Ellipes deyrupi, Woo, 2021

Woo, Brandon, 2021, A new species of pygmy mole cricket (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) from the Lake Wales ridge of Florida and new records of Ellipes eisneri from the northern Brooksville ridge, Journal of Orthoptera Research 30 (2), pp. 131-143 : 131

Ellipes deyrupi sp. nov.

(Figs 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5)

Material examined.

- Holotype: USA • ♂; Florida: Polk County: Sarasota Court, east of Lake Marion ; 28.084972, -81.514889; 07 Aug. 2019; red type label, " Holotype Ellipes deyrupi Woo"; B. Woo leg.; CUIC . Allotype: USA • ♀; Florida: Polk County, same information as holotype; specimen in ethanol; CUIC . Paratypes: USA • 2 ♂, 2 ♀, Florida: Polk County: same information as holotype; specimens in ethanol; CUIC • 1 nymph; Homosassa Lane, east of Lake Marion ; 28.089583, -81.519583; 07 Aug. 2019; specimen in ethanol; B. Woo leg. ; CUIC • 6 ♀, 2 nymphs; Tiger Creek Preserve, yellow sand scrub on preserve road just east of office; 27.809, -81.483; 05 Aug. 2018; specimens in ethanol, B. Woo leg. ; 2 ♀, FSCA; 2 ♀, UMMZ; 2 ♀, 2 nymphs, CUIC • 1 ♀, 1 nymph; same locality as previous; 03 Aug. 2018; dry pinned specimens; B. Woo leg. ; CUIC • 1 ♂; same locality as previous; 27.82158, -81.47717; 07 Jul. 2009; yellow bowl trap, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 2 ♂, 2 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.82158, -81.47717; 08 Jul. 2009; flight trap with pan, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 2 ♂, 2 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.82158, -81.47717; 10 Jul. 2009; yellow bowl trap, Florida scrub; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 1 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.83383, -81.46682; 09 Jul. 2009; yellow bowl trap, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 1 ♂; same locality as previous; 27.83383, -81.46682; 10 Jul. 2009; flight trap with pan, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 1 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.83383, -81.46682; 13 Jul. 2009; flight trap with pan, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 2 ♂; same locality as previous; 27.82795, -81.46720; 10 Jul. 2009; Townes trap with pan, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 5 ♂, 6 ♀; Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek State Park ; 27.98503, -81.49542; 05 Jun. 2009; yellow bowl trap after rain; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 8 ♂, 5 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.98598, -81.49663; 05 Jun. 2009 ;; flight trap with pan, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 3 ♂, 3 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.98542, -81.49517; 05 Jun. 2009; flight trap with pan, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, H. Otte, A. May leg. ; ABS • 1 ♂, 3 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.98457, -81.49606; 05 Jun. 2009; Townes trap, scrub habitat; M. Deyrup, A. May, H. Otte leg. ; ABS • 2 ♂, 10 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.98503, -81.49542; 05 Jun. 2009; specimens in ethanol; M. Deyrup leg. ; ABS • 2 ♂, 5 ♀; same locality as previous; 27.98531, -81.49645; 06 May 2009; specimens in ethanol; M. Deyrup leg. ; ABS.

Diagnosis.

-Differs from all other known species of Ellipes , except E. eisneri in its flightless condition, pale white and brown coloration, lack of swimming plates, and occurrence in xeric habitat. Easily distinguished from E. eisneri by its larger size, distinctive coloration, and disjunct range.

Description.

- Male (holotype). (Fig. 3 ). Coloration in life (Fig. 2 ): Background color pale white; head white with interrupted blackish brown band basally and an irregular line of the same color between eyes; antennae cream, with terminal segments tinged with brown; pronotum entirely white with cream tinge on dorsum; forelegs white, with tibial spines and tarsus tinged with pale brown; middle legs white with dark markings (Fig. 3A, B ); hind femora white, with small basal brown tinge, a median transverse brown band, a brown dorsal subapical chevron, apical crescents of hind femora pale salmon, hind tibiae and tarsi cream; tegmina blackish brown basally, color fading to white apically, anal area white; abdomen white, with tergites 5-8 bearing rounded blackish brown median spots; basal segment of cercus black, apical segment dark cream; ventral cercus-like organ (paraproctfortsatz of Günther [1977]) cream.

Structural characters: antennae 10-segmented, front tibia with 4 teeth; swimming plates of hind tibiae absent; forewing abbreviated, hind wings absent; scraper present on the underside of the forewing (Fig. 3C ).

