Anepitacta (Anepitacta) wrightae, Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008

Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008, New species of arboreal predatory katydids from West Africa (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae), Zootaxa 1732, pp. 1-28 : 11-12

Anepitacta (Anepitacta) wrightae n. sp.

(Figs. 2J– O; 4D, N; 5A; 6D, E)

Differential diagnosis. This species is closely related to A. (A.) guentheri Gorochov , from which it differs in the strong reduction of wings, and the shape of the male cercus (the male cercus is equipped with a larger, more distended apical part in A. guentheri .) The 10th male tergite of the new species also resembles that of A. (A.) inconspicua Br. -Watt., but the latter has a small and partially membranous apical part of the male cercus, and is macropterous. The female subgenital plate of A. (A.) wrightae resembles that of A. (A.) guineensis Beier , but the latter is also macropterous.

Description.

General. Body small, slender; brachypterous ( Fig. 6 E).

Head. Fastigium of vertex triangular, blunt apically, not reaching apex of antennal sockets, flat dorsally; antennae more than twice as long as body; frons flat, vertical; eyes circular, weakly protruding.

Thorax. Lateral lobe of pronotum wider than high; humeral sinus of pronotum absent ( Fig. 6 D); anterior margin of pronotum flat; metazona flat; posterior edge of metazona narrowly rounded.

Legs. Legs slender. Front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 5 spines on posterior and 4 on anterior ventral margin; tympanum bilaterally open, oval; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed; front femur unarmed ventrally; mid tibia very weakly thickened in proximal ¾, with 3 spines on posterior and 5 on anterior ventral margin; mid femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of mid femur unarmed. Hind femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed.

Wings. Wings reduced, tegmen barely reaching 5th abdominal tergite; anterior margin broadly rounded; hind wing reduced, half as long as tegmen. Costal field slightly widened at base; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length; Rs detached from R, starts before middle of tegmen, without secondary branches; right stridulatory area with large, fully developed mirror; left stridulatory area with large, fully developed, roughly rectangular mirror ( Fig. 4 N). Stridulatory file elevated on thickened vein, nearly straight, bent in proximal fourth, with 147 teeth, 0.49 mm long, 0.04 mm wide ( Fig. 4D ).

Abdomen. Tenth tergite with posterior edge sclerotized, forming paired, long lobes overhanging epiproct (Figs. 2J, M); epiproct strongly modified, forming large, paired, sinuous structure (Fig. 2L), styli parallel. Cercus with small, basal tooth, S-shaped, held vertically; apex strongly flattened dorso-ventrally and distended laterally (Fig. 2K); paraprocts unmodified; epiphallus weakly sclerotized, with central, bulbous structure covered with tiny denticles ( Fig. 5A ). Subgenital plate unmodified. broadly trapezoidal; straight apically; styli cylindrical, about 4 times as long as wide. Female subgenital plate roughly rectangular, about 1.5 times longer than wide (Fig. 2 O).

Ovipositor. Ovipositor normally developed; slightly curved, slightly shorter than hind femur (ratio femur/ ovipositor 1.06–1.13); apex of ovipositor pointed, with apex of lower valvula slightly bent downwards; edges of both valvulae smooth, dorsal edge of upper valvula parallel to lower valvula (Fig. 2N).

Egg. Egg elongate; without external appendages.

Coloration. Coloration olive green; antennae concolorous; eyes uniformly colored; face without darker markings; occiput with brown band; pronotum with light brown band and dark markings on posterior edge; tegmen green, with posterior edge brown; hind wing hyaline; hind legs uniformly colored; abdominal sterna and subgenital plate without markings.

Measurements (5 males, 7 females). body w/o wings: male 10–12 (11±1), female 8–11 (9.5±1.2); pronotum: male 3.5–4 (3.9±.2), female 3.3–4 (3.6±.2); tegmen: male 3.4–3.7 (3.5±.1), female 3.2–3.5 (3.4±.1); hind femur: male 8.5–9.3 (8.9±.3), female 9–10 (9.4±.4); ovipositor: 8–9 (8.4±.4) mm.

Material examined. GHANA: Eastern Region, Atewa Range, Asiakwa (North), elev. 769 m (6°16'16.4''N, 0°33'52.8''W), 16–24.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 3) – male holotype ( ANSP), male paratype) ( MCZ); Asiakwa (South), elev. 690 m (6°15'44.3''N, 0°33'18.8''W), 11–16.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 2) - 8 females, 2 males (incl. 10 paratypes) ( MCZ); Asiakwa, main road, elev. 817 m (6°15'.7''N, 0°33'53.7''W), 7–11.xii. 2007, coll. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and N. Jengre - 1 female, 1 male (paratypes) ( ANSP).

Etymology. Named in honor of Heather Wright for her help in organizing the Rapid Assessment survey, during which this new species was initially collected.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Amyttopsis palmulicerca: A. male pronotum; B. male; C. female; Anepitacta wrightae: D. male pronotum; E. male; Xiphidiola lobaticerca: F. male pronotum; G. male; X. hokei: H. male pronotum; I. male.

FIGURE 4. A – J. Stridulatory files: A. Proamytta spinifera; B. Amyttopsis palmulicerca; C. X. bakowskii; D. Anepitacta wrightae; E. Brachyamytta rapidoaestima; F. B. mcculloughae; G. B. maculipes; H. Amyttosa insectivora; I. Xiphidiolahokei; J. X. lobaticerca; K – T. Left tegmina of males: K. Proamytta spinifera; L. Amyttopsis palmulicerca; M. X. bakowskii; N. Anepitacta wrightae; O. Brachyamytta rapidoaestima; P. B. mcculloughae; Q. B. maculipes; R. Amyttosa insectivora; S. Xiphidiola hokei; T. X. lobaticerca.

FIGURE 5. A – C. Epiphallus: A. Anepitacta wrightae; B. Amyttopsis palmulicerca; C. A. bakowskii; D – G. Eggs: D & E. Amyttosa insectivora; F. Gonamytta occidentalis; G. Brachyamytta maculipes; H – I. Male pronota: H. G. occidentalis; I. Anepitacta guentheri.