Macromotettix microptera Deng, 2021

Lu, Xiang-Yi & Deng, Wei-An, 2021, New genus and new species of the subfamilyMetrodorinae from China (Orthoptera Tetrigidae), Zootaxa 4964 (2), pp. 345-362 : 352-354

Macromotettix microptera Deng , sp. nov.

( Figures. 3–4 )

Type material. Holotype: female, P. R. China: Sichuan: Chonzhou (Jiguanshan), 30°46’23.16” N, 103°19’36.35” E, 1200m, 21 May 2016, collected by Fuming Shi ( EMHU) . Paratypes: 2♂ 2♀, same data, type locality ( EMHU) .

Description. Female. Small in size, short, body surface interspersed with granules and sparse protuberances.

Head. Head not exserted above pronotal surface. Fastigium of vertex short; in dorsal view, width of vertex between eyes 1.5 times width of compound eye; anterior margin of fastigium straight, not surpassing anterior margin of eye; median carina visible anteriorly; lateral margins turned backward. In lateral view, frontal ridge and vertex forming a right angle shape, but invisible between eyes, protruded anteriorly and broadly rounded between antennal grooves. In frontal view, frontal costa bifurcated above lateral ocelli, longitudinal furrow narrowly divergent between antennae, width of longitudinal furrow of frontal ridge narrower than antennal groove diameter. Antennae filiform, antennal grooves inserted below inferior margin of compound eyes. Eyes globose, lateral (paired) ocelli located lowest third of compound eye height.

Thorax. Pronotum with slightly tectiform and coarse dorsum, with numerous irregular coarse tubercles between shoulders and behind shoulders. Pronotum with truncate anterior margin, median carina entire; upper margin of pronotum in profile with two swellings anteriad of shoulders and undulate, straight behind shoulders; lateral carinae of prozona parallel; humeral angle obtuse, with interhumeral carina; hind pronotal process narrow, reaching knee of hind femur and its apex narrowly rounded. Humeral apex ridge and lower margin of pronotum connected at five-sixths of lower margin of pronotum. Posterior angles of lateral lobes produced outwards, end of posterior angles truncate and slightly obtuse-rounded, posterior margin of each lateral lobe of pronotum with ventral sinus and tegminal (upper) sinus. Tegmina are degenerate and very small, apex sharply. Hind wings are also degenerate and very short, only reaching the base of hind femora.

Legs. Fore and middle femora compressed, margins finely serrated, ventral margins of fore femora with one to two indistinct teeth and slightly undulated; ventral margins of middle femora with two teeth and distinct undulated; midfemur distinctly wider than tegmina, three times width of visible part of tegmina, length of middle midfemur about 3-4 times that of tegmina. Hind femora robust and short, three times as long as wide, margins finely serrated, antegenicular denticles acute and genicular denticles obtuse. Outer side of hind tibia with 6–7 spines, inner side with 8–9 spines. Length of first segment of posterior tarsi longer than third, three pulvilli of first segment of posterior tarsi are increased in turn, apices of first and second acute, apices of third right angle.

Abdomen. Ovipositor narrow and long, length of upper valvulae 4.2 times its width, upper and lower valvulae with slender saw-like teeth. Length of subgenital plate longer than its width, middle of posterior margin of subgenital plate slightly triangular projecting.

Coloration. Body dark brown; hind wings black. Hind femur dark brown, outer part lower side black. Hind tibia black, its base and middle brown.

Male. Similar to female, but smaller and narrower. Width of vertex between eyes 1.3 times width of compound eye, width of midfemur four times width of visible part of tegmina. Tegmina and hind wings slightly visible. Subgenital plate short, cone-shaped, apex bifurcated.

Measurements (mm). Length of body: ♂ 6.5–7.0, ♀ 8.0–8.5; length of pronotum: ♂ 5.5–6.0, ♀ 6.5–6.8; length of hind femur: ♂ 4.3–4.5, ♀ 4.8–5.0.

Diagnosis. New species is similar to Macromotettix sichuanensis Deng, 2018 from which it differs in width of vertex between eyes 1.3-1.5 times width of compound eye (width of vertex between eyes equal to or slightly narrower than width of compound eye in M. sichuanensis ); upper margin of pronotum in profile with two swellings anteriad of shoulders and straight behind shoulders (full-length of upper margin of pronotum undulate in profile in M. sichuanensis ); width of midfemur three to four times width of visible part of tegmina (width of midfemur 1.5 times width of visible part of tegmina in M. sichuanensis ); tegmina degenerate and very small (tegmina normal in M. sichuanensis ); ventral margins of middle femora with two teeth (ventral margins of middle femora without tooth in M. sichuanensis ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from “ microptera ”, meaning tegmina and hind wings are degenerate and very small or short.

Distribution. P. R. CHINA: Sichuan.

Figures

FIGURE 3A–K. Macromotettix microptera Deng, sp. nov., female, Holotype: A—body in dorsal view; B—body in lateral view; C—head in dorsal view; D—head in lateral view; E—head in frontal view; F—mesothrox and metathrox in lateral view; G—left fore femur in lateral view; H—left mid femur in lateral view; I—left hind femur in lateral view; J—left hind tibia in dorsal view; K—left posterior tarsi in lateral view. (scale bar = 1 mm).

FIGURE 4A–C. Macromotettix microptera Deng, sp. nov., female, Holotype: A—subgenital plate of female in ventral view; male, paratype: B—body in dorsal view; C—body in lateral view; (scale bar = 1 mm).