Neduba radicata Cole, Weissman, & Lightfoot, 2021

Cole, Jeffrey A., Weissman, David B., Lightfoot, David C., Ueshima, Norihiro, Warchałowska-Śliwa, Elżbieta, Maryańska-Nadachowska, Anna & Chatfield-Taylor, Will, 2021, A revision of the shield-back katydid genus Neduba (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Tettigoniinae: Nedubini), Zootaxa 4910 (1), pp. 1-92 : 37-38

Neduba radicata Cole, Weissman, & Lightfoot , sp. n.

Fig. 9 (distribution), Fig. 15 (male and female habitus, calling song, male and female terminalia, karyotype), Plate 1D (live habitus), Plate 4F (male calling song), Plate 6K (male ventral sclerite), Plate 9G (male titillators), Plate 11F (female subgenital plate).

Common name. Lake Tahoe Shieldback.

History of recognition. Confused with N. convexa , specimen from CA: El Dorado Co., Ice House Road, 22-X- 1965, D.C. Rentz, 1 male ( Rentz & Birchim 1968) .

Type material. HOLOTYPE MALE: USA, CA, El Dorado Co., Stanford University Sierra Camp , Fallen Leaf Lake, 38.901076N, 120.061626W, 1940 m, 9-VII-1988, DB Weissman, CAS, S88-60 [stop], R88-75 A [recording], T88-8 [karyotype], genitalia extracted and cleared in vial and excised tegmen in gelcap below specimen, deposited in CAS, Entomology type #19679.

PARATYPES (n = 36): USA, CA, El Dorado Co., 8♁, 1♀, China Flat Campground, El Dorado National Forest , 2 mi. SE of Kyburz off US50 , 38.7535N, 120.2671W, 1470 m, 20-21-VII-2012, JA Cole , LACM; 1♁, same data except JAC; 4♁, same data except 12-VIII-2002, JA Cole , LACM; 1♁, same data JAC; 2♁, same data except 19-VII- 2015, JA Cole, DB Weissman , LACM; 1♁, Emerald Bay State Park, Lake Tahoe , 38.964888N, 120.090884W, 1890 m, 8-VII-2016, DI Weissman , CAS; 1♀ nymph, same data as holotype except 10-VII-1935, FE Blaisdell , CAS; 1♀ nymph, same data as holotype except 20-VII-1936, FE Blaisdell , CAS; 1♀, same data as holotype except 3-VIII- 1989, BI Weissman , CAS; 2♁, 2♀, same data as holotype except 9-VII-1988, DB Weissman , CAS; 1♁ nymph, same data as holotype except VII-1915 , LS Rosenbaum , CAS; 1♀ nymph, same data as holotype except VII-1931, OH Swezey , CAS; 6♁, 1♀, Loon Lake , 38.997163N, 120.3095W, 1950 m, VIII-1991, BI Weissman , CAS; Placer Co., 1♁, Finning Mill Rd. at Forest Hill Rd. , 39.0586N, 120.7696W, 1097 m, 20-VII-2012, JA Cole , JAC; 1♁, Squaw Valley, foot trail by Squaw Creek , 39.21169N, 120.198611W, 1920 m, 1-VIII-1988, VF Lee , CAS.

Measurements. (mm, ♁n = 20, ♀ n = 4) Hind femur ♁18.00–20.91, ♀ 19.05–22.36, pronotum total length ♁8.70–10.16, ♀ 7.35–8.46, prozona length ♁3.38–4.36, ♀ 3.80–4.62, metazona dorsal length ♁4.82–6.47, ♀ 3.32– 4.66, pronotum constriction width ♁2.10–2.65, ♀ 2.55–2.87, metazona dorsal width ♁6.35–7.55, ♀ 5.28–5.62, head width ♁4.20–4.75, ♀ 4.50–5.22, ovipositor length ♀ 12.78–15.54.

Distribution. High elevations in the central and northern Sierra Nevada of California.

Habitat. Mixed conifer woodland. Taken from understory tangles and leaf litter in coniferous forest, under logs, in a small shrub in an open field, and from riverbanks. One male paratype sang from 2.4 m above ground in thicket of branches. He dropped to the ground when approached (JAC pers. obs.).

Seasonal occurrence. Midsummer through fall, from July (1-VII-1950, HL McKenzie, CSCA) through November (17-XI-1967, HR Ingham, CSCA). Nymphs occur from early June through August, thus overlapping broadly with adult activity.

Stridulatory file. (n = 6) length 3.3–3.9 mm, 115–135 teeth, tooth density 35.4 ± 3.4 (30.8–40.9) teeth/mm.

Song. (n = 19) PTR is significantly faster than all other Convexa Clade lineages (ANCOVA, P = 1.08×10 -5), owing to significantly shorter MPTL of 202.5 ± 53.6 ms (ANCOVA, P = 4.27×10 -11). MPT often have a characteristic amplitude modulation pattern, with a gradual increase in amplitude followed by an abrupt increase at the middle of the PT ( Plate 4F ). Males may sing in the late afternoon as well as at night.

