Mastigaphoides Weidner

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norihiro, 2015, Studies in Australian Katydids: A Review of the Australian Snub-nosed Sylvan katydids (Tettigoniidae; Pseudophyllinae; Simoderini), Zootaxa 3946 (1), pp. 1-54 : 34-35

Mastigaphoides Weidner

Broad-winged Snob-noses urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:5268

Type species: Mastigaphoides haffneri Weidner by original designation.

Mastigaphoides has been confused with Mastighapha for many years because the types of both genera had not been studied and their similarities and differences had not been assessed. There is no doubt about the association of these names now. Mastighapha is a synonym of Narea (see p. 26). Mastigaphoides comprises four species. All Mastigaphoides species live in rainforest understorey vegetation.

Mastigaphoides katydids have a very characteristic appearance and are easy to recognise. The resemblance of the tegmina to leaves is remarkable and probably conveys protection from predators. The katydids perch, during the day, exposed on leaf surfaces in a distinctive stance ( Fig. 1 ). After dark they are active and can be observed feeding and calling from shrubbery in the forest understory.

Differential diagnosis. Male/Female. In overall body shape Mastigaphoides species are easily recognised and should not be confused with any other Australian genus. Males are usually much smaller than the females and have a very well defined stridulatory area. The shape of the apex of the tegmen in both sexes is diagnostic. The armature of the pronotum is reduced and is little more than a series of crenulations or tubercles. In this respect Mastigaphoides resembles both Wattenwyliella and Lonchitophyllum species which are from Madagascar. In most other important characters, Mastigaphoides is very different from these genera.

General. Sexes strongly dimorphic in size ( Table 6 ). Body cylindrical, slender, wholly concealed by tegmina and wings; tegmina of both sexes quite similar; apex of tegmen surpassing apex of hind femur considerably at rest. Ovipositor falciform, heavy, unarmed, in length shorter than seen in other Australian simoderine genera.

Male. Head. Head not especially narrow when viewed from above, strongly slanting in lateral aspect; frons smooth, shining, a feeble straight carina extending from base of antenna near eye; clypeus swollen. Fastigium of frons absent, indicated only by median ocellus; fastigium of vertex rather poorly defined, with a longitudinal median sulcus, sides not modified. Eyes positioned high on head, round, moderately protruding ( Fig. 14A ) lateral ocelli absent. Antenna with scrobes prominent and extensive, forming an “A-shaped” carina extending to eye ( Fig. 14A, B ); scape cylindrical to weakly dorso-ventrally flattened, about 1.5–2.0 times length of pedicel and bearing a small tooth dorsally ( Fig. 14B ), pedicel relatively small compared to scape, only slightly larger than adjacent first segment of flagellum; flagellum thin, thread-like, more than twice the length of the individual when intact.

Thorax. Pronotum with surface flat to tumid and irregular, tuberculate and bearing 2 prominent transverse sulci (metanotum with surface irregular and with ill-defined sulci ( Fig. 14A )); anterior margin of disk truncate and unarmed, posterior margin evenly obtuse and unarmed. Thoracic auditory spiracle small, circular, not concealed by pronotum ( Fig. 14C ). Sternum with prosternum armed with a pair of elongate spikes, slightly divergent apically; mesosternum with a pair of narrow processes, not especially cup-like, apically acutely pointed ( Fig. 14E ); metasternum with a similar pair of processes, slightly larger.

Legs. Legs elongate, slender. Fore coxa armed with an elongate spine, fore femur laterally compressed, not carinate, armed ventrally on both margins with small spines, genicular lobes armed only on posterior margin with a small recurved tooth; fore tibia quadrate in outline, armed dorsally on posterior margin with a few small tooth-like spines in proximal one-quarter, only in females, males unarmed, both sexes with a series of setae on both anterior and posterior margins of dorsal surface, ventral surface with small spines on both margins, none apical in position; tympanum open and of similar size on each side. Middle femur laterally feebly compressed, dorsal surface faintly sulcate in apical half, ventral surface with a series of small spines or tooth-like spines on each margin; genicular lobes armed on both sides; middle tibia strongly laterally compressed and swollen basally, dorsal surface unarmed (males) or armed with a series of small spines, ventral surface armed on both sides with a small number of minute spines, apex with a larger spine on each side; margins armed on both surfaces with many minute setae. Hind femur elongate, laterally compressed basally, ventral surface armed on both margins (female) or only on outer margin (males); genicular lobes armed on both sides with a minute spine.

