Sympaestria lampra Hebard, 1922

Tan, Ming Kai, Liu, Chunxiang, Ingrisch, Sigfrid, Japir, Razy & Chung, Arthur Y. C., 2024, An account on the Phaneropterinae (Tettigonioidea: Tettigoniidae) from the highlands of western Sabah, Zootaxa 5443 (4), pp. 451-494 : 479-481

Sympaestria lampra Hebard, 1922

( Figs 29–31 )

Sympaestria lampra Hebard, 1922: 161 — Tan & Wahab, 2018b (probably Sympaestria acutelobata ): 140; Tan, Japir & Chung, 2019: 327

Material examined. EAST MALAYSIA: Sabah State • 1♂; Mount Trus Madi, Trusmadi Entomology Camp ; N5.44174, E116.45074, 1189.0± 5.2 m.a.s.l.; 2 November 2023, 5h45; attracted to light at ridge; coll. M.K. Tan, J.L. Yukang & A.Y.C. Chung; SBH.23.99 ( FRC) • 1♂; Mount Trus Madi , Trusmadi Entomology Camp ; N5.44307, E116.45155, 1192.0± 5.6 m.a.s.l.; 31 October 2023, 20h33–20h49; attracted to light trap near camp; coll. M.K. Tan, J.L. Yukang & A.Y.C. Chung; SBH.23.45 ( FRC)

Remarks. This species can be differentiated from the preceding congener by the presence of black sutural margin on the tegmen, the proximal part of tegmen being suffused with flecks of darker green, the male tenth abdominal tergite being truncated distad and by its larger size; while its male subgenital plate is smaller and tricarinate with distal margin V-emarginated and carries stout styli.

Our two males exhibit distinct colour variations: SBH.23.99 ( Fig. 29 ) has near-unicolourous green tegmina (except for the black sutural margin and the darker green flecks at the proximal parts—more in line with the original description); whereas SBH.23.45 ( Fig. 30 ) has whitish veins which are particularly contrasting in proximal areas. However, with the exception of the stridulatory file of the left tegmen (ca. 104 teeth in SBH.23.45 vs. 74 teeth in SBH.23.99, Figs 31A, 31B ), comparisons of the tenth abdominal tergite, cercus, subgenital plate and styli reveal no clear differences between the two specimens ( Figs 31C–F ). It may be that the two male specimens may belong to two different species, but we tentatively lump them here until a revision of the genus is complete.

Our specimens from Mount Trus Madi represents a new locality record for this species.

Ecology. As reported in Tan & Wahab (2018b), this genus is more readily encountered at light trap rather than opportunistic sampling, suggesting that these katydids are probably canopy species.

Distribution. Borneo (Labuan, Tawau, Mount Trus Madi [new locality record] in Sabah, Brunei Darussalam)

Type locality. EAST MALAYSIA: Sabah: Labuan

Figures

FIGURE 29. Sympaestria lampra Hebard, 1922 ♂ (SBH.23.99) attracted to light at Mount Trus Madi.

FIGURE 30. Sympaestria lampra Hebard, 1922 ♂ (SBH.23.45) found near light trap at Mount Trus Madi.

FIGURE 31. Sympaestria lampra Hebard, 1922 ♂ stridulatory file in ventral view (A, B); abdominal apex in dorsal view (C, D); subgenital plate in ventral view (E, F). Scale bars: 1 mm.