Kokominiagraecia dicra 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 : 31-33

Kokominiagraecia dicra Rentz, Su and Ueshima Gen. et sp. nov.

ANIC Number: Nicsara sp. 12

( Fig. 1E ; Figs 17 A-P; Fig. 20K ; Fig. 21B ; 22b E ; Table 5, Map 7)

23 Named with reference to the Kokomini indigenous tribe that occupied part of the area inhabited by this genus. Feminine gender. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokomini

Common name. Northern Imposter Katydid

History of recognition.

The placement of this species in the ANIC as “ Nicsara sp. 12” suggests similarity to Nicsara and Larifugagraecia species. However, this appears to be superficial when the species are examined in detail. The colour and pattern are remarkably convergent if the two are separate taxa (Compare Figs 17A, B with 19A, B).

Holotype male. 1. “ 17 o 24.740S 145 o 20.995E (car) Silver Valley Rd (nr Herberton) QLD. 941 m 25 JAN. 2017 DCF Rentz Stop 5”. 2. “ ANIC database #14008756” . Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra.

Paratypes. Queensland. 16 o 55’S 145 o 35’E (G54S) Clohesy River Rd., 5.2 km from Jct Kennedy Hwy, Dinden State Forest, 419 m, 18.i.2013 (DCF Rentz, Stop 4, 1 male, 4 females ANIC). 16 o 53’58.84”S 145 o 33’48.38”E (GE) Grievson Rd, nr Koah, 394 m, 16.i.2019 (DCF Rentz, Stop 2, 1 male, ANIC). 17 o 41.317’S 145 o 05.253’E (car) Nymbool Rd to Lappa, SE of Mt Garnet, 707 m, 10.xi.2017 (DCF Rentz, Stop 43, 1 male, ANIC). 16 o 18’S 145 o 05’E Mt Windsor Tableland, (S. edge of scarp) NNW of Mt Carbine, 15.i.1988 (DCF Rentz, Stop A-6, 1 male reared from eggs laid in laboratory, hatched 4.v.1988, matured 25.xi.1988, Cytol. Prep. 88-343; Song recorded S-669, ANIC; additional male hatched 19.v.1988, matured 20.xi.1988, ANIC). 16 o 40’S 145 o 15’E ( GPS) 17 km SE of Mt Molloy on “Toll Rd”, E. of Lake Mitchel, 14.xii.2010 (DCF Rentz, B Richardson, 1 female, ANIC). 16 o 50’S 145 o 28’E ( GPS) Bilwon, Bilwon Rd, nr Bibhoora), 476 m, 1.viii.2016 (DCF Rentz, Stop 43, 1 female, collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 10.x.2016, ANIC). 16 o 49.661’S 145 o 28.394’E Hodzic Rd., State Forest, Koah, 381 m, 27.vi.2020 (DCF Rentz, Stop 14, 1 male, collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 15.x.2020, ANIC). 16 o 46’S 146 o 15’E ( GPS) 17 km SE of Black Mtn. Rd on “Toll Rd” (E. of Lk Mitchell) 6.xii.2010 (DCF Rentz, B Richardson, Stop 18, 1 female, ANIC). 17 o 01’S 145 o 22’E Granite Gorge, 6 km W. by S. of Mareeba, 19.iii.1988 (DCF Rentz, Stop A-23b, ANIC). 17 o 02.116S 145 o 02.380’E (car) Mt Mulligan Rd NW of Dimbulah, ca. 10 km NNW of Leadingham Ck Rd, 557 m 29.iv.2016 (DCF Rentz, Stop 24, 1 male, ANIC). 17 o 24.740’S 145 o 20.995’E (car) Silver Valley Rd, (nr Herberton) 941 m, 25.i.2017 (DCF Rentz, Stop 5, 1 male, 4 females, ANIC). 17 o 25’S 145 o 04E 15 km W. of Irvinebank, 27-28.xi.1981 (J Balderson, 1 male, ANIC). 17 o 06’16.46”S 145 o 32’59.32”E (GE) Mt Edith Rd, 1 km N by E of Tinaroo Rd, 871 m, 28.x.2013 (DCF Rentz, Stop 13, 1 male, 1 female, ANIC). 17 o 38S 145 o 22E 12 km W. by S. of Ravenshoe, 8.xii.1985 (J Balderson, 1 male, DCF Rentz, Cytol. Prep. 86-8; Song recorded, S-392, ANIC). 18 o 06S 144 o 50E Forty Mile Scrub Nat. Pk, 55 km SW by S. of Mt Garnet, 29-30.xi.1981 (J Balderson, 1 male, ANIC).

