Tapiena sakaerat Tan, Liu, Artchawakom

Tan, Ming Kai, Liu, Chunxiang & Artchawakom, Taksin, 2015, Taxonomic review of Tapiena (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae), with key to species and new species from Thailand, Zootaxa 3920 (1) : -

Tapiena sakaerat Tan, Liu, Artchawakom new species

( Fig. 5 )

Material examined. Holotype (male): Thailand, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, along main road near headquarter, N14.50786, E101.92905, elev. 389.9 ± 4.9 m, dry evergreen forest, attracted to UV light trap, coll. M. K. Tan, H. Yeo & S. T. Toh, 27 June 2014, 2143 hours ( SERS.14.104) ( ZRC).

Diagnosis. This species is typical of the genus but differ from all other species by male tenth abdominal tergite strongly produced into two long apical processes; base of tenth abdominal tergite and the two apical processes webbed; with dorsal process of tenth abdominal tergite curved ventrally (in lateral view) and tapering into an acute apex (in lateral and lateral views); and ventral process of tenth abdominal tergite produced ventrad at the base of dorsal process, bent slightly in the middle (in lateral view), slightly tapering posteriorly, apex forked into two acute lobes (in dorsal view). It also differs from all known species by male cercus with two large inner teeth at apex, both beak-shaped and about the same size. This species is very similar to Tapiena ensigera Karny, 1923 by apical process of male tenth abdominal tergite tapering into an acute apex (in dorsal view) and male cercus with two apical spines but differs by male tenth abdominal tergite laterally compressed with dorsal and ventral apical processes webbed.

Description. Habitus as shown in Fig. 5 A, typical of genus. Head with length circa 0.5 times of pronotum length (n = 1, dried specimen, holotype). Fastigium short, feebly furrowed in the middle, about as wide as antennal scapus; with apex roundly truncated. Eye prominent; median ocellus round and large. Frons slightly punctuated. Pronotum circa 1.2 times longer than wide (n = 1, dried specimen, holotype), densely punctuated. Dorsal plate with anterior margin straight; lateral margins straight and parallel; posterior margin broadly rounded; hind lobe after middle, separated by shallow suture. Lateral keel present. Lateral lobe circa 1.1 times taller than long (n = 1, dried specimen, holotype), ventral margin short and pointing ventrad posteriorly, and posterior margin broadly rounded; anterior margin straight, posterior margin feebly convex ( Fig. 5 B). Prosternum unarmed. Mesosternum triangular with rounded to subacute apex; metasternum rectangular with posterior angle 90 ° and rounded. Tegmen and hind wing fully developed. Tegmen with anterior and posterior margins feebly convex, apex rounded. Tegminal venation: Radius sector (Rs) originates before middle, with fork distinctively longer than stem; veins and veinlets form small polygonal cells ( Fig. 5 A). Hind wing with apex distinctively projecting beyond tegmen; exposed apex with ventral margin slightly curved and dorsal margin straight. Legs generally with very short and fine setae. Anterior coxa with distinct but short spine. Anterior tibia with external tympanum open, oval; internal tympanum slit covered by large conchate swelling.

Male. Stridulatory file of left tegmen substraight, feebly crescent-shaped, circa 2.8 mm (n = 1, holotype) in length; file with about 21 (n = 1) stout and more widely spaced teeth at the posterior end, with circa 140 (n = 1) densely and evenly spaced elongated teeth (more closely packed at the sides than in the middle) ( Figs. 5 C, 5D). Tenth abdominal tergite, in dorsal view, basally concave at the sides, in the middle swollen and strongly produced into two long processes ( Fig. 5 E). Base of tenth abdominal tergite and the two apical processes webbed ( Figs. 5 E, 5F). Dorsal apical process of tenth abdominal tergite curved ventrally (in lateral view) and tapering into an acute apex (in lateral and dorsal views) ( Figs. 5 E, 5F). Ventral process of tenth abdominal tergite produced ventrad at the base of dorsal process, bent slightly in the middle (in lateral view) ( Fig. 5 F); slightly tapering posteriorly, apex forked into two acute lobes (in dorsal view) ( Fig. 5 E). Epiproct concealed beneath tenth abdominal tergite. Cercus cylindrical and setose, slightly curved inwards at the apex; apex with two large inner teeth, both beak-shaped and about the same size ( Figs. 5 E, 5F). Subgenital plate with apical margin triangularly and deeply excised in the middle, laterally extended into two long and narrow lobes; styli long and slender, longer than apical lobe and half of length of subgenital plate, tapering into a narrowly obtuse apex ( Fig. 5 F).

Female. Unknown.

Colouration. Generally green when alive ( Fig. 5 A). Head, including frontal rostrum and frons, generally green; gena yellow green; mouth parts, including maxillary palps and mandibles, pale green. Pronotum generally green. Head behind eyes and pronotum with lateral keel with yellow longitudinal band. Tegmen green. Hind wings hyalinous, with exposed part green. Fore and middle legs generally pale green: forefemur slightly brown around tympanal area; midfemur darker green at knee. Thoracic segments pale green; abdominal segments yellow or yellow green; abdominal apex mostly pale green to slightly pale yellow green, subgenital plate and cercus pale green.

Measurements (holotype, in mm). BL = 26.7; BWL = 43.2; PL = 5.0; PW = 4.2; TL = 34.5; HWT = 3.9; HFL = 17.8; HTL = 18.4.

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality, Sakaerat Environmental Research Station; noun in apposition.

Life history. This species inhabits dry evergreen forest and is attracted to UV light at night.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Tapiena sakaerat sp. n.: habitus of male holotype in lateral view (A); head and pronotum in lateral view (B); male tegmen in dorsal view (C); stridulatory file of left tegmen in ventral view (D); male abdominal apex in posterior (E) and lateral (F) views. Scale bars: 10 mm (A), 1 mm (B, C, E, F), 0.5 mm (D). d = dorsal apical process of tenth abdominal tergite; v = ventral apical process of tenth abdominal tergite.