Dellia megalapida, Yong, 2018

Yong, Sheyla, 2018, Revision of the genus Dellia Stål, 1878 (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Part 1. Two redescriptions and seven new species from Cuba, Ecologica Montenegrina 16, pp. 58-107 : 81-86

Dellia megalapida new species

Figs. 11–12 , 16–24 , 25g –i , 26d . Table II

Types. Cuba : Santiago de Cuba Province: Santiago de Cuba Municipality: Sierra Maestra: La Gran Piedra Range: La Gran Piedra (20º00'35''N – 75º37'42'', 1,200 m a.s.l.); diurnal search; 23/July/2017; S. Yong, R. Teruel; 1♂ holotype ( SY, in ethanol 80%). Same data as holotype; one adult ♂, one adult ♀, 2♂♂ juvenile, 2 juvenile ♀♀ paratypes ( SY, in ethanol 80%). Same locality; May /2016; Y. Ricardo; one adult ♂ paratype ( SY, in ethanol 80%). Same locality; 6/July/2016; S. Yong, R. Teruel; 2♂♂ adult, one adult female, 2♂♂ juvenile, one juvenile ♀ paratypes ( SY, in ethanol 80%). Same locality; 14/April/2017; S. Yong, R. Teruel, E. Fonseca; one juvenile ♀ paratype ( SY, in ethanol 80%). Same locality; 23/May/2017; S. Yong, R. Teruel; one adult ♂, one adult ♀, 1 juvenile ♀ paratypes ( SY, in ethanol 80%) .

Diagnosis. Size small to medium for the genus (15–20 mm). 1) Coloration predominantly blue dorsally and green ventrally, with two solid lateral stripes (upper blackish, lower white), dorsum with a green median longitudinal line, epimera I–II each with a vivid red spot, tergites without lateral spots, sternites green, hind femur yellowish-green with outer surface vivid green, transversal ridges immaculate, hind knees with upper margin red and lower margin with a small blackish spot, tarsomeres pale blue. 2) Tegmina short and lanceolate, reaching the middle of abdominal segment I. 3) Supra-anal plate of the male relatively small, subpentagonal, as long as wide and sparsely setose; anterior margin convex and medially weakly lobed, lateral margins shallowly concave and slightly divergent backwards, posterior margin angulose and narrowly paraboloid; median sulcus present only in basal half, moderately deep and narrow, flanked by a pair of low, coarse, medially divergent ridges. 4) Supra-anal plate of the female medium-sized, paraboloid, longer than wide and sparsely setose; median sulcus present in basal half only, shallow and broad, flanked by a pair of low, coarse, medially divergent ridges. 5) Furcula very short, weakly sclerotized and triangular.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin compound noun in apposition that literally means "big stone" and refers to the name of the type locality of this species.

Description (adult male holotype). Size small for the genus (total length 16.2 mm). Coloration. Head basically vivid green, except as follows: vertex vivid pale blue with a subtle greenish shade, genae with a thick, solid, longitudinal blackish stripe behind each eye and a thick, irregular, longitudinal yellowish-white stripe just below the eyes, maxillary palps with basal half green and distal half white; antennae blackish-blue with bright white tips, scapus and pedicel vivid green and extreme base of flagellum pale blue; eyes vivid light blue, with a dark central spot and six thin, parallel, vertical, slightly darker stripes. Pronotum complexly colored as continued from head pattern: dorsal surface vivid pale blue with a subtle greenish shade, lateral surfaces conspicuously trifasciate, with upper half blackish and lower half with a bright white stripe above a vivid green stripe, lateral margins not infuscate. Metanotum with the same coloration and pattern as pronotum. Epimera I and II each with a large vivid red spot; a large, bright white stripe just below each tegmen. Tegmina strikingly bicolor: upper third bright white, lower two-thirds black. Fore and mid legs same-colored: coxa, trochanter and femur vivid light green, tibia vivid blue with extreme base and apex vivid light green, tarsomeres greyish-blue, irregularly infuscate; hind legs with coxa and trochanter vivid yellowish-green, femur vivid yellowish-green with outer surface vivid green, transversal ridges immaculate, hind knees with upper margin vivid light red and lower margin with a small blackish spot, tibia vivid blue with extreme base green, spines blue with blackish tips, tarsomeres pale blue, immaculate. Abdomen with a thin, green, median longitudinal line and resembling thorax in color pattern: tergites with dorsal surface vivid pale blue with a subtle greenish shade, lateral surfaces vivid green with a faded dark stripe along upper half of basal segments, lateral margins immaculate, posterior margin of each tergite annulated with a thin dark blue stripe; sternites vivid yellowish-green, immaculate. See figure 11 and table II.

