Velarifictorus temburongensis, Tan & Ingrisch & Wahab, 2017

Tan, Ming Kai, Ingrisch, Sigfrid & Wahab, Rodzay Bin Haji Abdul, 2017, First Velarifictorus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae, Gryllinae) cricket described from Borneo (Southeast Asia) and notes on a co-occurring congener, Zootaxa 4282 (2), pp. 374-384 : 375-379

Velarifictorus temburongensis , new species Tan, Ingrisch & Wahab

( Figs. 1 , 2 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org: TaxonName:497539 Material examined. Holotype (male): Brunei Darussalam, Ulu Temburong National Park, junction of Sungai Belalong and Sungai Temburong, primary forest, along bank of river, N4.55294, E115.15639, 60.6 ± 6.6 m, 25 September 2016, 2020 hours, coll. M. K. Tan (KB.16.39) ( IBER).

Paratypes: 1 male (KB.16.40), same data as holotype ; 2 females (KB.17.12, 16) and 2 males (KB.17.18, 20), same locality as type specimens, 6 January 2017, 1900 to 2000 hours, coll. M. K. Tan ( ZRC) .

Diagnosis. This new species differs from all known species by the combination of these characters: (1) Ocelli whitish; with a thick whitish band between lateral ocelli extending to below median ocellus, triangular when viewed anteriorly. (2) Epiphallus bridge with anterior margin emarginated in middle; medial process short (shorter than the medial lobe of epiphallus) and narrow, truncated at apex and slightly emarginated in middle, with short fine hairs; medial lobes of epiphallus situated lateral, conical with apex obtuse and provided with long hairs. (3) Medial parameres of epiphallus large, surpassing the medial lobes (and the apical hairs), posteriorly slightly sinuous and tapering towards obtuse apex (not hooked apically).

Comparison with other species. The new species is similar to V. minoculus Ingrisch, 1998 and V. modicoides Ingrisch, 1998 from Thailand, V. grylloides ( Chopard, 1969) from India, and V. micado (Saussure, 1877) by the shape of the epiphallus bridge and by the apodemes of epiphallus tapering to an obtuse apex without hook. It differs from V. minoculus by the anterior margin of the epiphallus bridge being emarginated, by the narrower medial process of the epiphallus bridge and by the apodemes of epiphallus curving inwards anteriorly instead of being straight. It differs from V. modicoides by the anterior margin of the epiphallus bridge being emarginated, the medial process of epiphallus more distinctly elongate and the medial parameres of epiphallus being slightly sinuous behind instead of curved inwards. It differs from V. grylloides by a stouter genitalia structure, the epiphallus bridge has the anterior margin emarginated and the medial process broader, and the apodemes of epiphallus are curved inwards anteriorly instead of being straight. It also differs from V. micado by the medial process of the epiphallus bridge being slightly emarginated but not distinctly incised.

Comparison with sympatric species. The new species is found to coexist with Velarifictorus (Velarifictorus) aspersus aspersus (Walker, 1869) but differs by a smaller habitus; the thick whitish patch between the lateral ocelli that extends to below the median ocellus, being triangular when viewed from front, while in V. aspersus there is a distinct band between the lateral ocelli not connected to the white spot around the median ocellus. Most significant are the differences in the shapes of the male genitalia.

Description. Habitus typical for the genus. General shape rather stout. Head rounded ( Figs. 1 A, 1B). Fastigium verticis and fastigium frontis fused, forming a frontal rostrum ( Fig. 1 A). Ocelli placed in a triangle with medial ocellus at top of frontal rostrum ( Fig. 1 A). Frons below medial ocellus with a feeble subtriangular groove which includes a slight swelling in middle above clypeo-frontal suture ( Fig. 1 A). Frons in lateral view sloping from top of frontal rostrum to clypeo-frontal suture, and here cut by a furrow ( Fig. 1 C). Mandibles with lateral margins convex, substraight or concave, but always convex towards apex. Maxillary palps slender, apical (fifth) segment longest, followed by third and then fourth (subapical) segments; basal (first) and second segments stout ( Fig. 1 C). Pronotum with subparallel lateral margins ( Fig. 1 B). Legs rather short and pubescent, some hairs thicker and spinelike; first and second tarsal segments with stout hairs arranged in rows ventrally. Anterior tibia with two outer apical spines and one inner apical spine; with a large, oval, external tympanum, internal tympanum absent. Mid tibia with two outer and two inner apical spines; dorsal ones much shorter than ventral ones. Posterior femur strongly dilated, slightly narrowing towards apex. Posterior tibia with 5 inner and 6 outer subapical spurs; 3 inner and 2 outer apical spurs, dorsal ones longer than ventral ones. Posterior tarsus with 5–6 dorsal spines arranged in two rows. Tegmen fully developed, not completely covering abdomen, reaching apex of 8th abdominal tergite; stridulatory apparatus always functional ( Fig. 1 D). Hind wings caudate. Stridulatory area of tegmen with 2 sinuous oblique veins (=harp veins) and 2 broadly rounded cord veins (Cu1 and 1A); mirror about as broad as long, separated completely by a broadly angulated dividing vein. Lateral field of tegmen with 6 longitudinal veins ( Fig. 1 D).

