Oecanthus buxixu Acosta, Mendes & Zefa, 2024
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5492.2.8 |
publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:98FCDBF7-EFB3-4EFB-A000-9EB191F7C90F |
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13219502 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/9C5E0922-0C59-0357-FF58-F9FD76E7C044 |
treatment provided by |
Plazi |
scientific name |
Oecanthus buxixu Acosta, Mendes & Zefa |
status |
sp. nov. |
Oecanthus buxixu Acosta, Mendes & Zefa , sp. nov.
Figures 1–6, 8–10, 12–15 View FIGURES 1–15 ; Table 1 View TABLE 1
Type material. Holotype ♂: Brazil, Amazonas , Maraã, Base Casa do Baré, 2°29’26.4”S – 64°42’32.2”W, 02.ii.2024, coleta manual, Mendes, D.M.M. leg. ( INPA) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 01 ( INPA), 01 ♂ and 01 ♀ ( IDSM), Ibid. 08.v.2024 .
Etymology. The specific epithet “buxixu ” refers to the popular name of the plant Clidemia japurensis , where the tree cricket is commonly found. It is a shrub native to South America, especially found in Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and Guyana. This plant is known for its small edible fruits and attractive flowers, which the tree cricket feeds on.
Diagnosis. Combination of the following characteristics: marks on scape and pedicel absent ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 1–15 ); calling song with 3 to 5 chirps/s, 6 to 20 pulses per chirp, and peak frequency 3.3 kHz, at 26ºC ( Figs. 16–19 View FIGURES 16–19 ).
Description, holotype ♂ ( Figs 1–6, 8–10, 12–15 View FIGURES 1–15 ). Coloration described in vivo. Body and other appendages light green. Head: prognathous, uniformly light green, including vertex, gena, clypeus, and labrum; dark eyes; ocelli absent; scape and pedicel without spots ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 1–15 ), same color as the flagellum; maxillary palps translucent green, moderately elongated, first and second palpomeres smaller than the other three, third to fifth subequal in size; last palpomere claviform, slightly curved at apex; labial palps light green, gradually increasing in size towards the apex. Thorax: pronotum longer than wide, posterior margin larger than anterior, dorsal disk pale green, with slightly whitish dorsolateral stripes; pronotum lateral lobe posterior more projected ventrally then the anterior region; tegmina translucent, longer than the abdomen; stridulatory file with 42 teeth; four cross veins in the harp, the smaller one poorly marked and curved; one cross veins in the mirror; well-developed hind wings, extending beyond the tegmina. Legs uniformly pale green; auditory tympana present in the tibiae I, the inner twice the size of the outer; tibia III slightly longer than femur III, serrulate, armed with four inner and three outer subapical spurs, and three outer and four inner apical spurs; spurs and spines of tibiae tipped with black; basitarsus longer than the other two tarsomeres combined. Abdomen: tergites whitish translucent, cerci light green, tipped with black, and reaching the length of the hind wings; subgenital plate rounded posteriorly; measurements ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ).
Metanotal gland (Paratype ♂) ( Fig. 12 View FIGURES 1–15 ). Scutum with a pair of protuberances, each one with two translucent tufts of bristles; scutellum with a pair of protuberances curved inward; posterior median lobe triangular, sclerotized, with apex translucent curved up and forward.
Male genitalia (Holotype) ( Figs 14–15 View FIGURES 1–15 ). Pseudepiphallic sclerite: median lophi (MLophi) projected posteriorly, forming an V-shaped invagination; MLophi apex slightly curved outward; pseudepiphallic apodema (PsAp) anterior margin curved posteriorly in dorsal view; rami (r) long, slightly curved inward, apex single, straight and not connected each other; ectophallic invagination well developed, ectophallic arc (arc) curved anteriorly, distal prolongation present; ectophallic fold (EctF) poorly sclerotized; ectophallic invagination ventral projection (EctVp) longer than ectophallic apodema (EctAp); endophalus (End) U-shaped.
Calling song (Holotype, Figs 16–19 View FIGURES 16–19 ). Under field condition: 3 ± 0.6 (2–4) chirps/s; chirp duration 0.28 ± 0.1 (0.05–0.81) s; interval between chirps 0.06 ± 0.03 (0.02–0.39) s; 9.1 ± 3.5 (2–26) pulses per chirp; peak frequency 2.9 ± 0.02 (2.92–2.96) kHz, at 24ºC. The first chirp has a higher number of pulses and exhibits a lower initial frequency and intensity (dB) ( Fig. 16 View FIGURES 16–19 ). Under lab conditions: 3.5 ± 0.7 (3–5) chirps/s; chirp duration 0.3 ± 0.12 (0.15–0.53) s; interval between chirps 0.07 ± 0.02 (0.04–0.11) s; 11.2 ± 4.5 (6–20) pulses per chirp; peak frequency 3.1 ± 0.06 (3–3.3) kHz, at 26ºC. Similar to field conditions, the first chirp has a higher number of pulses and exhibits a lower initial frequency and intensity (dB) compared to the rest of the signal.
Female ( Figs 7, 11 View FIGURES 1–15 , 21, 23 View FIGURES 20–24 ). Body color similar to male, slightly longer than the male; tegmina slender and translucent; hind wings surpass the tegmina and cover the ovipositor and cerci; ovipositor as long as the cerci, apex denticulated; cerci pale green, tipped with black; supra-anal plate as Fig. 7 View FIGURES 1–15 ; measurements ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ).
Habitat and behavior. O. buxixu sp. nov. was found on the bush Clidemia japurensis ( Melastomataceae ), present in “Terra Firme” forests near the edge ( Fig. 24 View FIGURES 20–24 ). In the locality, the bushes were around 2 m tall, and the tree crickets were found between 1.5 m and 0.5 m in height, in the abaxial part of the leaves. We found only one individual per leaf. Nymphs were seen both on the leaves, walking among the branches. Males stridulate on the lower part of the leaves, generally close to the edge, and they were very skittish when approaching them during the song, stopping the song and closing their wings quickly. Adults and nymphs were observed feeding on fruits ( Fig. 23 View FIGURES 20–24 ) and leaves, indicating a close relationship between the tree-crickets and this plant. Despite extensive search in the locality, specimens of O. buxixu sp. nov. were only found on on bushes of Clidemia japurensis .
INPA |
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia |
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
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Grylloidea |
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