Phaulula malayica ( Karny, 1926 )

Tan, Ming Kai, 2014, An annotated checklist of the bush katydids (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae) from Singapore, including an illustrated key to species, Zootaxa 3884 (6), pp. 573-593 : 585

Phaulula malayica ( Karny, 1926)

Figs. 2 G, 4G, 5F, 9B, 11B, 11D, 11K, 12F

Material examined. 3 males, 7 females: 1 female ( ZRC.ORT.1132), Mandai mangroves, coll. D. H. Murphy; 2 female ( ZRC.ORT.1133, 1134), Loyang mangrove, feeding on Bruguiera cylindrica , coll. D. H. Murphy, 12 March 1991; 2 males ( ZRC.ORT.1050, 1051), Mandai mangroves, on Bruguiera cylindrica , coll. D. H. Murphy, 1 August 1992; 1 male ( ZRC.ORT.1052), no label from D. H. Murphy’s collection; 2 females ( ZRC.ORT.1053, 1054), Loyang mangroves, on Bruguiera cylindrica , coll. D. H. Murphy, 15 August 1992; 1 female ( ZRC.ORT.1160), along Kranji Nature Trail, coll. SBWR volunteers. 16 February 2008; 1 female ( ZRC.ORT.471), Pasir Ris Park, mangrove boardwalk, on Bruguiera cylindrica , coll. M. K. Tan, 12 June 2013.

Taxonomy. Female is described here for the first time. Tenth abdominal tergite mucronate with small medial lobe triangular; lobe wider at base than long, apex truncated. Epiproct broadly triangular, wider than medial lobe of tenth abdominal tergite, with apex broadly rounded. Cercus short, gently curved inwards, gently tapering into an obtuse apex. Subgenital plate triangular, wider at basal margin than long; lateral margins gently tapering into a truncated apex. Ovipositor sword-shaped; dorsal valve feebly longer than ventral valve; dorsal margin basal third gently curved, thereafter fairly straight, ventral margin gently curved in basal and apical third, fairly straight in the middle; dorsal and ventral margins denticulated after middle. Pileolus trapezoidal, ventral margin broader than dorsal

Life history. This species appears appear to be associated to mangroves. Old museum specimen labels noted that they were collected from Bruguiera cylindrica in Mandai and Loyang mangroves. Recent ecological study in mangroves of Singapore showed that they are found in Chek Jawa, SBWR, and Pasir Ris mangroves (Tan, 2013).

Remarks. This species was wrongly identified as Elbenia or Phaulula sp. in Tan (2013).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male habitus in dorsal view of Elimaea (Elimaea) chloris (A), Elimaea (Rhaebelimaea) signata (B), Arnobia pilipes tropica (C), Holochlora paradoxa (D), Holochlora sp. (E), Rectimarginalis ensis (F), Phaulula malayica (G). Scale bar: 1 mm.