Brachyamytta

Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008, New species of arboreal predatory katydids from West Africa (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae), Zootaxa 1732, pp. 1-28 : 17-18

Brachyamytta n. gen

Type species: Brachyamytta rapidoaestima n. sp., here designated

Differential diagnosis. This new genus does not appear to be very closely related to any other African genera of Meconematinae . However, it bears some resemblance to the monotypic genus Orophilopsis Chopard in the shape of the head, maxillary and labial palps and ovipositor, and the reduction of wings (only the female of O. subaptera Chopard is known). It differs in the shape of the pronotum (metazona of the pronotum truncated in Orophilopsis , well developed and broadly rounded in Brachyamytta ), the degree of wing reduction (wings strongly reduced and hidden under the pronotum in Orophilopsis ), the presence of the coxal spine on the front pair of legs (first coxae unarmed in Orophilopsis ), and the shape of the fastigium of vertex (fastigium with a distinct dorsal depression in Orophilopsis ). Also, legs in all species of the new genus are proportionately longer and more slender than in Orophilopsis . From all other African Meconematinae it differs in the combination of smooth, pointed ovipositor (most other African genera with reduced wings, such as Aroeagas Peringuey or Afromeconema Massa , have apically serrated ovipositors), strong reduction of wings in both sexes, and largely unmodified abdominal terminalia of the male.

Description.

General. Body small, slender; brachypterous ( Figs. 7 A–F).

Head. Fastigium of vertex triangular, blunt apically, barely reaching base of scapus, flat dorsally; scapus unarmed; antennae about twice as long as body; frons convex, vertical; eyes globular, moderately protruding. Terminal segments of labial and maxillary palps strongly distended apically, cone-shaped.

Thorax. Pronotum surface smooth; lateral lobe wider than high; humeral sinus of pronotum absent; anterior margin of pronotum flat; metazona moderately elongate, flat to weakly convex; posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded. Prosternum unarmed.

Legs. Legs extremely long and slender. Front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 3–4 spines on posterior and 4 on anterior ventral margin; ventral spines on front tibia as long as tibia diameter; tympanum bilaterally open, oval, about twice as long as wide; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed; front femur unarmed ventrally; front coxa armed with short spine. Mid tibia unarmed dorsally; thickened in proximal 3/4; with 2–3 spines on posterior and 3–4 on anterior ventral margin; mid femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of mid femur unarmed. Hind femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed ( Figs. 3 K, L).

Wings. Tegmen reduced, reaching only 4th or 5th abdominal tergite; hind wings reduced to minute lobes, about 1/5 of tegmen length. Tegmen narrowed towards apex or broadly truncated; anterior margin straight to weakly convex. Costal field not dilated at base; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length or slightly diverging; right stridulatory area with large, fully developed mirror; left stridulatory area with large, fully developed, roughly rectangular mirror, stridulatory file weakly bent, with 87–100 teeth.

Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified; epiproct unmodified, small and rounded. Cercus long and slender, slightly bent inwards or straight; apex unmodified or bent outwards under right angle; blunt or acute ( Figs. 3 A–F); paraprocts unmodified; sclerotized epiphallus absent. Subgenital plate trapezoidal; styli horizontal to vertical, pointing downwards; cylindrical, about twice as long as wide, parallel; separated by small gap or very close together, nearly touching. Female subgenital plate with two narrow lobes on posterior margin; posterior lobes acute to rounded, sometimes slightly divergent.

Ovipositor. Apex with both valvulae smooth; dorsal edge of upper valvula parallel to lower valvula; ovipositor slightly curved; apex pointed; ovipositor shorter than hind femur ( Figs. 3 H, J).

Egg. Egg elongate; tapered on one end; chorion densely reticulate (fig. 5G).

Coloration. General coloration green to brown, with or without brown and yellow markings; antennal scapus without markings; antennae concolorous; eyes uniformly colored; face without darker markings; occiput without markings or with darker patches behind eyes; pronotum unmarked or with dark brown patches, posterior edge of metazona sometimes darker brown; tegmen with basal part lighter then remainder of wing, sometimes bright yellow; small, brown patch present behind stridulatory area; genicular lobes of front legs without markings; hind femur sometimes with darker markings; hind tibia green to brown; abdominal sterna without markings; subgenital plate without markings.

Etymology. The generic name reflect the brachyptery of all known species of this genus, combined with – amytta , a common stem of generic names of arboreal, African Meconematinae .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Brachyamytta mculloughae: A. male cerci, ventral view; B. ditto, lateral view; K. hind femur; B. maculipes: C. male cerci, dorsal view; D. ditto, lateral view; G. female subgenital plate; H. ovipositor; B. rapidoaestima: E. male cerci, dorsal view; F. ditto, lateral view; I. female subgenital plate; J. ovipositor; L. hind femur.

FIGURE 7. Brachyamytta maculipes: A. male; B. female; B. rapidoaestima: C. male; D. female; E. male in a daytime resting position; B. mcculloughae: F. male; Amyttosa insectivora: G. female.