Paranisitra leytensis Robillard, 2015

Robillard, Tony & Yap, Sheryl, 2015, The Eneopterinae crickets from Leyte Island (Philippines) with description of two new species [Insecta: Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Gryllidae], Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 63, pp. 69-90 : 85-89

Paranisitra leytensis Robillard , new species

( Figs 1 , 2B , 14C , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 )

Type material. Holotype (male): Philippines: male (TR14), day, Leyte [Island], Burauen, Barangay Villa Corazon , zone herbacée [herbaceous area] (GPS Bar1), 10°57’50.5”N 124°46’ 35.3”E, 282 m, March 2013, coll. T. Robillard ( UPLB-MNH).

Allotype (female): Philippines: female (TR34), day, Leyte [Island], Burauen, Buo , zone secondaire en bord de route [secondary area near road], 10°57’59.8”N 124°52’35.5”E, 108 m, March 2013, coll. T. Robillard ( UPLB-MNH).

Paratypes (1 male, 5 females): Philippines : 1 female, day, on plant ( UPLB-MNH) ; 1 female, day, on plant ( MNHN- EO-ENSIF3166), Leyte [Island], Burauen, Barangay Villa Corazon, forêt secondaire sur pente [secondary forest on slope] (GPS Bar 2), 10°57’52.1”N 124°46’39.8”E, 345 m, coll. T. Robillard, March 2013 . 1 female (TR58), day (molecular sample PaBa) (MNHN-EO-ENSIF3165), same Comparions with P. longipes Chopard, 1925 were made based on observations of the two types from Chopard (1925) (MNHN-EO-ENSIF446-644), and with comparison of many newly collected specimens from the type locality ( Mount Makiling , Philippines) .

The new species is very close to the species P. longipes from Luzon. The two species are morphologically similar except for smaller size of P. leytensis , details of male and female genitalia, and colouration. From P. maculata , P. leytensis differs strikingly by its less spotted colouration and smaller size; from P. diluta , from islands near north of New Guinea, all the species from the Philippines, including P. leytensis , differ by the yellow transverse band on face. Also, preliminary molecular data (nuclear and mitochondrial markers) show that the sampled populations of Paranisitra from Leyte clearly correspond to a separate species, closer to P. maculata than from P. longipes .

Diagnosis. Species of small size, very close to P. longipes from Luzon, from which it differs by general colouration lighter, by smaller size and by male and female genitalia. In male genitalia, compared to P. longipes ( Fig. 19 ), P. leytensis has smaller and more triangular pseudepiphallic lophi, narrower pesudepiphallus at base of rami, shorter endophallic sclerite and narrower lateral endophallic lamellas.

information as HT. 1 male (TR7), day, on vegetation (h= 50 cm) (molecular sample PaBu) (MNHN-EO-ENSIF3162); 1 female (TR7b), day, on vegetation; 1 female (TR33), day, on vegetation (MNHN-EO-ENSIF3162, 3163, 3164), same information as AT.

Other material examined. Philippines: 2 juveniles (TR37 & no #), day, on plant ( UPLB-MNH) ; 1 juvenile (TR36), day, Leyte [Island], Burauen, Barangay Villa Corazon , forêt secondaire sur pente [secondary forest on slope] (GPS Bar2), 10°57’52.1”N 124°46’39.8”E, 345 m, coll. T. Robillard, March 2013 . 2 juveniles (TR2–3), day, on plant ( MNHN), Leyte [Island], Burauen, Buo , zone secondaire en bord de route [secondary area near road], 10°57’59.8”N 124°52’35.5”E, 108 m, March 2013, coll. T. Robillard.

Type locality. Philippines, Leyte Island, Burauen, Barangay Villa Corazon , 10°57’50.5”N 124°46’ 35.3”E, 282 m

Distribution. Philippines, inland part of Leyte Island ( Fig. 1 ).

Etymology. Named after the type locality.

Taxonomic discussion. Newly collected specimens were compared with paratypes of P. diluta Gorochov, 2009 and P. maculata Gorochov, 2009 deposited in MNHN.

