Paradecolya expectata, Hugel, Sylvain, 2010

Hugel, Sylvain, 2010, New and little known predatory katydids from Mascarene islands (Ensifera: Meconematinae and Hexacentrinae), Zootaxa 2543, pp. 1-30 : 11-12

Paradecolya expectata n. sp.

( Figs. 22–26 , 34–35 , 39 , 43–44 ; Tab. 3 )

Holotype. Male. Indian Ocean, Mascarene archipelago, Mauritius, Savanne District, Black River National Park, Plaine Champagne, Montagne Cocotte, 745 m alt., 20°26’45’’S 057°28’20’’E, 19.IV.2005, S. Hugel, MNHN (MNHN-ENSIF2630).

Allotype. Female. Same as holotype, S. Hugel, MNHN (MNHN-ENSIF2631).

Paratypes. Males. 23, same as holotype, S. Hugel leg. and coll. and MSIRI. 13, same as holotype, 22.IV.2005, S. Hugel, CIRAD Réunion. 13, same as holotype, 3.V.2009 (BIOTAS2009 132), S. Hugel, leg. and coll.. 33, same as holotype, 7.V.2009 (BIOTAS2009 162, 165, 166), S. Hugel, leg. and coll. (13), MZS (13), MNHN (13). 13, Mauritius, Plaines Wilhems District, Brise Fer vieille parcelle, 648 m alt., 20°23’02’’S 57°26’23’’E, 24.II.2008 (BIOTAS2008 169), S. Hugel leg. and coll.. 13, Mauritius, Plaine Wilhems District, Black River National Park, Macabé viewpoint, 581 m alt., 20°23’52’’S 57°26’22’’E, 25.II.2008 (BIOTAS2008 200). S. Hugel leg. and coll.. 13, Mauritius, Port Louis District, le Pouce (montée), 520 m alt., 20°12’08’’S 57°31’32’’E, 27.II.2008 (BIOTAS2008 266), S. Hugel, leg. and coll.. 13, Mauritius, Port Louis District, le Pouce (dernier plateau), 733 m alt., 20°12’13’’S 57°31’43’’E, 8.V.2009 (BIOTAS2009 220), S. Hugel leg. and coll..

Females. 1Ƥ, same as holotype, S. Hugel leg. and coll.. 2Ƥ, same as holotype, 7.V.2009 (BIOTAS2009 161 & 167), S. Hugel leg. and coll. and MSIRI. 1Ƥ, Mauritius, Savanne District, Black River National Park, Plaine Champagne, point de vue sur les Gorges, 681 m alt., 20°25’39’’S 57°25’43’’E, 22.IV.2005. S. Hugel, CIRAD Réunion. 1Ƥ, Mauritius, Flacq District, l’Etoile, 314 m alt., 20°19’26’’S 57°40’18’’E, 26.II.2008 (BIOTAS2008 251), S. Hugel leg. and coll.. 1Ƥ, Mauritius, Plaines Wilhems District, Brise Fer road, 596 m alt., 20°23’00’’S 57°27’04’’E, 7.V.2009 (BIOTAS2009 183), S. Hugel leg. and coll.. 1Ƥ, Mauritius, Plaines Wilhems District, Brise Fer vieille parcelle, 648 m alt., 20°23’02’’S 57°26’23’’E, 4.V.2009 (BIOTAS 2009 116), S. Hugel leg. and coll.. 1Ƥ, Mauritius, Plaine Wilhems District, Black River National Park, Macabé viewpoint, 581 m alt., 20°23’52’’S 57°26’22’’E, 22.II.2008 (BIOTAS2008 201). S. Hugel leg. and coll..

Diagnosis. Paradecolya expectata n. sp. is close to Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957) from La Réunion, but all known males of this new Mauritian species (n = 12 from various localities) differ clearly by very stable characters from all examined P. inexpectata males (n = 12 from various localities): 1/ the epiphallus ( Fig. 26 ) relatively smaller with smaller basal lobe, the cephalic lobe distinctly inflated in side view, the shorter neck, and the cephalic lobe forming a 90° angle with the neck (versus ~45° in Paradecolya inexpectata ; N.B. in Jin & Kevan (1992) P. inexpectata epiphallus is illustrated in a ¾ view); 2/ the cerci shorter and wider with a length/width ratio of 2.6–2.8 (versus 3.2–3.6 in Paradecolya inexpectata ), triangular in shape (in side view), the top angle of the triangle on the middle of the cercus ( Fig. 24 ); 3/ the paraprocts of more constant width in dorsal view (not strongly spatulate, Fig. 25 ).

