Neopedies taimensis Matiotti da Costa, 2021

Costa, Maria Kátia Matiotti Da, Acosta, Riuler Corrêa, Timm, Vítor Falchi & Zefa, Edison, 2021, Neopedies taimensis n. sp. of Brazilian Dichroplini (Orthoptera: Acrididae, Melanoplinae) from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Zootaxa 5081 (4), pp. 483-504 : 485-492

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5081.4.2
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C81D5A33-9FE4-461C-98BF-1974852D015B
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5778818
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C21112-EF2F-FFE3-FF34-CA0728DF4856
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Neopedies taimensis Matiotti da Costa
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Neopedies taimensis Matiotti da Costa View in CoL , n. sp.

( Figs 1-5 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 , 7 View FIGURE 7 A-B)

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Estação Ecológica do Taim (Taim Ecological Station) where these grasshoppers were first sampled.

Diagnosis. (i) Distal region of the epiproct with distinct two protuberances and rounded apex; (ii) furculae developed and sclerotized arranged in an inverted V-shape; (iii) pallium lobes very developed and sclerotized; (iv) male cerci subquadragular enlarged in basal and apical region, extremities indented and sclerotized; (v) flat bridge and ancorae larger in size than of the anterior projections; (vi) lophi with median reentrancy very protruding, with distinct undulation in the basal region and sclerotized.

Description. Male Holotype ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 , 3A, 3C View FIGURE 3 , 4A, 4B, 4C View FIGURE 4 , 5A, 5B View FIGURE 5 , 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Body medium in size (14 mm length). Smooth integument. Micropterous. Head. Small, same level as the pronotum disk. Front oblique and marked. Antennae filiform, with 20 antennomeres surpassing the posterior margin of pronotum. Interocular space narrow ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Eyes globose, very developed, laterally salient and not exceeding the vertex ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ). Face little retreating. Frontal costa with sulci. Occiput smooth ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ). Fastigium of the vertex prominent with a uniform decline and not depressed between the eyes, subtriangular, shorter, with apex of vertex slightly rounded ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ).

Thorax. Pronotum cylindrical, posteriorly little dilated, without median and lateral carina ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ); metazona shorter than prozona; pronotum with sparsely marked transverse sulci; anterior and posterior edges with slight emargination; side lobes with both sides converging ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Prosternal tubercle acute. Mesosternal lobes not far apart, with rounded inner margin. Tegmen slender and short, spatuliform, with rounded apex, surpassing the first uromer ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Legs. Median and forelegs robust. Hind tibiae pubescent with 7 outer and 8 inner dorsal spines; genicular lobules with scarse development ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Abdomen. Tympanum large. Epiproct triangular ( Figs 4A, 4C View FIGURE 4 ), longer than wider with deep median sulci in apical portion and two conspicuous protuberances in the distal region; furculae highly developed and sclerotized arranged in an inverted V-shape. ( Figs 4A, 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Pallium internal lobes developed and sclerotized ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Cerci quadrangular, robust, curved, not exceeding the epiproct apex; enlarged in basal and apical region, extremities indented and sclerotized. ( Figs 4A, 4B, 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Subgenital plate cupuliform, short, curved up, apex rounded ( Fig.4C View FIGURE 4 ).

Phallic complex. Cingulum with long apodemes slender and parallel, arch developed ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ); aedeagus long with upper and lower valves of the same size, and median longitudinal sulci in the apical valves; sclerites of aedeagus covered by the wide and highly lobulated ectophallic sheath ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ). Epiphallus with flat bridge; ancorae larger in size than of the anterior projections; lophi median reentrancy very protruding, with distinct undulation in the basal region and sclerotized ( Fig. 5B View FIGURE 5 ).

Coloration: Body light brown ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 , 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Head and pronotum in lateral view bearing a well-marked longitudinal whitish strip slightly outlined in black, and in dorsal view two parallel thin whitish strips that run from the head to the end of abdomen. Antennae brown. Face, genae, basal half of the lateral lobes of the pronotum and meso and metapleura ivory ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ). Fastigium with black spots ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Occiput brown. Face, clypeus, and genae reddish; mandible and labrum light red; labial and maxillary palpi tipped with yellowish ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ). Pronotum dorsally with several punctures and brown dark spots ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Tegmen with brown veins and a narrow white band to the full extent of the dorsal portion of the wing ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 , 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Pleura with a spot whitish. Legs I, II and III olive green, tarsi I and II olive green and III light brown; tibia III with subtle shade of blue, genicular lunules light brown ( Figs 1A View FIGURE 1 , 2A View FIGURE 2 ). Thorax ventrally reddish. Lateral abdomen sclerites yellowed from the second segment until to the end of the abdomen. Abdominal tergites light brown in dorsal view, and lateral inferior portion yellowish of third to tenth segment, and brown 3 - 7 segments in superior portion. Dorsally with spots along the entire extension ( Fig.1A View FIGURE 1 ), and ventrally yellowish.