Description. Species typical of the genus ( Figs 17–18 ), size small, near half of the other species of the genus. General colouration yellow brown to grey brown, with different patterns in males and females. Vertex homogeneously dark brown or black, colouration usually fainter near fastigium ( Fig. 18 ). Region of head posterior to eyes and vertex yellow. Fastigium yellow, narrow with a slight median furrow and with a few long apical setae, the ocelli protruding, each one underlined by black. Scapes black. Antennae black with white rings widely spaced out. Face and mouth parts entirely black including facial part of fastigium, with a wide transverse yellow band from bellow antennae to epistomal suture. Maxillary palpi white, very conspicuous and always moving up and down together in living specimens. Head lateral side yellow, sometimes with a faint brown pattern dorsally. Pronotum yellow brown covered with thin dark setae, in females sometimes mottled with brown and with dark spots; lateral lobes light yellow covered with white setae, sometimes with a faint dark brown line separating the lateral lobe from the dorsal disk, in absence of lateral angle. Legs orange brown to yellowish brown or golden. Hind femora yellow brown with brown stripes, knees black, with a narrowed yellow region before knees; hind tibiae dark brown with a yellow region near knees; tarsomeres dark brown to black. Tarsomeres III with 0–1 spines on dorso-external edges (n = 3). Abdomen colour differing between male and female (see below). Cerci light brown, short and conical.

Male: Significantly smaller than female, general body colouration yellow brown to light brown, almost homogeneous ( Fig. 17A, B ). Subgenital place yellow brown, clog-shaped. Male genitalia ( Fig. 19 ): Pseudepiphallus conical, posterior sclerotised margin flat slightly indented (more in P. longipes ), lophi membranous, small and with strong apical setae; anterior margin very indented. Rami thin and long, slightly convergent apically. Pseudepiphallic parameres narrow, fused to pseudepiphallus dorsally, their basis membranous, with a narrow anterior lobe converging anteriorly. Ectophallic arc complete and wide, straight. Ectophallic fold narrowed preapically, with strong rounded lateral sclerites; apex narrow and sclerotised dorsally, between the anterior apex of pseudepiphallic parameres. Ectophallic apodemes long and slightly divergent. Endophallic sclerite very sclerotised and large, its posterior apex with divergent lateral arms and with a short median expansion. Endophallic apodeme with both wide lateral lamellas (narrower than in P. longipes ) and longer than wide dorsal crest. Membrane of endophallic cavity smooth.

Female: General colouration less homogeneous than in males ( Figs. 17C, D , 21 ), in particular on pronotum and abdomen, most often yellow, variably mottled with brown and with many black spots. Abdomen velvet-like, with a colouration pattern on 5 th tergite with a median semicircular dark area including vivid orange or red parts. Ovipositor shorter than hind femora; apex thin with both dorsal and ventral edges smooth ( Fig. 14D ).

Female genitalia: Copulatory papilla more diamond shaped than in P. longipes , with a narrower basal sclerotised ring ( Fig. 20 ).

Juvenile ( Fig. 21 ): Very colourful, with elaborate patterns including green, dark red and yellow shades. Later instars more similar to the adults.

Measurements. See Table 2.

Habitat and life history traits. Paranisitra leytensis is a diurnal species found on plant leaves in secondary habitats ( Fig. 22 ), both in open prairies near forest and in secondary forest, along trails and slopes.

Behaviour. Notable behaviours include possible visual communication using the maxillary palpi which seem always in movement up and down together. This behaviour is shared with P. longipes observed in Luzon (TR pers. obs.) and probably with other species of the genus.

Figures

Fig.1. Map of Leyte and distribution of the species mentioned in the study. Map modified after snapshots from www.maphill.com.

Fig. 2. A, Secondary habitat of Lebinthus luae in Maripipi Island (Biliran Islands, Philippines); B, Secondary forested habitat of Lebinthus estrellae, new species (in the leaf litter), Cardiodactylus empagatao Otte (in low trees and banana trees) and Paranisitra leytensis, new species (intermediate vegetation) in Villa Corazon Barangay, Burauen, Leyte.

Fig. 14. Apex of Ovipositor of: A, Lebinthus estrellae; B, Cardiodactylus empagatao; C, Cardiodactylus riga; D, Paranisitra leytensis. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 17. Paranisitra leytensis, new species: A, male in dorsal; B, lateral views; C, female in dorsal; D, lateral views. Scale bar: 5 mm.

Fig. 18. Paranisitra leytensis, new species: A, head in facial; B, dorsal views. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Fig. 19. Male genitalia of Paranisitra longipes for comparison: A, dorsal; D, lateral views; Paranisitra leytensis, new species: B, dorsal; C, ventral; E, lateral view; F, later view with details of the ventral side. Scale bars: A–E, 1 mm; F, 0.5 mm.

Fig. 20. Female copulatory papilla of Paranisitra longipes (for comparison): A, lateral; B, ventral views; Paranisitra leytensis, new species: C, lateral; D,ventral views. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Fig. 21. Paranisitra leytensis, new species: A, juvenile specimen in dorsal view; B. with detail of face. Scale bar: 1 mm.

Fig. 22. Paranisitra leytensis, new species:A, female; B, male specimens in natural habitat near Burauen, Leyte (Photographs by R. Portillo).