Ergatettix subtruncatus, Gupta, Sunil Kumar, 2016

Gupta, Sunil Kumar, 2016, A new pygmy grasshopper species (Tetrigidae: Tetriginae) from Central India, Zootaxa 4097 (2), pp. 280-286 : 282-285

Ergatettix subtruncatus sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 A–M )

Holotype. ♀, Chhattisgarh, Durg district, Badbhum Forest Rest House , 20°14’19.7’’ N, 81°59’ 49.8’’E, 440m a. s. l., 31.iii.2014, coll. S.K. Gupta & party, Reg. No. 13863/H5 .

Paratypes (3♂ + 5♀), 1♂, Durg district; Badbhum Forest Rest House , 30.iii. 2014, Reg. No. 13869/H5 ; 1♀, Chhattisgarh, Bastar district, Kesarpal , 18.x.2011, 19°23’38.7’’N, 81°52’0.9’’E, 584m a.s.l. Reg. No. 13864/H5 ; 1♀, Mangrapara , 6.i.2012, (1♀, DC); 19°11’26.9’’N; 81°59’27.1’’E, 572m a.s.l. coll. R. P. Gupta & party, Reg. No. 13865/H5 ; 1♂, Raipur district; Barnawapara WLS, Bafra , 10.i.2012, (1♂, DC) 21°24’235’’N; 82°27’619’’E, 334m a.s.l., coll. S. K. Gupta & party, Reg. No. 13866/H5 ; 2♀, Bastar district, Metawada , 3.ii.2012, (2♀, DC) 19°08’27.4’’N, 82°01’1.2’’E, 551m a.s.l., coll. R. P. Gupta & party, Reg. No. 13867-68/H 5 ; 1♂, 1♀, Durg district; Badbhum Forest Rest House , 31.iii.2014, 2 (1♂, 1♀, NC) coll. S. K. Gupta & party, Reg. No. 13870-71/H5 .