Female. Larger in size to male, robust (body length 18 mm) ( Figs 1B View FIGURE 1 , 2B View FIGURE 2 , 3B, 3D View FIGURE 3 , 4D, 4E, 4F View FIGURE 4 , 7B View FIGURE 7 ). Body ventrally reddish. Head, thorax and the first three dorsal segments of the abdomen green ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Head and lateral lobes of the pronotum with bands of the same color as the male, but bearing greenish spots in posterior edge of the lobes ( Figs 1B View FIGURE 1 , 2B View FIGURE 2 ); ivory dorsal stripes extend from eyes to abdomen; fastigium more prominent and wider than in males and brown color; eyes more prominent. Interocular space wider ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Face redder than the male ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ). Pronotum dorsally light green, with some brown spots ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ). Abdomen dorsally with numerous dark brown spot; lateral of the abdomen with a black spot between 1 - 8 segments. Metapleura with spot green. Ovipositor valves prominent and short in lateral view; cerci short and triangular ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ); epiproct triangular without sulci and carinae ( Fig. 4E View FIGURE 4 ); subgenital plate in ventral view with median projection developed in relation to the sides that are small and posterior edge slightly sclerotized ( Fig. 4F View FIGURE 4 ). Dorsal valves of the ovipositor robust and serrulated, and apical tooth of the external ventral valve of ovipositor prominent ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ) Apex of valves sclerotized ( Fig. 4D View FIGURE 4 ).

Habitat and Habits. Individuals of Neopedies taimensis n. sp. were collected mainly during the day, being active on bushes and grasses of the edge of the forest in more open places ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ) and with lower canopy cover usually between 10 am to 16 pm. The collected specimens were found, predominantly, in Baccharis articulate (Lam.) , belonging to family Asteraceae ( Fig. 7D View FIGURE 7 ). It is native to Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where it occurs in all physiographic regions ( Heiden et al. 2007), and is popularly known as “carqueja-doce”, “carqueja-miúda”, “carquejinha”. The records of the genus Neopedies are between the Araucaria, Chacoan, Monte, Pampean and Parana provinces, but Neopedies taimensis n. sp. is found only in the Pampean province ( Morrone 2001; 2006).

Measurements (mm): Males (n = 6): BL = 14.8 (13.8–14.8); PL = 3.2 (2.8–3.2); FL3 = 9.1 (9.1–9.5); TL = 3.0 (2.5–3.0). Females (n = 23): BL = 18.8 (17.7–18.8); PL = 4.0 (3.5–4.0); FL3 = 12.8 (11.2–12.8); TL = 4.0 (3.3–4.0).

Type material. Holotype ♂. BRAZIL: Rio Grande do Sul, municipality of Santa Vitória do Palmar , (32º32’13.65”S, 52º32’6.04”O), 18.iii.2021, Acosta, R. C. and Timm, V. F., leg., 6♂ and 23♀ ( MCTP) GoogleMaps . Holotype condition: genitalia were extracted and maintained in holotype’s tube.

Chromosomes ( Figs 6A–C View FIGURE 6 ). Diploid chromosome number of 2n=23, X0 ♂ /24, XX ♀; all chromosomes acrocentrics, grouped in two chromosome pairs large (L 1 –L 2), one pair medium large ( ML 3), six medium (M 4 –M9), and two small (S 10 –S 11) ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ); the X chromosome belongs to the M group, showing positive heteropycnosis until diplotene phase ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ). Metaphase I chiasmata position: L 1, proximal and subterminal; L 2, proximal and terminal; ML 3, proximal and terminal; M 4, intersticial; M 5, subterminal, M 6, intersticial/subterminal; M 7, subterminal/terminal; M 8, terminal; M 9, intersticial; S 10, intersticial; S 11, terminal ( Figs 6A, C View FIGURE 6 ).

Genus distribution. Brazil (Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná); Argentina (Chaco, Córdoba, Corrientes, Formosa, Buenos Aries, Tucumán, Salta, Santa Fé, Entre Rios, Catamarca, Misiones, La Pampa, San Luis, Neuquén, Victoria, Rio Negro); Paraguay (Paraguarí, Caaguazy, Central, San Pedro); Uruguay (Soriano, Maldonado, Salto, Colônia, Artigas, Paysandú, Rocha, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Lavalleja, Treinta y Tres, Florida ( Mesa (1956); Silveira-Guido et al. (1958); Mesa et al. (1982); Ronderos (1991); Lange (1992); Donato (2000); de Wysiecki, Sanchez & Ricci (2000); Lange & de Wysiecki (2005); Carbonell, Cigliano & Lange, (2006); Pocco, Damborsky & Cigliano (2010); Romero, Rosetti & Remis (2014); Monné (2018); et al. 2020; Cigliano et al. 2021) ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 , Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).