Elimaea (Neoelimaea) melanocantha (Walker, 1869)

Swaminathan, R., Nagar, Rajendra & Swaminathan, T., 2017, First description of the female Elimaea melanocantha (Walker, 1869) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) from India, Zootaxa 4243 (2), pp. 389-393 : 390-392

Elimaea (Neoelimaea) melanocantha (Walker, 1869) ( Fig. 1 Plate I)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:185271

Type species: Phaneroptera melanocantha Walker, 1869 ( Sri Lanka) Kirby, W.F. 1906. A Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera ( Orthoptera Saltatoria , Locustidae vel Acridiidae ) 2: 395; Uvarov. 1927, Spolia Zeylanica 14 (1): 94; Ingrisch 1998. Tijdschr. v. Entomologie 141(1): 69, note: probably subgen. Rhaebelimaea Elimaea (Rhaebelimaea) melanocantha ; Ingrisch & Shishodia 2000. Mitt. Münch. Ent. Ges. 90: 6, note: subgenus uncertain Elimaea melanocantha ; Gorochov 2009. Trudy Russk. Entomol. Obshch. 80(1): 109, Elimaea (Elimaea) melanocantha ; Gorochov 2013. Far Eastern Entomologist 266: 23, Elimaea (Neoelimaea) melanocantha ; Nagar, R. Swaminathan & Mal, 2015 Zootaxa, 4027(3):307, Elimaea (Neoelimaea) melanocantha .

Material examined. (2 ♀ Specimens) India: Kerala, Vagamon Heights (Idukki); 23.x.2015, Coll. R. Nagar (Elappara) ; 23.x.2015, Coll. R. Swaminathan. 9.6354o N Latitude, 76.9789o E Longitude and 1000 m above mean sea level.

Description. Female; pronotum dorsal view with broad V-shaped transverse sulcus; posterior margin rounded; paranota about as high as long, lateral margin rounded. Greatest width of tegmina wider than length of pronotum; radius sector branching about in middle of tegnima, rarely before middle. Tenth abdominal tergite with apex sub-truncate or slightly concave with a distinct puncture in middle; epiproct base half flattened suddenly narrowing apically apex straight slightly rounded; cerci base conical, moderately curved upward, slender, apex varying from acute to pointed and hairy; subgenital plate elongate, triangular, in general outline with a medial furrow obtuse with apex in middle subtruncate to slightly convex. Gonangulum of ovipositor with a short, obtuse, ventral projection. Ovipositor large, falcate, dorsal valve straight with upper valve apex rounded, serrulate rounded, ventral valve serrulate near apex; slightly larger than lower valve, apex acute. Anterior femur 7-9 spines on ventro internal margin; 6-7 spines on ventro external margin; anterior tibia dorso internal 0 spines; 4-5 spines on dorso external; 9-11 spines on ventro internal; 7-9 spines on ventro external with 4 spines apical. Middle femur without spines on ventro internal, 11-13 spines on ventro; external; tibia 13-15 spines on ventro internal, 15-16 spines ventro external, 7-8 spines on dorso external; 8-9 spines on dorso internal; and 4 spines apical. Hind femur 7-8 spines on ventro external, no spines on ventro internal; hind tibia 30-28 spines on dorso internal, 36-36 spines on dorso external; 17-18 spines on ventro internal; 27-28 spines ventro external and 6 spines apical.

Measurement(mm). Pronotum 4.80; Tegmina length 34.50; I Femur12.00; II Femur 14.50; III Femur 27.00; I Leg 28; II Leg 23.50; III leg 62.00; Ovipositor 6.00; Body up to genitalia; 24.00 Body up to wing 45.

Habitat. The katydids can be found in primary forests as well as secondary vegetation as shrubs and grasses. Often nocturnal, but are encountered during the day at rest on vegetation.

Colouration. Overall color light green with black spots on tegmina; antennal segments brownish with black; head: vertex with one white median stripe and two brown lateral stripes; fastigium verticis with apical margin whitish brown; a medium white large ocelli, genae along lateral margins with a yellowish with light brown stripe, clypeus with basal third white with apex light green, labrum with lateral and distal portion of labrum white-annulus-shaped, centre of compound eyes light dark brown. Pronotum with black spot, median carina white and lateral margins of disc white; anterior half of metazona yellowish with light green; lateral lobes with an approximately round brown spot, in basal part below dorsal margin, ventrally marginated by a brown stripe. Legs: basal portion of anterior and median femora light brown with black spot, all tibiae light brown with black spines. Tympana of anterior tibiae with outer portions brown, inner portion concolourous with transparent. Tegmina green, anterior margin reddish with aggregation of black dots mainly between radius and anal margin.

Discussion. Both the male and female individuals of the species Elimaea (Neoelimaea) melanocantha (Walker) were collected from the same plant at the same time. The species appears close to the Elimaea (Rhaebelimaea) transversa , Elimaea (Schizelimaea) trusmadi and Elimaea (Elimaea) securigera ; but, differs in the shape of cerci, subgenital plate, supra anal plate, gonangulum and the ovipositor. Females of the other co-existing species of Elimaea are morphologically different; Elimaea (Neoelimaea) melanocantha and Elimaea (Neoelimaea) nigrosignata share the similarity in the branching of tegminal radial sector, but differ in other characters such as the ovipositor, subgenital plate, supra anal plate and gonagulum.

Depositories. The male and female specimens are deposited in the Reference Chamber of the Insect Museum (Kushwaha Keet Sangrahalaya), Department of Entomology, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA .

Distribution. India: Kerala; Idukki, Vagamon Heights, Elappara.

PLATE-I. Elimaea melanocantha (Walker, 1869) Female 1–9: 1. Habitus; 2. Dorsal view of pronotum; 3. Lateral view of pronotum; 4. Supra anal plate; 5. Left cerci; 6. Ventral view of subgenital plate; 7. Fore femur; 8. Lateral view of ovipositor; 9. Sternum.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Elimaea melanocantha (Walker, 1869) Female 1 – 7: 1. Dorsal view of pronotum; 2. Lateral view of pronotum; 3. Lateral view of ovipositor; 4. Supra anal plate; 5. Left cerci; 6. Ventral view of subgenital plate; 7. Gonangulum.