Karyotype. (n = 7) 2n♁ = 26 (2m + 22t + XtYt), T88-8, S88-60, paratype.

Recognition. The male ventral sclerite has straight, thick shaft, the apex rounded with the highest point lateral to the central axis, and the short lateral process directed 45 o anterior to plane of shaft. This genital morphology may only be confused with N. diabolica and some N. carinata , both of which have higher stridulatory file tooth densities and lisping songs and are distributed in the South Coast Ranges. The female subgenital plate is distinct from all other Carinata Group species: wider than long with a strongly bifurcate apex. The song PTR is faster and MPTL shorter than all other Convexa Clade taxa. This species is the only Neduba found in high elevation yellow pine forest in the central and northern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

Etymology. l. radicata having roots, having found a home.

Notes. At China Flat Campground, El Dorado County, California, two males were observed emerging from leaf litter to sing in understory tangles.Acoustical activity commenced before dusk at this locality during overcast conditions after a rainstorm. At the southern extent of the range along Finning Mill Road, males were singing before sunset at 2019 h. This species is sympatric with N. radocantans (Sierranus Group) in El Dorado County, California.

Specimens examined. (n = 21) All USA, CA , El Dorado Co., in addition to type material (above), 1♁, Kelsey , 38.798791N, 120.820768W, 24-VII-1939, J Labadie, CSCA; 1♀ , Pollock Pines , 38.761292N, 120.586594W, 1207 m, 1-VII-1950, HL McKenzie, CSCA; 1♀ nymph, Snowline Camp , 38.746292N, 120.624373W, 21-VI-1948, CD MacNeill, CAS ; 1♁, Strawberry , 38.796852N, 120.145187W, 1768 m, 1-X-1954, ME Gardner, BMED; 1♀ , same data except WJ Wall, BMED; 1♀ nymph, same data except 28-VII-1950, ME Gardner, BMED; 1♀ nymph, same data except 3-VIII-1952, WJ Wall, BMED ; 1♁ nymph, Strawberry Valley , 38.796582N, 120.145187W, 12-VIII- 1912, EC VanDyke, CAS ; 1♁ nymph, same data except 5-VIII-1912, EC VanDyke, CAS ; 1♁, US50 3.7 mi. W Kyburz, 38.76427N, 120.35897W, 1112 m, 19-VII-2015, JA Cole, DB Weissman, JAC sound record; Nevada Co. , 1♁, junction SR20&I-80, 4-X-1972, AM Shapiro , BMED ; Placer Co., Cisco , 39.301569N, 120.546874W, VI-1910, C VanGeldern, CAS ; 3♁, Emigrant Gap , 39.300456N, 120.668268W, 1567 m, 17-XI-1967, HR Ingham, CSCA; 1♀ , Michigan Bluff , 39.042956N, 120.741319W, 1073 m, 11-V-1962, G Buxton, CSCA ; Sierra Co., 1♁, 10 mi. S Downieville , 39.41439N, 120.826891W, 28-VII-1962, WJ Turner, CSCA ; 1♁, Goodyears Creek , 39.540911N, 120.88824W, 10-VII-1925, EB Nast, CAS ; 1♁, St. Charles Hill , 39.56795N, 120.911061W, 7-VII-1925, EB Nast, CAS ; Yuba Co., 1♁ nymph, Challenge , 39.487389N, 121.223572W, 1-VII-1963, J Vercamp, CAS ; 1♁, same data except 20-VIII-1964, R Whitely , CAS; 1♀ , same data except VIII-1963, E Ball Jr, CAS .

Figures

PLATE 1. Live habitus of Carinata Group. A. N. carinata male, B. N. ambagiosa paratypes in phonotaxis, C. N. ambagiosa male (photo credit Jim Hogue), D. N. radicata paratype male, E. N. steindachneri male, F. N. cascadia paratopotype male showing mottled color form, G. N. cascadia paratopotype male singing (note elevated pronotal shield to give tegmina room to move, and perhaps, also create a parabola effect), H. N. cascadia paratyopotype male showing striped color form.

PLATE 4. Male calling songs of the Carinata and Propsti Groups.. A. N. carinata, B. N. oblongata, C. N. ambagiosa, D. N. diabolica, E. N. longiplutea, F. N. radicata, G. N. convexa, H. N. cascadia, I. N. steindachneri, J. N. propsti. Left column shows 4 s oscillogram windows, right column are 1 s windows.

PLATE 6. Variation in the ventral sclerites of the titillators of the male genitalia: Carinata Group.. A–D. N. carinata, E. N. oblongata, F. N. diabolica, G–H. N. ambagiosa × carinata hybrids, I. N. ambagiosa, J. N. longiplutea, K. N. radicata.

FIGURE 9. Distribution of Carinata Group species showing records in this work.

PLATE 9. Titllator arms of Carinata Group species.

PLATE 11. Female subgenital plates of Carinata (A–I), Propsti (J), and Castanea (K–L) Group species.

FIGURE 15. N. radicata male and female habitus, calling song, male and female terminalia, karyotype.