Latitatagraecia Rentz, Su and Ueshima, 2021

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norihiro, 2021, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: New short-winged Agraeciini from Australia (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae; Agraeciini), Zootaxa 5059 (2), pp. 1-72 : 23-24

Latitatagraecia Rentz, Su and Ueshima Gen. nov.

ANIC Number Gen. Nov L1

15 Named with reference to the concealed or hidden tendencies of members of the genus. Feminine gender.

16 Kalaamaya is an aboriginal region within the geographic range of this species.

Common name. Secretive katydids (or Dry-litter katydids)

Type species: Latitatagraecia kalamaya 16 Rentz, Su & Ueshima, gen. et sp. nov., here designated.

Latitatagraecia gen . nov. is proposed to accommodate two species of peculiar stout, robust small katydids that occur in the southern portion of the Eremaean Biological Province of Western Australia. These katydids live in woodlands, in the dry twigs and leaf litter under eucalypts. Some have even been found taking refuge during the day in the burnt scale depressions on the boles of large eucalypts. Trampling this habitat in many parts of inland Western Australia is bound to turn up these katydids.

Originally thought to be members of the Tettigoniinae , ( Figs 13A , 14A ) it was soon discovered that Latitatagraecia gen . nov. species were more akin to the Agraeciini than the Tettigoniinae . The reduced plantula of the hind tarsus, globular head and subfalcate ovipositor is more suggestive of an agraeciine than a tettigoniine. The overall gestalt of these little katydids is more agraeciine than tettigoniine. In addition, Latitatagraecia gen . nov. katydids are robust and have short limbs, and are dorso-ventrally flattened.

Generic characters. Male/Female. Size small for Agraeciini but average amongst macropterous species, form very robust. Hind tibiae oddly positioned horizontally when at rest, not at an acute angle with the femora as typical of most saltatorial Orthoptera . Male micropterous, female apterous. Head with fastigium of vertex relatively narrow, about 1/2—3/4 the width of antennal scape, peg-like, not conical; surface sulcate, although this may be indicated mostly by colour. Pronotum feebly rugose, shining, with 2 transverse sulci each continuing onto lateral lobe; lateral carinae absent, caudal quarter broadly “bent” laterally; lateral lobe longer than deep, ventral margin obtuse, not rimmed. Prosternum bearing a pair of relatively close-set spiniform processes; meso- and metasterna each bituberculate. Thoracic auditory structure small, oval, not in any way concealed by pronotum. Fore coxa armed with an elongate spine. Fore and middle legs short, middle tibia swollen proximally. Tarsal claws of normal length. Fore tibia unarmed on dorsal surface, ventral surface with 5 short, straight spines on both margins. Middle tibia armed dorsally with a single spine on posterior margin, positioned proximally; ventral surface with 5 spines on both margin, these distally much small than those proximally. Hind femur very thickened basally, ventral surface armed on internal margin; tibia armed ventrally with a small number of scattered spines, apex with 2 spurs; dorsal surface with a large number of stout spines on both margins, apex with 2 spurs. Genicular lobes of fore and middle femora unarmed; hind femur armed on internal lobe with a minute spine. Plantula of hind tarsus rounded, ovate, two-thirds the length of metatarsus. Genicular lobes of fore femora unarmed; middle and hind femora armed on both sides. Male tegmina exposed for a distance of about half the length of the pronotum, apically emarginate, venation reduced; stridulatory vein wholly concealed by pronotum. Abdominal tergites normal, not modified medially; tenth tergite soft, membranous medially, this portion pilose. Male subgenital plate normal, styli normal, not especially modified. Male cercus robust, produced internally, gradually decurved. Titillators weakly sclerotised, if at all. Female subgenital plate longer than broad, apically acute or with a shallow median incision. Ovipositor short, stout, sub-falcate, weakly upcurved, not serrate or tuberculate.

General overall colouration of straw brown or black, legs straw brown or yellowish. Antenna dark brown, not annulate. Eye uniformly grey, not striped. Femora speckled, tibiae and tarsi concolorous, irregularly mottled. Outer pagina of hind femur with or without a stripe, depending upon the species, somewhat darkened basally.

Figures

FIG. 13. Latitatagraecia kalamaya. A. Holotype male. B. Holotype male, tip of abdomen. C. Female abdomen, subgenital plate, ventral view. D. Male subgenital plate, internal view. E. Male, left cercus, internal view with bridging sclerite. F. Male, left cercus, dorsal view. G. Male, left cercus, ventral view with bridging sclerite. H. Phallic complex. Note faint shagreening of median lobe. I. Egg. scale = 0.01 mm. J. Egg showing micropyles. Scale = 0.01 mm.

FIG. 14. Latitatagraecia vulgivaga. A. Adult male. B. Adult female in leaf litter. C. Male, tip of abdomen, left cercus removed. D. Male, thorax. E. Male tegmen, dorsal view. F. Male tegmen, ventral view showing stridulatory file. G. Male subgenital plate, ventral view. H. Male cercus, dorsal view. I. Male cercus, ventral view. J. Male cercus, ventral view, skewed aspect. K. Phallic complex. Note faint sclerotisation along basal portion.