Description. Female ( Fig. 1 A–K ). Small sized. Whole body finely granulated, rugose. Head. In dorsal view, vertex is slightly low in the level of distal margin of the compound eyes ( Fig. 1B ), in frontal view concave, indrawn from the level of the upper margin of the compound eyes. Median carina of the vertex indistinctly present in the distal 1/3rd of the length of the vertex, elevated, with tubercles. Lateral carinae of the vertex present. Supraocular lobes absent. Vertex narrower than a compound eye (1.8 times). Median ocellus situated far below the level of the lower margin of the compound eyes, in the place where facial carinae end. Paired or lateral ocelli situated in the below middle of compound eyes. Frontal costa in lateral view slightly produced from the level of the distal margin of the compound eyes. Frontal costa bifurcates into facial carinae and starts at the level of upper margin of compound eyes, running parallel to the mediun ocelli and forming wide scutellum ( Fig.1D ). Antennal grooves situated far below the lateral ocelli, also below the lower margin of the compound eyes. Antennal groove wider than scutellum, scapus narrower than scutellum (2 times). Eyes in frontal view sub-globular, in lateral view subglobular with oval margin proximal to pronotum. In dorsal view eyes are irregularly elliptical. Eyes are not very close to the pronotum, so the occipital area is visible and evident. Antennae 15–16 segmented. length of middle segments 3.6 times its width, segment 1 is scapus, segment 2–4 are not long at all or 5th to 9th long. Segment 10th – 11th (12th) are reduced. Pre-subapical antennal segments 2–6 are dark brown. 7th–9th segment light brown, subapical and apical dark ( Fig. 1C ). Pronotum. Pronotum granulated, slender. Anterior margin truncated, bearing small tubercles. Prozonal carinae, slightly distinct, and slightly run parallel, in the end of prozona curved in the direction of median carina. Humeral angles obtuse, rounded. Posterior margin of the lateral lobe of pronotum turned downwards, a little broadened, apex subtruncate ( Fig.1F ). Median carina anteriorly depressed, sinuated, slightly compresso-elevated between shoulders, undulate behind shoulders and hind process. Extralateral carinae fused to humero-apical carinae and forming slightly convex, obtuse, rounded angle. Humero-apical carinae obtuse angle. Interhumeral carinae present, weak. Pronotal disc bears variable number of small tubercles. Interscapular area narrower (2.5 times) than mid femora width. Lateral area wide than interscapular. Pronotum apex sub-truncated, posterior region of lateral carinae with variable bands and teeth compared to other species of the genus; posterior region of lateral carinae with 4 chocklate color band without teeth or crenulations and 4 yellow color bands with 4 large teeth on all bands. Wings. Tegmen long, oval apex rounded ( Fig. 1E ). Alae developed, surpassing apex of hind femora and apex of the pronotum. Legs. Fore leg: femur 3.1 times as long as wide, upper and lower margins of fore femur straight, finely serrulate, compressed, femora and tibiae ornate with sparse hairs, the second tarsal segment 2 times longer than the first ( Fig.1G ). Mid leg: upper and lower margins of mid femur undulate, femur 6 times as long as its width, crenulated, ornate with sparse hairs, width of midfemur 1.8 times narrower than width of tegmina; the second tarsal segment 5 times longer than the first ( Fig.1 H ). Hind leg: hind femur robust, 2.7 times as long as its width, upper and lower margins serrated, ornate with sparse hairs ( Fig. 1I ), antigenicular denticles subacute; tibia with 6 outer spines and 5 inner spines; first tarsal segment 1.8 times longer than the third; tip of pulvilli I spinulate, straight, II spinulate but transverse produced, III slightly spinulate, transverse, subacute apex, pulvilli III a little shorter than length of pulvilli I and II together, pulvilli I, small (0.164), II, slightly longer (0.170) and III, more long (0.238) ( Fig.1J ). Abdominal apex. Subgenital plate in ventral view rectangular, dorsal ovipositor valves 3 times as long as height, with slender 8 saw-like teeth, between dorsal valves of ovipositor and ventral ovipositor valves presents a large series of spines ( Fig.1K ) ventral ovipositor valves 6 times as long as height, with slender 9 saw-like teeth presents. Epiproct in female as long as its width near the base, with pointed apex. Cerci small, with narrowly rounded apex.

Coloration. Body color from brown-yellowish to dark brown, almost brownish. Pronotal disc usually colored in different (dark brown, whitish, reddish) two dark brown bands behind the shoulders, middle of shoulder a blackwhite spot, tegmen brownish, wings or alae blackish-brown, genicular lobe of hind femora dark chocklate colour. Fore and mid tibiae with two blackish brown hue, junction between 2nd tarsal segment and claws of all legs with dark brown to black bands of apexes. Middle carina and lateral carina of pronotum anterior to posterior margin black and yellow bands. Hind process of pronotum 4 black large and 4 yellow bands. Hind femora with black maculation. Hind tibiae dirty yellow to brown with two black hue, 1st and 3rd hind tarsal segments dark yellow, 2nd dark brown. Spine tips black. Antenna apical part dark blackish, the rest parts reddish brown, covered with white hairs.

Male ( Fig.1 L–M ) Head in dorsal view, vertex is slightly below the distal margin of the compound eyes, in frontal view slightly concave, indrawn from the level of the upper margin of the compound eyes. Median carina of vertex present on whole length of vertex and elevated in middle. Fossulae absent, lateral carinae of vertex in present. Supraocular lobes present. Vertex slightly narrower than a compound eye. Median ocellus situated above the level of lower margins of compound eyes. Frontal costa in lateral view slightly produced from level of the distal margin of compound eyes. Frontal costa bifurcates into facial carinae between the lateral ocelli and facial carinae run parallel to the median ocelli, forming scutellum. Antennal grooves situated below the lateral ocelli, below the lower margin of compound eyes. Antennal groove wider than scutellum. Eyes in frontal and lateral views subglobular. In dorsal view eyes are slightly elliptical. Eyes far away from the pronotum, so the occipital area is visible. Pronotum. Pronotum granulated, anterior margin truncated, prozonal carinae absent. Tegmina very small. Ventral sinus deep. Interhumeral carina slightly distinct. Apex of pronotum subtruncated, rounded, extra lateral carinae strong, interscapular area very small. Two lobes present. Posterior margin of lateral lobe of pronotum flattened and subtruncated. Tegmina oblong. Wings exteneded above pronotum apex. Legs. Fore legs: femur 4.9 times as long as wide. Upper and lower margin same as female. Hind femora robust 2.7 times as long as wide, upper margin slightly crenulated. Genicular teeth recognizable, antigenicular teeth visible. Ist tarsal segment 1.7 times longer than third. Abdominal apex. Subgenital plate in ventral view rectangular. Epiproct longer than its width, with pointed apex. Cerci very small with large hairs, apex stout and rounded.

