Rhytidaspis variata, Ingrisch, 2019

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2019, Revision of the genus Rhytidaspis Redtenbacher, 1891 including the description of a new genus Haudrhytidaspis gen. nov. (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae), Zootaxa 4661 (2), pp. 343-370 : 353

Rhytidaspis variata sp. n.

Holotype (male): Indonesia, Papua: New Guinea NW, Nabire, Geelvink Bay [Cenderawasih Bay, 3°23’S 135°30’E], elev. 0–30 m, 2–9.vii.1962, leg. J. Sedlacek— 1 male (Bishop Museum, Honolulu).

Other specimens studied: same locality as holotype, elev. 3 m, 3.xii.1962, leg. J.L. Gressitt— 1 male nymph (Bishop Museum, Honolulu) .

Diagnosis. The new species, R. variata , is characterized by the titillators that are missing an extra projection between the granular extension on top of the U-shaped curvature and the tip of the titillator as it occurs in the other species of the genus except for R. ornata sp. n.; from the latter species it differs by the U-shaped curvature that stands oblique to the main axis of the titillator instead of vertical, and by the apical end of the granular extension of the titillator that is prolonged into a short cone while the upper margin is convex in basal half but straight to slightly concave in apical half. In contrast, the granular extension in R. ornata sp. n. is not prolonged into an apical cone and the upper margin is convex throughout. The cerci of R. variata sp. n. are characterized by a transverse obtuse bulge on ventral side of the ventral apical lobe, separating the apical area of that lobe from the remainder of the cercus. That character is shared with R. arfak sp. n. that however has the proximal projection of the dorsal apical lobe of the cercus vertically compressed and on ventral side prolonged into a rather large obtuse lobe while in R. variata it is either horizontally compressed or finger-shaped. Other differences regarding the male cerci are described in the key. The cerci differ to some degree between the subspecies of R. variata .

Based on differences in fine details of the male cerci and differences in the stridulatory file, the new species can be subdivided into three subspecies described below.

Etymology. The name of the new species refers to the variability of the male cerci despite of the similarity of the titillators; from Latin convariare to vary.