Nocaracris judithae Ünal, 2016

Ünal, Mustafa, 2016, Pamphagidae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) from the Palaearctic Region: taxonomy, classification, keys to genera and a review of the tribe Nocarodeini I. Bolívar, Zootaxa 4206 (1), pp. 1-223 : 162-164

Nocaracris judithae Ünal , sp. nov.

( Figs. 71 , 353, 355 , 535 , 673–676 , 845 )

Type locality. Armenia: Zangezur, Mt. Kapudjich. Holotype: male (NHMUK).

Material examined. ARMENIA: Zangezur, Jaglu-dara , 10500 ft, 31.7.1929, 2♂, 6♀ ; Zangezur , Mont. Kapudjich, 10000 ft, 28.7.1929, 19♂ (including Holotype), 13♀ ; Zangezur, val. Araxis, Ali-dara , 15.7.1929, 2♀; NAKHICHEVAN : Nachičevan, Mont. Soiuch, 9000 ft, 21.6.1929, 3♂, 3♀ (all leg. A. Schelkovnikov) ( NHMUK).

Description. Male (Holotype): Body ( Figs. 673, 674 ) antennae relatively compressed laterally, large as for the genus. Fastigium of vertex narrow, elongated, depressed and sloping. Vertex between the eyes narrow, 1.2 times narrower than vertical diameter and 1.1 times wider than transversal diameter of eye; supraocular foveola semiclosed, variable in the other males; vertex distinctly convex in lateral view. Frontal ridge very broad, not narrowed below the median ocellus, its lateral carinae thick and blunt. Antennae with 12–13 segments. Pronotum ( Figs. 673, 674 ) slightly compressed laterally, with distinct lateral carinae; median carina thick and blunt, distinctly raised, with a wide longitudinal sulcus along its length; anterior margin convex, posterior margin straight in dorsal view; slightly convex in lateral view, in some males more convex. Prosternum slightly raised, pointed with a short, narrow triangular, almost spine-like projection. Mesosternal interspace very narrow, almost as wide as its length and much narrower than mesosternal lobes. Hind femur ( Fig. 673 ) 2.5 times longer than its height. Hind tibia with 9 inner, 10 outer spines. Abdominal tergites ( Figs. 673, 674 ) simple, median carina very slightly raised but never protruded posteriorly. Mesonotum, metanotum and first abdominal tergite with grooved median carinae. Tympanum very distinct, slightly larger than the neighbour stigmal area, or as wide as in some males. Phallus ( Figs. 71 a, b) short; posterior lobes of zygoma stout; arch of zygoma short and wide; tumida of zygoma large, ridge-like; apodemes narrow, with a distinct apical notch; pseudolophi ( Fig. 71 c) separated, located anterior wall of dorsal swelling, with 7–10 spines.

Female: Body ( Figs. 675, 676 ) as in male, but larger. Fastigium of vertex almost flat, in some females slightly depressed. Vertex between the eyes 1.2 times wider than vertical diameter and 1.5 times wider than transversal diameter of eye. Antenna, frontal ridge, vertex and fastigium as in male. Pronotum ( Figs. 355 , 675, 676 ) slightly compressed laterally with blunt lateral carinae; median carina raised, thick and blunt, with a wide longitudinal sulcus along its length; anterior margin distinctly, posterior margin slightly convex in dorsal view or straight in some females; pronotum straight in the middle part, both ends slightly convex, in some females convex along its length. Prosternum as in male. Mesosternal interspace 2.2 times wider than its length and much narrower than mesosternal lobes. Hind femur ( Fig. 675 ) very narrow, 2.7 times longer than its height, dorsal margin almost straight, slightly convex in some females, ventral margin clearly expanded, distinctly convex. Hind tibia with 8–9 inner, 10 outer spines. Abdominal tergites, mesonotum and metanotum as in male. Tympanum ( Figs. 353 , 535 ) always very distinct, as large as the neighbour stigmal area, slightly smaller in some females. Subgenital plate distinctly longer than wide.

