Ultragryllacris pulchra Gorochov et Dawwrueng

Gorochov, Andrej V., Dawwrueng, Pattarawich & Artchawakom, Taksin, 2015, Study of Gryllacridinae (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae) from Thailand and adjacent countries: the genera Ultragryllacris gen. nov. and Capnogryllacris, Zootaxa 4021 (4), pp. 565-577 : 566-567

Ultragryllacris pulchra Gorochov et Dawwrueng , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–10 , 16 )

Material studied. Holotype—male; Thailand, Lampang Prov., Buan Pa Mieng, 1–7.VIII.2011, coll. A. Pushenkov ( ZIN). Paratypes: 2 females, same data as for holotype ( ZIN).

Description. Male (holotype). Colouration of body yellowish with following pattern: ocelli almost whitish; eyes brown; vertex with a pair of rather large black areas having narrow stripes along medial edges of lateral ocelli; space between these areas with asymmetrical brown spot not far from lateral ocelli ( Figs 1–3 ); borders around antennal cavities black with short light interruption in ventral part; most part of clypeus, labrum and visible parts of mandibles blackish ( Fig. 1 ); other mouthparts from brown to light brown with palpi yellowish but having 2 distal segments of maxillary palpi brown and apical segment of labial palpi light brown; antennae with 2 proximal segments blackish, and with rest part reddish brown to light brown; pronotum with a pair of anterodorsal and a pair of posterodorsal blackish areas, with anteromedian spot on disc as well as anteroventral and ventral borders of lateral lobes reddish, and with posterior border of disc brown ( Figs 2, 3 ); legs with blackish distal areas on femora and most part of fore tibia, with partly brown middle tibia, with brown base of hind tibia and several spots on its dorsal half (but apical spot almost ring-like, reaching ventral surface of this tibia; coloration of this tibia approximately as in Fig. 14 ), with reddish brown movable spines of fore and middle tibiae, and with more or less darkened tarsi; tegmina with semitransparent membranes (having yellowish tinge) and slightly darker venation (from yellowish to light brown); hind wings with similar (in colouration) venation and transparent membranes; rest of body with brown heavily sclerotized ridges on 9th abdominal tergite and light brown areas on lateral parts of 10th abdominal tergite ( Figs 3–5 , 16 ). External structure as in Figs 1–5 , 16 , but genital plate with posterior lobe between styles truncate and laterally rounded ( Fig. 7 ); genitalia as in Fig. 6 .

Female. General appearance as in male but with 3 proximal segments of antennae blackish and some variations in rest colouration: one female with median ocellus intensively yellow, with slightly wider black stripes between lateral ocelli, and with fore and middle tibiae lighter (with smaller brown areas); second female ( Fig. 8 ) with most part of antennal flagellum completely light brown, with two light interruptions in black border around each antennal cavity, and without brown asymmetrical spot not far from lateral ocelli (middle tibia in this female almost completely yellowish). Shape of genital plate as in Fig. 9 ; colouration of ovipositor dark brown with lighter basal part ( Fig. 10 ).

Measurements (in mm). Length of body: male 34, female 30–35; body with wings: male 46, female 45–47; pronotum: male 6.6, female 7.2–7.8; tegmen: male 36, female 35.5–36.5; hind femur: male 17.5, female 18–19; ovipositor 24–27.

Etymology. The species name is the Latin word “ pulchra “ (nice).

Remarks. The female from Kamphaeng Phet Province possibly belongs to another subspecies of this species, because its colouration (see above) is distinctly different. However, this question may be clarified only after its male examination.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 15. Ultragryllacris gen. nov.: 1 – 10, U. pulchra sp. nov., male (1 – 7) and female (8 – 10); 11 – 15, U. p. alboclypeata subsp. nov., female. Head in front (1, 8, 11); head with pronotum from above (2, 12) and from side (3, 13); abdominal apex from side (4, 10) and from below (5), and its schematic picture from below (7); genitalia from above (6); dorsal surface of hind tibia (14); genital plate from below (9, 15).

FIGURES 16 – 20. Body of male from above (16 – 18, left wings spread): 16, Ultragryllacris pulchra gen. et sp. nov.; 17, Capnogryllacris khmerica Gor.; 18, C. thaica sp. nov.; 19, 20, C. sakaerat sp. nov. (19, holotype; 20, paratype).