Type locality. The type locality is an area of natural vegetation under powerlines. This more or less guarantees its continued existence. However, the area is periodically burned and requires more than a year for the katydid population to return to normal. But this may benefit the katydid as this promotes new growth and shorter herbs and grasses which they seem to prefer.

Measurements. See Table 5

Differential diagnosis. Overall body shape robust and small ( Figs 17A, B ). Colour of most specimens similar, however, some individuals lack stripes on the frons and the holotype has the dorsal surface of the fore tibiae dark brown. Head The fastigium of the vertex of the holotype bears a minute longitudinal sulcus ( Fig. 17F ). Antennal scape, pedicel and flagellum distinctively coloured ( Figs. 17D, F ); knees fore and middle femora dark brown, somewhat annulate ( Figs. 17A, B ); eye dark brown. Head strongly slanting, produced well in front of pronotum ( Fig. 17C ); frons mostly smooth, minute reticulations laterally; genae minutely, irregularly wrinkled; fastigium of vertex short, spike-like, on some specimens (holotype) bearing a minute longitudinal sulcus ( Fig. 17C ); eye prominent, bulging, positioned high on head ( Fig. 17D ); median ocellus small, faint ( Fig. 17F ), appearing absent on some specimens, lateral ocelli absent. Thorax. Pronotum with surface minute wrinkled, shining ( Fig. 17C ); no carinae; lateral lobes shallow ( Fig. 17B ), with a swelling or blister over the thoracic auditory opening; anterior margin of disk straight to feebly convex, posterior margin truncate ( Fig. 17C ); margins of lateral lobes undulating. Thoracic auditory structure circular, wholly concealed by pronotum. Prothorax unarmed; meso- and metathorax with lobes rounded, not produced ( Fig. 17I ). Legs. Legs short, stout. Fore coxa armed with a short robust tooth. Foreleg with femur short, stout, surface vitreous, armed ventrally on both margins with minute spines, the anterior margin bearing 0-3 spines, posterior margin with 4 spines; tibia stout, feebly bent distad of auditory foramen, unarmed dorsally, ventral surface with 6 spines on each side. Midleg shorter than foreleg, cylindrical, slightly swollen; femur unarmed dorsally, ventral surface with 3, 5 spines on anterior margin, posterior margin 0-2 minute spines; tibia unarmed dorsally, ventral surface with 6 spines on each margin. Hind leg with femur robust, extending to end of abdomen at rest ( Figs 17A, B ), ventral surface armed only externally with 5, 6 spines positioned in distal half; tibia with many spines dorsally and ventrally, apex armed dorsally with a pair of elongate spines, ventral surface with a pair of much smaller spines on each side. Genicular lobes of fore and middle femora unarmed, hind femur with a minute tooth on each side. Tegmina. Tegmina minute ( Figs 17G, H ), costa absent of feebly developed, subcosta and median elongate, with a few cross veins apically; stridulatory area with stridulatory vein short, stout, with a second similar vein bordering mirror, the latter of which lacks any internal venation; remaining veins reticulate and heavy, cells irregular in outline; wing represented as a short, elongate flap lacking venation; stridulatory file nearly straight ( Fig. 20K ) short, teeth rather broad. Abdomen. Tenth tergite ( Fig. 17J ) well produced, apex with a shallow U-shaped median incision. Cercus rather simple ( Figs 17 L-N), dorsal surface with apex bearing an obtuse or truncated broad projection ( Fig. 17L ); ventral surface bearing a stout tooth, wholly concealed from above, external margin bearing a smaller tooth also concealed from above ( Fig. 17M ). Phallic complex ( Fig. 17O ) very membranous, feebly sclerotised; basal membranous portion with weakly sclerotised callouses, arms delicate and covered by membrane except at apex; apical portion bifurcate on each side, the arms thin and weakly sclerotised; subgenital plate typical of tribe, with shallow median incision, style elongate ( Fig. 17K ).

