Itara (Gryllitara) pilosa Ashok & Swaminathan, 2021

Meena, Ashok Kumar, Swaminathan, Rajamani, Nagar, Rajendra, Chhangani, Gaurang & Kumar, Kuldeep, 2021, Record of the subgenus, Gryllitara Chopard, 1931 (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Itarinae) and description of a new species from India, Zootaxa 5072 (5), pp. 493-500 : 495-496

Itara (Gryllitara) pilosa Ashok & Swaminathan sp. nov.

Plates: I (a, b)

Material examined. Holotype. ♂: India (Kerala) Idukki, Wagamon heights, 23.x.2015, 9° 40’ 50’’ N, 76° 52’ 0’’ E, 1200 m.; from grasses area by net sweeping; coll. R. Nagar.

Description (Male). Small body size as compared to other species of the genus and brown in colour; head small, upper half of head brown with dark brown part between ocelli, genae light brown; lower half of head, palpi and antennae brown, but area of clypeal region and frons light brown, as compared to palpi and antennae; clypeal suture straight, frontal rostrum slightly broader than the antennal scape, lateral ocelli almost rounded, but the middle ocellus differently shaped and expanded laterally. Maxillary palpi pubescent, third segment slightly longer than the fourth, but fifth one longer than the previous segments and dilated at apex. Length and width of head and pronotum are equal. Pronotum dorsally brown, while laterally is of light brown colour, pubescent; the anterior and posterior margins of pronotum with small to long brown setae, the anterior margin being slightly concave, but posterior margin almost straight, posterior margin (4.25 mm) of pronotum significantly wider than anterior margin (3.0 mm) and the middle (3.5 mm). Tegmina significantly longer than abdomen, but shorter than hind wings, brown, transparent, and wide (6.0 mm); with 3–4 oblique veins, 1 st and 2 nd long, sinuate or slightly S-shaped, 2 nd vein originate from 1 st oblique vein after origin; 3 rd and 4 th are very short and curved. Mirror broader (4.5 mm) than long (3.5 mm), divided almost in the middle by an undulated vein, its lateral corners broadly rounded; chord veins long, feebly curved and first chord vein connected to mirror by a veinlet. False veins distributed in harp area and mirror. Stridulatory file of right tegmina has 46 teeth/mm. Tegmina possess a large apical field with 7 branched veins and well developed, square to rectangular shaped reticulation; length of apical field (5.0 mm) is shorter than its width (6.0 mm) and length of the stridulatory vein to the posterior end of the mirror (7.0 mm), but is longer than the length (3.5 mm) and width (4.5 mm) of the mirror. Lateral field presents 4 to 5 regularly spaced free veins and four branches of the mediastinal vein. Femora are light brown, while tibiae are brown in colour; legs are pubescent, fore tibiae are perforated on both sides; the tympanum on the external side is rather large, oval shaped; while on the inner side it is long, narrow and slit-like. Usually hind femur is longer than the hind tibiae; dorsally, base of hind tibiae with denticulation and armed with four pairs of subapical spurs, but without denticles in between subapical spurs. Dorsally, metatarsus is armed with two rows of small spines, 5 spines along the inner side and 8 spines along the outer side. Abdomen is dorsally brown and ventrally, with subgenital plate light brown in colour, while the cerci is brown.

Male genitalia. Supra anal and subgenital plates in Plate I as Figures (6, a & b). Genitalia well developed, sclerotized with different parts; dorsally large epiphallus with three distal processes, unpaired medial processes very long, 2/3 part of anterior epiphallus differentially shaped and remaining posterior part is V-shaped with curved pointed apical apices and paired lateral short processes with feebly pointed apices. Anterior margin of epiphallus with broad V-shaped sulcus in the middle and with a cluster of long setae on both sides (more or less laterally). Upper surface of epiphallus is with numerous setae. Lower side or ventrally, epiphallus presents a U-shaped sulcus, which can be observed almost in middle of epiphallus; besides, numerous setae can be noted and after 2/3 part, some outgrowth of epiphallus becomes visible and with slit-like processes in middle. As per our observation, in anterior epiphallus, the epiphallic apodemes are probably replaced by cluster of long setae and semi-transparent membrane, which is present in between ramus; lateral apices of the membrane almost reach up to the middle of ramus. Ramus, paired ribbon-like or rod-like, anterolateral projection of epiphallus often separated from it by small membranous area and feebly wide with blunt apices. Ventrally, genitalia possess a pair of ectoparameres and endoparameral apodeme, ectoparameres are covered by epiphallus, extending to 2/3 part of epiphallus, anterior part dilated and posterior part feebly narrowing; but after middle, slightly wide denticle-like processes can be seen with curved apical parts of ectoparameres. Endoparameral apodeme is long, H-shaped and separated by small membranous area. Virga is well developed, almost reaching anterior margin of epiphallus.

Female: Unknown

Measurements (mm) Male: Body length 14.0; head length 2.0, width 3.5; pronotum length 2.0, width 3.5; tegmina 15.5, width 6.0; hind femur 9.5, hind tibia 7.0.

Comparison. The new species differs from the already reported species of the subgenus Gryllitara in the following characters: body size, colour and some variations in tegmina that can be easily noted; especially, the number of oblique veins, mirror and apical field. The new species significantly differs in male genitalia characters, as already mentioned in male genitalia descriptions.

Etymology. the name of the new species is derived from the Latin word pilosa , referring to the upper and lower surface of the epiphallus with hairs.

Figures

PLATE I (a). Itara (Gryllitara) pilosa sp. nov. ♂ Holotype (1–9): 1. Habitus (a. outer, b. inner tympanum); 2. Lateral view (a. head & pronotum close-up), (b. frontal view close-up); 3. Head & pronotum dorsal view; 4. Tegmina, dorsal view (a. harp region, b. apical field); 5. Metanotal gland; 6. Genitalia (a. supra anal plate, b. subgenital plate).