Brinckiella mauerbergerorum, Naskrecki, Piotr & Bazelet, Corinna S., 2009

Naskrecki, Piotr & Bazelet, Corinna S., 2009, A species radiation among South African flightless spring katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Brinckiella Chopard), Zootaxa 2056, pp. 46-62 : 53-57

Brinckiella mauerbergerorum n. sp.

( Figs. 1 A–B, K; 2A–B, 3A, E; 4C–E)

Type locality. Republic of South Africa: Northern Cape, 10.8 km SE of Port Nolloth, on Rt. R382 (29°17'7.8''S, 16°58'37.7''E), 116 m, 27.ix.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet - male holotype ( SAMC)

Diagnostic description (male, except where specified) – General characteristics as for the genus, diagnostic characters listed below. This species is similar to B. karooensis in the presence of minute denticles on the phallus, but differs from this and other species within the genus in the unique shape of the male cercus ( Fig. 3 E) and the female subgenital plate ( Fig. 2 A.)

Thorax. Lateral lobe of pronotum about twice as long as high; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded ( Fig. 1 A.)

Legs. Genicular lobes of front femur armed with two small spines on both sides. Mid femur unarmed ventrally, genicular lobes of mid femur armed with two small spines on both sides. Genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed.

Wings. Stridulatory file flat, irregularly bent, 3.7 mm long, 0.25 mm wide, with 41 teeth ( Fig. 1 K.)

Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified. Cercus slender, slightly sinusoidal; straight when seen from side; apex tapered, sharp ( Fig. 3 E); phallus mostly membranous, with central, inner lobes somewhat sclerotized and covered with minute teeth ( Fig. 3 A.) Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, with small, triangular apical incision; styli cylindrical, about twice as long as wide, parallel, separated by small gap and held horizontally. Female subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, with wide, shallow apical incision ( Fig. 2 A.)

Ovipositor. Ovipositor slightly curved, shorter than half of hind femur, dorsal edge of upper valvula parallel to lower valvula; apex pointed, with minute dentitions on both lower and upper valvulae ( Fig. 2 B.)

Coloration. Coloration green, with variable markings ( Figs. 4 C–E), antennae concolorous; antennal scapus without markings. Face pale green; eyes uniformly colored. Pronotum green, with dark and light stripes on upper edge of lateral lobe, continuous with those on thorax and abdomen. Tegmen mostly dark brown, with costal area lighter than rest of wing. Legs with basal parts sometimes darker or lighter than distal parts; hind femur uniformly colored; abdominal sterna without markings; abdominal terga with horizontal dark and light stripes laterally, area between stripes sometimes lighter then rest of abdomen; subgenital plate without markings; ovipositor green.

Measurements (2 males, 4 females). total body: female 17.5–21 (18.9±1.5); body: male 9.5–11.5 (10.5±1.4), female 12.8–17 (14.5±2); pronotum: male 2–2.5 (2.3±.4), female 2.9–3 (3±.1); tegmen: male 1.8; hind femur: male 13, female 12–13.5 (12.5±.9); front femur: male 7–7.1 (7.1±.1), female 5–6 (5.5±.4); mid femur: male 7, female 5–6 (5.5±.4); ovipositor: 6.5–7.5 (6.9±.5) mm.

Material examined. Republic of South Africa: Northern Cape, 11 m NE Hondeklipbaai, (30°9'59.46''S, 17°21'7.05''E), 29.ix.1967, coll. H.D. Brown - 1 female ( PPRI); Namakwa Distr., 10.8 km SE of Port Nolloth, on Rt. R382, elev. 116 m (29°17'7.8''S, 16°58'37.7''E), 27.ix.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _6) - 3 females, 2 males (holotype and paratypes), 1 nymph female ( ANSP, MCZ, SAMC, USEC); 8.5 km N of Garies, on rt. N7, elev. 476 m (30°29'39''S, 17°56'31.2''E), 5.x.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki ( RSA _36) - 1 female, 1 male (paratypes) ( ANSP, SAMC); Western Cape, Cederberg distr., 20 km S of Clanwilliam, on rt. N7, elev. 165 m (32°20'35.8''S, 18°55'34.2''E), 27.ix.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _2) - 1 female (paratype) ( MCZ).

Etymology. Named in honor of the Mauerberger Foundation, whose generous support allowed us to conduct this study.

Remarks. Most specimens of this species were collected on unidentified shrubby succulents in the sparse Namaqualand Sandveld (Richtersveld Coastal Duneveld) biome ( Mucina and Rutherford 2006) near Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape. All individuals were collected at night, when the ambient temperature was only 12ºC.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Diagnostic characters of Brinckiella spp.: A. B. mauerbergerorum – male head and pronotum, lateral view; B. ditto, female; C. B. wilsoni - male head and pronotum, lateral view; D. ditto, female; E – F. dorsal views of the male, typical coloration patterns; G. B. arboricola - female head and pronotum, lateral view; H. B. elegans - female head and pronotum, lateral view; I. B. aptera - male head and pronotum, lateral view; J. ditto, dorsal view; K – N. male stridulatory files: K. B. mauerbergerorum; L. B. wilsoni; M. B. arboricola; N. B. karooensis.

FIGURE 2. Diagnostic characters of Brinckiella spp.: A. B. mauerbergerorum – female subgenital plate; B. ditto, ovipositor; C. B. viridis - female subgenital plate; D. ditto, ovipositor; E. B. arboricola - female subgenital plate; F. ditto, ovipositor; G. B. wilsoni - female subgenital plate; H. ditto, ovipositor; I. B. karooensis - female subgenital plate; J. ditto, ovipositor; K. B. serricauda - female subgenital plate; L. ditto, ovipositor; M. B. elegans - female subgenital plate; N. ditto, ovipositor; O. B. aptera - male subgenital plate; P. B. wilsoni - male subgenital plate; Q. B. karooensis - male subgenital plate.

FIGURE 3. Diagnostic characters of Brinckiella spp.: A – D. phallus: A. B. mauerbergerorum; B. B. karooensis; C. B. wilsoni; D. B. arboricola; E – I. male cercus: E. B. mauerbergerorum; F. B. karooensis; G. B. wilsoni; H. B. arboricola; I. B. aptera; J. tegmen, B. karooensis; K. the mid-section of the ovipositor, B. wilsoni; L. ditto, B. serricauda (note the distinct serration on the upper valvula); M – N. eggs: M. B. serricauda; N. B. wilsoni; O. B. arboricola; P. the position and size of the thoracic auditory spiracle, Poecilimon turcicus Karabag, female (the red arrow indicates vestigial tegmina); Q. ditto, B. arboricola.

FIGURE 4. Species of Brinckiella: A. B. wilsoni, female; B. ditto, male; C. B. mauerbergerorum, female; D. ditto, head and pronotum, lateral view; E. ditto, male.