Mogoplistidae

Tan, Ming Kai & Kamaruddin, Khairul Nizam, 2013, New species of scaly crickets (Orthoptera: Mogoplistinae) from Bukit Fraser, Malay Peninsula, Zootaxa 3721 (3), pp. 258-264 : 258-260

Mogoplistidae : Mogoplistinae

Genus Micrornebius Chopard, 1969

Chopard, 1969: 203

Type species: Micrornebius gracilicornis Chopard, 1969

Diagnosis. Very small brown crickets. Maxillary palps with segments usually short, apical segment widened. In males, wings reduced to stridulatory apparatus; completely or nearly completely covered under pronotum. Anterior tibia with inner tympanum. Tenth abdominal tergite and epiproct fuse to form supra-anal plate. Male supra-anal plate usually truncated; paraproct processes small or absent. Colour patterns may be diagnostic if the scales are well-preserved (Gorochov 1992; Yang & Yen, 2001; Ingrisch, 2006).

Micrornebius malaya , new species ( Fig. 1 )

Material examined. Holotype (male): Peninsular Malaysia, Pahang, Bukit Fraser, along Kindersley Trail, N03.71028, E101.73898, 1290 ± 6 m, on undergrowth, on leaf, coll. M. K. Tan & S. T. Toh, 19 December 2012, 1955 hours (ZRC).

Paratypes: 2 males and 1 female, same locality as holotype, coll. M. K. Tan & S. T. Toh: 1 female, along Abu Suradi Trail, N03.71326, E101.73437, 1300 ± 7 m, on twig on tree, 20 December 2012, 2116 hours; 1 male, along Peninjau Road, N03.71385, E101.741535, 1263 ± 7 m, on dead twigs and fern with trees on embankment, 22 December 2012, 1255 hours, by sweep-netting; 1 male, along Hemnant Trail, N03.71366, E101.73669, 1274 ± 9 m, on leaf, 22 December 2012, 2021 hours (all ZRC).

Diagnosis. Most similar to Micrornebius inopinatus Ingrisch, 2006 in the widely rounded male supra-anal plate and indistinct male paraproct hook but differs by pronotum length-width, hind femur-hind tibia, hind tibiahind metatarsus ratios and relative lengths of apical segments maxillary palps. Further differences are found in the colouration: legs mostly black with tarsus grey (except metatarsus) in M. malaya sp. n.; legs pale yellow with dark marmoration, with apical two segments of tarsus black in M. inopinatus . The phallic complex differs by strong sclerotisation of the medial and lateral valves.

Description. Habitus typical for the genus ( Fig. 1 A). Frontal rostrum about 2.5 times (n =1, holotype) broader than scapus, indistinctly furrowed in midline. Maxillary palps with apical segment widened, fourth segment slightly widened distally; all three apical segments of subequal length, third segment distinctively longer than fourth segment, about as long as or slightly longer than the apical (fifth) segment ( Fig. 1 B). Pronotum in male 1.8– 1.9 times (mean = 1.9, n = 3) longer than wide with anterior dorsal margin substraight; lateral margins feebly widening posteriorly; posterior margin slightly convex, covering tegmina completely. Fore tibiae with internal tympanum, large and oval; without external tympanum. Hind femora 1.4–1.7 times (mean = 1.6, n = 3) longer than hind tibiae; hind tibiae 1.7–2.2 times (mean = 1.8, n = 3) longer than metatarsi.

Male. Last abdominal tergite and epiproct fused to a supra-anal plate, transverse; depressed medially, with long bristles on both sides; apical margin broadly rounded and setose ( Fig. 1 C). Paraproct hook indistinct. Subgenital plate distinctly wider than long; apical margin rounded and upcurved. Lateral lobes of phallus weakly sclerotised and compressed, with an apical sclerite on each side more sclerotised, triangular and tapering into an obtuse apex and pointing slightly inwards ( Fig. 1 D); medial valve of phallus with a pair of rather strong sclerite, elongated and cylindrical, curved dorsad at base (basal sclerite pointing dorsally), gently curving away from each other medially before converging apically, apex of medial valve sclerite not projecting beyond apices of lateral lobe apical sclerite ( Fig. 1 D).

Female. Ninth abdominal apex feebly convex. Supra-anal plate rounded. Subgenital plate simple, triangular. Ovipositor short, slightly curved; apical valves with margins smooth, curved, narrow, with long hairs at apex; dorsal valves shorter than ventral valves, dorsal valve with apex obtuse, ventral valve with apex more acute ( Fig. 1 E).

Colouration. Yellow and black in fresh specimens. Head yellow dorsally, eyes dark; scapus and basal antennal segments black; maxillary palps mostly grey or brown grey, joints between segments pale. Pronotum with dorsal disc yellow in anterior half, black and little mottled with yellow on posterior half. Mesosternum and metasternum pale yellow. Tegmen white transparent. Legs generally black; fore and mid femora black; fore and mid knees pale grey; fore and mid tibiae black, fore tibiae apically pale yellow; fore and mid tarsi grey. Hind femora inner surface mostly black with slight yellow variegation; hind tibiae mostly black with slight yellow variegation; metatarsi with basal segment pale yellow and apical two segments black. Abdominal tergites variegated yellow and black, supraanal plate yellow; abdominal sternite and subgenital plate pale yellow medially and darker laterally. Cerci pale yellow, little mottled with black, near apex black.

Measurements. See Table 1 .

Etymology. The species is named after Malaya , the old name for Peninsular Malaysia; noun in apposition. This species is the first species of Micrornebius to be described from Peninsular Malaysia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Micrornebius malaya sp. n. holotype (A, C) and paratypes (B, D, E): male habitus in dorsal view (A); maxillary palps in lateral view (B); male abdominal apex in dorsal view (C); male phallic complex after partial washing in KOH in dorsal view (D); external apical area of ovipositor in lateral view (E). Scale bars: 1 mm (C, D); 0.5 mm (B, E).

Tables

TABLE 1. Measurements of Micrornebius malaya sp. n. (in mm, mean values in brackets).

	BL	PL	PW	TL	TW	HFL	HTL	HML OL
Male holotype	4.1	2.4	1.3	?	?	3.0	1.8	1.0 -
Male paratype (22 Dec.2012)	4.2	2.3	1.2	?	?	Nil*	Nil*	Nil* -
Male paratype (22 Dec.2012)	4.3	2.7	1.4	?	?	2.9	1.7	1.0 -
Males (n = 3)	4.1–4.3 (4.3)	2.3–2.7 (2.5)	1.2–1.4 (1.3)	?	?	2.0–3.0 (3.0)	1.7–1.8 (1.8)	1.0 (1.0) -
Female paratype (20 Dec.2012)	4.3	1.4	1.3	-	-	2.8	2.0	0.9 1.0
* hind legs lost.