Morocera peniculosa, Ingrisch, 2023

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2023, New and little-known genera and species of Agraeciini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 5249 (2), pp. 190-212 : 195-197

Morocera peniculosa sp. nov.

Figs. 3A–F

Holotype (male): Papua New Guinea: Mountain , Managalese area, elev. 900 m, 1–31.viii.1964, coll. R. Pielley — 1 male (Naturalis Leiden, NBC).

Diagnosis. In general characters, the male of the new species is similar to that of M. loriae ( Griffini, 1908) ( Fig. 3F ). It differs by the tenth abdominal tergite being provided with a short angular medial incision from middle of apical margin, the male cerci are longer and thinner and have the basal-internal tooth thinner and nearly parallel-sided instead of conical, and the apical area more strongly curved ventri-laterad instead of conically pointing ventrad. The most significant difference between the males of both species is the shape of the titillators, which are, in the new species, compressed, in basal area curved and afterward moderately widening and carry along the narrow ventralapical margin dense hairs of moderate length ( Fig. 3D ), while in M. loriae , the titillators are in about basal half wide, compressed, and curved, have the apical areas not sclerotized but consisting of a bundle of long and dense hairs that are connected to the basal areas by a narrow stem and laterally bordered by weak, transparent sheaths (compare Fig. 3D with 3G). The teeth on the stridulatory file are less densely arranged than in M. loriae .

Description. Face of general color ( Fig. 3E ). Prosternal spines absent; mesosternal lobes angularly rounded; metasternal lobes rounded. Femora with the following number of spines on ventral margins: fore femur 5–6 anterior, 5–6 posterior; mid femur 8 anterior, 2–3 posterior near base. Hind legs missing in specimen at hand.

Male. Stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen 1.54 mm long, with 95 teeth or 61.7 teeth per mm; the apical teeth very small ( Fig. 3A ). Tenth abdominal tergite globular with apical margin substraight. Cerci elongate with approaching lateral margins, about apical third moderately bent ventrad and laterad, tip simply rounded; at base with an internal projection that carries at end a small, curved tooth ( Figs 3B–C ). Titillators with basal area curved laterad, about apical half widened and little curved outwards to rounded end; behind mid-length ventral-distal margin provided with bunches of dense hairs ( Fig. 3D ).

Measurements of male (in mm): body 18; pronotum 4.7; tegmen 12.25.

Etymology. The new species is named after the brush-shaped apical area of the titillators; from Latin peniculus brush.

Figures

FIGURE 3. A–F: Morocera peniculosa sp. nov. male holotype:A, stridulatory file; B–C, tenth tergite, cerci and subgenital plate in about dorsal (B) and in lateral view (C); D, titillators in ventral-apical view; E, face; F, habitus with left tegmen spread.—G– H, male titillators of M. loriae (Griffini, 1908) (G) and M. nigrifrons sp. n. (H)—Scales: 1 mm (A–E, G–H), 10 mm (F).