Julverninthus, Robillard & Su, 2018

Robillard, Tony & Su, You Ning, 2018, New lineages of Lebinthini from Australia (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Eneopterinae), Zootaxa 4392 (2), pp. 241-266 : 247-248

Julverninthus n. gen.

( Figures 5–8 , 9A , 10A–F , 11–13 , 18 )

Type species. Julverninthus rentzi , here designated.

Etymology. Genus named after Lebinthus and the prefix “Julvern” corresponding to the contraction of Jules Verne (1828–1905). This famous French author wrote many adventure novels, among which “Around the world in eighty days”. Given that Eneopterinae have travelled around the world after originating from Australia-Antarctica ca. 80 Ma (Vicente et al. 2017), it is an appropriate name for the first endemic genus “coming back” to Australia. Masculine gender.

Distribution. Australia, Northern Queensland.

Diagnosis. Among the brachypterous Lebinthini genera, Julverninthus is characterized by its setose, trapezoidal fastigium, almost as long as wide, forming a wide rostrum. Eyes smaller and less prominent than in Lebinthus and Macrobinthus , but larger than in Centuriarus and Agnotecous . The genus mostly resembles Macrobinthus in size and general shape, but differs by its very short wings resembling that of Microbinthus in both sexes. Male. FWs very short, dorsal field longer than lateral field (almost of similar size in Lebinthus and Macrobinthus ). Harp forming an equilateral triangle, with one main bisinuated oblique vein; posterior edge of harp almost flat along diagonal vein. 1A vein slightly bisinuate anterior to angle, as in Ligypterus , Gnominthus and Cardiodactylus , differing from most brachypterous genera. Mirror little differentiated, cell d1 rectangular. Cell c1 large, trapezoidal, with variable accessory veins. Chord veins delimiting a narrow, semi-circular cell. Apical field very short, including only a small area posterior to mirror with reticulated veins and no cell alignment. Median fold well developed, located on dorsum. Sc vein with 1–2 projections. Male genitalia elongate, characterized by absence of individualized apical lophi, with a long median process, as in Pixibinthus and Macrobinthus wilhelmsis Robillard & Dong, 2016 and some species of Agnotecous . Female. FWs very short, barely reaching posterior margin of first sternite, well separated, rounded posteriorly. Ovipositor shorter than FIII, its apex acute, slightly denticulate on dorsal edge. Female copulatory papilla rounded, almost entirely membranous; apex rounded, generally folded ventrally.

Description. Size average for the tribe. Vertex prolonged discontinuously by trapezoidal fastigium almost as long as wide. Eyes of average size, in dorsal view eyes combined width represents ca. 41% of head width (37% in Agnotecous azurensis Desutter-Grandcolas, 2006 , 50% in Microbinthus santoensis (Robillard, 2009) , 46% in Lebinthus bitaeniatus Stål, 1877 ). Head triangular in facial view, slightly higher than wide; vertex rounded. Ocelli whitish, small and rounded, forming a wide triangle. Scapes small. Pronotum dorsal disk almost square, wider than long, its posterior margin straight; lateral lobe longer than high. TI with two tympana; inner tympanum covered by a flat sclerotized expansion, its membrane visible along a small longitudinal slit only; outer tympanum ellipsoidal, its membrane transversally plicate in dorsal half. TI with two inner and one outer apical spurs. TII with two inner and two outer spurs. FIII muscular and long, with a linear region before knee. TIII serrulated on their whole length, slightly furrowed longitudinally and with four pairs of subapical spurs and three pairs of apical spurs; inner spurs long and curved, outer spurs shorter and straight. TaIII-1 with two dorso-apical spines and a row of spines on outer dorsal edge; without lateral outer spine. FWs very short, not reaching abdomen mid-length; hind wings absent. Cerci well developed, nearly as long as abdomen.

