Agraeciini

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norihiro, 2012, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: New genera and species from North Queensland (Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae; Armadillagraeciini trib. nov. and Agraeciini; Listroscelidinae; Requenini), Zootaxa 3173, pp. 1-36 : 8-17

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.279833

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6178727

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EF35DD5F-7D01-FFE5-FF03-FAD7FE7BFF5F

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Agraeciini
status

 

Agraeciini View in CoL

Ingrischagraecia 3 Rentz, Su, Ueshima, gen. nov. Ingrisch’s Forest Katydids

Type species: Ingrischagraecia iterika Rentz, Su, Ueshima , gen. et sp. nov., here designated.

Differential diagnosis. In overall body shape, this species is like no other in Australia. It is distinguished by its small, robust size, minute, widely spaced prosternal spines, uniformly rugose frons, laterally compressed fastigium of the vertex, short wings and tegmina short with stridulatory area completely concealed by pronotum and falcate ovipositor.

General. Body cylindrical, robust, small size for tribe, mesopterous in both sexes ( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 A, B, 6B). As with many agraeciine genera similar to this one, it seems desirable to not ascribe them to tribes until more comprehensive studies are made.

Head. Head produced well in front of pronotum, slanting; frons flat, uniformly rugose above fronto-clypeal suture, smooth below. Frontal fastigium absent; fastigium of vertex laterally compressed with a subapical notch on anterior margin. Eyes small, the diameter about 1/3 frons length, round, positioned high on head; median and lateral ocelli indiscernible. Antenna with scape constricted at base, produced and often spiniform at apex on internal

3. Named in honour of Dr Sigfrid Ingrisch in recognition to his contributions to our knowledge of this group of katydids; feminine gender.

margin; pedicel slightly longer than broad, unmodified; scrobes with strongly raised rims on internal margin; flagellum about 3 times longer than body.

Thorax. Pronotum with surface evenly rugose; anterior margin of disk straight, posterior margin obtuse; surface of disk with oblique sulci on each side over fore leg, obscure in middle of disk; lateral lobe shallow, broader than deep. Thoracic auditory spiracle small, ovoid, completely concealed by lateral lobe of pronotum. Meso- and metathorax each with lateral margins raised and with a small internal tooth at posterior margin.

Legs. Legs short, robust. Fore coxa armed with an elongate spine; fore femur feebly laterally compressed, dorsal surface wrinkled, lateral surface smooth, shining, armed ventrally on both margins. Fore tibia quadrate, somewhat expanded in region of auditory foramen; dorsal surface with a deep, broad sulcus apically, unarmed except densely clothed with long hairs; ventral surface armed with spines on both margins; auditory foramen bilaterally closed, with narrow, forward facing slits. Middle femur laterally compressed, ventral surface armed on both margins. Middle tibia strongly laterally compressed, bent in apical one-third; ventral surface with short spines on both margins. Hind femur short, robust, surface smooth, shining, armed ventrally only on external margin. Hind tibia triangular in cross section in proximal half, apically becoming quadrate, dorsal surface broad, armed on each margin with short, stout spines, those in the internal margin immoveable; ventral surface with a row of spines on each side only at apex, proximal portion with a single row of spines. Genicular lobes armed with spines on each margin; fore femur with spine on anterior margin much longer than that of posterior.

Wings. Tegmen reaching apex of 7th tergite in both sexes ( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 A, B, 7B); tegminal venation ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 A) normally developed; costal field well differentiated; anterior margin of tegmen evenly rounded, narrowing to apex; Costa absent, veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length, flaring slightly apically; veins Rs, M and Cu; Rs unbranched; wing as long as tegmen.

Abdomen. Tenth tergite with shallow, U-shaped incision on posterior margin ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A); cercus dorso-ventrally flattened, with a distinct outer toe ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 C); supra-anal plate short, triangular, without modification but with median longitudinal sulcus. Phallic complex ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 B) with the arms well developed, base flanged, apical portion of arms divergent, unarmed. Subgenital plate short, broadly trapezoidal, with deep incision; style short, about 1/3 length of one side of incision. Female subgenital plate short, broad, apex shallowly emarginate.

Ovipositor. Ovipositor shorter than hind femur, unarmed.

Coloration. Olive green, except costal margin of tegmen yellow brown.

Ingrischagraecia iterika 4 Rentz, Su, Ueshima, sp. nov. ANIC Number, Salomona sp. 14

Ingrisch’s Olive-green Katydid

Figures 5 View FIGURE 5 A–B, 6A–B, 7A–C, 8A–C, 9A–B, 10; Table 2 View TABLE 2 ; Map 2

Holotype male. 1. “ 17.02S 145.37E Davies Ck., (15 road km from Kennedy Hwy.) 21 km E. by S. of Mareeba, Qld. 1 March 1988 D. C. F. Rentz Stop A-28”. 2. D. C. F. Rentz, Cytol. prep. 88-181”. 3. “Song recorded S-604”. Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra.