Coloration. Male: Brown with black, reddish, yellowish, greyish-green stains and pattern. Dorsal surface of head greyish-green, ventral part of head cream. Fore and mid legs reddish. Typical light bands on paranota absent or weak; dorsal surface pronotal median carina cream, its both sides black, below parts of lateral carina black on anterior and posterior margins. Typical light band on abdomen distinct; lateral sides of abdomen dark brown. All sternites darkened with dark brown, only posterior half of abdominal sternites cream. Inner surface of hind femur reddish or brownish black (almost black). Hind tibia completely bright red including spines; inner side of its base blackened. Tarsus completely red. Female: Body greenish, yellowish-cream with black pattern. Head, pronotum and abdomen on greenish or yellowish ground with black spots and short stripes. Both sides of pronotal median carina, below area of lateral carinae on anterior and posterior margins black. All legs with weak red spots. All sternites strongly darkened with dark brown. Inner surface of hind femur black, dorsal margin body color, its base with small red stains; apex of genicular lobes and base of hind tibia with red stains; vetral surface of hind femur brown. Inner surface of hind tibia in proximal part dark bluish-green, slightly turning to red in apical half, outer sides of inner spines and outer spines red with black tips, in some females bluish-green predominant in apical half. Tarsus red.

Diagnosis. This new species is easily distinguished from the related species by the presence of a distinct tympanum (all the closely related species lack tympanum). It is most related to N. cyanipes (Motschulsky) by the body size, general shape of fastigium, the wide longitudinal sulcus of pronotum, prosternum, and hind femur. But it is clearly different by the narrower vertex (as wide as vertical diameter of eye in N. cyanipes ), the raised median carina of pronotum (distinctly less raised in N. cyanipes ), the presence of a large tympanum (tympanum absent in N. cyanipes ), more compressed body and pronotum laterally (strongly depressed dorso-ventrally in N. cyanipes ), the shape of phallus (phallus in different shape and longer in N. cyanipes ), the short and wide arch of zygoma (narrow and elongated in N. cyanipes ), longer and ridge-like tumida of zygoma (short and pointed in N. cyanipes ), the male hind tibia colors (black in N. cyanipes ) and the less sloping frons in female. All these differences are also available for N. curtus Mistshenko except the relatively sloping frons (female frons vertical in N. curtus ). It is also related to N. rubripes (Motschulsky) . But, the sloping fastigium (almost horizontal in N. rubripes ), distinctly convex vertex (straighter in N. rubripes ), more compressed body and pronotum laterally (distinctly depressed dorso-ventrally in N. rubripes ), the blunter and thick pronotal carinae (sharp and thin in N. rubripes ), the spine-like projection of prosternum (collar-shaped or slightly pointed triangularly in N. rubripes ), the narrower hind femur, the presence of a large tympanum (tympanum absent in N. rubripes ), the shape and shorter phallus, the short and wide arch of zygoma (slender and elongated in N. rubripes ), longer and ridge-like tumida of zygoma (short and pointed in N. rubripes ) are very different.

Measurements (mm). Holotype (male): body length 24.6; pronotum length 5.5; pronotum height 5.4; pronotum width anterior 5; pronotum width posterior 7.6; hind femur length 9.8; hind femur height 3.9. Paratypes: body length: male 20–25.7, female 46.4–54.1; pronotum length: male 4.8–5.8, female 7.5–8.6; pronotum height: male 5.2–5.8, female 8.5–9.3; pronotum width anterior: male 4.8–5.1, female 7–7.6; pronotum width posterior: male 6.5–7.7, female 10.4–11.7; hind femur length: male 9.6–10, female 11.8–14; hind femur height: male 3.4–4.2, female 4.3–4.9.

Etymology. This new species is named in honor of Dr. Judith Marshall (NHMUK London) for her contributions to the orthopteroid insects as well as her support during this study.

Remarks. The female abdomens were fully and strongly filled with cottonwool, therefore the abdomens were stretched to maximum length.

Figures

FIGURE 845. Distribution of the species of genus Nocaracris.

FIGURES 69 – 82. Male phallic complex. a phallus lateral, b phallus dorsal, c epiphallus, d phallus posterior view. 69 Nocaracris cejchani; 70 Nocaracris cyanipes; 71 Nocaracris judithae; 72 Nocaracris karadagi; 73 Nocaracris palandoken; 74 Nocaracris monticolus; 75 Nocaracris van; 76 Nocaracris karshitoros; 77 Nocaracris goektepe; 78 Nocaracris crassipes; 79 Turkanocaracris levigatus; 80 Turkanocaracris davisi; 81 Araxiana woronowi; 82 Nocarodes serricollis. Scales 1 mm (short scale for a, b, c; long scale for d).