Head (figs. 16–18). Moderately large, wider than long (ratio = 1.2). Tegument shiny, but sparsely and coarsely punctate, with thin and short setae scattered all over. Vertex moderately convex in lateral view, subtriangular in dorsal view; fastigium prominent and broad in dorsal view, semicircular in lateral view and strongly compressed in frontal view. Eyes very large, suboval and prominent; ocelli minute. Costa frontalis very well marked, wide and U-shaped between the antennal sockets, each branch of the lower portion inverted monkey wrench-shaped. Genae moderately convex in frontal view. Frons coarsely and sparsely punctate. Antennae standard for Acrididae in size and shape, with 19/19 flagellomeres; scapus subcylindrical, slightly longer than wide (ratio = 1.1), oval in cross-section, essentially glabrous; pedicel basically of same length as scapus.

Thorax (figs. 19–20). Tegument shiny, but densely and coarsely punctate and essentially glabrous but with some scattered setae. Pronotum trapezoidal in dorsal view, slightly longer than wide (ratio = 1.0), slightly tapering anteriorly; anterior margin shallowly convex and sinuose, posterior margin shallowly convex, lateral margins S-shaped; median keel feebly marked, lateral keels coarsely crenulate and deeply incised by the three transverse grooves. Metanotum wider than long (ratio = 2.6) and shorter than abdominal segment I (ratio = 0.7), subtrapezoidal in dorsal view with tegument shiny but sparsely and coarsely punctate. Tegmina short, reaching the middle of abdominal segment I, narrow and lanceolate, i.e., costal and anal margins slightly sinuose and tip rounded.

Legs (fig. 11). Covered all over by thin setae. Profemur slender, cylindrical and unarmed; protibia almost as long as profemur (ratio = 0.9), very slender and straight, ventral surface with 5:4 / 4:5 subapical spines and two small apical spurs. Mid legs very similar to forelegs, but mesotibia with 3:7 / 7:3 subapical spines. Metafemur robust, larger than metatibia (ratio = 1.1), oval in cross-section; metatibia with 7:8 / 9:8 subapical spines and five inward-curved apical spurs: two small-sized laterodorsals, two medium-sized laterals, and one large ventral.

Abdomen. Large and slender (conspicuously narrower than pronotum), subcylindrical and evenly tapering posteriorly. Tegument shiny and smooth, with small scattered setae and abdominal segments with median carina very well marked. Tympanic organ large, rounded, located laterally on segment I. Furcula normally sclerotized, very short and triangular. Supra-anal plate (fig. 21) relatively small, subpentagonal, as long as wide (ratio = 1.0) and sparsely setose; anterior margin convex and medially weakly lobed, lateral margins shallowly concave and slightly divergent backwards, posterior margin angulose and narrowly paraboloid; median sulcus present only in basal half, moderately deep and narrow, flanked by a pair of low, coarse, medially divergent ridges. Cerci moderately short, conical, densely covered by thin setae, with the apex sclerotized, surpassing the posterior margin of the Supra-anal plate but not surpassing apex of abdomen. Subgenital plate (fig. 23) suboval, wider than long (ratio = 1.5) and sparsely setose; anterior margin shallowly concave, lateral margins shallowly convex, posterior margin strongly convex. See figures 11, 21– 23 and table II.

Description of adult female paratype. Size medium for the genus (total length 19.8 mm). General coloration essentially identical to male. See figure 12 and table II.