Female Differs from male in following characters. Size slightly larger ( Table 5); tegmina overlapping and only slightly extending to first abdominal segment ( Fig. 17C , costa indicated, subcosta and radius prominent, remainder of tegmen reticulate; tenth tergite apically narrowly incised; cercus elongate tapering ( Fig. 17P ); subgenital plate with relatively broad median incision, laterally somewhat setose ( Fig. 17P ). Ovipositor falcate, unarmed ( Fig. 17B ).

Colouration. Overall colouration mottled grey and brown ( Figs 17 A-C, E). Head usually with a pair of divergent stripes defining the genae ( Fig. 17D ), occasionally, these stripes are absent; top of head dark brown, antennal scape and pedicel and rims dark brown or black, flagellum yellow brown, not annulate ( Fig. 17A ), ventral surface of fastigium of vertex black ( Fig. 17F ); occiput uniformly grey. Pronotum greyish brown, with 2 parallel stripes, the lateral lobes and margins of disk uniformly grey brown ( Fig. 17C ). Ventral surface grey to straw brown. Legs grey brown except base of all tibiae and adjacent femora black. Tarsi grey brown except pad of third segment slightly darker than the others. Abdomen mottled grey brown with small faint creamish white speckles. Ovipositor uniformly straw brown, not darker at tip.

Species identification. Easily recognised by the overall appearance with mesopterous tegmina in both males and females. Male cerci are distinctive ( Figs 17 L-N) as is the phallic complex ( Fig. 17O ). Females have a tapering cercus and an elongate, falcate unarmed ovipositor. The colour and pattern are almost uniform amongst all the specimens we have examined.

Distribution. Known from a broad range of localities and habitats in the Tablelands west of Cairns, Queensland ( Map 5 ).

Habitat. Occurs in grasslands and open savannahs, often not far from rainforests but never therein.

Seasonal occurrence. Adults of K. dicra can be found during the wet season (summer). Nymphs mature overwinter ( Fig. 17E ). Eggs from captive females were laid in moist cotton in individual containers. They showed no indication of diapause and individuals matured about 6 months after the eggs were laid. The nymphs thrived on the Orthopteran Food Mixture (see Henderson et al., 2008).

Stridulatory file. The stridulatory file consists of 75 lamellar teeth around with those at the proximal end gradually narrowing to smaller and more closely spaced teeth at the distal end ( Fig. 20K ). Compare with Coptaspis sp. , from 9 km WNW of Berry, New South Wales, Fig. 20L .

Song. A soft buzz ( Fig. 21B ) performed at night.

Karyotype. 2n male =29 (2m + 26t +Xm) Fig. 22b E Upper left gonial metaphase, right diakinesis, bottom 2 nd metaphase.

Comments. This unobtrusive small katydid is unusual in several respects. It is uncommon but easy to discover after dark. The behaviour is entirely nocturnal. It feeds on flowers, seeds and small insects. Males sing from perches shortly after dark. Stridulating males can be discovered using the Mini-Bat detector or similar device. The calling song is soft and probably not detectable by human ears. During the day individuals conceal themselves in leaf litter.

