Locustopsis? spectabilis Zeuner, 1942, 1906

GOROCHOV, ANDREI V. & CORAM, ROBERT A., 2023, New and little known taxa of the order Orthoptera (Insecta) from the Upper Triassic and Lower Jurassic of England, Palaeoentomology 6 (2), pp. 198-204 : 203

Locustopsis? spectabilis Zeuner, 1942

( Fig. 3 )

Material. Imprints LD/Orth 1 (part and counterparts), LD/Orth 4 (part and counterpart), LD/Orth 10 (part and counterpart), LD/Orth 18 (part and counterpart) and LD/ Orth 31 (part and counterpart) ( ZIN); diverse fragments of tegmina; Lower Jurassic, Sinemurian, Turneri Chronozone, Brooki Bed, Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, Dorset; collected by R. Coram.

Remarks. This species is distinctly larger than Plesioschwinzia sharovi sp. nov.; its tegmina, judging by these fragments, are possibly 21–28 mm in length. Zeuner (1942) wrote that the tegmen of the holotype of L. spectabilis is 27 mm in length, and this species from the Lower Jurassic of England is the “largest known species of Locustopsis ”. Later, the age of its type locality was indicated as “Upper Triassic”, and additional specimens from the English Lower Jurassic were considered and photographed ( Whalley, 1985: figs 26–28); the possible length of their tegmina was indicated as “ 22–29 mm ”. In the same paper, Orichalcum ornatum Whalley, 1985 was described as belonging to the suborder Ensifera , but judging by the photograph of its holotype ( Whalley, 1985: fig. 21), it may be a synonym of L. spectabilis , which has a very similar tegminal shape, venation and possible length (29–31 mm); however, this holotype is slightly different in having a more contrasted but similarly spotted coloration (which could be a preservation effect) and the crossvein between RS and 1MA1 looking almost like an additional branch of MA fused with RS (this very slight aberration was possibly a reason for inclusion of this tegmen in another suborder). Thus, our imprints may also belong to this species, but for correct determination, it is necessary to restudy the holotype of L. spectabilis which has an unusually short tegminal RS (which could be an aberration, an incorrect picture by Zeuner or signify a separate species) and more numerous branches (five instead of four; Fig. 3A ). Moreover, one of our specimens provides a good example of problems with color preservation: some dark spots remain only on one part ( Fig. 3B ), but others are seen only on its undoubted counterpart ( Fig. 3C ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Locustopsis?spectabilis Zeuner, 1942, tegmen, imprint LD/Orth 31, Dorset, Lower Jurassic. A, Reconstruction of venation. B, Photograph of imprint (part). C, Photograph of imprint (counterpart). Scale bar = 3 mm.