Xizicus (Axizicus) spinocercus Jiao & Shi

JIAO, JIAO, SHI, FU-MING & GAO, JIA-GUO, 2013, Two new species of the genus Xizicus, 1993 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Xizang, China, Zootaxa 3694 (3), pp. 296-300 : 297-299

1. Xizicus (Axizicus) spinocercus Jiao & Shi sp. nov.

( FIGURE 1 )

Male. Body small. Head stout, fastigium frontis inclined. Fastigium verticis conical, apex obtuse, slightly furrowed in midline. Eyes oval, protruding forwards. Apical segment of maxillary palpi nearly as long as subapical one, apex faintly swollen.

Pronotum anterior margin straight, posterior margin obtusely rounded, anterior and median transverse sulci indistinct, posterior transverse sulcus distinct, lateral lobes slightly longer than high, humeral sinus distinct.

Tegmina long, considerably surpassing apices of postfemora, apices obtusely rounded. Hind wings as long as tegmina.

All femora unarmed on ventral margin. Procoxae with a spine; protibiae with 4 spines on inner side and 5 spines on outer side of ventral margin, protibiae with open tympana on both sides. Mesotibiae with 4 spines on inner side and 5 spines on outer side of ventral margin. Posttibiae with 23 – 25 spines on inner and outer sides of dorsal margin, and a pair of dorsal apical spurs and 2 pairs of ventral apical spurs.

Posterior margin of tenth abdominal tergite slightly projecting backwards, posterior margin weakly concave in middle. Cerci nearly conical, basal slightly stout, apical part slightly thinner, proximal part more or less curved inwards, apices obtuse with some unconspicuously small teeth, with 1 stout spine on intero-dorsal margin of middle area, apex acute. Subgenital plate nearly rectangular, long about 2 times as wide, subapical area slightly constricted. Styli longer, inserted on apices of lateral margins of subgenital plate, apices obtusely rounded.

Body green. Eyes light brown. Disc of head with 2 longitudinal light yellow stripes. Dorsum of pronotum with a broad longitudinal light yellow stripe. Tegmina with brown spots. Spines on dorsal margin of posttibiae light brown. Apices of cerci and the spine on intero-dorsal margin light brown.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Pêlung, Nyingchi, Xizang, China, 27 September, 2007, coll. Shi, Fu-Ming.

Measurements (mm). Body (from apex of fastigium verticis to posterior margin of tenth abdominal tergite): ♂ 7.7; pronotum: ♂ 3.0; tegmen: ♂ 12.5; postfemur: ♂ 6.8.

Discussion. This new species clearly differs from the known species of the genus in: male cercus simple, nearly conical, apical slightly thin, with 1 stout spine on intero-dorsal margin of middle area.

Etymology. The name of the new species is based on the processes of the male cerci.

Distribution. China (Xizang).

2. Xizicus (Axizicus) xizangensis Jiao & Shi sp. nov.

( FIGURE 2 )

Male. Body small. Head stout, fastigium frontis slightly inclined. Fastigium verticis conical, apex obtusely rounded, slightly furrowed in midline. Eyes oval, protruding forwards. Apical segment of maxillary palpi as equal as subapical one, apex faintly swollen.

Pronotum slightly projecting backwards, anterior margin straight, posterior margin obtusely rounded, anterior and median transverse sulci indistinct, posterior transverse sulcus distinct, lateral lobes slightly longer than high, humeral sinus more or less distinct.

Tegmina long, considerably surpassing apices of postfemora, apices obtusely rounded. Hind wings as long as tegmina.

All femora unarmed on ventral margin. Protibiae with 5 spines on inner and outer sides of ventral margin separately (including a pair of ventral apical spines), proximal spines longer; protibiae with open tympana on both sides. Mesotibiae with 4 spines on inner margin and 5 spines on outer margin of ventral margins. Posttibiae with 16-19 spines on inner and outer sides of dorsal margin, and a pair of dorsal apical spurs and 2 pairs of ventral apical spurs.

Tenth abdominal tergite longer, posterior margin slightly concave in middle. Cerci short, stout, bearing long hairs, lateral margin of basal area with 1 lamellar process, dorsal margin of nearly basal area with 1 digitation directed inward, apex obtusely rounded; ventral margin of nearly basal area with a lamellar process, apex with some small teeth; intero-ventral margin of nearly basal part of cercus with 5 – 6 small spines; intero-dorsal margin of proximal part of cercus with some teeth; apex of cercus obtuse. Subgenital plate slightly broader, nearly circular, basal broad, apical area slightly narrower, posterior margin nearly straight. Styli medium length, slightly cylindrical, apices obtusely rounded, inserted on apices of the lateral margins of subgenital plate.

Body light yellow. Eyes light brown. Disc of head with 1 longitudinal yellowish brown stripe, fastigium verticis black. Dorsum of pronotum with a broad longitudinal light brown stripe, a pair of black spots on anterior area and middle area separately, posterior margin slightly brown in middle. Tegmina with pale brown spots. Inside margin of cercus and ventral margin of apical area of lamellar process brown.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Mêdog, Nyingchi, Xizang, China, 10 September, 2010, coll. Mao, Shao-Li . Paratype: 2♂, Mêdog, Nyingchi, Xizang, China, 10 September, 2010, coll. Mao , Shao-Li; 1♂, Mêdog, Nyingchi, Xizang, China, 14 August, 2003, coll. Ren, Guo-Dong.

Measurements (mm). Body (from apex of fastigium verticis to posterior margin of tenth abdominal tergite): ♂ 8.0–9.0; pronotum: ♂ 3.1–3.4; tegmen: ♂ 17.0–18.0; postfemur: ♂ 7.5–8.0.

Discussion. The new species is allied to Xiphidiopsis (Xiphidiopsis) chaseni Karny, 1926 , but it differs from the latter in: male cerci dorsal margin of nearly basal area with 1 digitate process directed inwards; ventral margin of nearly basal area with a lamellar process, apex with some small teeth; intero-dorsal margin of proximal part of cercus with some teeth.

We think the species Xiphidiopsis (Xiphidiopsis) chaseni Karny, 1926 maybe belong to the genus Xizicus on basis of the morphology of male tenth tergite and cerci.

Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from the type locality Xizang.

Distribution. China (Xizang).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Xizicus (Axizicus) spinocercus Jiao & Shi sp. nov., holotype: A. pronotum in lateral view; B. pronotum in dorsal view; C. apex of abdomen in ventral view; D. right cercus in dorso-lateral view; F. apex of right cercus in dorso-lateral view; E. apex of abdomen in dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. Xizicus (Axizicus) xizangensis Jiao & Shi sp. nov., male: A. pronotum in lateral view; B. head and pronotum in dorsal view; C. apex of abdomen in dorsal view; D. right cercus in dorsal view; E. spines on intero-ventral margin of nearly basal part of left cercus in ventral view; F. cerci in ventral view; G.subgenital plate in ventral view.