Zoniopoda serrana, Pocco, Martina E., Rubio, Gonzalo D. & Cigliano, Marta, 2011

Pocco, Martina E., Rubio, Gonzalo D. & Cigliano, Marta, 2011, A new species of Zoniopoda Stål (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Romaleidae) from Argentina and its phylogenetic position within the genus, Zootaxa 2913, pp. 27-37 : 28-33

Zoniopoda serrana , n. sp.

(Figs. 1A–D; 2A–I)

Holotype male (http:// orthoptera .speciesfile.org/Common/basic/ShowImage.aspx?TaxonNameID=78162&ImageID=72737) and allotype female, ARGENTINA: Córdoba, La Falda, Cerro La Banderita (31º 04’ 48.23’’ S, 64º 27’ 31.28’’ W), 1419 m, 07/03/2010, M. Pocco, G. Rubio & M. Rubio, MLPA. Paratypes: 2 males, 1 female, ARGENTINA: Córdoba, La Falda, Cerro La Banderita (31º 04’ 48.31’’ S, 64º 27’ 31.67’’ W), 1418 m, 06/02/2010, G. Rubio, MLPA; 4 males, 6 females, Córdoba, La Falda, Cerro La Banderita (31° 04' 48.45" S, 64° 27' 42.69" W), 1300 m, 07/03/ 2010, M. Pocco, G. Rubio & M. Rubio, MLPA; 8 males, 1 female, Córdoba, La Falda, Cerro La Banderita (31º 04’ 48.23’’ S, 64º 27’ 31.28’’ W), 1419 m, 07/03/2010, M. Pocco, G. Rubio & M. Rubio, MLPA.

Etymology. Serrana (Sp.) , hill, referring to the distribution area in the Sierras Chicas of Córdoba. The gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. Dorsal median carina of pronotum prominent, slightly granulate in lateral view, cut by deep transverse sulci ( Fig. 2B ). Male furculae set far apart and with rounded apex; epiproct with straight sides proximally and convergent at an obtuse angle distally ( Fig. 2C ). Body color greenish-yellow with light-blue (Figs. 1A–B, 2A); pronotal disk with wide yellow band along median dorsal carina and with two light greenish-yellow stripes along the lateral carinae; lateral lobes of pronotum with two yellow longitudinal bands along the middle area and the lower margin ( Fig. 2B ). Epiphallus with prominent subrectangular lophi (as seen from above) with oblique distal margin ( Figs. 2F–I ).

Description. Integument rugose, except on top and postocular areas of the head, and on legs (Figs. 1A, 2A). Dorsal median carina of pronotum high, slightly granulate in lateral view, cut by three deep transverse sulci ( Fig. 2B ). Prozona slightly longer than metazona. Male abdominal terminalia ( Fig. 2C ) with furculae set far apart and with rounded apex; epiproct with straight sides proximally, and convergent at an obtuse angle distally. Male phallic complex ( Figs. 2D–E ) as in the remaining species of Zoniopoda , only differing in the shape of the epiphallus. Epiphallus with prominent subrectangular lophi (as seen from above) with oblique distal margins ( Figs. 2F–I ).

Males: body color greenish-yellow with light-blue (Figs. 1A, 2A). Antennae black with yellow scape; each antennal segment with whitish distal end, in living specimens (Figs. 1A). Head greenish-yellow; antennal sockets, occiput and postgenae with spots of light-blue; fastigium, frontal costa and mouthparts with red markings. Pronotal disk light-blue with wide yellow band along median dorsal carina and two narrow light greenish-yellow stripes along lateral carinae; lateral lobes of pronotum with two yellow longitudinal bands, one along the middle area and the other one along the lower margin ( Fig. 2B ). Meso and metapleurae light-blue, with two oblique greenish yellow bands. Tegminae light-blue, with well marked yellow veins, especially the subcosta (SC), radius (R), second cubital (CuP) and anal veins. Hind wings with remigium greenish and vannus bluish. Fore and middle legs yellowish-green with red markings on coxae, tips of tibiae and tarsi; hind femora yellowish-green, outer face blue with light-blue pinnae, inner face with light-blue markings, rotular area pale red. Hind tibiae with inner face yellowishgreen and outer face greenish light-blue, tips of tibiae and tarsi bright red. Abdominal tergites light-blue, with an oblique yellow band near lateral edges. Terminalia ( Fig. 2C ): subgenital plate and cerci cream, furculae black, epiproct black with a median cream-colored band.

Females (Fig. 1B): similar to males, but more robust. Ovipositor valves of soil-laying type, cream colored, with the tips dark red.

Measurements. Body length: 34.5 mm (33–37) males, 45.6 mm (45–47) females; prozona length: 3.2 mm (2.95–3.42) males, 4.22 mm (3.95–4.41) females; metazona length: 3.05 mm (2.84–3.27) males; 4.2 mm (4.01– 4.48) females; hind femur length: 14.3 mm (13.5–15.5) males; 19.24 mm (18.5–20) females.

