Ripipteryx guacharoensis Baena-Bejarano & Heads

Baena-Bejarano, Nathalie & Heads, Sam W., 2015, Three new species of the genus Ripipteryx from Colombia (Orthoptera, Ripipterygidae), ZooKeys 502, pp. 129-143 : 131-134

Taxon classification Animalia Orthoptera Ripipterygidae

Ripipteryx guacharoensis Baena-Bejarano & Heads sp. n. Fig. 3

Holotype.

♂ (no. IAvH-E 113834), Colombia, Huila, PNN Cueva de Los Guácharos, Cabaña Cedros, 1°37'N, 76°6'W, 2100 m, Malaise 2, 28. xi– 2.xii.2001, Col. D. Campos. Specimen dried and pinned; deposited at Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, Villa de Leyva.

Paratypes.

Two specimens from same locality as holotype: 1) ♂ (no IAvH-E 137236), 04-18.ii.2001, Col. D. Cortés, specimen preserved in alcohol; 2) ♀ (no. IAvH-E 137237), 27. iv– 5.v.2002, Col. J. Fonseca, specimen preserved in alcohol. Specimens deposited at same institution as holotype.

Diagnosis.

The new species is distinguished from congeners by the following characters: [1] antennae with white dorsal spots on flagellomeres 1-4 and flagellomere 8 black with the distal half completely white; [2] epiproct lateral lobes narrow and posterior margin triangle-like (Fig. 3B); [3] ventral plate concave with a dorsal elevation in the middle extended to the virga; [4] virga basally with two slight tips.

Description.

Male (holotype). Body length including wings 7.55 mm; pronotum length 1.38 mm, pronotum width 1.64 mm; tegmina length 2.91 mm; hind wings length 5.84 mm; interocular distance 0.37 mm. (n=1) (Fig. 3A).

Head. Interocular distance more than half the eye width. Median ocellus fully developed. Internal margins of compound eyes convergent dorsally. Slight yellowish-white spot in the superior eyes corner. Gena below compound eye and antennae insertion black and below eye slightly yellowish. Maxillary palp black, distally slightly yellowish white, five segments with second reduced, fifth with strong setaes. Labial palp black.

Antennae thick and mainly black. Number of antennal segments 10. Scape wider than pedicel. Pedicel as long as 1st flagellomere. Slight white distal spot on scape. White dorsal spot on pedicel. White dorsal spot on flagellomeres 1, 2 and 3. White dorsodistal spot on flagellomere 4. Flagellomeres 5, 6 and 7 black. Flagellomere 8 black with distal half completely white.

Thorax. Pronotum black with an anterior slender white line and an almost imperceptible yellowish at anterior corners. Tegmina black. Hind wing with white, transverse groove. Procoxa black. Protochanter black. Profemora black with a yellowish serrated distal inner lobe. Protibiae black with three distal spines. Mesocoxa black. Mesotrochanter black. Mesofemora black. Mesotibiae black distally brownish. Metafemora black; Semi-lunar process, metatibia and metatarsi brown.

Abdomen. Tergum 9 with a distal notch. Tergum 10 slightly concave, strongly sclerotized with erect vertical setae at edges (Fig. 3E). Cerci unsegmented, black. Brachium brownish, dorsolateral flat and wide with an inner protrusion. Brachium spine present. Epiproct lateral lobes narrow, covering base of cerci but not covered by tergum. Medial epiproct membranous, narrow and triangle-like (Fig. 3G). Uncus reduced without distal hook. Subgenital plate distally narrowed, constricted before end with conspicuous long and curved bristles (Fig. 3F).

Basal plate heavily sclerotized, very short and widened basally. Cingulum distally serrated without apodemes. Lateral valves pointed and serrated. Virga thick, distally rounded and serrated, basally with two slight tips. Ventral plate concave with a dorsal elevation in middle extended to virga (Fig. 3B).

Variations. Body length including wings 8.9 mm, excluding wings 7.2 mm; pronotum length 1.6 mm, pronotum width 1.8 mm; tegmina length 3.3 mm; hind wings length 6.3 mm; interocular distance 0.40 mm. (n=1). Antennae Scape black.

Female. Body similar to male except for abdominal sexual structures. Subgenital plate obtuse (Fig. 3C).

Female variation. body length including wings 8.5 mm, excluding wings 7.4 mm; pronotum length 1.4 mm, pronotum width 1.9 mm; tegmina length 3.5 mm; hind wings length 6.7 mm; interocular distance 0.43 mm. (n=1). Antennae: scape black, white dorsodistal spot on pedicel. White dorsal small spot on flagellomeres 1, 2 and 3.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from the name of the type locality, Parque Nacional Natural Cueva de los Guácharos.

Distribution.

This species is currently known from the type locality.

Sympatric species.

This species was found in one of the malaise samples with the species Ripipteryx diegoi and Ripipteryx ecuadoriensis , which are believed to occur sympatrically.

Remarks.

Ripipteryx guacharoensis sp. n. is assigned to the Marginipennis group based on the characters of the phallic complex, such as the very short and broad basal plate, the cingulum without apodemes, the presence of lateral valves, and the thickened virga (Fig. 3B).

The new species is similar to Ripipteryx femorata in that both share a serrated distal inner lobe on the profemora, the shape of the male brachium in lateral view, the uncus reduced without distal hook and similar phallic complex (see Günther 1969). Nevertheless, it differs in the form of the ventral plate, which is concave in Ripipteryx guacharoensis but is straight in Ripipteryx femorata . The basal shape of the virga presents two slight tips in Ripipteryx guacharoensis while in Ripipteryx femorata it presents two strong and elongate tips (see Günther 1969). The most significant character separating both species is the posterior margin of the epiproct, which is triangular in Ripipteryx guacharoensis (Fig. 3G) but parabolic in Ripipteryx femorata (see Günther 1969).

According with Günther (1969) Ripipteryx femorata is closely related to Ripipteryx vicina and Ripipteryx difformipes . Ripipteryx guacharoensis shares with these three species the form of the subgenital plate that in males is distally constricted with conspicuous long and curved bristles, supporting a probable relationship.