Diestrammena (Gymnaeta) caverna, Jiao, Zhongjiu, Niu, Changying, Liu, Xianwei, Lei, Chaoliang & Bi, Wenxuan, 2008

Jiao, Zhongjiu, Niu, Changying, Liu, Xianwei, Lei, Chaoliang & Bi, Wenxuan, 2008, Descriptions of Chinese species of the subgenus Diestrammena (Gymnaeta) Adelung (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae), Zootaxa 1917, pp. 55-60 : 59

Diestrammena (Gymnaeta) caverna sp. n.

( Figs. 10–13 )

Diagnosis. Male. Head with fastigium of vertex divided into two conical tubercles. Legs long and slender; Fore femora about 2.0 times as long as the pronotum, unarmed beneath, the internal genicular lobe with 1 short spine, external lobe with 1 long movable spur; fore tibia with 1 internal and 2 external spurs beneath, a small median spine between the paired apical spurs. Mid femur unarmed beneath, the internal and external genicular lobe with 1 long movable spur; mid tibia beneath with 1 external and 1 internal spur, a short spine between the paired apical spurs. Hind femur unarmed beneath; hind tibia above on each side with 28–48 spines, grouped in series, super internal spur of hind tibia shorter than the metatarsus (fig. 10); tarsus keeled beneath. Male genitalia as figs. 12–13.

Female. Subgenital plate with median lobe rounded triangular ( Fig. 11 ), ovipositor short, about half of hind femora.

Measurements (in mm): length of body 11.0–12.0, pronotum 4.5, fore femora 9.0, hind femora 19.0, ovipositor 10.0.

Coloration. Body yellowish brown, mottled with dark brown blotches.

Holotype ɗ, Yinshui Cave, near Mount Jiugong, Tongshan County, southeast Hubei (Province), Central China. GPS co–ordinates:114.3600"–114.3900"E, 29.3730"–29.4030" N; elevation, approximately 230 m, By Zhongjiu Jiao; Paratypes, 1ɗ, 2&&, same data as in holotype.

Discussion. This new species resembles D.(G.) borutzkyi Gorochov, 2004 , but differs in its smaller size, and the structure of the male genitalia and the female subgenital plate.

Etymology. The name of the species refers to living in the cave.

Distribution. Known only from China (Hubei).

Figures

FIGURES 10 – 13. Diestrammena (Gymnaeta) caverna sp. n. 10. Tarsus of hind leg, lateral view; 11. Male genitalia, dorsal view; 12. Male genitalia, ventral view; 13. Female subgenital plate, ventral view.