Description. Head and antennae: antenna more than twice as long as length of body (~ 4 cm long), scapus non armed. Cuticle of head smooth. Conical laterally compressed fastigium of vertex exceeding antennal sockets, reaching the middle of the antennal scapus (with forwardly stretched antennae). Space between eyes 1.8 times as wide as the wider diameter of eye (ratio 1.7–2.1). Eyes prominent, slightly projecting forward. Thorax. Pronotum with prosulcus distinct, meso- and metasulci indistinct, lateral lobe very shallow with a conspicuous ventral rim. Prosternal processes moderately long; mesosternal processes short and blunt, metasternum non armed. Thoracic auditory opening smaller than spiracle. Anterior margin shallowly concave, posterior margin almost strait. Legs: Fore coxae dorsally with anteriorly directed moderately long spine. Fore femora rounded dorsally, armed with 6 / 5 spurs; fore femora genicular lobe with one apical spine on each side. Fore tibia with one apical spur on both ventral sides; with 8 / 8 ventral subapical spurs; tympanal organ orifices ovoid, little expended, oriented forward on both sides, tympanic area not inflated. Mid trochanters with a ventral spine. Mid femora rounded, the ventral anterior side armed with 4 / 1 ventral spurs posterior ventral carina with numerous minute spinules; mid femora genicular lobe with one apical spine on each side. Mid tibia with one apical spur on both ventral sides; with 6–7 / 6 ventral subapical spurs; with a dorsal posterior preapical spur; with a single dorsal posterior sub-basal (proximal) spur. Hind femora rounded dorsally, with one ventral carinae armed with 7–11 spines; hind femora genicular lobes with one apical spine on each side. Hind tibia rectangular in cross section; 1 dorsal apical spur on both sides, and 2 ventral apical spurs on both sides; with 19–24 external dorsal spines, 15–23 internal dorsal spines, 6–10 external ventral spines, 5–9 internal ventral spines. Abdomen. Dorsal surface of tergites not modified.

Male. Wings. FW longer than pronotum. Left FW stridulatory file 1.4 mm long, with 42–46 (average: 45) lamellar teeth ( Fig. 39 ); mirror D-shaped ( Fig. 34 ). Wings absent. Terminalia. Epiproct fused with last tergum, hind margin strongly convex. Paraprocts stout with a bilobate apex; moderately spatulate distally ( Fig. 25 ); each paraproct with a short external blunt process at the basis, 1.5 mm long (range 1.4–1.7). Cerci angled at the basis, flat, particularly broad, triangular in shape (in side view), the top angle of the triangle on the middle of the cercus ( Fig. 24 ); with a ventrally directed pointed process on the basis of outer margin; 2.6– 2.8 times as long as wide (maximal length, maximal width). Subgenital plate symmetrical with smooth surface, margin widely concave; 0.8 times as long as wide (maximal length, maximal width, range: 0.6–0.9). Styli blunt, 1.5 times as long as wide (range 1.2–2.0). Genitalia. Phallus with moderately long lateral phallomeres; dorsal phallomere bearing a sclerotized plate with denticles. Epiphallus cephalic lobe serrated, in side view distinctly inflated, forming a distinct angle with the neck ( Fig. 26 ).

Female. FW reduced, slightly shorter than the pronotum; 3.6 mm long (range 3.1–4.0 mm). Wings absent. Terminalia. Ovipositor slightly excurved on the proximal third, curved upwards in apical third ( Fig. 44 ). Cerci slightly inwardly curved, with scattered hairs; 1.8 mm long (range 1.7–2.0). Subgenital plate long triangular with rounded apex ( Fig. 43 ); 1.1 times as long as wide (range 1.1–1.2).

Color: Light green. FW with a black spot on the speculum. Rarely, specimens are light brown.

