Tachycines (Gymnaeta) sparsispinus, Zhu & Shi, 2021

Zhu, Qi-Di & Shi, Fu-Ming, 2021, Description of four new species of the subgenus Tachycines (Gymnaeta) Adelung, 1902 (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae) from caves in China and additional notes on some previously known species, European Journal of Taxonomy 764, pp. 1-17 : 6-8

Tachycines (Gymnaeta) sparsispinus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BF2EF6CF-707A-41F6-A858-C6CECC4625BE

Figs 3 , 8E–F

Diagnosis

The new species is similar to Tachycines (Gymnaeta) bifolius Zhu, Chen & Shi, 2020 and Tachycines (Gymnaeta) fallax (Zhang & Liu, 2009) , but differs from T. (G.) bifolius by: eyes degenerated, taenioid; hind tibia with six to eight inner and outer spines each on dorsal surface; apical area of dorso-median lobe of male genitalia with one pair of small lobes; female subgenital plate is nearly triangular. The new species differs from T. (G.) fallax by: fastigium verticis completely reduced, eyes degenerated, hind tibia with six to eight inner and outer spines each on dorsal surface.

Etymology

The name of the new species is formed from the Latin words ‘ sparsus ’ (‘scattered’) and ‘ spina ’ (‘spine’), referring to the low number of dorsal spines on the hind tibia.

Material examined

Holotype

CHINA • ♂; Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Baise City , Tianlin County, Langping Village , Shizikou Cave ; 13 Jun. 2014; Ming-Yi Tian, Wei-Xin Liu, Hao-Min Yin & Xiao-Zhu Luo leg.; HBU.

Paratypes

CHINA • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; HBU .

Description

BODY. Medium-sized.

HEAD. Fastigium verticis fully reduced. Eyes degenerated, taenioid. Apical segment of maxillary palpus distinctly longer than subapical one, apex inflated, globular.

THORAX. Pronotum long, anterior margin straight, posterior margin arcuate; lateral lobes longer than high, ventral margin arc-shaped. Mesonotum and metanotum short, posterior margins straight.

LEGS. Fore coxa with one small spine; femur unarmed on ventral surface, internal genicular lobe unarmed, external genicular lobe with one long spine; tibia with one inner spine and two outer spines on ventral surface, apex with one pair of ventral spines, between paired ventral spines with one small spine. Mid femur unarmed on ventral surface, internal and external genicular lobes with one long spine each; tibia with one inner spine and one to two outer spines on ventral surface, apex with one pair of dorsal spines and one pair of ventral spines, between paired ventral spines with one small spine. Hind femur unarmed on ventral surface, internal and external genicular lobes unarmed; tibia with six to eight inner and outer spines on dorsal surface each, subapical area unarmed, and at apex with one pair of dorsal spines and two pairs of ventral spines, interno-dorsal spine distinctly shorter than hind basitarsus. Hind basitarsus unarmed on dorsal surface, ventral surface with bristles.

MALE ABDOMEN. Posterior margins of all abdominal tergites relatively straight, abdominal sterna without obviously conical tubercles. Epiproct tongue-shaped, paraproct simple, nearly triangular in lateral view. Cercus slender, conical, apex acute. Genitalia with six membranous lobes, apical area of dorso-median lobe with one pair of small lobes, lateral sclerite short, basal area broad, gradually narrowing to apex, dorso-lateral lobes nearly equal in length to dorso-median lobe, ventro-lateral lobes nearly equal in length to dorso-lateral lobes, ventro-median lobe short; basal margin of dorsal sclerite narrow, truncate, posterior margin with one broad concavity. Subgenital plate quadrangular, posterior margin relatively straight.

FEMALE ABDOMEN. Ovipositor longer than half the length of hind femur, slightly curved upward, dorsal margin smooth, apical area of ventral margin denticulate. Subgenital plate nearly triangular, both sides of basal area with one triangulate lobe, apex blunt.

COLORATION. Body uniformly yellowish-brown. Eyes black.

Measurements (mm)

Body length: ♂: 14.16–14.56, ♀: 17.76; length of pronotum: ♂: 3.80–4.42, ♀: 4.0; length of fore femur: ♂: 11.08–11.80, ♀: 11.50; length of hind femur: ♂: 18.50–18.54, ♀: 17.90; length of hind tibia: ♂: 21.70–22.64, ♀: 22.00; length of hind basitarsus: ♂: 3.80, ♀: 4.60; length of ovipositor: 13.10.

Distribution

China (Guangxi).

Figures

Fig. 3. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) sparsispinus sp. nov. A–F, I. Paratype, ♂ (HBU). A–C. Head and pronotum. A. Frontal view. B. Lateral view. C. Dorsal view. D–F. Apex of abdomen. D. Lateral view. E. Dorsal view.F. Ventral view.I. Hind tarsus in lateral view.— G–H. Paratype, ♀ (HBU). G. Subgenital plate. H. Ovipositor in lateral view.

Fig. 8. Male genitalia. A, C, E, G, I, K. Dorsal view. B, D, F, H, J, L. Ventral view. A–B. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) quadratus sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (HBU). C–D. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) shiziensis sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (HBU). E–F. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) sparsispinus sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (HBU). G–H. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) papilious sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (HBU). I–J. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) latellai (Rampini & Di Russo, 2008), ♂. K–L. Tachycines (Gymnaeta) omninocaecus (Gorochov, Rampini & Di Russo, 2006), ♂.