Paraloxoblemmus angulifrons Chopard

Yang, Jeng-Tze, 2015, Revision of Paraloxoblemmus Karny (Orthoptera: Gryllidae; Gryllinae) with a new combination, Paraloxoblemmus longifrons (Chopard 1969), and lectotype designation for Paraloxoblemmus loxoblemmoides (Karny), Zootaxa 3914 (3), pp. 339-345 : 341-343

Paraloxoblemmus angulifrons Chopard

( Fig. 2 .)

Paraloxoblemmus angulifrons Chopard, 1951 . Rec. Zool. Bot. Africa 64 (4): p. 305–307. Paraloxoblemmus angulifrons Chopard, 1961 . Publ. Cult.Co. Diam. Angola 56: 37. Paraloxoblemmus angulifrons Chopard, 1967 . Orth. Cat. 10:131.

The following description translated from Chopard (1951). The author provides the photos of type in NHMLA.

This species is rather large in size. Coloration light brown, shiny. Head as wide as pronotum; occiput with 6 yellow short straight stripes, Frontorostrum very long, oblique ventrally, lateral margins straight, convergent, round at apex; a distinct ridge between vertex and rostrum. Face elongate, oblique, feebly concave in lateral aspect. Pronotum wider than long in mid line about 1.5:1, very slightly wider near apex than at base; anterior margin slightly concave, posterior margin straight, dorsal surface of disc feebly convex, glabrous, light brown, median furrow with yellow stripe; lateral tear-drop markings yellow, fine hairy, covered with brown dots; lateral lobes of pronotum with ventral margin straight, anterior angle rounded, dorsally half brown, ventrally half yellow.

Abdomen and cerci brown; subgenital plate large, apical portion with a small carina. Genitalia minute; epiphallus short, truncate at apex (in this respect it is similar to Gryllus domesticus ), ventral parts rounded, extremely short, not exceeding the epiphallus in length.

Legs brown, relatively short and robust, brown, covering with fine hairs. Fore tibia with large tympanum ovate in outer side, apex with 2 spines; tarsi short; metatarsus less than half the length of other segments, dorsal surface with 2 rows of spines. Middle legs similar to fore legs, longer than fore legs; middle tibia with 4 apical spurs. Hind tibia with long and strong spines, weakly movable, i/o= 7/8; ventral apical spurs very long; median spurs slightly longer than dorsal spur and reaching to half of metatarsus; armed with teeth i/o = 1/7, 2 apical spurs.

Tegmen reaching at abdominal segment V, round at apex; anal area very short; mirror oblique quadrate, with one short dividing vein; diagonal vein rather long, straight; chordal veins slightly curved inward, external pair parallel to one another; 2 oblique veins; apical portion very short, reduced to 2 rows of small cells. Wing absent.

Specimen examined. 1 male, Repub. Peop. Congo: Lae, Likouala R. Nov. 1981; H. A. Regustens. ( Fig 2 ) The specimen from Los Angeles County Museum was dissected for genitalic examination. ( Fig. 2 D).

Measurements (in mm): Body length: 26.0. Tegmen length: 10.0. Tegmen width: 10.0. Head length: 10.0. Head width: 6.0. Distance between antennae: 2.0. Distance between eyes: 2.5. Pronotum length: 11.0. Length of hind femora: 21.0. Width of hind femora: 5.0. Length of cerci: 20.0.

Karny (1907) measurements as follows (in mm): Body length: 25.0. Frontorostrum: 5.0. Pronotum length: 4.0. Hind femur: 12.8. Hind tibia: 10.0. Tegmen: 7.6.

This species seems to be related to Paraloxoblemmus loxoblemmoides Karny , from Sudan. It is different from in its larger size, frontorostrum much more rounded at apex and the tegmina shorter and more blunt. According to Karny (1907) the frontorostrum of Paraloxoblemmus loxoblemmoides is longer than this species (1.9–3.4 mm). Unfortunately, Karny (1907) did not note the condition of the hind tibia spur. Despite this, it seems to be related to Asiatic Loxoblemmus .

Distribution. AF/ Congo, Angola, Lulua River; Uganda.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Male of Paraloxoblemmus angulifrons Chopard deposited in NHMLA, A, dorsal view; B, lateral view; C, head anterior ventral view; D, male external genitalia dorsal view.