Deltonotusoides strictivertex, Deng, 2021

Deng, Wei-An, 2021, New genus and new species of leaf-mimic pygmy grasshoppers from China (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Cladonotinae), Zootaxa 4995 (3), pp. 573-580 : 577-579

Deltonotusoides strictivertex sp. nov. ( Figures. 1-3 )

Description. Female. Small size, body surface interspersed with granules and sparse protuberances.

Head. Head and eyes below anterior margin of pronotum. In dorsal view, vertex is extremely narrow, fastigium of vertex between eyes 0.6 times width of an eye, and more narrowed toward the front; anterior margin of fastigium nearly truncate, not surpassing anterior margin of eye; median carina visible anteriorly, lateral margins turned backward, fossula deep. In lateral view, frontal costa nearly straight, not visible between eyes and lightly protruded anteriorly and broadly rounded between antennal grooves. In frontal view, frontal costa long, bifurcation of frontal costa between the eyes (in the middle), scutellum (longitudinal furrow) widely forked between antennae, the rami strongly divergent, width of longitudinal furrow of frontal costa distinct wider than antennal groove diameter. Antennae short, filiform, antennal grooves inserted far below inferior margin of compound eyes, 15-segmented, the 7th and 8th segment are the longest, about 3-4 times longer than its width. Eyes globose, lateral (paired) ocelli located between lower margins of compound eye.

Thorax. Pronotum with leaf-like appearance and with lower crest, median carina compressed and strongly elevated; In lateral view, dorsum of pronotum spherically elevated above the tegmina; anterior margin of the pronotum nearly right angle, projected above the occiput and reaching half the longitudinal diameter of an eye. In dorsal view, pronotal disc with sparse protuberances; anterior margin of pronotum enlarged, middle acute and projected above the occiput; postmedian of pronotum with an inconspicuous shallow depression in each side of median carina; lateral carinae of prozona parallel; widely rounded humeral angles; pronotal apex narrowly rounded and nearly reaching knee of hind femur (it is brachypronotal and brachypterous female, I didn’t collect macropronotal and macropterous female specimen). Posterior angles of lateral lobes slightly produced outwards, end of posterior angles slightly truncate or obtuse-rounded, posterior margins of each lateral lobe of pronotum with ventral sinus and tegminal (upper) sinus. Tegmina are small, apex sharply rounded. Hind wings are hidden under the pronotum, are also degenerate and very short, only reaching one-third of hind femora (it is brachypronotal and brachypterous female). Ventral surface of thorax with dense long hair.

Legs. Fore and middle femora wide and distinct compressed, margins finely serrated; ventral margins of fore femora with a distinct leaf-like protuberance and undulated; ventral margins of middle femora with a slightly leaflike protuberance and slightly undulated; mid femur distinctly wider than tegmina, three times width of visible part of tegmina. Hind femora robust and short, 2.0 times as long as wide, with carinated and margins lamellar and finely serrated, thicker outer carinae; antegenicular denticles and genicular denticles right angle, antegenicular denticles lamellar and larger than genicular denticles. Outer side of hind tibia with 6–7 spines, inner side with 8–9 spines. Length of first segment of posterior tarsi longer than third, three pulvilli of first segment of posterior tarsi are increased in turn, all apices acute.

Abdomen. Ovipositor narrow and long, length of upper valvulae 3.2 times its width, upper and lower valvulae with slender saw-like teeth. Length of subgenital plate equal to its width, middle of posterior margin of subgenital plate triangular projecting.

Coloration. Body yellow-green (fresh individuals); antennae brown and the terminal segment black. Outer part of hind femur yellow-green, with dark brown spots. Hind tibia dark brown, with two light rings in the middle.

Male (including brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens, macropronotal and macropterous specimens). Similar to female, but smaller and narrower. Lateral (paired) ocelli located between lower margins of compound eye or lowest third of compound eye height. In lateral view, median carina of pronotum spherically elevated (brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens) or median carina of pronotum strongly elevated before middle of hind femora and straight behind middle of hind femora (macropronotal and macropterous specimens); pronotal apex nearly reaching knee of hind femur (brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens) ( Figure 3A–B ) or surpassing knee of hind femur and reaching two-thirds of hind tibia (macropronotal and macropterous specimens) ( Figure 3 C-D). Mid femur 2.5-3.0 times (brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens) or 1.3 times (macropronotal and macropterous specimens) width of visible part of tegmina. Hind wings are hidden under the pronotum, are degenerate and reaching one-third of hind femora (brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens) ( Figure 3B ) or hind wings are well developed, extending beyond the apices of hind femora and surpassing the pronotal apex (macropronotal and macropterous specimens) ( Figure 3 C-D). Subgenital plate short, cone-shaped, apex bifurcated.

Measurements (mm). Length of body: ♂ 6.5–7.0, ♀ 8.0–8.5; length of pronotum: ♂ 5.0–5.5 (brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens) or 8.5–9.0 (macropronotal and macropterous specimens), ♀ 6.0–6.5 (brachypronotal and brachypterous specimens); length of hind femur: ♂ 4.0–4.5, ♀ 5.0–5.5.

Type material. HOLOTYPE: female (brachypronotal and brachypterous), P. R. CHINA: XIZANG: Motuo (Dexing), 29°19ʹ10.74ʹʹ N, 95°18ʹ12.76ʹʹ E, 780m • 16 June 2019, collected by Wei-An DENG ( CLSGNU). PARA- TYPES: 6♂ 2♀ (brachypronotal and brachypterous), same data, type locality, collected by Wei-An DENG ( CLS- GNU); 2♂ (macropronotal and macropterous) 2♀ (brachypronotal and brachypterous), P. R. CHINA: XIZANG: Motuo (Beibeng), 29°14ʹ38.59ʹʹ N, 95°10ʹ42.36ʹʹ E, 890m, 16 June 2019, collected by Wei-An DENG ( CLSGNU).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from “ strictivertex ”, meaning vertex is extremely narrow, fastigium of vertex between eyes 0.6 times width of an eye.

Distribution. P. R. CHINA: XIZANG (Motuo).

Figures

FIGURE 1A–E. Deltonotusoides strictivertex sp. nov., holotype female. A—body, dorsal view; B—the same, lateral view; C—head and anterior part of pronotum, dorsal view; D—the same, lateral view; E—head, frontal view.

FIGURE 2A–F. Deltonotusoides strictivertex sp. nov., holotype female. A—left fore femur, lateral view; B—left mid femur, lateral view; C—left hind femur, lateral view; D—left hind tibia, lateral view; E—left posterior tarsus, lateral view; F—subgenital plate of female, ventral view.

FIGURE 3A–E. Deltonotusoides strictivertex sp. nov., paratype male: A—body (brachypronotal and brachypterous), lateral view; B—body (brachypronotal and brachypterous), dorsal view; C—body (macropronotal and macropterous), left lateral view; D—body (macropronotal and macropterous), right lateral view; E—head (macropronotal and macropterous), frontal view.