Male. Tenth abdominal tergite and epiproct fused to a form supra-anal plate; plate distinctly longer than broad, basal half with a medial longitudinal furrow, tapering slightly into truncated (to very broadly rounded) apex. Phallus ( Fig. 1 E–1H): Epiphallus bridge-shaped, anterior margin broad triangularly emarginated, with a medial process on posterior margin; this process short (shorter than medial lobe of epiphallus) and narrow, truncated at apex and slightly emarginated in middle, with short fine hairs; medial lobes of epiphallus situated lateral, conical with apex obtuse and provided with long hairs. Medial parameres of epiphallus large, surpassing medial lobes (and apical hairs), posteriorly slightly sinuous and tapering into obtuse apex (not hooked apically), anteriorly divided into a very narrow medial and a wider lateral lobe; the former slender but slightly broader in middle, curved inwards at anterior end and extended posteriorly; the latter broad and more bulbous at posterior third and narrower with parallel margins at anterior two thirds, anterior margin truncated and forming a short external lobe, articulating with apodemes of ectophallus. Apodemes of epiphallus elongated, far surpassing anterior margin of medial parameres of epiphallus, compressed, elongated triangular, curving inwards anteriorly, tapering to rounded apex. Rami elongate, compressed. Apodemes of ectophallus band-shaped, cranial apices recurved, subfused and forming together broad and fairly narrow ectophallic arch.

Female. Tegmen reaching posterior end of third abdominal tergite or anterior end of fourth abdominal tergite ( Fig. 2 A); lateral field with 6–7 longitudinal veins, with dorsal two veins most prominent and branching towards tip ( Fig. 2 B); dorsal field with 8–9 longitudinal veins ( Fig. 2 A). Supra-anal plate longer than broad; basal twothirds flattened with hairs on both side of a longitudinal furrow, apical third broadly rounded, with long setae along margin ( Fig. 2 C). Ovipositor with dorsal valves projecting posteriorly into acute apex, ventral valves curved dorsad into acute apex; margin of apical valves smooth ( Fig. 2 D).

Colouration: Head dark castaneous to blackish brown; ocelli whitish; with a thick whitish patch between lateral ocelli that extend to below the median ocellus, triangular when viewed anteriorly ( Fig. 1 A). Vertex behind compound eyes with 5 brown bands, middle band broken up, next lateral bands broadest, most lateral bands slender, broken obliquely at apical third ( Figs. 1 B, 2A). Genae blackish brown. Mouth parts medium brown to castaneous; clypeus dark brown with ventral margins and a medial band often whitish; mandibles brown; palpi whitish. Pronotum dark brown, disc with anterior half mostly dark brown, posterior half white with dark brown spots of different size ( Figs. 1 B, 2A); paranota with black margins, ventral half mostly white ( Figs. 1 C, 2B). Tegmen transparent; lateral area translucent, a band along humeral angle blackish; dorsal area dark brown with a translucent band along humeral angle. Abdominal tergites blackish brown, with light pattern; sternites light brown. Cerci light brown with dense dark brown fine hairs. Legs light to medium brown with dark brown spots; tibiae with ventral surface dark brown. Anterior and middle tibiae with dark band at base. Postfemur striated, but often anterior half uniformly whitish, knee reddish brown; posterior tibia varying from light to dark spots, with spurs dark at base and apex.

Measurements. See Table 1.

Etymology. The new species is named after the type locality, Ulu Temburong National Park. Given that the specimens were collected from the junction of Sungai Temburong and Sungai Belalong, it is likely that this species can be found along both rivers.

Habitat. V. temburongensis tends to be found near river banks, among short grasses and herbaceous plants.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Uelarifictorus temburongensis sp. nov. male: head in frontal view (A), head and pronotum in dorsal view (B), anterior half of habitus in profile (C), tegmen in dorsal view (D), male phallic complex in dorsal (E, F), ventral (G) and lateral (H) views. Scale bars: 1 mm (A), 2 mm (B – D).

FIGURE 2. Uelarifictorus temburongensis sp. nov. female: anterior half of habitus in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views, abdominal apex in dorsal view (C), ovipositor in profile (D). Scale bars: 2 mm (A, B), 1 mm (C, D).