Wings. Tegmina reaching well beyond apex of abdomen in both sexes ( Figs. 1 , 18A, B , 14I ,), tegminal venation rather reduced ( Figs. 21 A–I); costal field expanded, costa and subcosta absent or poorly indicated. Veins R and M scarcely distinguished from one another, diverging apically; Rs and M absent; stridulatory vein short, swollen, prominent; right tegmen of male with large almost square mirror without internal venation. Apex of tegmen subtruncate or abruptly obtuse ( Figs. 21 A–I), a characteristic of the genus. Hind wing fan-like, well developed, suited for flight, extending to or slightly less than apex of tegmen.

Abdomen. Male. Tenth tergite straight, not produced or concave; supra-anal plate very elongate, narrow, apically acute, unarmed on sides (single exception M. lewisensis sp nov, which has no trace of a supra-anal plate ( Fig. 15G ); cercus elongate with a small apical tooth directed inwards; paraprocts armed with a small curved tooth directed internally; phallus without any sclerotised parts. Subgenital plate elongate ( Fig. 15H ), narrow, with median carina, apex without any trace of styli. Female. Much larger than male, fully winged, capable of flight. Tenth tergite with supra-anal plate very elongate, apically acute; subgenital plate triangular, with traces of a median carina. Ovipositor ( Figs. 14H , 17L ) falcate, much shorter than length of hind femur, unarmed.

Colour. Overall colour uniformly green. The tegmina may have dark or irregular light areas that appear as imperfections on leaves. These blotches may be not bilaterally symmetrical.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mastigaphoides vaginalis Rentz, Su, Ueshima, sp. nov., adult female.

FIGURE 21. Tegmina of Mastigaphoides species. A, M. haffneri, Mt Glorious, Qld., male. B, M. haffneri, male, Condong, NSW. C, M. lewisensis, Mt Lewis, Qld, female. D, M. lewisensis, holotype male. E, M. lewisensis paratopotype, female. F, M. vaginalis, holotype male. G, M. vaginalis, Kuranda, Qld, female. H, M. tuberculatus, Kuranda, Qld, male. I, M. tuberculatus, Fishery Falls, Qld., female.

FIGURE 14, A – I. Mastigaphoides haffneri Weidner. A, head, prnotum, Condong male. B, fastigium of vertex and head. C, lateral lobe of pronotum. D, base of tegmen, Condong male. E, sternum Condong male. F, tip of abdomen, Nat. Pk male. G, subgenital plate, Lansdown female. H, ovipositor. I, adult male, Mt Glorious, Qld.

FIGURE 18. A – D. Mastigaphoides tuberculatus Rentz, Su, Ueshima, sp. nov. A, adult female, Kuranda, Qld., G. Wilson photo. B, adult female abroad at night, Kuranda, Qld., G. Wilson photo. C, head and pronotum, Kuranda, Qld., D, samle locality, showing abdominal colours in life.

FIGURE 15, A – H. Mastigaphoides lewisensis Rentz, Su, Ueshima, sp. nov. A, fastigium of vertex and head, holotype male. B, pronotum, holotype male. C, lateral lobe pronotum, holotype male. D, sternum, holotype male. E, stridulatory region, holotype male. F, mirror region, holotype male. G, tip of abdomen, holotype male. H, subgenital plate, holotype male.

FIGURE 17, A – M. Mastigaphoides vaginalis Rentz, Su, Ueshima, sp. nov. A, head. B, fastigium of vertex and top of head. C, lateral lobes pronotum. D, dorsal view pronotum, holotype male. E, sternum, holotype male. F, stridulatory area, left tegmen, holotype male. G, stridulatory area, right tegmen, holotype male. H, tip of abdomen, paratype male, dorsal view. I, titillators, paratype male, dorsal view. J, supra-anal plate paratype female. K, subgenital plate, paratype female. L ovipositor, paratype female,. M, middle left fore femur, paratype female.