Microsalomona brachyptera, Naskrecki, Piotr & Rentz, David C. F., 2010

Naskrecki, Piotr & Rentz, David C. F., 2010, Studies in the orthopteran fauna of Melanesia: New katydids of the tribe Agraeciini from Papua New Guinea (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae), Zootaxa 2664, pp. 1-35 : 21-22

Microsalomona brachyptera n. sp.

( Figs. 7 A–D, I; 8A, B, E, F)

Type locality. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Western Province, Muller Range, Sawetau (5°39'23.7''S, 142°18'16.5''E), 1550–1700 m, 11–17.ix.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki & D.C.F. Rentz—male holotype ( ANSP)

Differential diagnosis. This new species differs from both M. cornuta and M. cornutoides in the lack of the ventral subapical process of the male cercus ( Fig. 7 C) and the development of wings (the latter two are macropterous, whereas M. brachyptera has strongly reduced tegmina and hind wings.)

General. Body cylindrical, of medium size, slender; brachypterous ( Fig. 8 A).

Head. Frons flat, oblique, strongly rugose (punctate); lateral carinae absent ( Fig. 8 B). Fastigium of frons weakly indicated by small ridge, fused with fastigium of vertex. Fastigium of vertex narrowly triangular, sharp apically, very narrow, only as wide as 1/5 of scapus, distinctly surpassing apex of scapus. Eyes circular, weakly protruding; ocelli indiscernible; antennae about twice as long as body.

Thorax. Pronotum surface smooth; anterior margin of pronotum weakly concave, flat; metazona slightly raised, posterior edge of metazona straight; lateral lobe about 2.5 times as long as high; marginal fold of pronotum very narrow, smooth. Thoracic auditory spiracle oval, completely hidden under pronotum. Sternum slightly concave; prosternum armed with two short spines; mesosternum unarmed; metasternum unarmed.

Legs. Front coxa armed with long spine; front femur armed on both margins; genicular lobes of front femur with single spine on both sides; front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 9 spines on posterior and 9–10 on anterior ventral margin; spines on front tibia robust, slightly longer than tibia diameter; tympanum bilaterally closed, with narrow, forward facing slits. Mid femur armed on both ventral margins, but posterior (inner) margin with only 2 small spines at base; genicular lobes of mid femur armed with single spine on both sides; mid tibia with 9–10 spines on posterior and 10–11 on anterior ventral margin. Hind femur armed on both ventral margins, spines on posterior margin only at base of femur, minute; genicular lobes of hind femur armed with single spine on both sides; hind tibia armed on both dorsal and ventral margins, spines on dorsal and ventral margins of similar size and distribution.

Wings. Tegmen reduced, surpassing posterior margin of 2nd abdominal tergite; its basal part covered by metazona of pronotum. Costal field not dilated at base; anterior margin rounded; apical part somewhat truncate ( Fig. 7 I). Tegminal venation reduced; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length; right stridulatory area with large, fully developed, roughly rectangular mirror. Stridulatory file flat, bent in proximal quarter, remaining portion straight, 1.7 mm long, 0.11 mm wide, with 108 teeth. Hind wing strongly reduced, slightly shorter than tegmen. Female tegmina nearly reaching posterior margin of 2nd abdominal tergite, overlapping ( Fig. 8 A).

Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified, with posterior margin straight. Cercus broad, robust, with large basal, inner spine; slightly curved, apical spine, and small pre-apical protuberance ventrally ( Figs. 7 A–C). Epiproct unmodified, small and rounded. Phallus with paired, apically dilated titillators ( Fig. 7 D). Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, nearly straight apically; styli cylindrical, about 4 times as long as wide. Female subgenital plate with central portion weakly sclerotized, nearly membranous, abutted by large lateral sclerites, posterior margin with small, median incision ( Fig. 8 E).

Ovipositor. Ovipositor shorter than hind femur (ratio femur/ovipositor 0.71–0.81), slightly curved; apex with both valvulae smooth, pointed ( Fig. 8 F).

Coloration. Coloration red-brown, pronotum and head orange ( Fig. 8 A); face red to orange, without markings; clypeus and labrum yellow ( Fig. 8 B). Pronotum red brown to orange; front tibia dark brown to black. Tegmen with venation in costal field bright yellow, spaces between veins dark brown; hind femur light red-brown, darkening towards knee; abdominal sterna without markings; abdominal terga without markings.

Measurements (3 males, 2 females). body w/wings: male 27, female 35.5–39 (37.3±2.5); pronotum: male 6.5–7 (6.8±.3), female 6.2–6.3 (6.3±.1); tegmen: male 5–6.5 (5.5±.8), female 6–6.2 (6.1±.1); hind femur: male 15–15.5 (15.3±.3), female 16–17 (16.5±.7); ovipositor: 12–13 (12.5±.7) mm.

Material examined (5 specimens). Papua New Guinea: Eastern Highlands Prov., Mt. Gahavisuka Provincial Park, lower stream, elev. 2242 m (6°1'S, 145°24'35.4''E), 29.iv.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype) ( MCZ); Western Province, Muller Range, Sawetau , elev. 1550–1700 m (5°39'23.7''S, 142°18'16.5''E), 11–17.ix.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki & D.C.F. Rentz— 1 female, 3 males (incl. holotype, 3 paratypes) ( ANSP, MCZ).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the brachypterous morphology of this new species.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Microsalomona spp. — M. brachyptera n. sp.: A. male cerci, dorsal view; B. male left cercus, ventral view; C. ditto, lateral view; D. titillators; I. male left tegmen; M. sawetau n. sp.: E. male cerci, dorsal view; F. male left cercus, ventral view; G. ditto, lateral view; H. titillators; J. male left tegmen; K. male head and pronotum, lateral view; L; ditto, dorsal view; M. cornuta: M. male cercus, postero-dorsal view; N. ditto, dorsal view.

FIGURE 8. Microsalomona spp. — M. brachyptera n. sp.: A. paratype female; B. face; E. female subgenital plate; F; ovipositor; M. sawetau n. sp.: C. paratype female; D. face; G female subgenital plate; H; ovipositor.