Modicogryllus sindhensis sp. nov.

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Material examined.

Holotype. Pakistan, Sindh Prov. • 1♀; Riffat, Mohan leg.; 23 July 2019; Umerkot 25.3549°N, 69.7376°E. Reg. no.: 723 SEMJ.

Diagnosis.

This species has a brightly coloured body along with a shiny pronotum. The tegmina and wing show different patches on their entire surface.

Description.

Small size, covered in pubescence. Colour light brown (Fig. 1M). Head short, yellow, adorned with rufous spots, dorsal field of ocelli with pubescent horizontal dark bands (Fig. 3B). Pronotum depressed above with straight yellowish posterior margin on dorsal field (Fig. 5C). Elytra extending to apex of abdomen; veins of dorsal field rather irregular and condensed (Fig. 9G). Legs brownish. Pubescence rather thick, compressed. Anterior tibia bearing small, oval, external tympanum. Posterior tibia armed with ten external and one medio-internal spines (Fig. 6L). Abdomen brown. Ovipositor short, straight, slender with very small, lanceolate, acute apical valves (Fig. 1M).

Female: LH 2.1 (mm), LP 2.45 (mm), LF 10 (mm), LT 11(mm), LO 10 (mm), TBL 15 (mm).

Habitat.

The specimen was collected from Sorghum vulgare near Desert Thar (Umerkot) 25.3549°N, 69.7376°E.

Derivatio nominis.

The specific epithet refers to collection of this species from Desert Thar of Sindh.

Depository.

The type material (TN: 723 SEMJ) has been deposited in Sindh Entomological Museum, Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, Jamshoro.

Remarks.

The genus Modicogryllus was erected by Chopard (1961), within which he described four species from north-east part of India viz: M. semiobscurus (Chopard), M. ehsani (Chopard), M. rehni (Chopard), and M. minimus (Chopard). Our collected species has a brightly coloured body along with a shiny pronotum. The tegmina and wing show different patches on their entire surface. However, the shape, length, and other characteristics of the ovipositor make it different from the other species in the genus.