Australiagraecia tagera Rentz, Su and Ueshima, 2021

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norihiro, 2021, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: New short-winged Agraeciini from Australia (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae; Agraeciini), Zootaxa 5059 (2), pp. 1-72 : 14-15

Australiagraecia tagera Rentz, Su and Ueshima Gen. et sp. nov.

ANIC Number Gen. Nov. 9, sp. 4 (in part)

( Fig. 1I ; Figs 6 A-K; Fig. 22a G ; Table 1 , Map 3 )

Common name. Tagera Heath-loving Katydid

Holotype male. ( In alcohol). 1. “ 30.09S 115.07E Cockleshell Gully 19 km NNE. of Jurien, W. A. 25 October 1984 D. C. F. Rentz Stop 71”. 2. “ ANIC database #14008746” . Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra. Paratypes. Western Australia. 30 o 09’S 115 o 07’E Cockleshell Gully , 19 km NNE of Jurien, 25.x.1984 (DCF Rentz, Stop 71, 11 males, Cytol. preps. 84-110, -111, 6 females, ANIC) . 32 o 57’S 115 o 54’S Yarloop , 30.x.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 152, 1 male, ANIC) . 31 o 03’S 116 o 12’S Seven Mile Well Nature Reserve , S. by W of New Norcia, 4.xi.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, WJ Bailey, KL Yeap, Stop 158, 2 males, 1 female, ANIC) . 32 o 56’S 117 o 08’E Narrogin, 3 km S. by W. on Williams Rd , 27.x.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 140, 1 male, ANIC) . 31 o 20’S 118 o 39’E Carrabin, Great Eastern Highway , 9.xi.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 181, 1 female, ANIC) . 30 o 44’S 115 o 12’E S. of Pinnacles Nat. Park , 9-13.xii.1984 (DT Gwynne, 2 males, 1 female, ANIC) .

Type locality. The type locality is typical sand heath vegetation with tall Banksia and other shrubs with occasional tall eucalypts. It has been the site of many studies by the Department of Zoology, University of Western Australia .

Measurements. See Table 1

Differential diagnosis. Male. Size small for genus, form slender ( Table 1 ). Antenna slightly longer than length of body, annulate ( Fig. 6C ). Eye ovoid, not especially bulging, positioned very high on head. Fore and middle tibiae with apical 2 pairs of spines on each side greatly reduced in size compared to the others ( Fig. 6A ). Hind femur armed ventrally on internal margin with 3-5 spines, external margin unarmed. Hind tibia armed dorsally with numerous spines, often alternating in lengths; apex armed dorsally with a pair of spurs, the more external of which is positioned subapically, the internal spur less subapical; ventral surface with a few elongate setae, not similar to spines; ventral surface with a pair of apical spurs, not much larger than adjacent spines. Prothorax ( Fig. 6B ) with a pair of slender spines, meso- and metathorax each with a pair of peg-like protuberances. Tegmen short ( Fig. 6H ); stridulatory file on raise swelling or blister. Cercus ( Fig. 6G ) spiniform, curved inwards, when juxtaposed with opposite cercus ovoid in outline; surface of cercus densely clothed with elongate, light brown setae. Abdomen with 10 th tergite not modified; supra-anal plate broadly triangular; paraprocts minute; phallic complex ( Figs 6F, I, K ) with dorsal lobes elongate, apically acute, median or ventral lobes elongate, apically obtuse, no trace of sclerotized rods at base, surface of median lobe minutely shagreened. Subgenital plate broader than long, styles often short, shorter than length of one side of median incision, or slightly longer, variable even on an individual specimen.

6 Tagera is an aboriginal word for “cockleshell”, an allusion to the type locality of the species.

Female. Differs from male in following. Right hind leg ( Fig. 6J ). Cercus elongate, feebly incurved. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 6E ) short broad, apex shallowly incised. Ovipositor elongate, almost straight, much longer than length of body ( Table 1 ).

Colouration. General overall colour straw brown, very pale with contrasting dark brown median stripe but not extending to tip of abdomen, becoming faint beyond first abdominal segment. Surface of cercus and legs sparsely clothed with dark brown setae.

Distribution. Known from a fairly broad range of coastal and inland localities ( Map 3 ).

Seasonal occurrence. This species has been found in late spring.

Song. Unknown.

Karyotype. 2n male = (30t +Xt), Fig. 22a G , karyotype.

Recognition. This species is recognised by the distinctive male cercus ( Figs 6G, I ) and the phallus lacking sclerotised rods at the base ( Fig. 6I, K ). Females have a very elongate ovipositor, much longer than the length of the body.

Discussion. This is a small, slender species recognised by the annulate antennae, shape of the male cercus and phallic complex, the latter of which lacks sclerotised rods at the base of the phallic complex.

Figures

FIG. 1. Legends for Habitats. A. Tutanning Nature Reserve, Western Australia. B. Vicinity of Eneabba, Western Australia. C. Stirling Ranges, Western Australia. D. Jandakot, Western Australia. E. Silver Valley Rd, Queensland. F. Near Coolgardie, Western Australia. G. Cooloola National Park, Queensland. H. Stirling Ranges, Western Australia. I. Vicinity of Narrogin, Western Australia.

FIG. 6. Australiagraecia tagera. A. Male frons. B. Male thorax. Note structure of thoracic pegs including slender prosternal spines. C. Antenna. Note annulations. D. Lateral view left portion of female abdominal apex. Note swelling that might be relevant to placement of male cercus during mating. E. Ventral view female abdomen. Note relatively broad subgenital plate. F. Ventral view male abdomen. Note partially everted phallic complex. G. Left male cercus. H. Left male tegmen. I. Male phallic complex everted. Note slightly divided median lobe lacking minute tubercles. J. Right hind leg, female. Note spination. K. Male abdomen, ventral view with phallic complex slightly everted. Note digitiform lateral lobes.

FIG. 22A. Cytology. A. Australiagraecia spina holotype. B. Australiagraecia spina, Cytol. prep. 81-81. C. Australiagraecia spina, South Australia Cytol. prep. 78-32. D. Australiagraecia helleri, Cytol. prep. 81-154. E. Australiagraecia helleri, Cytol. prep. 82-147. F. Australiagraecia minuta, Holotype. G. Australiagraecia tagera, Cytol. prep. 81-111.

MAP. 3.