Measurements (all in mm). Female Body length (from the tip of the vertex to the end of the abdomen): 7.78; compound eye length: 0.648, width: 0.459; vertex length.283; Head length 0.896; Scutellum width 0.169; Antenna length 2.290, Antenna groove length: 0.154; width: 0.166; Ist article or scapes of antenna length 0.130, IInd or Pedicle length: 0.65; IIIrd or Flagellum length: 0.134; mid segment length 0.258, width 0.072. Pronotum length: 9.33, width: 2.53. Fore leg: femur length: 1.24, width: 0.39; tibia length: 1.19, width: 0.179; tarsus length (by segments): I: 0.151, II: 0.33; claw length I: 0.226, II:.119. Mid leg: femur length 1.43, width 0.239; tibial length 1.277, width 0.177; tarsus length: I: 0.111, II: 0.590; claws length I: 0.205, II: 0.147. Hind leg: femur length: 3.83, width: 1.43; tibia length: 3.22, width: 0.175; tarsus length: I: 0.670, II: 0.064, III: 0.370; pulvilli length: I: 0.161, II: 0.169, III: 0.250; claws length I: 0.88, II: 0.78. Wings: tegmen length: 1.46, width: 0.579; Alae length: 8.42; length between apex of pronotum to apex of alae: 1.149; Dorsal ovipositor valves length: 1.051, height: 0.334; ventral ovipositor valves length: 1.130, height: 0.176.

Male Body length (from the tip of the vertex to the end of the abdomen): 6.00; compound eye length: 0.389, vertex length 0.316; Head length 0.850; Scutellum width 0.121; Antenna groove length: 0.151. Pronotum length: 7.99, width: 1.853. Fore leg: femur length: 1.06, width: 0.216; tibia length: 1.255, width: 0.113; tarsus length (by segments): I: 0.078, II: 0.52; claw length I: 0.181. Mid leg: femur length 1.239, width 0.450; tibial length 1.123, width 0.107; tarsus length: I: 0.104, II: 0.499; claws length I: 0.136. Hind leg: femur length: 3.33, width: 1.22; tibia length: 2.93, width: 0.164; tarsus length: I: 0.582, II: 0.172, III: 0.369; pulvilli length: I: 0.117, II: 0.169, III: 0.226; claws length I: 0.85. Wings: tegmen length: 1.15, width: 0.511; Alae length: 8.20; length between apex of pronotum to apex of alae: 1.22; subgenital plate length: 0.554; width:0.28; Cerci length: 0.133.

The new species Ergatettix subtruncatus sp. nov. is similar to Ergatettix callosus ( Hancock, 1915) . The major differences are listed in Table 1 .

Etymology. The name of the species given after the character of the pronotum apex subtruncate.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A – M. Ergatettix subtruncatus sp. nov. A – K (Female) L – M (Male): A. Body in dorsal view; B. Body in lateral view; C. Antenna; D. Head frontal ridge; E. Tegmen; F. Paranota; G. Fore leg (external view); H. Mid leg (external view); I. Hind leg (external view); J. Pulvilli; K. Ovipositor in lateral view; L. Body in dorsal view; M. Body in lateral view.