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 : 359

Rhytidaspis variata ssp.

Figs. 11H, O, U

Specimens studied. Indonesia, Papua: New Guinea, South coast, R. Aindoea [ River Aindua ], near Monding [4°10’S, 135°12’E], [without date], leg. E. Lundquist— 1 female (Naturalis Leiden, NBC) .

Discussion. The female at hand might belong to R. v. variata ssp. n. However, as the female was not found together with a male and from both, R. v. variata and R. v. brevis ssp. n. only the males are known, I abstain from assigning that specimen to a subspecies.

Diagnosis. The female from River Aindua differs from those of R. v. meja by the straight, continuously converging lateral margins of the female subgenital plate instead of becoming subparallel in apical area. Moreover, it differs from that and all other taxa of the genus by the very short and closely approached apical lobes of the subgenital plate.

Description. Female. Ventral surface of subgenital plate comparatively narrow, with lateral margins sub-straight and regularly approaching from base to tip; in apical area only little up-curved and divided into two rather short and closely approached, subacute lobes ( Figs. 11H, O, U ).

Coloration. Head with face red brown, vertex yellow brown, darker sideward, with red brown furrows; antennal scrobae, scapus and pedicellus black, flagellum in basal area reddish, afterwards yellow; sub-ocular carina darkened; mandibles orange, upper part of clypeus red brown, lower part of clypeus green, labrum ochre, palpi yellow. Pronotum red brown with irregular ochre flecks. Abdominal tergites yellowish to ochre with reddish darkened hind margins and black lateral bands. Meso- and Metasternum black; abdominal sternites yellow to light brown. Tegmen yellow with few scattered black dots. Coxa and trochanter of all legs black or dark brown, anterior and median femur with black transverse strokes, hind femur for almost basal half dark brown. Female subgenital plate black; cerci yellow, ovipositor medium brown, lighter towards base.

Measurements (1 female).—Body: 45; pronotum: 11; tegmen: 4; hind femur: 24; ovipositor: 22 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 11. Female subgenital plate in ventral (A–H, X), lateral (I–O, W) and oblique apical view (P–V); thorax in lateral view (Y); apex of abdomen with ovipositor and hind leg in lateral view (Z); faint serration of ventral ovipositor valves before tip (Z insert).—Rhytidaspis arfak sp. n. from Koffo (A, I, P) and Siwi (E, M, T, W); R. picta Redt., 1891 Arguni (B, N, S); R. variata meja ssp. n. Pami (C, J, Q) and Dorey (F); R. ornata sp. n. South N.G. (D) and Kloofbivak (K, R); R. genyem sp. n. (G, L, V); R. variata ssp.Aindua (H, O, U); Haudrhytidaspis fusca (Karny, 1911) (X–Z).—Abbreviations: ls lateral area, vs ventral area of subgenital plate, ov base of ventral ovipositor valves. The black arrows in B and N mark the up-curved projections of the ventral surface, the white arrow in L the widened base, in Y the tegmen. Scales 1 mm; X–Z not to scale.