Male. Metanotal glands absent. Dorsal field of FWs clearly longer than lateral field. FWs very short, nearly the size of pronotum dorsal disk. FW venation: 1A vein (file) bisinuate near angle; stridulatory file with teeth both on transverse and on angle parts of 1A. Harp forming an equilateral triangle, with one main, sharp-angled, bisinuated oblique vein; posterior edge of harp almost flat along diagonal vein. CuP absent. CuA strong, slightly curved inward near apex. Mirror well differentiated but not rounded, forming a wide rectangular area. Cell c1 large, sometimes with a median transverse accessory vein. Chord cells differentiated, the inner one forming a narrow semi-circular ring. Apical field very short, including only a small area posterior to mirror with reticulated veins and no cell alignment. Median fold well-developed, triangular, located on dorsum. M strong and convex, fused to R near FW apex; Sc with 1–2 projections. Subgenital plate clog-shaped, slightly indented apically; inner side of subgenital plate with lateral swellings.

Male genitalia: Pseudepiphallus triangular, elongate, basal margin straight, posterior apex elongate, without paired lophi and forming a gutter, setose ventrally (Figs. 8,13). Rami straight, parallel and short. Ventral pseudepiphallic plate wide. Pseudepiphallic parameres sclerotized, convergent, their basis strong, with two posterior lobes, one oriented dorsally and one forming a rounded ventral plate, and a small basal lobe mostly membranous. Ectophallic apodemes parallel and long, their apex lamellate. Ectophallic arc wide, well sclerotized, with a short medioposterior expansion. Ectophallic fold long, with elongate lateral sclerites forming a “)(“ pattern; its apex triangular and membranous. Endophallic sclerite large, comprising posteriorly a short median expansion and lateral arms; sclerite very long anteriorly, Y-shaped, exceeding pseudepiphallic sclerite. Endophallic apodeme with well-developed lateral lamellas and a narrow dorsal crest.

Female. FWs very short, barely reaching posterior margin of first sternite, well separated from each other, rounded posteriorly; dorsal field with more or less distinct longitudinal veins; lateral field with longitudinal veins curved dorsally. Ovipositor shorter than FIII, its apex acute, slightly denticulate on dorsal edge. Female copulatory papilla rounded, almost entirely membranous, without ventral sclerite nor basal plate; apex rounded, generally folded ventrally.

Habitat and life history traits. Activity nocturnal, the species lives in or near leaf litter, usually on low vegetation, in forested areas.

Included species.

Julverninthus rentzi n. sp. Julverninthus minoris n. sp.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp. (A–D): male in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views; female in dorsal (C) and lateral (D) views. Julverninthus minoris n. sp. (E–H): male in dorsal (E) and lateral (F) views; female in dorsal (G) and lateral (H) views. Scale bar: 1 cm.

FIGURE 6. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp. (A-C), Julverninthus minoris n. sp. (D-F): head in dorsal (A, D), facial (B, E) and lateral (C, F) views, respectively. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp. (A–B): male forewing venation in dorsal view (A); female venation in dorsal view (B). Julverninthus minoris n. sp. (C): male forewing venation in dorsal view. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp.: male genitalia in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views, with detail of posterior part in ventral view (D). Legends, see matetials and methods section. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp. (A), Macrobinthus kutini n. sp. (B): apex of ovipositor. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp. (A–C), Julverninthus minoris n. sp. (D-F), Macrobinthus kutini n. sp. (G–I): female copulatory papilla in ventral (A, D, G), dorsal (B, E, H) and lateral (C, F, I) views. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 11. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp.: male holotype in natural habitat (Photo © David Rentz).

FIGURE 12. Julverninthus rentzi n. sp.: couple mating on vegetation (A); juvenile on leaf (B) in natural habitat (Photos © David Rentz).

FIGURE 13. Julverninthus minoris n. sp.: male genitalia in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 18. Distribution map of the species mentioned in the study. Map modified after snapshots from www.maphill.com.