Type locality. The type locality is the margin of rainforest and wet eucalyptus woodland. There was abundant Lawyer Palm, Calamus sp., with acacia on granitic soil. The type was on a “tobacco” after dark.

General. General characteristics as above.

Male. Legs. Fore femur armed ventrally with 6 small. robust, black spines on each side, increasing in length from proximal position; fore tibia with 9 spines on anterior margin, 7 spines on posterior margin of ventral surface. Middle femur armed ventrally with 5 stout tooth-like spines on anterior margin, 2 stout teeth at base of posterior margin; middle tibia armed ventrally with small 9 spines on anterior margin, 7 smaller spines on posterior. Hind femur armed ventrally with 9 spines on external margin.

Wings. Stridulatory file straight, ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 C).

Abdomen. Cercus flat ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 A, 8C), with digitiform toe. Titillator ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 B well developed, arms with flanged base, diverging to apex; ventral margin of each arm thin, surface irregular, apex of arm truncate.

Female. Cercus very elongate, with acuminate apex. Ovipositor abruptly bent upwards, unarmed ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A–B).

4. Iterika is an aboriginal word for green, an allusion to the colour of the insect.

Coloration. Overall colour dark green except for tegmen ( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 A, B, 6B) which is marked in both sexes with dark spots and the costal region brown to yellow.

Cytology. The chromosomes of the holotype were observed and are as follows: chromosomes typical of other Australian Agraeciini as reported in Rentz (1988) and Rentz et al. (2010). The karyotype consists of 2n=29 (2m + 26t +Xm) with 1 pair of metacentric, 5 pairs of medium telocentrics and 8 pairs of small telocentrics and the metacentric X ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 , A, B). At first metaphase, there are 14 autosomal bivalents and the X ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 , C). As normal, the X moves to one pole with 14 autosomal halves at first metaphase ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 , D).

Specimens examined. Paratypes: Queensland: 16o48’S. 145o38’E. (GPS) Kuranda, 335 m elev., Top of the Range, 19 Butler Dr, collected on the following dates, 1–15.xi.2003, 15–31.i.2004, 1–15.ii.2004, 15–31.xii.2004, 16–31.i.2005, 1–15.ii.2006, 16–31.xii.2006, 1–15.i.2007, 1–15.i.2008, 16–28.ii.2008, 16–31.iii.2008, 1–15.ii.2010 (D. C. F. Rentz, W. W. Middlekauff (2004), 9 males, 13 females, ANIC). 17o28’S. 146o00’E. (GPS) Garradunga, Polly Creek, nr Innisfail, 15.iv.1998, 12.ii.1999 (J. & S. Hasenpusch, 1 male, 1 female, ANIC). Upper Mulgrave River, 30.iv.1970 (G. B. Monteith, 1 female, QMUS). 16.04S 145.28E (GPS) beach S. of Cape Tribulation, twixt Myall & Mason Cks. 31.x.1993 (D. C. F. Rentz, L. Lowe, 1 female, collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 16.i.1994, ANIC). 15.50S 145.20 E. Gap Ck., 5 km ESE. of Mt Finnigan, nr Cooktown, (D. C. F. Rentz, 1 female, ANIC).

Measurements. See Table 2 View TABLE 2 .

see text for details.

Song. The calling song is produced only at night and is a continuous flickering ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 A), audible from 1– 2 m. The song is produced at very high frequency with distinct syllables ( Fig. 9 View FIGURE 9 B), each syllable lasting for about 0.04 seconds at 22o C.

Comments. This little katydid is often attracted to insects that come to lights. It can be observed feeding on small insects of a variety of taxa. Eggs are laid in bark cracks. This first instar is quite different from the adult, compare ( Figs. 5 View FIGURE 5 A, 6A).

Map 2. Known distribution of Ingrischagraecia iterika Rentz, Su, Ueshima gen. et sp. nov.

Emeraldagraecia 5 Rentz, Su, Ueshima, gen. et sp. nov. Emeralds

Type species: Emeraldagraecia munggarifrons Rentz, Su, Ueshima , gen. nov., here designated.

Differential diagnosis. This genus differs from all others in the Agraeciini in the overall, robust body shape, the form of the head with the conical, sharp, pustuliferus fastigium of the vertex, the saddle-shaped pronotum with its tuberculate margins and short tegmina and wings relative to the length of the body. The elongate male cercus, where known, and the heavy, elongate and upcurved female cercus and the quadrate indentation of the female subgenital plate are unique.

General. Body robust to elongate, the thoracic region produced out of proportion to the rest of the body; fully winged in both sexes ( Figs. 11 View FIGURE 11 A, E) but probably capable of gliding only.

Head. Head not especially disproportionately large; frons flat ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 B), without tubercles or ridges. Fastigium of frons bituberculate or smooth depending on species; fastigium of vertex multi-tuberculate, anterior surface small and flat or not modified at all, depending on species, anterior margin with a ventral hook, apex acuminate. Eyes relatively small, round, diameter about the length of antennal scape; median and lateral ocelli not discernable. Scape of antenna with a blunt projection on internal apical margin; flagellum very thin, about 1.5x length of body.