Head (figs. 16–18). Large, longer than wide (ratio = 1.4). Tegument shiny, but rugose, sparsely and coarsely punctate, essentially glabrous. Vertex, fastigium, eyes and ocelli as in male. Costa frontalis very well marked, wider and U-shaped, i.e., upper margin wide. Genae moderately convex in frontal view, frons rugose, coarsely and sparsely punctate. Antennae as in male.

Thorax (figs. 19–20). Tegument shiny, but densely and coarsely punctate, essentially glabrous but with some thin setae scattered all over. Pronotum trapezoidal in dorsal view, slightly longer than wide (ratio=1.0), slightly tapering anteriorly; anterior margin slightly convex, posterior margin undulate and widely incised medially, lateral margins S-shaped; median keel strongly marked, lateral keels coarsely crenulate and deeply incised by the three transverse grooves. Metanotum wider than long (ratio = 2.3) and shorter than abdominal segment I (ratio = 1.5), trapezoidal in dorsal view with tegument densely and coarsely punctate and shiny. Tegmina short (almost reaching posterior margin of abdominal segment I), narrow and knife-shaped, i.e., costal margin shallowly sinuose, anal margin almost straight and tip angulose.

Legs (fig. 12). Covered all over by thin setae. Profemur slender, cylindrical and unarmed; protibia shorter than profemur (ratio = 0.8), very slender and straight, ventral surface with 4:5 / 5:5 subapical spines and two small apical spurs. Mid legs very similar to forelegs, but mesotibia with 3:7 / 7:3 subapical spines. Metafemur robust, 1.1 times longer than metatibia, oval in cross-section; metatibia with 8:8 / 8:8 subapical spines and five inward-curved apical spurs: two small laterodorsals, two medium-sized laterals and one large ventral.

Abdomen. Large and slender (conspicuously narrower than pronotum), subcylindrical and evenly tapering posteriorly. Tegument shiny and smooth, densely and coarsely punctate, with small scattered setae and abdominal segments with median carina very well marked. Tympanic organ large, rounded, located laterally on segment I. Supra-anal plate (fig. 21) medium-sized, paraboloid, longer than wide (ratio = 1.2) and sparsely setose; median sulcus present in basal half only, shallow and broad, flanked by a pair of low, coarse, medially divergent ridges. Cerci very short, conical and densely covered by thin setae, almost reaching the posterior margin of the Supra-anal plate but not surpassing apex of abdomen. Subgenital plate (fig. 23), longer than wide (ratio = 1.3), paraboloid; anterior margin essentially straight, lateral margins shallowly convex and posterior margin strongly convex. Ovipositor in lateral view: each valve of the dorsal and ventral pairs with dorsal surface basically straight, with several indistinct, very low crenulations, dorsal pair apically weakly curved upwards, ventral pair apically curved downwards. See figures 12, 21–23 and table II.

Comparisons. This species is most closely related to D. brauni n. sp., D. roseomaculata and D. zephyra n. sp., by sharing a similar combination of color pattern (dorsum and venter of a different but rather uniform color, both separated by two solid stripes, i.e., upper dark and lower white, plus epimera I and II each with a large vivid red spot) and shape of the male Supra-anal plate (basal portion subrectangular, apical portion subtriangular). But D. megalapida n. sp. can be easily distinguished from them by the following characters: 1. Coloration of body dorsal surface. D. megalapida n. sp.: pale blue. D. brauni n. sp.: intense blue.

D. roseomaculata : grayish blue. D. zephyra n. sp.: light orange-brown. 2. Coloration of hind femur. D. megalapida n. sp.: vivid yellowish green with outer surface vivid green, transversal ridges immaculate, hind knees with upper margin vivid light red and lower margin with a small blackish spot. D. brauni n. sp.: vivid olive-yellow, transversal ridges and upper margin vivid green, hind knees almost entirely black, only with lower half of outer surface brownish. D.

roseomaculata: reddish with outer surface dark olive-bluish, transversal ridges immaculate, hind knees reddish-brown. D. zephyra n. sp.: vivid green, slightly darker on transversal ridges and upper and lower margins, hind knees entirely black. 3. Coloration of ventral surface of the body. D. megalapida n. sp.: vivid yellowish green,

immaculate. D. brauni n. sp.: vivid olive-yellow, immaculate. D. roseomaculata : pale green,

irregularly spotted with brown. D. zephyra n. sp.: vivid olive-green, irregularly spotted with yellow.

