Afrophisis flagellata Hemp

Hemp, Claudia, 2013, Annotated list of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera) from the East Usambara Mountains Tanzania and new Tettigoniidae species from East Africa, Zootaxa 3737 (4), pp. 301-350 : 322-324

Afrophisis flagellata Hemp n. sp. ( Fig. 15 G–I, Fig. 16 C, D)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:180007

Holotype male, Tanzania, East Usambara Mountains, Kwamgumi forest reserve, 170–220 m, July 1995, 4 °57´S 38° 45´E, leg. McKamey et al. Depository: ZMUC.

Paratypes. 1 male, 2 females, same data as holotype. Depository: ZMUC.

Description.—Male. Habitus as A. tanzanica , A. pseudoflagellata n. sp. and A. mazumbaiensis n. sp.; medium sized, comparatively robust. Head and antennae.—Fastigium verticis short, conical, much shorter than scapus. Antennae very long and thin, 6–7 cm. Thorax.— Pronotum with pair of reddish-brown fasciae; median transverse sulci faint; anterior margin of pronotum slightly concave, posterior margin straight. All three pronotal sterna armed; prosternum with pair of long and slender straight processes, mesosternum with pair of shorter and stouter processes, on metasternum processes short and blunt. Tegmina and wings well developed, surpassing apex of abdomen about 1/3 of their length. Stridulatory area of male as in Fig. 15 G; Legs.— Fore coxa with spine. Fore legs with 5 inner and 4 outer long predatory spines on femur and 7 inner and 7 outer on tibia, mid femora with three outer spines and 2–3 on inner side which are short and stout. Hind femora unarmed at base where femur is inflated, one row of numerous spines at slender posterior part ventrally. Hind tibiae with 4 rows of numerous small spines along whole length. Supra-anal plate divided into two broad lobes. An elongated sclerotized structure with flagellate-like end part deriving from the genitalic system is situated between supra-anal plate, cerci and subgenital plate ( Fig. 15 H). Cerci broad, dorsally partly expanded, ventrally worm-like structured. Subgenital plate broad, deeply v-shaped incised medially, with tiny styli ( Fig. 15 I).

Female.—Same habitus as male, with long and slender, slightly up-curved ovipositor ( Fig. 16 C). Subgenital plate as in Fig. 16 D.

Measurements, males (mm) (N = 2). Body length 11–14.5. Length of pronotum 3.6–3.7. Length of elytra 14.5– 16. Length of hind femur 13.5–14.

Measurements, females (mm) (N = 2). Body length 11–14. Length of pronotum 3.5–3.9. Length of elytra 15– 16. Length of hind femur 13–14.5. Ovipositor length 10.5–11.

Diagnosis.—Differentiated from all other known Afrophisis species by the flagellate-shaped end part of the externally protruding sclerotized genitalic structures. Similar to A. pseudoflagellata n. sp. which has a similar flagellate-like end part of the sclerotized genitalic structures. However, A. pseudoflagellata n. sp. has a strongly elongated supra-anal plate ( Fig. 14 E, F) while in A. flagellata n. sp. the supra-anal plate is of normal shape ( Fig. 15 H). The subgenital plate is deeply divided into two long and slender processes in A. pseudoflagellata n. sp. ( Fig. 14C ) while the processes of the v-shaped incised subgenital plate of A. flagellata n. sp. are much shorter ( Fig. 15 F).

Distribution: Tanzania, East Usambara Mountains.

Habitat: Lowland to submontane forest.

Figures

FIGURE 15. Morphological details of Afrophisis males. A – C. A. tanzanica, left tegmina with stridulatory area (A), lateral view on male abdominal apex with enlarged surpa-anal plate (B), subgenital plate (C). D – F. A. mazumbaiensis n. sp., left tegmina with stridulatory area (D), lateral view on male abdominal apex with enlarged surpa-anal plate (E), subgenital plate (F). G – I. A. flagellata n. sp., left tegmina with stridulatory area (G), lateral view on male abdominal apex with flagellate end part of genitalic structures (H), subgenital plate (I). J – L. A. kisarawe n. sp., left tegmina with stridulatory area (J), dorsal view on abdominal apex (K), subgenital plate (L).

FIGURE 16. Afrophisi s females. A, B. A. tanzanica, ovipositor lateral (A) and subgenital plate (B). C, D. A. flagellata n. sp., oivpositor lateral (C) and subgenital plate (D). Scale bars 5 mm.

FIGURE 14. A, C, G. Morphological details of Afrophisis carminator: stridulatory area (A), subgenital plate (C), abdominal apex (G) B, D, E, F. A. pseudoflagellata n. sp.: stridulatory area (B), subgenital plate (D), semi-lateral view (E) and lateral view on abdominal apex (F).