Rodriguesiophisis

Hugel, Sylvain, 2010, New and little known predatory katydids from Mascarene islands (Ensifera: Meconematinae and Hexacentrinae), Zootaxa 2543, pp. 1-30 : 24-25

Genus Rodriguesiophisis n. g.

Type species. Phisis spinifera Butler, 1876: 547 .

Distribution. Indian Ocean, Mascarene archipelago, Rodrigues.

Until the present work, Phisis spinifera was known only from the female holotype only. As the female characters of this species fit relatively well with the female characters of Paradecolya Jin, 1992 , the species has been tentatively transferred to this genus ( Jin & Kevan, 1992). Observation of newly collected male specimens show that P. spinifera strikingly differs from males of both Paradecolya and Brachyphisis , making necessary the proposal of a distinct genus.

Diagnosis. As in Paradecolya and Brachyphisis , Rodriguesiophisis n. g. is characterised by the fore leg with a coxal process; the mid leg with trochanter spine, and tibia with dorsal sub-basal spur. As Brachyphisis , Rodriguesiophisis n. g. has no dorsal apical spur on mid tibia. The genus differs from all other Phisidini genera by the combination of following characters: males with fore femora distinctly long and thick, only slightly shorter than hind femora, with strong anterior genicular lobe ( Fig. 79 ). Pronotum with conspicuous sexual dimorphism: bulging in males, flattened in females. Male terminalia: epiproct not fused with last tergum; paraprocts very small, circular ( Figs. 76, 80 ); cerci simple; subgenital plate with two projections bearing weakly distinct styli ( Fig. 77 ). Male genitalia: epiphallus with two well separated rods protruding separately from the basal lobe ( Figs. 81–82 ); without serrulations/tubercules. Female terminalia: subgenital plate without distinct emargination ( Fig. 78 ).

Description. Body size moderate to large (17–23 mm). Pronotum with distinct sexual dimorphism (unusual in the tribe); lateral lobe shallow; ventral margin rimmed. Prosternal processes moderately long, blunt; mesosternal processes short, wide and rounded; metasternal processes indistinct, forming a small bulge. Thoracic opening of medium size. FW and HW long, entirely covering the body. Fore leg with a distinct coxal spine. Tympanal area of fore tibia not particularly inflated. Mid leg with small trochanter spine. Mid tibia with dorsal sub basal spur; without dorsal apical spur.

Males. Pronotum bulging, inflated. Left mirror area “D”-shaped. Fore femora long and thick, only slightly shorter than hind femora, with strong anterior geniculare lobe ( Fig. 79 ). Epiproct small, not fused with last tergum. Paraprocts very small, without projections. Cerci without distinct projections. Subgenital plate with two projections bearing weakly distinct styli. Epiphallus with very small basal lobe; with two widely separated rods protruding from each lateral side of the basal lobe; rods without tubercles or serrulations.

Females. Pronotum greatly depressed. Subgenital plate without emargination.

Figures

FIGURES 75 – 86. Rodriguesiophisis spinifera (Butler, 1876), n. comb. 75, male head and pronotum. 76, male terminalia. 77, male subgenital plate. 78, female subgenital plate. 79, male right fore femora; note the extended genicular lobe (arrow). 80, male paraproct (small piece) and left cercus (large). 81, epiphallus, dorsal view, anterior on top. 82, epiphallus, left side view. 83, left fore wing. 84, right fore wing. 85, stridulatory file. 86, female ovipositor (right side view). Scan electron microscope pictures (79 – 85).