Distribution (fig. 24). This species is known only from the type locality, on the top of the Cordillera de La Gran Piedra. This chain represents the main eastern subdivision of the Sierra Maestra Range.

Ecological notes. All types of this species were found in the afternoon in the small garden of a house (meteorological station), surrounded by montane rainforest (fig. 26d). Repeated and intensive searches in surrounding areas with both primary and secondary vegetation (rainforest, pine forest, pasture and other gardens), were totally unsuccessful. In this spot, D. megalapida n. sp. is nevertheless common, i.e., it is usual to spot several specimens per sampling, although a very careful search must be done to achieve success.

Individuals were found on different garden plants, even though most of them preferred a single undetermined species of Apiaceae (fig. 25i, 26d). All were standing on fine twigs and stems very close to the ground (not more than 0.3 m up), in normal activity, mostly feeding. One mating pair was found on 23/July/2017 (fig. 25h).

La Gran Piedra is the highest peak of the Cordillera de La Gran Piedra. The primary vegetation is still well preserved montane rainforest and cloud forest ( Capote & Berazaín, 1984). The climate is temperate by day and in summer months, but cold at night and in winter.

Figures

Fig. 11. Adult male holotype of Dellia megalapida n. sp., full-body views: a) dorsal; b) lateral; c) ventral. Scale bar in millimeters

Fig. 12. Adult female paratype of Dellia megalapida n. sp., full-body views: a) dorsal; b) lateral; c) ventral. Scale bar in millimeters.

Fig. 16. Dorsal close-up of head and anterior margin of pronotum of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 17. Lateral close-up of head and anterior margin of pronotum of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 18. Frontal close-up of head of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 19. Dorsal close-up of thorax and abdominal segment I of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 20. Lateral close-up of thorax and abdominal segment I of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 21. Dorsal close-up of abdominal apex of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 22. Lateral close-up of abdominal apex of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 23. Ventral close-up of abdominal apex of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision.

Fig. 24. Geographical distribution of all Cuban Dellia recognized in the present revision. Note three nearby localities for D. atrostriata n. sp. and precise occurrence still wanting for D. insulana. The upper left inset (frame equals to 150 x 75 km) depicts the single precise locality known for D. multicolor stat. resurr. (red symbol), superimposed to all sites visited by Saussure in 1855 (yellow symbols), from left to right: Havana, Guanabacoa, Santa María del Rosario, Matanzas and Limonar.

Fig. 25. Live habitus of: a) Dellia albida n. sp., adult male holotype, in captivity; b–c) Dellia atrostriata n. sp., adult male from El Cojo, in nature; d) Dellia brauni n. sp., adult male holotype, in nature; e–f) Dellia multicolor stat. resurr., adult male topotype, in nature; g–i) Dellia megalapida n. sp., adult male holotype (g), adult male and adult female paratypes while mating (h), subadult female paratype (i), all in nature; j–k) Dellia melici n. sp., adult female holotype, in nature; l) Dellia zephyra n. sp., adult female holotype, in nature. Photos courtesy Rayner Núñez (b, c), Rubén Marrero (d), and Tomás M. Rodríguez (j, k, l).

Fig. 26. Habitat at the exact collecting site of: a) Dellia albida n. sp; b) Dellia atrostriata n. sp.; c) Dellia brauni n. sp.; d) Dellia megalapida n. sp., with the author and her collaborator Rolando Teruel while photographing some of the type specimens; e) Dellia melici n. sp.; f) Dellia multicolor stat. resurr.; g) Dellia siboney n. sp.; h) Dellia zephyra n. sp., note the vegetated pits (micro-dolines or large skylights) all along Las Perlas cave, the holotype was found in the dark passage connecting two of these pits. Photos courtesy Rolando Teruel (b, f, h), Tomás M. Rodríguez (c, e), and Luis A. Casanella (d).