Rhaphidophora cylindra, Li & Bian, 2024

Li, Shan & Bian, Xun, 2024, Contribution to the Chinese subfamily Rhaphidophorinae Walker, 1869 (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) VII: New descriptions of Rhaphidophora from Yunnan and Guangxi, Zootaxa 5405 (2), pp. 246-264 : 249-252

Rhaphidophora cylindra sp. nov.

柱ẋẍDz

Figures 3–4

Description. Male. Body medium. Head and pronotum as other species of the genus. Fore coxae with 1 spine; femora with 1 short ventral spine on internal margin; tibiae with 1 internal and 2 external spines ventrally, apices with 1 pair of spines on ventral surface. Middle femora with 1 pair of apical spines on ventral surface; tibiae dorsally with 2 pairs of spines, ventral surface with 2 internal and 3 external spines, apices with 1 pair of spines on dorsal and ventral surfaces separately. Hind femora with 1 short ventral spine on internal margin; tibiae dorsally with 17–20 internal spines, 20–21 external spines and 1 pair of small subapical spines, apices with 1 pair of dorsal and 2 pairs of ventral spines; basitarsi with 3–5 small spines and 1 apical spine on dorsal surface along the midline ( Fig. 3F ).

Apex of abdomen curved downwards. Posterior margin of tenth abdominal faintly concave in middle. Epiproct longer than wide in apical view, middle area furrowed ( Fig. 3H ); lateral margins convex and then prolonged into a cylindrical process on each side, between the processes U-shaped ( Fig. 3H ), at subapical areas of the processes terminating into a short spine ( Fig. 3J ), directing forwards ( Fig. 3G ); ventral surface of the processes with transverse carina; the lateral margin of apical half terminating, apical area with 1 spine on each side ( Fig. 3L ), posterior margin arched. Paraprocts sclerotized, conical, prolonged into a spine, apical half incurved. Cerci slender, conical, apices acute. Subgenital plate wider than long, posterior margin almost straight; styli inserted on posterolateral area of the plate ( Fig. 3J ), apices obtuse.

Female. Tenth abdominal tergite concave in middle ( Fig. 4G ). Epiproct roughly triangular, dorsal surface concave with median furrow, posterior margin narrowly rounded ( Fig. 4G ). Cerci slender. Subgenital plate semioval, lateral margins terminating, posterior margin arched concave ( Fig. 4I ). Ovipositor about half as long as hind femora, moderately upcurved, apices acute; dorsal valvulae smooth, apical areas of ventral valvulae slightly serrate on ventral margins ( Fig. 4H ).

Coloration. Male body brown, female darker.

Measurements (mm). BL: ♂ 20.55–21.84, ♀ 20.64–23.10; PL: ♂ 6.65–6.75, ♀ 6.98–7.66; FFL: ♂ 7.20–8.40, ♀ 8.08–9.28; MFL: ♂ 7.80–8.02, ♀ 8.29–9.39; HFL: ♂ 17.08–18.47, ♀ 17.82–21.88; HBL: ♂ 3.07–3.43, ♀ 4.22–4.36; OvL: 8.51–9.08.

Material examined. Holotype: male, Tongbiguan, Yingjiang , Yunnan, August 20, 2023, coll. by Siyu Pang and Ting Luo . Paratypes: 1 male and 1 female, the other information as holotype; 1 female, Xima, Yingjiang , Yunnan, August 14, 2023, coll. by Weizong Yang .

Distribution. Yunnan (Yingjiang).

Discussion. The new species differs from other species of Rhaphidophora by middle area of male epiproct arched with 1 pair of short cylindrical processes ( Fig. 3H ), terminating into a spine at apical area ( Fig. 3J ), followed with 1 transverse carina on ventral surface, then constricted at subapical area, posterior margin with 1 spine on each side; male paraprocts strongly sclerotized, prolonged into spine, apices acute ( Fig. 3K ); posterior margin of female subgential plate with median notch ( Fig. 4I ).

Etymology. The name of the new species is given for the processes of male epiproct nearly cylindrical in dorsal view; from Greek word “ cylindr ”.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Rhaphidophora cylindra sp. nov. Male: A. head in frontal view; B, D. head and thoraces: B. dorsal view, D. lateral view; C. head and pronotum in dorsal view; E. apex of hind femur in external view; F. tarsus of hind leg in lateral view; G–L. apex of abdomen: G. lateral view, H. apical view, I. apical and slightly ventral view, J–K. apico-ventral view, L. ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Rhaphidophora cylindra sp. nov. Female: A. head in frontal view; B, D. head and thoraces: B. dorsal view, D. lateral view; C. head and pronotum in dorsal view; E. apex of hind femur in internal view; F. tarsus of hind leg in lateral view; G–H. apex of abdomen: G. dorsal view, H. lateral view; I. seventh abdominal sternite and subgenital plate in ventral view.