Bioacoustics. Fig. 49–50 . The call of Paradecolya expectata n. sp. is close to P. inexpectata call. As this species, males are singing by night hours in the undergrowth from near the ground to several meters. Males do not moving while calling. I have not recorded the call of this species at temperature below 18°C. Above 18°C, the call consists of long echemes (> 1 min), made of many syllables; syllables are repeated at the rate of 9.5– 10.2 syllable/s (syllable duration: 45–59 ms; inter-syllable interval: 38–59 ms). Echemes are some times interrupted by short breaks (190–310 ms, Fig. 49 ) and seldom by triplets of syllables ( Fig. 50 ). Syllables are made of 12–21 trains of waves.

Biology. The biology of P. expectata n. sp. is very similar to that of P. inexpectata . This species appears more restricted to preserved areas than P. inexpectata . Unlike the species from Réunion, we never observed this Mauritian species at high density.

Etymology: expectata : expected. The occurrence of a Paradecolya species in Mauritius was expected as a species of this genus was already known from la Réunion a much younger neighboring island with a fauna mostly derived from Mauritius ( Warren et al. 2003).

Body Head Pronotum Tibia Femora FW O

I II III I II III III

3 (n=12) min 13.8 1.6 2.3 3.2 2.7 1.0 6.9 5.7 11.1 6.0 4.7 9.6 1.5 4.7 max 18.8 1.9 2.7 3.6 3.1 1.7 8.5 7.0 13.5 7.3 5.8 11.4 1.9 5.3 average

15.9 1.7 2.5 3.4 2.9 1.4 7.4 6.3 12.1 6.5 5.3 10.5 1.6 5.0

Ƥ (n=8) min 15.6 1.5 2.5 3.5 2.7 1.1 7.9 6.3 11.8 6.4 5.5 10.7 1.7 3.1 10.2 max 19.7 1.9 2.8 3.8 3.1 1.7 9.5 7.9 16.3 8.3 7.5 13.7 2.0 4.0 12.1 average

17.5 1.8 2.6 3.6 2.9 1.4 8.7 7.0 14.5 7.5 6.3 12.7 1.8 3.6 11.0

Pronotum W: maximal width, including the lateral lobes. Femora W: maximal width.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 31. Paradecolya male terminalia and genitalia. 17 – 21, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 22 – 26, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 27 – 31, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. 17, 22, 27, terminalia, dorsal view. 18, 23, 28, subgenital plate, ventral view. 19, 24, 29, scan electron microscope pictures of right cerci, inner view (ventral margin on the right). 20, 25, 30, scan electron microscope pictures of right paraprocts, inner view (ventral margin on the right). 21, 26, 31, scan electron microscope pictures of epiphallus (right side view). Bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 32 – 37. Paradecolya fore wings (dorsal view). 32 – 33, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 34 – 35, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 36 – 37, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. the dotted area is yellow on living specimen. 32, 34, 36, left fore wing. 33, 35, 37, right fore wing. Bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 38 – 40. Paradecolya stridulatory files (scan electron microscope pictures). 38, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 39, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 40, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. Bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 41 – 46. Paradecolya female terminalia 41 – 42, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 43 – 44, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 45 – 46, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. 41, 43, 45, subgenital plate (ventral view). 42, 44, 46, ovipositor, right side view.

FIGURES 47 – 50. Paradecolya stridulation in natura. 47 – 48, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 47, la Réunion, hauts de Mare Longue, 14. XII. 05, 0 H 30, 19 ° C 48, la Réunion, Piton d’Enchaing, Enchaing, 24. VI. 02, 20 H 45, 16 ° C. 49 – 50, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 49, Mauritius, Montagne Cocotte, 22. IV. 2005, 1 h 00 am, 20 ° C. 50, Mauritius, Macabé, terminus belvédère, 25. II. 2008, 25 ° C, 3 h 00 am.

Tables

TABLE 3. Measurements (mm) of Paradecolya expectata n. sp.

	L	L W	L	W	H	L	L	L	L	L	L W	L	L
3Holotype	18.8	1.8 2.5	3.5	2.8	1.3	7.4	6.0	12.6	6.0	5.0	9.7 1.5	4.9
ƤAllotype	16.6	1.5 2.7	3.5	2.7	1.5	7.9	6.4	12.6	7.1	5.7	10.7 1.8	3.4	10.2