Papucera dentata, Ingrisch, 2023

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2023, New and little-known genera and species of Agraeciini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) from New Guinea, Zootaxa 5249 (2), pp. 190-212 : 197-199

Papucera dentata sp. nov.

Fig. 4

Holotype: Papua New Guinea: East Sepik, Schraderberg , elev. 2100 m (-4.883333, 144.216667), 22.–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers KAE 340—depository: Berlin ( ZMB; B56M025 ).

Other specimens studied (Paratypes): Papua New Guinea: East Sepik, Schraderberg , elev. 2100 m (-4.883333, 144.216667), 22–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 344)— 4 females, 4 males ( ZMB) ; same locality, 22.–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 340)— 4 females, 4 males ( ZMB) ; same locality, 22.–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 339)— 2 females, 1 male ( ZMB) ; same locality, 22.–31.v.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 341)— 3 females, 2 males ( ZMB) ; same locality, 1.–4.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 343)— 1 female, 2 males ( ZMB) ; same locality, 1.–5.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 356)— 3 males ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5.–13.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 351)— 1 female ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5.–13.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 356)— 9 females, 6 males ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5.–6.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 350)— 1 female ( ZMB) ; same locality, 5–13.vi.1913, coll. Bürgers (KAE 350)— 2 males ( ZMB) ; no locality given, probably Schraderberg , coll. Bürgers ( KAE)— 2 males ( ZMB) .

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Papucera smaragdifrons ( Naskrecki & Rentz 2010) . It differs by the shape and number of internal projections of the male cercus that has a compressed apical projection with obtuse end and a short, rounded lobe in about mid-length in the new species, while in P. smaragdifrons the cercus has a single conical and acute projection at end. The stridulatory file of P. dentata is provided with 45 countable teeth plus a few tiny, narrow teeth in apical area, while with 90 teeth in P. smaragdifrons . The lateral projections of the male titillators in the new species are more pronounced than in the latter species, and the female subgenital plate is provided with large lateral projections in P. dentata but with only small lateral lobes near base in P. smaragdifrons .

Description. Medium sized species. Prosternum smooth, spines absent or indicated as minute tubercles. Pronotum prolonged, with vaulted apical area that is covering stridulatory area of tegmen in male; lateral lobes narrow with a small projecting ventral lobe little behind mid-length in male, distinctly behind mid-length in female. Without prosternal spines. Mesosternal lobes conical, short spinose; metasternal lobes rounded. Hind femur only on anterior (external) margin with spines; hind knees with a single apical spine on both sides. Femora with the following number of spines on ventral margins: fore femur 3–6 anterior, 3–6 posterior; mid femur 4–6 anterior, 1–3 posterior near base; hind femur 4–8 anterior over the whole length, without posterior spines. Hind knee lobes with one spine on both sides.

Coloration. Museum specimens studied of rather uniform light brown color ( Figs 4B, J ); face of light color; tip of head including fastigium verticis and fastigium frontis, antennal scrobae, scapus and pedicellus black ( Fig. 4C ). Rim of lateral lobes of pronotum in anterior and central areas black or dark brown (rarely only indicated), anterior margin in middle darkened or of light color, hind margin of general color. Genicular area between femur and tibiae, and penultimate tarsal segment blackish. The extension of dark color varies between specimens.

Male. Pronotum lateral lobes with ventral expansion slightly bilobate with anterior lobe flat, followed by a depression, afterward swollen. Left tegmen with moderately large mirror with straight anterior and rounded posterior margin, and next to it with a prolonged, narrow, and little curved transparent lateral window ( Fig. 4D ); stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen total length including reduced uncountable teeth at end 1.73 mm long; area with countable teeth including small teeth at beginning and end 1.35 mm long with 50 teeth; area with large teeth including those at apical step 1.22 mm long with 43 teeth; area with large teeth without apical step 1, 13 mm with 37 teeth ( Fig. 4A ). Tenth abdominal tergite with a moderately large rounded excision from apical margin ( Fig. 4E ). Cerci rather narrow, only slightly conical, from internal sub-apical area with a dorso-ventrally compressed and little wavy internal projection with obtuse end, and in around mid-length with a short, rounded and compressed internal lobe ( Fig. 4F ). Titillators in basal, central area narrow and curved outward; apical area widened, near base of apical area with a compressed and little curved projection with sclerotized and darkened margin; this structure is in top view triangular with curved margins; behind that projection lateral margin provided with 2–3 separate transverse teeth, afterward lateral margin projecting in an acute angle ( Figs. 4H–I ).

Female. Pronotum shorter than in male; lateral lobes narrow; ventral-apical angle in sub-apical area of lateral lobes ( Fig. 4J ). Subgenital plate with central area triangular with a median furrow accompanied by projecting rims; end of plate divided into a pair of short triangular lobes with obtuse tips; from lateral margins of basal area of plate, on both sides, with a large projection with recurved lateral margins that are stiffened and thickened at end, thus forming oval auricular projections open at internal margin ( Fig. 4K ). Ovipositor only moderately curved, in about apical half narrowing to acute tip.

Measurements (27 males, 25 females).—body w/o wings: male 20–33, female 22–26; pronotum: male 7.0–9.0, female 6.0–8.2; tegmen: male 3.0–4.5, female 2–3; hind femur: male 12.0–13.5, female 12–14; ovipositor: female 10.0– 11.5 mm; antenna if not broken male 50–70, female 45–65 mm long.

Etymology. The name of the new species refers to the teeth along the lateral margin of the male titillators.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Papucera dentata sp. nov.: A–I, male holotype: A, stridulatory file; B, habitus dorsal view; C, face and thoracic sternites; D, tegmen; E, abdominal apex with tenth tergite, cerci and subgenital plate; F, cercus in ventral view; G, abdominal apex with phallus partly extracted; H–I, titillators in ventral (H) and apical view (I).—J–K, female: J, habitus lateral view; K, subgenital plate.—Scales 10 mm (B, J), 5 mm (C), 1 mm (A, D–I, K).—Abbreviations: 10t tenth abdominal tergite, ce cercus, ph phallus, sg subgenital plate, st stylus, ti titillators; ap auricular projection, cp central plate, ls lateral sclerite, mf medial furrow.