Scytocera smaragdifrons, Naskrecki, Piotr & Rentz, David C. F., 2010

Naskrecki, Piotr & Rentz, David C. F., 2010, Studies in the orthopteran fauna of Melanesia: New katydids of the tribe Agraeciini from Papua New Guinea (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae), Zootaxa 2664, pp. 1-35 : 22-24

Scytocera smaragdifrons n. sp.

( Figs. 9 A–I)

Type locality. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Eastern Highlands Prov., Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park, nr. IBR shelter huts (6°0'51.8''S, 145°24'46.9''E), 2311 m, 30.iv.– 1.v.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki—male holotype ( ANSP)

Differential diagnosis. This new species is similar to S. loriae Griffini , from which it differs in the development of wings (fully developed in M. loriae , strongly reduced in the new species), and the shape of the ovipositor, which is strongly curved and distinctly widened in the middle in S. loriae , but only weakly curved and evenly tapered in the in the new species. From other species currently assigned to Scytocera this new species differs in the shape of the male cercus ( Fig. 9 F). According to Ingrisch (19998) S. loriae (and thus likely S. smaragdifrons as well) should be transferred to a separate genus once the genus Scytocera is properly revised.

General. Body cylindrical, small, slender; brachypterous ( Fig. 9 A).

Head. Frons convex, strongly oblique, smooth; lateral carinae absent ( Fig. 9 B). Fastigium of frons fused with fastigium of vertex, with only shallow notch indicating transition between them; fastigium of vertex triangular, very narrow, only as wide as 1/6–1/5 of scapus, shorter than half of scapus. Eyes nearly circular, weakly protruding; median ocellus reduced, indicated only by lighter spot; lateral ocelli absent; antennae more than twice as long as body.

Thorax. Pronotum surface smooth; anterior margin of pronotum straight to weakly concave ( Fig. 9 H), flat; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded; lateral lobe 3.5 times as long as high; humeral sinus of pronotum absent ( Fig. 9 I); marginal fold of pronotum very narrow, smooth. Thoracic auditory spiracle small, circular, only partially hidden under pronotum. Sternum flat, unarmed.

Legs. Legs slender; front femur armed on both margins, spines on posterior margin minute; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed; front tibia with 6–7 spines on posterior and 9–10 on anterior ventral margin. Mid femur with 5–6 spines on anterior ventral margin only; genicular lobes of mid femur unarmed. Hind femur armed on anterior (outer) margin only; genicular lobes of hind femur armed with single small spine on both sides; hind tibia armed on both dorsal and ventral margins.

Wings. Tegmen reduced, barely reaching posterior margin of 2nd abdominal tergite, partially covered by metazona of pronotum; apex narrowly rounded; anterior margin rounded, with costal field well-developed, slightly enlarged at base ( Fig. 9 G). Tegminal venation reduced; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length; mirror roughly rectangular. Stridulatory file weakly bent, 1.3 mm long, 0.1 mm wide, with 90 teeth. Hind wing strongly reduced, slightly shorter than tegmen. Female tegmina barely reaching posterior margin of 2nd abdominal tergite, overlapping ( Fig. 9 A).

Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified. Cercus bent inwards in apical third; straight when seen from side; apex tapered, sharp ( Fig. 9 F). Epiproct small and rounded; paraprocts modified into small, hook-like structures pointing upwards ( Fig. 9 C). Phallus with weakly developed, paired, slender titillators and dorsal surface covered with dense, minute setation ( Fig. 9 D). Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, with deep, triangular incision; styli cylindrical, about twice as long as wide; female subgenital plate broadly rectangular, with deep, triangular apical incision, posterior lobes acute ( Fig. 9 E).

Ovipositor. Ovipositor about as long as hind femur (ratio femur/ovipositor 0.90–1.08); slightly curved, evenly tapering towards apex; apex with both valvulae smooth, pointed ( Fig. 9 J).

Coloration. Coloration light brown to olive green ( Fig. 9 A); face emerald green (in live individuals, pale in preserved ones), with dark, vertical stripes ( Fig. 9 B); antennal scapus mostly black, antennae concolorous, light brown. Pronotum without markings. Femora without distinct markings, mid- and hind tibia emerald green; abdominal terga light brown, without markings; subgenital plate without markings.

Measurements (4 males, 6 females). body w/wings: male 17–19 (18±1), female 21.5–27 (25.1±2.1); pronotum: male 6–6.8 (6.5±.3), female 5–5.1 (5±0); tegmen: male 4.2–5 (4.6±.4), female 4–4.5 (4.1±.2); hind femur: male 8.2–9.5 (8.7±.7), female 9–10 (9.4±.5); ovipositor: 9–10 (9.5±.4) mm.

Material examined (11 specimens). Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands Prov., Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park, nr. IBR shelter huts, elev. 2311 m (6°0'51.8''S, 145°24'46.9''E), 30.iv.–1.v.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki— 7 females, 4 males (incl. holotype, 10 paratypes) ( ANSP, MCZ).

Etymology. Named in reference to distinct emerald-green coloration present on the head of this new species.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Scytocera smaragdifrons n. sp.: A. paratype female; B. face; C. male paraprocts; D. titillators; E. female subgenital plate; F. male cercus, dorsal view; G. male left tegmen; H. male head and pronotum, dorsal view; I. ditto, lateral view; J. ovipositor.