Relationships. Based on the characters of pronotum and body color Z. serrana is included in the Iheringi species group that was shown to be monophyletic in the cladistic analysis presented herein. From the species that constitute the Iheringi group, Z. serrana is readily differentiated from Z. similis Bruner , the most similar species, by the following characters: antennae black; dorsal median carina of pronotum prominent; epiproct with straight sides convergent distally at an obtuse angle; male furculae set far apart and with rounded apex; pronotum with a wide yellow band along median dorsal carina, two narrow light greenish-yellow stripes along lateral carinae and two yellow longitudinal bands on lateral lobes; epiphallus with prominent subrectangular lophi (as seen from above) with oblique distal margin. Table 1 illustrates the differences between these species.

The key! "# to the species of Zoniopoda based on Carbonell´s (2007) revision of the genus was modified and updated to include Z. serrana in the Orthoptera Species File online (http:// orthoptera .speciesfile.org/).

Distribution and habitat. The species is known from Cerro La Banderita, in the Sierras Chicas mountain range, La Falda, Córdoba, Argentina (Fig. 1C), where individuals were found only above 1300 meters of altitude (see http:// orthoptera .speciesfile.org/Common/editTaxon/Distribution/SpecimensMap.aspx?TaxonNameID=75173 geographic distribution of the species group in the Orthoptera Species File). The vegetation consisted of tall grasses and herbaceous dicots (Fig. 1D). Below the mentioned altitude and in the other mountaintops surveyed from Sierras Chicas mountain range, only specimens of Zoniopoda tarsata were found.

1. A, Z. serrana n. sp.; B, Z. serrana n. sp.; C, map; D, Z. serrana .

Cladistic analysis. A parsimony analysis of the data matrix (Appendix 2) resulted in one most parsimonious tree of length 56 (consistency index, 0.85; retention index, 0.80) ( Fig. 3 ). The analysis recovered Zoniopoda as a monophyletic group based on the following synapomorphies: union frons-fastigium angulated in lateral view (1:1) ( Fig. 4 G); anterior margin of pronotum slightly projected over occiput (5:1) ( Fig. 4 A); subgenital plate long with acute and bifurcate apex (11:1) ( Fig. 4 J), with the highest support values. Zoniopoda omnicolor was shown to be the most basal species of the genus with the remaining species grouped into a clade supported by one synapomorphy (6:2, median dorsal carina of pronotum low throughout). Within this clade two groups were recovered: the first comprising Z. tarsata , Z. danottei , Z. exilipes and Z. fissicauda united by the epiproct rhomboidal with rounded edges (12:2); and the second comprising Z. serrana and the species of the Iheringi species group ( Z. similis , Z. mimicula , Z. hempeli , Z. iheringi and Z. juncorum ), supported by four synapomorphies: median dorsal carina of pronotum granulated or denticulate in lateral view (7:1) ( Fig. 4 G); general coloration greenish, not mottled (19:1) ( Fig. 4 A); color pattern of hind tibiae without bands, greenish and tips bright red (21:1) ( Fig. 4 A); integument on metazona coarsely rugose, with upper parts of the rugae of same color (25:6) ( Fig. 4 A). Zoniopoda serrana was recovered as sister-group to the rest of the Iheringi group which it shares a single synapomorphy (20:1, color pattern of body and hind femora uniformly green). Within the Iheringi group two clades were depicted, related by two synapomorphies (21:2, color pattern of hind tibiae without bands, salmon, light red or reddish; 22:3, color pattern of pronotum without bands), one clade comprising the sister taxa Z. mimicula and Z. hempeli supported by one synapomorphy (18:3, lophi of epiphallus prominent, subrectangular with pointed edges) and the other clade comprising Z. iheringi and Z. juncorum united by the integument of the metazona tuberculate (25:5).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Most parsimonious tree of the genus Zoniopoda (length 56, consistency index = 0 85, retention index = 0 80) resulting from the cladistic analysis of the unordered morphological character dataset. Black circles indicate unique changes, and white circles indicate homoplasies. The numbers below the nodes are bootstrap support, and those above are Bremer support.

FIGURE 4. Some morphological characters used in the phylogenetic analysis are indicated with arrows. A – C, male habitus, lateral view: A, Z. serrana n. sp., B, D. cribratus, C, C. speciosa; D – I, male head and pronotum, dorsal and lateral views: D, G, Z. serrana, E, H, D. cribratus, F, I, C. speciosa; J – L, male abdominal terminalia, dorsal view: J, Z. serrana, K, D. cribratus, L, C. speciosa.

FIGURE 2. A – I, Z. serrana A, male habitus (scale bar = 1 cm); B, head and pronotum, lateral view; C, male abdominal terminalia, dorsal view; D, phallic complex without epiphallus, lateral view; E, phallic complex without epiphallus, dorsal view; F, H, epiphalus, frontal view; G, I, epiphalus, dorsal view.