Thorax. Pronotum with surface irregular, cut by 2 sulci, lateral lobes tuberculate and rugulose; anterior margin

5. Named with reference to the glistening green colour of the species of the genus; feminine gender.

smooth, median portion with weak concave indentation, posterior margin obtuse and smooth, however, some females have the margin of pronotum tuberculate; lateral lobe broader than deep, margins dentate and tuberculate ( Figs. 11 View FIGURE 11 A, 13C). Thoracic auditory spiracle relatively large, ovoid, well hidden by lateral lobe of pronotum, internal margin naked. Sternum not concave; prosternum bearing a pair of widely spaced spines, meso- and metasterna unarmed but raised slightly.

Wings. Tegmen extending beyond apex of abdomen to nearly apical three-quarters of hind tibia when extended ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 A); tegminal venation normal, anterior margin of tegmen produced at base as is costal field, tegmen narrowing to apex ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 A); costa absent, perhaps, as a short stem at base of tegmen, Sc and R close together and parallel for their entire length; Rs an, M and Cu ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 A); Rs without branches. Right stridulatory area with elongate fully developed mirror, without internal venation. Hind wing as long as tegmen.

Legs. Legs moderately long for size of insect. Fore coxa armed with a robust spines, posterior margin with a prominent tubercle; fore femur cylindrical, swollen in basal portion, dorsal surface tuberculate ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 A), armed on both ventral margins. Fore tibia thin and cylindrical, swollen in region of auditory slits, unarmed; ventral surface with elongate sines on both margins, apex armed on both sides; tympanum bilaterally closed, with narrow, forwardfacing slits. Middle femur armed dorsally with many tubercles ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 G), ventral surface armed on anterior margin with a row of teeth, posterior margin unarmed or with one or two minute teeth. Middle tibia subcylindrical, slightly laterally flattened, surface with only traces of tuberculation; dorsal surface unarmed, ventral surface armed on both margins with a series of spines, the most apical of which are markedly shorter and more robust than the others. Hind femur short but not especially robust, ventral surface armed on outer margin with a series of teeth, internal margin with a series of minute tubercles; hind tibia quadrate in cross section, apically feebly decurved, armed on dorsal and ventral surfaces with many spines on both margins, the consecutive spines of similar lengths. Genicular lobes of all femora armed on both surfaces with a single elongate spine.

Abdomen. Abdomen appearing small for size of insect. Tenth tergite with median incision, ( Figs. 13 View FIGURE 13 E); cercus of male ( Figs.13 View FIGURE 13 E) elongate, with prominent carina on internal margin, of female massive, parallel and directed upwards. Phallus without any trace of sclerotised processes. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 13 View FIGURE 13 F) in male broad at base, narrowing apically with a small, shallow, median incision, styles relatively short, about 4x as long as thick; female short, broad, with quadrate median incision, lateral lobes short, quadrate to elongate and recurved. Ovipositor very elongate, about same length as hind femur ( Fig. 16 View FIGURE 16 A), strongly curved upwards, both margins smooth, lateral surface with a dorsal and ventral longitudinal sulcus.

Coloration. Overall coloration uniformly green except fastigium of vertex, clypeus and labrum and mandibles as noted above.

Discussion. This genus is presently known from two species, one much more widespread than the other. Its relationships with other genera in the tribe are unclear at present. As with other members of the tribe, the katydids are primarily predaceous.

TABLE 2. Measurements (in mm) of Ingrischagraecia iterika Rentz, Su, Ueshima, gen. et sp. nov. Localities are notational;

Species Males Length Body Length Pronotum Width Pronotum Length Tegmen Length Length Hind Femur Ovipositor
Holotype Kuranda 17.0 17.0 7.5 7.6 4.5 4.5 9.0 8.5 9.2 9.2
18.0 7.1 4.4 8.0 8.7
“ “ “ 20.2 17.2 19.0 7.4 6.7 7.6 4.2 4.5 4.4 8.4 8.3 7.6 9.2 8.3 8.3
17.0 7.2 4.4 9.3 8.7
Garradunga 17.4 7.5 4.2 8.2 9.4
Females Kuranda “ “ 18.5 17.0 17.0 6.0 5.9 5.8 4.6 4.1 4.2 9.2 9.6 9.4 9.4 8.4 9.3 7.4 9.3 8.4
“ “ 18.0 18.0 6.1 5.8 4.5 4.3 10.0 10.0 9.5 7.4 9.3 8.1
Garradunga Upper Mulgrave Gap Ck CapeTribulation 18.0 18.5 19.0 20.3 6.2 6.4 6.4 6.5 4.4 4.6 4.3 4.4 9.0 10.8 9.0 11.0 9.6 8.2 10.0 7.7 9.3 8.1 10.5 9.0
ANIC

Australian National Insect Collection

CSIRO

Australian National Fish Collection

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Orthoptera

Family

Tettigoniidae

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