FIGURES 344 – 374. Body parts. 344 – 353 tympanum, 344 Paranocarodes straubei, male; 345 ditto female; 346 Paranocarodes anatoliensis anatoliensis, male; 347 Paranocarodes chopardi, male; 348 ditto female; 349 Paranocarodes karabagi, female; 350 Nocaracris bodenheimeri, female without tympanum; 351 Nocaracris subrubratus, female without tympanum; 352 Nocaracris kosswigi, female; 353 Nocaracris judithae, female. 354 – 355 female abdominal tergites, 354 Paranocarodes karabagi; 355 Nocaracris judithae. 356 – 357 female vertex, 356 Neoparanothrotes borumandi; 357 Paranothrotes margaritae. 358 – 360 vertex dorsal view, 358 Pseudonothrotes levis, male; 359 ditto female; 360 Paranothrotes margaritae, female. 361 – 362 arolium of fore leg in male, 361 Eunothrotes dejugini; 362 Paranocarodes turkmen. 363 – 364 longitudinal sulcus of pronotum in male, 363 Paranothrotes gotvendicus, syntype; 364 Paranocarodes anatoliensis anatoliensis. 365 – 366 fastigium of vertex in female, 365 Paranothrotes siirt; 366 Paranocarodes turkmen. 367 – 370 head and pronotum, 367 Ebnerodes toelgi, male; 368 ditto female; 369 Paranocarodes straubei, male; 370 ditto female. 371 – 374 head and pronotum, dorso-lateral, 371 Turkanocaracris levigatus, male holotype; 372 ditto female paratype; 373 Nocarodes balachowskyi, male; 374 ditto female. Abbreviations: nsa: neighbour stigmal area, s: stigma, t: tympanum.

FIGURES 522 – 554. Body parts. 522 – 527 hind femur, 522 Nocaracris niethammeri, male; 523 ditto female; 524 Nocaracris crassipes, male holotype; 525 ditto female paratype; 526 Nocaracris subrubratus, male paratype; 527 Nocaracris karshitoros, female paratype. 528 – 531 pronotal carinae in female, 528 Nocaracris bicoloripes; 529 Nocaracris dilekensis, holotype; 530 Nocaracris bodenheimeri; 531 Nocaracris burri. 532 – 536 female tympanum, 532 Nocaracris tunceli, paratype; 533 Nocaracris kosswigi; 534 Nocaracris bodenheimeri, without tympanum; 535 Nocaracris judithae; 536 Nocaracris minutus. 537 – 540 longitudinal sulcus of pronotum in female, 537 Nocaracris bulgaricus; 538 Nocaracris furvus furvus; 539 Nocaracris kosswigi; 540 Nocaracris tunceli, paratype. 541 – 544 female tympanum, 541 Nocaracris furvus furvus; 542 Nocaracris furvus kazdagi, paratype; 543 Nocaracris bulgaricus; 544 Nocaracris istanbul, holotype, without tympanum (right side). 545 – 546 Nocaracris istanbul, female holotype, 545 prosternum; 546 fastigium of vertex; 547 – 548 Nocaracris bulgaricus, 547 prosternum; 548 fastigium of vertex. 549 – 552 prosternum, 549 Nocaracris furvus furvus, male; 550 ditto female; 551 Nocaracris furvus kazdagi, male paratype; 552 ditto female paratype. 553 – 554 male fastigium of vertex, 553 Nocaracris rimansonae, lectotype; 554 Nocaracris tunceli, holotype.

FIGURES 667 – 680. Habitus. 667 – 668 Nocaracris demirsoyi, 667 male; 668 female holotype. 669 – 670 Nocaracris cyanipes, 669 male; 670 female. 671 – 672 Nocaracris curtus, 671 male holotype; 672 female allotype. 673 – 676 Nocaracris judithae, 673 male holotype; 674 ditto dorsal; 675 female paratype; 676 ditto dorsal. 677 – 678 Nocaracris minutus, female holotype, 677 lateral view; 678 ditto dorsal. 679 – 680 Nocaracris karadagi, 679 male holotype; 680 female paratype.