Cymatomerella morula, Hemp & Heller, 2019

Hemp, Claudia & Heller, Klaus-Gerhard, 2019, Orthoptera (Tettigoniidae and Acridoidea) from Miombo woodlands of Central Tanzania with the description of new taxa, Zootaxa 4671 (2), pp. 151-194 : 190-192

Cymatomerella morula n. sp. Hemp C.

( Figs. 44 , 45 D , 46 )

Holotype female. Tanzania, Bahi District, Dodoma Region, East Chenene Forest Reserve, Miombo woodlands 1500 m, March 2018. 1 male, same data as holotype. 2 males, Tanzania, near village Gulwe , Mpwapwa District , Dodoma Region, small hill covered by Miombo woodlands, March 2017.

Description. Female. General pattern of dark patches on light ground, dorsum of abdomen pitch black, venter of abdomen predominantly light except for black pronotal sterna ( Fig. 44 D ). Head and antennae. Face white with numerous small black dots; labrum black ( Fig. 44 C ). Antennae thick, about 2 times longer than body length, with large scapi. Fastigium verticis like a channel getting smaller to apex but median sulcus continuous and thus open at apex. Eyes typical for genus, small, almost round. Thorax. Pronotum with same pattern as face and head: white with numerous small black dots. Posterior margin of pronotum with two humps (arrow in 46 C). Between these humps small median ridge, pronotal margin slightly incised between humps. Pronotal lobes of prozona with large hump at about the middle; mesozona lateral with small humps, metazona with lateral bulges and medially on disc with elevated ridge at posterior margin. Tegmina light with larger reddish-brown patches; alae with tesselate pattern ( Fig. 44 D ). Legs. Femora flattened, carinated above, lower parts of femora with several lobes. Abdomen. Abdominal tergites deep black and two conspicuous yellow patches on first two segments below wings ( Fig. 44 D ). Subgenital plate with broad base and two lateral edges, posterior part deeply v-shaped incised, white ( Fig. 45 D ). Supra-anal plate flap-like; of lighter colour with black dots ( Fig. 46 D ). Ovipositor stout, dark with reddish areas near base ( Fig. 44 D , 46 D ).

Male. Same habitus and colour pattern as female but smaller ( Fig. 44 A–C). The left tegmina lack a stridulatory file. Cerci thick and slightly up-curved with small dent at apex; subgenital plate typical for genus: thick base, then narrowing into bi-lobed apex with short and flat styli, white ( Fig 46 A, B ).

Measurements, female holotype (mm) (N=1). Total length of body 30.4; Median length of pronotum 8.6; Length of hind femur 13.1; Length of elytra 35.3; Length of ovipositor 9.8.

Measurements, males (mm) (N=3). Total length of body (including subgenital plate) 25.3–33.6; Median length of pronotum 7.4–7.5; Length of hind femur 11.6–12.1; Length of elytra 28.3–29.7.

Diagnosis. C. morula n. sp. is easily recognized by its pitch black abdomen. All other species have a “hy- menopteran” striped pattern on the abdomen of black and lighter, often yellowish stripes. It shares black sternites of the pronotum with C. muta . The latter species, however, has an almost smooth pronotum lacking the two humps and the ridge at the anterior margin of the pronotum and at the posterior margin. The female of C. pardopunctata is not known. But males of C. pardopunctata have a black subgenital plate and cerci (with white tips) while subgenital plate and cerci are white in C. morula n. sp. males. Distinguished from all other females by the subgenital plate with a broad base forming two lateral edges and with acute tips at its posterior margin (compare subgenital plates in Fig. 45 C . excisa (A), C. muta (B) and C. spilophora (C)).

Habitat. Miombo woodlands, on branches in the canopy of trees.

Distribution. Central Tanzania.

Etymology. From Latin: - morulus, black, because of the black abdomen of this new species.

Figures

FIGURE 44. Cymatomerella morula n. sp. A–C. Male D. Female holotype.

FIGURE 45. Subgenital plates of female Cymatomerella species A. C. excisa B. C. muta C. C. spilophora D. C. morula n. sp.

FIGURE 46. Morphological details of Cymatomerella morula n. sp. A. Lateral view on male apex B. Male subgenital plate C. Lateral view on pronotum of female holotype D. Ovipositor of female holotype.