Dolichopoda kotsabasi Alexiou, 2024

Alexiou, Sotiris, Bakolitsas, Kostas, Di Russo, Claudio & Rampini, Mauro, 2024, Four new Dolichopoda species from Greece, one Troglophilus new to Greece and new locality records (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae), Contributions to Entomology 74 (1), pp. 103-111 : 103-111

Dolichopoda kotsabasi Alexiou sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 7

Type material.

Holotype: GREECE • ♂ ; Νomos Samou, Ikaria Isl., near Akamatra, cave Alama ; 37 ° 36.124 ' N, 26 ° 10.816 ' E ; 370 m. asl. ; 24 Sep. 2022 ; S. Alexiou & K. Kotsabas leg. ( KMNH) . Paratypes: GREECE • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same data as for holotype . Other material: GREECE • 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ; Νomos Samou, Ikaria Isl., Petropouli, cave Raos Choutra ; 24 Sep. 2022 ; S. Alexiou & K. Kotsabas leg. ( KMNH) .

Diagnosis.

The new species shows a strong resemblance to the already known species of the central Aegean area. It is mostly similar to the two cave crickets endemic on the nearby island of Samos, D. giulianae Rampini & Di Russo, 2012 and D. kalithea Di Russo & Rampini, 2012 , as well as to the Anatolian D. sutini Rampini & Taylan, 2012 , the females especially being very similar ( Rampini et al. 2012). The males of both species of Samos have a more robust and arched median process of the epiphallus than D. kotsabasi sp. nov. Furthermore, the males of D. kalithea have trapezoidal, not globular, lobes at the subgenital plate and D. giulianae have squared lobes at the X tergum. Dolichopoda sutini also presents a differently shaped median process of the epiphallus as well as differently shaped lateral lobes of the subgenital plate of the males. The new species shows very similar median process of the epiphallus with D. calidnae , endemic to Kalymnos Island, D. paraskevi , endemic to Crete, as well as to D. naxia , endemic to Naxos Island, being elongated, more slender and less arched. However, it shows significant differences in most other characters for both sexes.

Description.

Body pale testaceous, posterior margin of the terga darker. Hind femora unarmed, hind tibiae with 24 / 25 spines on both sides.

Fore tibiae with 4 spines on both sides of ventral side, mid tibiae with 5 spines on both sides of ventral side and hind tibiae with 19 spines on both sides of dorsal side.

X tergum (last abdominal tergite) (Fig. 7 A ) slightly incised in the middle, with two lateral triangular lobes, lobes with rounded apex.

Subgenital plate (Fig. 7 B ) globular, divided by a median triangular incision, with short lateral lobes ; styli short, inserted almost at the apex of the plate, where an incision occurs.

Epiphallus sclerotized, with an acute cylindrical median process. Median process slightly curved inwards, laterally robust at the base (Fig. 7 C, D ).

Measurements (length in mm): body 17, pronotum 4, fore femora 15, middle femora 16, hind femora 26.

Female. As in male. Subgenital plate rounded, slightly incised in the middle (7 E). Ovipositor 9 mm, robust at the base, slightly arched upwards, lower valves with 15 denticles (7 F).

Etymology.

The new species is named after botanist Konstantinos Kotsabas, a researcher of the flora of Ikaria who was the first to observe the cave crickets on the island.

Distribution.

Known only from two caves on Ikaria Island. A third population of presumably the same species was observed by Konstantinos Kotsabas at Chalavra Katafigi, inside a narrow cave opening underneath the chapel of Agios Nikolaos.

Figures

Figure 1. Geographic distribution of D. athosensis sp. nov., D. dirussoi sp. nov., D. karoutsosi sp. nov. and D. kotsabasi sp. nov.

Figure 7. Dolichopoda kotsabasi sp. nov.: A. X tergum, male, dorsal view; B. Subgenital plate, male, ventral view; C. Epiphallus, dorsal view; D. Epiphallus, lateral view; E. Subgenital plate, female, ventral view; F. Ovipositor, lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.