Tagasta nigritibia, Mao & Li, 2015

Mao, Ben-Yong & Li, Miao, 2015, Two new species of grasshopper from China (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae), Zoological Systematics 40 (1), pp. 63-69 : 68

Tagasta nigritibia sp. nov. ( Figs 3–4 , 13–17 )

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to T. indica Bolivar, 1905 by the similar general appearance, especially similar length of tegmina, and wings with a incision at the end of dividing vein, but differs with the latter by somewhat longer fastigium of vertex, black inner-lower knee lobes of hind femora and black hind tibiae, yellow tubercles on hind margin of pronotum and a V-shaped concave between anterior processes on epiphallic bridge. It is also differs from other species in Tagasta , by its black hind tibiae.

Description. Male. Body medium-sized. Head shorter than pronotum; vertex longitudinally carinate in middle; fastigium triangular, longitudinally and medially sulcated in apical half, length before anterior margin of eyes 1.0–1.1 times longer than maximum width; gena behind eyes with a series of 4–5 tubercles. Antennae filiform, extended to or beyond hind margin of pronotum. Eyes oval, longitudinal diameter 1.2–1.3 times as long as horizontal one. Pronotum with anterior margin arced, faintly concaved in middle; posterior margin obtusely angled, with 2–3 tubercles in lateral side; median and lateral carinae indistinct; prozona 1.6 times as long as metazona; infero-posterior angle of lateral lobe nearly right-angled. Prosternal process tuberculate, apex blunt as a round tubercle. Mesosternal lobes quadrate; mesosternal interspace reversedly trapeziform, 1.0–1.1 times as long as minimum width. Metasternal lobes contiguous. Tegmina reaching or approaching extremity of hind femora, apically rounded. Wings as long as tegmina, angularly excised at extremity of dividing vein. Hind femora with upper basal lobe as long as lower basal lobe, outer side irregularly carinated. Hind tibiae with 7–8 inner and 8–10 outer spines, inner and outer apical spines distinct. Tenth abdominal tergite broad, hind margin roundly concaved in middle; supra-anal plate triangular, median area longitudinally raised, apical half shallowly sulcated. Cerci short conical, distinctly extending beyond hind margin of supra-anal plate. Subgenital plate conical, apically rounded. Epiphallic bridge with anterior margin deeply concaved as V-shaped between anterior processes; phallic complex with apical penis valves very slender, pointed dorsad and ahead.

Body green. Antennae black. Eyes brown. Tubercles behind eyes yellowish white. Pronotum with inferior margin of lateral lobe yellowish white; yellow tubercles on hind margin with black-marginated. Tegmina green except a black spots at base; wings orange but faintly suffused with fumeus along anterior margin. Hind femora green, knee dark, inner-lower knee lobes dark; hind tibiae black.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (♂). Length between fastigium and hind femur extremity 27.0–29.0 mm, length between fastigium and abdominal extremity 23.0– 24.8 mm, pronotum 5.3–5.8 mm, tegmen 16.6–18.0 mm, hind femur 13.4–14.2 mm.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, China, Yunnan Province, Yingjiang, Nabang (24°42'N, 97°35'E; elev. 505 m), 1 August 2009, coll. Ben-Yong Mao and Ming Qiu. Paratypes 5 ♂, ibid. All type specimens deposited in BMDU .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin “ nigri -” and “ tibia ”, referring to hind tibiae being black.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Biology. The habitat of the species is similar to C. yunnana sp. nov., besides of slightly higher altitude. Its food plants are unknown.

Funding The present study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30960057, 31260520).

Acknowledgements We are very grateful to Ms. Rui-Lian Li and Mr. Ming Qiu (College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China) for their assistance in collecting specimens.

Figures

Figs 1–4. Adults. 1–2. Chlorizeina yunnana sp. nov., habitus, lateral view, ♂, ♀. 3–4. Tagasta nigritibia sp. nov., habitus, lateral and dorsal views, ♂. Scale bars=5mm.

Figs 13–17. Tagasta nigritibia sp. nov. 13–14. Head and pronotum, dorsal and lateral views, ♂. 15. Terminalia, dorsal view, ♂. 16. Epiphallus, dorsal view. 17. Phallic complex, lateral view. Scale bars =1 mm.