Araripelocusta imperatrix, Schall & Lima & Heads & Pinheiro & Kotthoff & Husemann, 2025

Schall, Ole-Kristian Odin, Lima, Daniel, Heads, Sam W., Pinheiro, Allysson P., Kotthoff, Ulrich & Husemann, Martin, 2025, New species of Cretaceous Locustopsidae (Orthoptera: Caelifera) from the Crato Formation of Brazil and a taxonomic revision of the family, Zootaxa 5722 (4), pp. 485-508 : 497-500

Araripelocusta imperatrix new species urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Figs. 7–9

Etymology: The species name is derived from the Latin word imperatrix , meaning “female sovereign”. It refers to the rather large size of the specimen, which makes it the largest known species of its genus. The name also alludes to the leaf-like appendages on the head, which resembles a crown or antlers.

Locality and horizon: Type locality imprecise; from one of the several quarries in the region of Nova Olinda and Santana do Cariri municipalities, Ceará State, Brazil. Nova Olinda Member , Crato Formation, Santana Group. Early Cretaceous, Aptian .

Type material: Holotype female, in the collection of Museu de Paleontologia Plácido Cidade Nuvens , Universidade Regional do Cariri, Santana do Cariri, Ceará, Brazil, MPSC 9842 . Paratype female, in the collection of Museum der Natur —Paläontologie/Geologie, Hamburg Germany, coll. no. CNBS00417 .

Diagnosis of species: Large species; forewing length 37.8–39.1 mm. Hindwing with conspicuous dark band near distal margin and irregular dark blotches across wing surface. Wings very elongate with length/width-ratio of forewing 7.4. RP with five branches. Apex of head bearing two leaf-like appendages with fine lateral spines/hairs ( Fig. 9 ). Ovipositor straight, 5.5 mm long.

Description of holotype: Head, body, wings and fragmented metathoracic leg.

Measurements: Body length 30.1 mm. Head height 6.2 mm. Appendages of head 0.85 mm. Ovipositor 2.1 mm (fragmented). Forewing length 37 mm, 5 mm high.

Body: Head conically pointed with front convexly curved. On the top of the head above the eyes is a pair of leaf-shaped appendages somewhat like little antlers. Anterolateral margin of appendages distally with fine spines or hairs. Pronotum saddle-shaped, exact outline unsure. Valvulae of ovipositor broad.

Legs: Attribution of fragmentary metathoracic leg parts unsure; either rather broad metafemur or metatibial folded in front of metafemur. Apparently with oblique lateral carinae on metafemur.

Forewing: Length/height-ratio 7.4. ScA narrow with multiple branches, reaching anterior wing margin at 41% of twl. ScP length 97.8% of wing length, slightly turned upwards distally. Space between RA and ScP 13.3% of total wing height. Origin of RP at 41.5% of twl, relatively close to M veering off RA. Space between RA and RP 10.7% of total wing height. RA distinctly turned upwards distally. RP with five branches; RP1 distinctly turned upwards parallel to RA. M with one branch, parallel to RP branches. CuA + CuPaα with one branch, reaching anal wing margin at ca. 67.6% of twl (contact point not discernible). CuPaβ parallel to CuA + CuPaα. Base of CuA + CuPaα at 25.8% of twl. Cross vein pattern rather simple over majority of wing surface but getting very complicated and net-like towards distal area between M and RP as well as branches of RP.

Description of paratype: Body outline with fragmented pro- and mesothoracic leg as well as ovipositor preserved. Wing apparatus fully intact.

Measurements: Body length 31.6 mm. Head height 5.9 mm. Eye height 2.0 mm. Ovipositor 5.5 mm. Forewing length 39.1 mm, 5.3 mm high.

Body: Head conically pointed. Valvulae of ovipositor rather prominent (for Caelifera ), possibly serrated distally (impression of serration could be due to state of preservation).

Legs: Pro- and mesothoracic extremities slim, almost looking fragile compared to the animal’s larger size.

Forewing: Length/height-ratio 7.4. ScA narrow with multiple branches (18+), reaching anterior wing margin at 52% of twl. ScP length at least 72.5% of twl, but likely significantly longer (the branch is lost in the dark coloration present towards the anterior wing margin). Origin of RP at 49.6% of twl, relatively close to M veering of RA. Space between RA and RP 10.5% of total wing height. RP with five branches. M with one branch, parallel to RP branches. CuA + CuPaα with one branch, reaching anal wing margin at 73.1% of twl. CuPaβ parallel to CuA + CuPaα; not reaching wing margin but in contact with CuPb at 60.7% of twl. CuPb very long and narrow, reaching wing margin very shortly anterior of CuA + CuPaα reaching wing margin. Cross vein pattern rather simple over majority of wing surface but getting very complicated and net-like towards distal area between M and RP as well as branches of RP.

Remarks: The new species is assigned to Araripelocustinae based on the presence of a single branch of M, and to Araripelocusta due to the presence of a single branch of CuA + CuPaα. Araripelocusta imperatrix sp. nov. is clearly distinct from the other two species of the genus known from the Crato Formation by being significantly larger, exceeding 37 mm ( A. longinota and A. brevis have forewings about 22.5 mm long (Martins-Neto & Gallego, 2006)). It further differs from its congeners as well as all known species of Locustopsidae so far by having a pair of small, leaf-like appendages located dorsally above the eyes, reminiscent of antlers. The precise identity of this structure remains uncertain; however, the presence of similar shape in the same position in the paratype specimen ( Fig. 8 ), albeit less clearly preserved, supports the interpretation that this appendage is part of its morphology rather than an extrinsic element of the matrix.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Araripelocusta imperatrix sp. nov. holotype female, MPSC 9842. A. and B. Image and drawing of complete specimen. C. and D. Image and drawing of the forewing. Scale bars = 10 mm.

FIGURE 8. Araripelocusta imperatrix sp. nov. paratype CNBS_00417. A. and B. Image and drawing of complete specimen. C. and D. Image and drawing of the forewing. Scale bars = 10 mm.

FIGURE 9. Araripelocusta imperatrix sp. nov. holotype female, coll. no. MPSC 9842. A. Detail of head with appendages. B. Close-up of antler-like appendages (red stars). Scale bars = 2 mm.