Hammatoferina Cadena-Castañeda

Cadena-Castañeda, Oscar J., Braun, Holger & García, Alexander García, 2022, The tribe Dysoniini part VI: Phylogeny, biogeography and evolutionary trends of the lichen katydid genera (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae). Eleventh contribution to the suprageneric organization of Neotropical phaneropterines, Zootaxa 5166 (1), pp. 1-93 : 25-26

Subtribe Hammatoferina Cadena-Castañeda n. subtrib.

Diagnosis. Medium-sized (total length 50–55 mm) and slender ( Fig. 15A ). Head ovoid in frontal view, vertex compressed and acuminate ( Fig. 15B ), antennae with groups of setae along the flagellum ( Figs. 15C–D ). Pronotum smooth and unmodified ( Figs. 15C–D ), margin of lateral lobes rounded and slightly thickened ( Fig. 15D ). Tegmina lanceolate, about five times as long as wide. MA vein extending along for two thirds of the tegmen length ( Fig. 15A ). Hind femora armed with small triangular spines on the ventral margin. Male cerci robust and forked, gripper in shape ( Fig. 15E ). Ovipositor twice as long as the pronotum, sharply upcurved, with rounded tip.

Type genus. Hammatofera Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 .

Distribution. Brazil: Atlantic coast, Atlantic Forest of the Caatinga biogeographic province, Paraná forests and Araucaria angustifolia forest (according to the classification by Morrone 2001), Bahia to Santa Catarina ( Map 1 ).

Comments. This is a unique member of the Dysoniini distinguished by phyllomorphic camouflage. The general habitus of Hammatofera , along with ovipositor shape in females, resembles in appearance members of Markiina n. subtrib. The main difference is the lack of lichen camouflage shown by that subtribe: no pale coloration, nor modifications of vertex or pronotum, and absence of long spines on femora, genicular lobes, and tibiae. Based on comparison with new specimens, H. brasiliensis Piza, 1980 n. syn., is found to be the same species as H. nodicornis ( Burmeister, 1838) . Male cerci and subgenital plate are similar, and shape of ovipositor and female subgenital plate present at most intraspecific variation. Therefore, Hammatofera remains monotypic, and this subtribe so far comprises a single species.

Subtribe Markiina Cadena-Castañeda n. subtrib.

Diagnosis. Small to medium-sized (30–65 mm), slender insects, background coloration dark green, with bright greenish white or yellowish green filamentous markings all over the body, general appearance usually whitish and often spiny. Head longer than wide in frontal view; vertex elevated as a cone or a spine (in Machima only weakly elevated); antennae filiform, unmodified. Pronotum smooth, with stripes that in some groups vary according to species, anterior and posterior margin of the pronotal disc with a spine or without (both spines are present in all species of Markia as well as Lichenodraculus holgeri , L. matti has only one spine on the anterior margin), rarely with an laterally expanded metazona (only Apolinaria ). At rest tegmina with costal margin broadly curved upward throughout the entire length, and the anal margin being almost straight or slightly concave, with the apex curved upward (giving an overall undulate appearance), tip broadly truncate. The anal margin has pyramidal, sclerotized sensilla. Genicular lobes with a well-developed and usually long spine, spines of femora and tibiae elongated and pointed. Hind margin of abdominal tergites with spines. Male cerci variable in shape, external branch usually as long as inner branch or only slightly longer (the species of Machima are special in presenting a very long and thin external branch, with the internal branch reduced to a small spine). Subgenital plate unmodified. Ovipositor twice as long as the pronotum or a little longer, valves only a little broadened and slightly serrulate, curving upward; female cerci thin and moderately elongated (in some Lichenodraculus females almost as long as the ovipositor).

Type genus. Markia White, 1862 .

Distribution. From the southwest of Mexico to southern Brazil. Most species are found in the Andean region between Venezuela and Bolivia ( Cadena-Castañeda 2013b, c).

Comments. Most genera of this subtribe were formerly included in the Markia genus group by CadenaCastañeda, 2013b. The species show lichenomorphic camouflage, specialized on fruticose or arbuscular lichens such as Usnea . Diagnoses of the genera are provided, omitting the common characters already described for the subtribe.

Figures

Map 1. Distribution map of Hammatofera nodicornis.

FIGURE 15. Hammatofera nodicornis (Burmeister, 1838) male. A. Habitus in lateral view. B. Frons. C and D. Head and thorax in dorsal and lateral view respectively. E. Terminalia in ventral view. F. Terminalia in dorsal view (draw from H. brasiliensis n. syn., by Piza 1980).