Terminalia as in Fig. 3D : Epiproct not longer than wide; hooks of paraprocts pale brown, with long distal part that curves upwards and tapers to end.

Female. (Fig. 4 ). Coloration as in male, except brown band on head not interrupted medially, median spots on tergites 5-8 more elongate than rounded. Structural characters similar to male, except stridulatory apparatus absent on underside of forewing. Subgenital plate more tapered than in E. eisneri (Fig. 4C, D ).

Measurements (in mm).

- Male holotype. length of head and body: 3.50; length of pronotum: 0.75; width of pronotum: 1.2; width of head across eyes: 0.75; length of hind femur: 2; length of hind tibia: 1.50; length of forewing: 0.4.

Female allotype. length of head and body: 4.10; length of pronotum: 1.00; width of pronotum: 1.20; width of head across eyes: 0.70; length of hind femur: 2.10; length of hind tibia: 1.60; length of forewing: 0.75.

Etymology.

-This species is named in honor of Dr. Mark Deyrup, Emeritus Research Biologist in Entomology at the Archbold Biological Station, who first collected the species and recognized it as distinct, and who has contributed the bulk of what is known about scrub tridactylid biology. Dr. Deyrup encouraged the author to describe this new species and look for other species across the southeastern U.S. and has been enormously supportive and generous with his knowledge of Florida natural history.

Common name.

- Deyrup and Carrel (2012) gave this species a provisional common name of "Broussard Pygmy Mole Cricket" due to its occurrence at the Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve, but given that the species is now known to occur at other localities, I propose the common name of “Deyrup’s Pygmy Mole Cricket" to recognize Deyrup’s contributions to the biology and conservation of Florida scrub arthropods.

Distribution.

-Restricted to the north-central Lake Wales Ridge in Polk County, FL (Fig. 5 ).

Habitat.

-All specimens were collected in bare sand patches within yellow sand scrub habitat (Fig. 1A, B, E ). These habitats have grasses and forbs scattered across the sand, along with various lichens, pines, and oaks. Tumuli and raised feeding burrows were common wherever tridactylids were found (Fig. 1C, D, F ). At the Tiger Creek Preserve, typical plants in the habitat included Aristida sp. grasses, Ware’s hairsedge ( Bulbostylis warei (Torr.) C.B.Clarke), paper nailwort ( Paronychia chartacea Fernald), and sandhill sky-blue lupine ( Lupinus cumulicola Small). At the roadside sites east of Lake Marion, typical plants included paper nailwort ( Paronychia chartacea Fernald), sandhill sky-blue lupine ( Lupinus cumulicola Small), scrub Stylisma ( Stylisma abdita Myint), prickly pear cactus ( Opuntia sp.), and Panicum sp. grasses along the road’s edge. Lichens present in this habitat included Cladonia leporina Fr., C. evansii Abbayes, and C. subtenuis (Abbayes) Mattick.

Photographs of nymphs and adults of E. deyrupi are posted by the author to BugGuide.net for public viewing, at https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575492/bgimage

Figures

Fig. 1. Habitat and traces of Ellipes deyrupi sp. nov. A. Habitat at Tiger Creek Preserve; B. Detail of same; C. Tumuli at Tiger Creek; D. Feeding burrow at Sarasota Court; E. Habitat at same locality. Note gopher tortoise burrow entrance at center; F. Tumuli at same locality.

Fig. 2. Live nymph and adult images of Ellipes deyrupi sp. nov. A. Dorsal and lateral view of adult from Tiger Creek Preserve; B. Nymph from same locality; C. Adult from Sarasota Court; D. Adult burrowing in sand at Tiger Creek; E. Nymph burrowing at same locality.

Fig. 3. Male Ellipes deyrupi sp. nov. A. Dorsal view of holotype; B. Lateral view of same; C. Underside of right tegmen showing stridulatory file. Inset shows entire tegmen; D. Terminalia.

Fig. 4. Females of upland Ellipes spp. A. Dorsal view of allotype E. deyrupi sp. nov.; B. Lateral view of same; C. Subgenital plate of same; D. Subgenital plate of female Ellipes eisneri from Floral City.

Fig. 5. Distribution of Florida upland Ellipes spp. Green stars indicate collection localities of Ellipes deyrupi sp. nov.; red dots indicate previous (2005) known collection localities for Ellipes eisneri; blue dots indicate newly reported collection localities for E. eisneri.