Sardoplatycleis, Massa, Bruno & Fontana, Paolo, 2011

Massa, Bruno & Fontana, Paolo, 2011, Supraspecific taxonomy of Palaearctic Platycleidini with unarmed prosternum: a morphological approach (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae, Tettigoniinae), Zootaxa 2837, pp. 1-47 : 8

2) Sardoplatycleis new genus ( Figs. 4 , 49 , 79 )

Fontana et al. (2011) recently described a new species of Platycleis from Sardinia; general habitus is close to Platycleis , albeit it has a very small size. When looking at other characters the species does not seem to fit within one of the groups recognised within Platycleis sensu lato, but the authors decided to place it tentatively in Platycleis . However, for the reasons below reported, we decided to establish for it a new genus.

Description. Very small, macropterous, tegmina as long as wings, with rounded apex. Pronotal disk almost plane, markedly restricted before typical sulcus, which is placed in the middle, hind margin well rounded. Lateral carinae not well marked; median keel marked only in metazona. Lateral lobes of pronotum obliquely inserted, not as deep as pronotal length. Humeral excision on hind margin of lateral lobes placed almost at ¾ of total pronotum length, less evident than in Platycleis . Hind femora 4.5 times long as maximum high. Hind femora/pronotum length 3: 3.4–3.7, Ƥ: 3.6–3.9; male X th tergite widely concave in the middle forming a “V” incision on the hind margin and two pointed lateral processes directed backward. Cerci digitiform, more or less cylindrical, tapering to the rounded apex; inner tooth situated slightly behind middle. Female subgenital plate subtrapezoidal with hind margin “V” incised, completely lacking the characteristic median groove present in Platycleis . Female ovipositor is quite robust, light coloured in the basal half (differently from Platycleis , where only the ovipositor base is whitish), regularly upcurved and gently toothed on lower margin. Colour of lateral lobes of the pronotum is black bordered with a white stripe.

Derivatio nominis. Platycleis from Sardinia ( Italy).

Remarks. It is well characterized by its small size, the shape of the pronotal excision, ovipositor colour and female subgenital plate.

Number of species known: 1) galvagnii ( Fontana, Buzzetti, Kleukers et Odé, 2011) (type species).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Lateral view of the pronotum of 10 species of Platycleidini (Platycleis, Tessellana, Montana, Sardoplatycleis, Modestana, Alticolana, Parnassiana, Ariagona, Amedegnatiana).

FIGURES 48 – 63. Lateral view of the ovipositor of 16 species of Platycleidini (Platycleis, Sardoplatycleis, Sepiana, Metrioptera, Roeseliana, Bicolorana, Chizuella, Eobiana, Modestana, Sphagniana, Amedegnatiana, Alticolana, Parnassiana, Squamiana, Eumetrioptera).

FIGURES 78 – 85. Subgenital plate of the female of 8 species of Platycleidini (Platycleis, Sardoplatycleis, Tessellana, Pravdiniana, Montana, Ariagona, Eumetrioptera).