Morocera loriae ( Griffini, 1908 ) 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 : 192

Morocera loriae ( Griffini, 1908) comb. nov.

Figs. 1 , 3G

Scytocera (Morocera) loriae Gorochov, 2016

Scytocera loriae Karny, 1912

Scytocera loriae Griffini, 1908

Syntypes (2 females): NEW GUINEA: S.E. New Guinea, Moroka, 1300m, VII.–XI.1893, Loria (Genoa, MCSN) .

Other specimens studied (1 male) labeled: “ PAPUA: Mafulu, 4000 ft. i.1934, L.E. Cheesman, B.M. 1934-321“ (London, NHM) .

Redescription. Fastigium verticis conical, laterally compressed, apex acute, dorsal margin with a weak carinula. Frons elongate, shining with few weakly impressed dots ( Fig. 1D ). Vertex matt with a few furrows. Pronotum subsmooth in center and in areas around lateral angles, matt in anterior and posterior area of disc and ventral area of paranota; disc broadly rounded into paranota, apical area subflat and shouldered; transverse sulcus weak, subinterrupted in middle; a second transverse sulcus on paranota and at angles; anterior margin faintly concave in middle, posterior margin subtruncate in female, rounded in male ( Fig 1B ); paranota longer than high, ventral margin nearly substraight, angles rounded, apical callus spheroid, humeral sinus absent. Anterior part of mesopleurae one grooved in dorsal, globose in ventral area. Prosternum unarmed. Mesosternal lobes angularly rounded, metasternal lobes rounded, medial plate with an obtuse tubercle at both apical angles. Mesocoxa with a small spinule on dorsalexternal margin. Tegmen covering about abdomen or nearly so, margins narrowing toward end, apex rounded, hind wings of same length ( Fig. 1C, H ). Femora with the following number of spines on ventral margins: fore femur 6–8 anterior, 5–7 posterior; mid femur 6–7 medium large and 0–5 very small anterior, 2–3 posterior near base; hind femur 8–13 anterior, 0–8 very small posterior in subbasal area. Knee lobes of fore and mid femora spinose on anterior, obtuse on posterior lobe, on hind femur with one spine on both lobes. Mid tibia slightly widened and compressed, fore and mid tibiae with rather strong spines on ventral margins. Hind tibia with 1 dorsal and 2 ventralapical spurs on both sides.

Male. Stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen 1.5 mm long with 101 narrowly arranged teeth, that is 67 teeth per 1 mm; the about last 15 teeth downcurved and smaller; area with largest teeth in middle 0.9 mm long with 51 teeth ( Fig. 1A ). Tenth tergite wider than long, with a faint furrow in midline; apical margin faintly concave in middle, straight but oblique on both sides. Cerci stout, substraight with slightly concave external margin, apical area conical and little downcurved with obtuse end; in basal area with a stout internal projection that carries at little incurved, conical end one acute black tooth ( Fig. 1G ). Subgenital plate with a faint medial carina, and with roundly excised apical margin; styli short. Titillators in about basal half sclerotized and curved, in apical half forming a bunch of long hairs that are covered on both sides by stiffened, transparent and vaulted plates with granular surface ( Figs. 1E–F ).

Female. Last tergite furrowed in midline, apical margin subtruncate but excised in middle. Epiproct triangular, apex rounded. Cerci conical, apex pointed. Subgenital plate transverse with lateral margins distinctly curved ventrad, apical margin with a deep, V-shaped incision in middle, margins on both sides of incision strongly bulging near base and in middle bent backward into a medial carina ( Fig. 1I ). Ovipositor falcate, basal area bulbous and substraight, otherwise compressed, height widening before mid-length, margins smooth, apex acute ( Fig. 1H ).

Coloration. Medium brown, probably discolored. Frons rufus, antennal scapus and pedicellus green in one female. Tegmen with darker cells and paler veins and veinlets but pattern not very distinct. Tibiae of one female with remnants of green. Anterior tibia with 3 black spots: in subbasal area, below tympana and in subapical area. Hind tibia with dark spots around bases of spines on dorsal margins only; spines pale with dark tips.

Measurements (1 male, 2 females): body w/o wings: male 19.5, female 17–18; pronotum: male 5.0, female 4.5; tegmen: male 11.8, female 11.5–12.5; hind femur: male 10.4, female 9.5–10.0; ovipositor: female 7.5–8.0 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–G, Morocera loriae (Griffini, 1908): A–G, male from Mafulu: A, stridulatory file; B, habitus dorsal view; C, habitus lateral view; D, face; E–F, titillators in different magnification; G, abdominal apex with tenth tergite, cerci and subgenital plate in dorsal view.—H–I, female syntype: H, habitus lateral view; I, female subgenital plate.—Scales 10 mm (B, C, H); 5 mm (D); 1 mm (A, E–G); not to scale (I).

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).