Brinckiella wilsoni, 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 : 51-53

Brinckiella wilsoni n. sp.

( Figs. 1 C–F, L; 2G–H, P; 3C, G, K, N; 4A–B)

Type locality. Republic of South Africa: Western Cape, 24 km S of Clanwilliam, on rt. N7 (32°22'48.5''S, 18°56'41.4''E), 124 m, 7.x.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. B. wilsoni differs from other species within the genus in the unique shape of the male cercus ( Fig. 3 G) and the female subgenital plate ( Fig. 2 G.)

Thorax. Anterior margin of pronotum flat; broadly rounded; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona slightly raised ( Fig. 1 C), straight when seen from above ( Fig. 1 E, F.)

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. Hind femur unarmed ventrally to armed with small spines on both ventral margins, genicular lobes of hind femur armed with single spines on both sides.

Wings. Stridulatory file flat, weakly bent, 6.5 mm long, 0.28 mm wide, with 55 teeth ( Fig. 1 L.)

Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified. Cercus short, slightly bent inwards, distinctly thickened basaly ( Fig. 3 G); straight when seen from side; apex tapered, with small apical tooth. Phallus entirely membranous, without sclerotized elements ( Fig. 3 C.) Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, straight apically ( Fig. 2 P); styli cylindrical, about twice as long as wide, parallel and separated by small gap, held horizontally. Female subgenital plate with short lateral lobes and small median incision, posterior lobes rounded ( Fig. 2 G).

Ovipositor. Ovipositor slightly curved, shorter than half of hind femur, dorsal edge of upper valvula parallel to lower valvula ( Fig. 3 K); apex pointed, with minute dentitions on both lower and upper valvulae ( Fig. 2 H).

Egg. Egg elongate, cylindrical in crosssection, straight ( Fig. 3 N).

Coloration. Coloration green, with variable markings ( Figs. 1 E, F; 4A, B), antennae concolorous; antennal scapus without markings. Face pale green; eyes uniformly colored. Pronotum green, with darker markings dorsally, bordered by light stripes continuous with those on rest of thorax. 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 with median white stripe and pair of lateral, longitudinal white stripes; abdominal terga with oblique, white stripe on each lateral margin; terga 1, 3 and 6 sometimes with large, dark brown patches laterally ( Fig. 1 F); subgenital plate without markings; ovipositor green, apex brown.

Measurements (8 males, 6 females). total body: female 16.5–20.3 (18.6±1.3); body: male 12.5–15 (13.9±.8), female 13.1–15.9 (14.7±.9); pronotum: male 2.5–3 (2.8±.2), female 2.9–3.4 (3.1±.2); tegmen: male 1.8–2.2 (2±.1); hind femur: male 15–16 (15.4±.3), female 14.5–17 (15.6±.9); front femur: male 8.3–9.1 (8.8±.3), female 6.6–8 (7.3±.6); mid femur: male 7.3–8 (7.8±.3), female 6.6–8 (7.2±.5); ovipositor: 6.1–7 (6.6±.3) mm.

Material examined. Republic of South Africa: near Doornbosch, ix.1961, coll. SAMC staff - 1 female (paratype) ( SAMC); Western Cape, 4 m. S. of Clanwilliam, (32°14'6.52''S, 18°51'2.78''E), ix.1961, coll. SAMC staff - 1 female (paratype) ( SAMC); 6 km N Citrusdal, (32°32'24.99''S, 18°58'34.91''E), 1.ix.1961, coll. H.D. Brown & W. Fürst - 1 male (paratype) ( PPRI); Leipoldtville - Eland’s Bay, (32°13'S, 18°28'60''E), xi.1948 - 1 female, 1 male (paratypes) ( SAMC); Stellenbosch, (33°55'60''S, 18°51'0''E), 10.viii.1940, coll. F. Maincowitz - 1 male (paratype) ( USEC); Cederberg distr., 17.5 km N of Clanwilliam, on rt. N7, elev. 167 m (32°2'21''S, 18°47'38.4''E), 27.ix.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _3) - 5 females, 15 males (paratypes), 4 nymph females ( ANSP, MCZ, USEC); 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) - 3 females, 4 males (paratypes), 1 nymph female ( MCZ, SAMC); 24 km S of Clanwilliam, on rt. N7, elev. 124 m (32°22'48.5''S, 18°56'41.4''E), 7.x.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet ( RSA _45A) - 2 females, 5 males (incl. holotype, 6 paratypes) ( BMNH, SAMC); Jamaka (Farm Grootkloof), elev. 340 m (32°20'11.8''S, 19°1'14.7''E), 5–6.x.2008, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet - 1 male (paratype), 1 nymph male ( MCZ).

Etymology. Named in honor of Edward O. Wilson, a biologist, a writer, and an inspiration to several generations of scientists and naturalists.

Remarks. This species was very abundant in arid proteoid fynbos (Leipoldtville Sand Fynbos) biome ( Mucina and Rutherford 2006) between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam (Western Cape) ( Fig. 5 F.) Most individuals were collected or seen during the day on tall shrubs, and in places their density was 5–10 individuals/m2.

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 5. Species of Brinckiella: A. B. elegans, female; B. B. serricauda, female; C. B. karooensis, female; D. ditto, male; E. B. arboricola, female, yellow form; F. fynbos vegetation near Clanwilliam (Western Cape), the habitat of B. wilsoni; G. Namaqualand Hardeveld biome of the Succulent Karoo (Goegap Nature Reserve, Northern Cape), the habitat of B. arboricola and B. karooensis.