Nocticola cordiformis, Li & Liu & Chen & Wei & Yue & Qiu, 2025

Li, Ting-Ting, Liu, De-Xing, Chen, Jian, Wei, Xiao-Ya, Yue, Qiao-Yun & Qiu, De-yi, 2025, Three new species of the cockroach genus Nocticola Bolívar, 1892 (Blattodea, Corydioidea, Nocticolidae) from China, ZooKeys 1232, pp. 267-284 : 267-284

Nocticola cordiformis sp. nov.

Figs 5 A – M , 6 A – C

Type material.

Holotype: China • 1 ♂; Guangxi Province, Guilin City, Lingui District, Huixian Town, Edi Village, Yanzi Cave ; 25°3.30'N, 110°11.27'E; 195 m; 13 December 2023; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0028 . Paratype: China • 1 ♂; Guangxi Province, Guilin City, Lingui District, Lingjiaodi Village ; 25°13.58'N, 110°14.50'E; 148 m; 30 December 2023; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0029 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30 December 2023; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0030 • 2 ♂; Guangxi Province, Guilin City, Lingui District, Huixian Town, Edi Village , 25°3.07'N, 110°10.25'E; 176 m; 29 April 2024; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0031 to 0032 .

Diagnosis.

The absence of a specialized abdominal tergal gland places the new species into the simoni - species group. This species is similar to N. adebratti Roth, 1994 , N. babindaensis Roth, 1994 , N. clavate Andersen & Kjaerandsen, 1995, N. gerlachi Roth, 2003 , N. pheromosa Lucañas & Maosheng, 2023 , N. scytale Andersen & Kjaerandsen, 1995 , N. wliensis Andersen & Kjaerandsen, 1995 , and N. xiai Liu, Zhu, Dai & Wang, 2017 , with tegmina and wings developed. It differs from N. adebratti and N. gerlachi by its ocelli absent (Fig. 5 F ), while in N. adebratti and N. gerlachi ocelli are present. The subgenital plate of the newly described species is symmetrical (Fig. 5 L ), while in N. adebratti , N. babindaensis , N. clavate, N. gerlachi , N. pheromosa , N. scytale , and N. wliensis , the subgenital plate is asymmetrical. It differs from N. xiai as follows: 1) tegmina and wings extending beyond the end of abdomen, body length is about half of the wing length, while in N. xiai tegmina and wings slightly extend beyond the end of abdomen, but not exceeding half of the body length (Fig. 1 A ); 2) eyes well developed, while in N. xiai eyes reduced (Fig. 1 B ); and 3) accessory hook-like phallomere (L 4 N) fin-shaped, whereas L 4 N is parabola-like in N. xiai (Fig. 1 C ).

Measurements (mm).

Male, pronotum: length × width: 0.81–1.02 × 0.99–1.21, tegmen: 4.04–4.25, overall length (including tegmen): 4.83–5.24, body length (the length from the tip of vertex up to the tip of abdomen): 3.19–3.27. Female, pronotum: length × width: 1.13–1.22 × 1.35–1.42, body length (the length from the tip of vertex up to the tip of abdomen): 3.45–3.66.

Description.

Small size. Body tawny. Male. (Figs 5 A, B , 6 C ). Head: vertex of head exposed; Eyes well developed, with heptagon concave; ocelli absent (Fig. 5 F ). Pronotum subtrapezoidal, densely pubescent, anterior margin and lateral margin with 12 setae (Fig. 5 E ). Tegmina and hind wings: tegmina and wings well developed, extending beyond the end of abdomen, body length is about half of the wing length (Fig. 5 A, B ), veins reduced in number, densely pubescent (Fig. 5 H, I ). Legs: legs long and slender. Anteroventral margin of front femur Type C 1 (Fig. 5 G ); the first tarsus of the hind leg longer than the sum of the remaining tarsi; tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized (Fig. 5 K ), arolium and pulvillus absent (Fig. 5 N ). Abdomen and genitalia: abdominal tergal gland unspecialized. Supra-anal plate symmetrical, middle of the hind margin concave (Fig. 5 J ). Subgenital plate symmetrical, middle of the hind margin weakly concave (Fig. 5 L ). Style absent. Male genitalia: L 3 elongate, ventral to hook with 7 strong setae; L 4 N fin-shaped; L 2 narrow; left and right process of L 1 towards curved, heart-shape; R 1 long handle-like, covered with some setae; R 2 sinuate protrusion, with scale-like tubercles; R 3 membranous; R 1 H reduced, rounded margin, with scale-like tubercles (Fig. 5 M ).

Female: Apterous. Supra-anal plate triangular, transverse of hind margin, middle with triangular invagination. Subgenital lobate (Fig. 5 C, D ). Cerci 11 segments; ventral surface of segments not spinous setae.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin word cordiformis , in reference to the L 1 heart-shaped structure of left aedeagus.

Distribution.

China (Guangxi).

Figures

Figure 1. Nocticola xiai Liu, Zhu, Dai & Wang, 2017: A holotype male, lateral B head C phallomeres (photographs provided by Han-Qiang Wang, SHEM). Abbreviations: L 1, L 2, L 3, L 4 G, L 4 N, L 4 M: sclerites of the left phallomere (L 1 situated in the central dorsal wall; L 2 arch-shaped sclerite situated in the ventral to L 1; L 3 situated in the left wall protrudes a large hook-process; L 4 G situated in the posterior ventral wall of the ventral lobe; L 4 N accessory hook-like phallomere; L 4 M situated in the ventral wall); R 1, R 3: sclerites of the left phallomere (R 1 situated in the dorsal or ventral walls, or in the posterior part of dorsal and ventral wall; R 3 plate-like situated in the anteriormost ventral wall).

Figure 5. Nocticola cordiformis sp. nov.: A male, dorsal view B male, ventral view C female, dorsal view D female, ventral view E pronotum F head G front femur H tegmen I wings J supra-anal plate, ventral view K tarsal claw L subgenital plate, ventral view N hind tarsus; male genitalia, M phallomeres. Abbreviations: L 1, L 2, L 3, L 4 G, L 4 N, L 4 M sclerites of the left phallomere (L 1 situated in the central dorsal wall; L 2 arch-shaped sclerite situated in the ventral to L 1; L 3 situated in the left wall protrudes a large hook-process; L 4 G situated in the posterior ventral wall of the ventral lobe; L 4 N accessory hook-like phallomere; L 4 M situated in the ventral wall); R 1, R 2, R 3, R 1 H sclerites of the left phallomere (R 1 situated in the dorsal or ventral walls, or in the posterior part of dorsal and ventral wall; R 2 a ridge on the ventral margin; R 3 plate-like situated in the anteriormost ventral wall; R 1 H a larger lobed situated in the dorsal wall, with extensions into the ventral wall).

Figure 6. Habitats of Nocticola cordiformis sp. nov. from China A, B habitats of holotype specimen of N. cordiformis sp. nov. C adult of N. cordiformis sp. nov. on wood.