.405, PW 0.349, FL front 0.564, FL mid 0.476, FL rear 0.635, TL front 0 445, TL mid 0.476, TL rear 0.714, TrL front 0.119, TrL mid 0.095, TrL rear 0.278, PTrL front 0.476, PTrL mid 0.357, PTrL rear 0.397, OvL 0.516, OvW 0.1588, CL 1.032.

Description of other specimens. Juveniles share the characteristic pale dorsal coloration and are sometimes completely white.

Comparisons. Grylloblatta oregonensis n. sp. can be distinguished from G. siskiyouensis n. sp. by larger body size, buff yellow dorsal coloration, fewer number of antennomeres and larger antennomere 2:1 ratio (>2), longer cercus to ovipositor ratio, longer and slightly tapered ventral valve of ovipositor, and slightly down-curved distal end of the dorsal valve of ovipositor. It can be distinguished from G. m a r m o re u s n. sp. by the large, square pronotum with flat posterior edge, and relatively longer limbs. It can be distinguished from G. ro t h i by its wider head and pronotum, longer limbs, and slightly less up-curved ventral valve of ovipositor. It can be distinguished from G. sculleni by smaller body size, fewer antennomeres, and longer ovipositor. It can be distinguished from G. gurneyi by buff yellow dorsal coloration, fewer antennomeres, and longer ovipositor and cerci. It can be distinguished from G. barberi by smaller body size, buff yellow dorsal coloration, larger pronotum, and slightly tapered ventral valve of ovipositor. It can be distinguished from G. chandleri by having fewer antennomeres, a large, square pronotum with flat posterior edge, and slightly down-curved distal end of the dorsal valve of ovipositor.

Habitat distribution. The type specimen was found on the floor in a dark zone of the main cave system, drowned in a pool of water on June 15, 2010. This pool was located approximately 160 meters from the cave entrance and 43 meters below the surface. This cave is surveyed daily and the specimen was found in good condition (vivid coloration, robust exoskeleton), suggesting that it was freshly deceased. One juvenile specimen used for genetic study was found in the dark zone, drowned in a pool of water on March 20, 2010. Four other juveniles and one penultimate male were found at other times of the year, including November 30, 2006, July 11, 2008, and January 14, 2009. This species is a suspected troglophile, as searches in above-ground habitats surrounding the caves and twilight zones within the caves were unsuccessful.

Geographical distribution. Grylloblatta oregonensis n. sp. is presently known only from Oregon Caves National Monument ( Fig. 3 ). It may be a limited endemic in this cave system.

Phylogenetic relationships. Based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II data, G. oregonensis n. sp. (GenBank Accession JN612962 ) is distinct from (minimum ~10%) other nearby grylloblattids ( Table 1 ). No genetic variation was evident in the two samples. In a neighbor-joining analysis, it is grouped with G. siskiyouensis n. sp. and G. marmoreus n. sp. in an unresolved polytomy ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Differences in size and coloration observed in type specimens. A) Grylloblatta oregonensis n. sp. B) G. siskiyouensis n. sp. C) G. m a r m o re u s n. sp.

FIGURE 3. Geographical distribution of grylloblattid populations (dots) and type localities (crosses and asterisks) in California and Oregon, USA.

FIGURE 4. Relationships of new Grylloblatta species based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene data.