Discussion. The overall similarity of Coptaspis species and Kokominiagraecia dicra is rather astounding. Originally, this species was thought to be an odd Nicsara species but careful observation absolved that conclusion. Instead, this katydid is very similar to members of the southern genus Coptaspis . The structure of the head, pronotum, tegmina and short legs along with the short overlapping female tegmina, the shape of the ovipositor and its lack of armature is also shared by both of these taxa.

Coptaspis species occur in heathland habitats in the south-eastern portion of Australia, including Tasmania. There is a gap of several thousand kilometres between the northernmost record of a Coptaspis species and the southernmost known K. dicra sp. nov. At this stage we are convinced that they represent distinct. K. dicra is odd amongst agraeciines in the absence of prosternal processes. The male titillators are unique. With Coptaspis species the main titillator arms are almost parallel but undulating and apically acute ( Fig. 19J ). With K. dicra they are odd in that the arms of the titillators are very weakly sclerotised and are apically branched on each side ( Fig. 17O ). This is somewhat suggested by the titillators of the very different Cooloolagraecia gubbi Gen. & sp. nov., p 29 which has the tips minutely divided. The stridulatory file of Coptaspis species is elongate, and almost straight with lamellar teeth in the middle ( Fig. 20L ), but rather similar to that of K. dicra ( Fig. 20K ). However, a further argument for including Kokominiagraecia dicra in Coptaspis could be with the cytology of the two. The chromosome number of species in both genera (2n male= 29). Once molecular samples are analysed, the situation may necessitate placement of K. dicra in Coptaspis .

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.17. Kokominiagraecia dicra. A. Adult male. B. Adult female. C. Adult male with extensive sculpture on head and pronotum. D. Frons, holotype male. E. Nymph at night. F. Fastigium of vertex, frontal view. G. Left male tegmen, dorsal view. H. Left male tegmen, ventral view. Note stridulatory file. I. Adult male. Ventral view thorax. J. Male tip of abdomen, dorsal view. K. Male, subgenital plate, ventral view. L. Left male cercus, dorsal view. M. Left male cercus, internal view. N. Left male cercus, ventral view. O. Phallic complex. Note shagreening at base and “boomerang” shape of apical sclerites. P. Female subgenital plate, ventral view.

FIG. 20. Stridulatory files. A. Australiagraecia spina holotype. B. Australiagraecia minuta. C. Ganiagraecia karwnia, Cytol. prep. 85-19. D. Ganiagraecia karwinia, S-363. E. Gwynnagraecia viridis, Kerragullen. F. Gwynnagraecia perplexa, Fitzgerald River. G. Latitatagraecia kalamaya, Cytol. prep. 2001-1. H. Latitatagraecia vulgivaga, Cytol. prep. 88-66. I. Cooloolagraecia wallum, paratopotype. J. Cooloolagraecia gubbi, paratopotype. K. Kokominiagraecia dicra, S-373. L. Coptaspis sp. 2. M. Timabarragraecia samneilli, paratopotype.

FIG. 21. Song recordings. A. Ganiagraecia karwinia S-363. B. Kokominiagraecia dicra S-392. C. Timabarragraecia samneilli S-82. D. Coptaspis sp (Yarrangobilly, NSW) S-391.

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. 5.

FIG. 19. misc.A. Coptaspis sp. 6, adult male. B. Coptaspis sp. 6, female. C. Larifugagraecia spuria (Redtenbacher 1891), phallic complex. D. Larifugagraecia spuria (Redtenbacher 1891), adult male. E. Ingrischagraecia iterika Rentz, Su, Ueshima 2012, adult male. F. Armadillagraecia mataranka Rentz, Su, Ueshima, Robinson, 2010, adult male. G. Lichenagraecia cataphracta Rentz, Su, Ueshima 2012, adult male. H. Kapalgagraecia nauma Rentz, Su, Ueshima & Robinson, 2010, adult female. I. Miniagraecia milyali Rentz, Su & Ueshima, 2012, adult female. J. Coptaspis brevipennis Redtenbacher 1891, phallic complex.