Rhabdoblatta equalisinensis Guo et Che, 2024

Guo, Lin, Zhang, Zhi-Yu, Cai, Jin-Zhuo, Wang, Zong-Qing & Che, Yan-Li, 2024, Establishment of three new species of Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903 (Blattodea, Blaberidae, Epilamprinae) from China on the basis of molecular and morphological data, Zootaxa 5463 (4), pp. 545-558 : 552-554

Rhabdoblatta equalisinensis Guo et Che , sp. n.

Figs 3A–L

Type material. Holotype. male; Hunan Prov., Chenzhou City, Mangshan National Forest Nature Reserve ; 4 Jun. 2019; Rong Chen, Jian-Yue Qiu leg. Paratypes. 5 males; same collection data as holotype ; 12 males; Hunan Prov., Chenzhou City, Mangshan National Forest Nature Reserve ; 3 Jun. 2019; Rong Chen, Jian-Yue Qiu leg.

Differential diagnosis. This new species generally resembles R. sinensis Walker, 1868 , but can be distinguished from R. sinensis by the following characters: 1) abdomen dark brown, in R. sinensis it is yellowish brown; 2) sclerite L3 has no high carina on the outer-lateral margin and no groove on the inner margin, whereas in R. sinensis sclerite L3 has a high carina on the outer-lateral margin and groove on the inner margin.

Description. Measurements (mm). Overall length: male 36.5–39.0; pronotum length × width: male 6.3–6.9 × 8.2–9.3; tegmen length × width: male 32.1–34.6 × 9.7–11.2.

Male. Head black except yellowish white ocelli, apex of labrum and clypeus brown; maxillary palps dark brown; antennae with about 10 basal segments black, the rest brown ( Fig. 3B ). Pronotum reddish brown, with small, scattered brown spots, and a row of longitudinal stripes on posterior margin ( Fig. 3C ). Tegmina brown, densely scattered with irregular white maculae. Hind wings with veins brown, costal field, radial field and mediocubital field yellowish brown, anal field pale brown ( Fig. 3F, G ). Legs brown.Abdominal terga and sterna dark brown. Supraanal plate and subgenital plate dark brown, cerci and styli dark brown ( Fig. 3B ).

Vertex slightly exposed. Distance between eyes approximately equal to the interocellar width, smaller than the space between antennal sockets ( Fig. 3B ). Pronotum transverse and almost pentagonal, with anterior margin gently arc-shaped, lateral margins convexly rounded, middle of posterior margin obtusely produced, widest about the middle ( Fig. 3C ). Tegmina and wings fully developed extending well beyond end of abdomen and venation distinct ( Fig. 3A, B, F, G ). Anteroventral margin of front femur Type B 2 ( Fig. 3D ). Hind metatarsus nearly equal to the remaining segments combined, with two equal rows of ventral spines; pulvilli present apically on all tarsomeres; tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized, with large arolia ( Fig. 3E ). Abdominal tergites unspecialized. Supraanal plate symmetrical with small bristles; the middle of the hind margin slightly concave with a cluster of long bristles, lateral margins slightly arc-shaped. Paraprocts dissimilar, left paraproct with a finger-like bulge bending inward. Cerci distinctly segmented and densely covered with bristles ( Fig. 3H ). Subgenital plate slightly concave and almost symmetrical, the base of the inner plate bifurcated, styli flat, apically rounded ( Fig. 3L ).

Male genitalia. Right phallomere with caudal part of sclerite R1T almost rectangular; end of sclerite R2 rounded; R3 and R5 interlinked; base of R3 turned over; R4 irregular and existed independently ( Fig. 3I ). The basal part of sclerite L2D slender and rod-shaped; the apical part short and small, nearly rectangular, with chaetae-covered membrane ( Fig. 3J ). Sclerite L3 hooked and deeply bent, outer-lateral margin smooth with low carina; inner margin toothless but with a large conical projection at base ( Fig. 3K ).

Female. Female unknown.

Etymology. The species name “ equalisinensis ” reflects its similarity to R. sinensis Walker, 1868 .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Rhabdoblatta equalisinensis Guo et Che, sp. n. A, B male; A holotype, dorsal view; B holotype, ventral view; C pronotum, dorsal view; D front femur, ventral view; E hind tarsi, ventral view; F tegmen; G wings; H supraanal plate, ventral view; I right phallomere, dorsal view; J median phallomere (sclerite L2D), dorsal view; K left phallomere (sclerite L3), dorsal view; L subgenital plate, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 cm (A, B, F, G); 2.0 mm (C, E); 1.0 mm (D, H–L).