Mirollia forcipata, Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2011

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2011, New taxa of Mirolliini from South East Asia and evidence for an abdominal gland in male Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), Zootaxa 2943, pp. 1-44 : 19

Mirollia forcipata sp. n.

Figs. 2N, 11D, 12I –J, 13G, 15A–C, 18A–C, 19A–B

Holotype (male): India: without precise locality [probably Gopaldhara], 23.viii.1914, Brit. Mus. 1961-689, depository: The Natural History Museum London ( BMNH).

Paratypes: India: 2 males, same data as holotype ( BMNH); 1 male, Bengal, Darjeeling, Gopaldhara [27°2'N, 88°10'E], Brit. Mus. 1961-689 ( BMNH). Remark: The four males are from the same series and were probably collected at the same locality. The male carrying the locality label but without date is in bad condition. Thus a male in fair condition but without locality label was selected as holotype.

Diagnosis. Differs from species reported from India or from similar species from other areas as follows: from M. bigemina Ingrisch, 1998 by the shape of the cerci without abrupt shift in direction in apical area, from M. composita Bey-Bienko, 1962 and M. fallax Bey-Bienko, 1962 by the shape of the male subgenital plate and phallus sclerites; from M. liui Bey-Bienko, 1957 with similar male subgenital plate by the shape of the male cerci and phallus sclerites, from M. longipinna Ingrisch & Shishodia, 1998 with similar male subgenital plate by similar but more strongly curved cerci and by strikingly different phallus sclerites that are not pinniform, from M. compressa Ingrisch & Shishodia, 2000 by the shape of the apical area of the male subgenital plate with longer triangular apical lobes touching each other at base and differently shaped phallus sclerites. The phallus sclerites are similar to those of M. angusticerca Gorochov & Kang, 2004 , but the external sclerites are more strongly curved mediad and have the apical margin regularly rounded without dentation while the shorter inner lobes are with dentate apico-internal margin; in addition there is a third pair of short sclerites at base that is absent in M. angusticerca . Also the shapes of the male subgenital plate and cerci are similar in both species but the cerci are more strongly curved and with wider base in M. forcipata than in M. angusticerca .

Description. Fastigium verticis furrowed, descending anteriorly; tip little produced (Fig. 11D).

Male. Stridulatory area of left tegmen in central area nearly parallel-sided; narrowing only in posterior third (Fig. 12I). Stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen concave and curved; 1.38–1.44 mm long; teeth very dense, gradually getting little wider spaced to subapical area; with 137–165 teeth, equating 99–114 teeth per mm; at base with 12.3–12.6, in middle with 10.8, near apex with 9.0 teeth per 0.1 mm (Fig. 13G). Mirror on right tegmen in anterior area deeply depressed; 1.80–1.86 mm long, 1.64 mm wide; index length: width 1.10–1.13 (Fig. 12J). Second and third abdominal tergites setose in middle, holding secretionary stuff (Figs. 19A–B). Ninth abdominal tergite mainly lateral; dorsal area strongly shortened. Tenth abdominal tergite triangularly depressed in middle; apical margin concave. Epiproct triangular, furrowed (Fig. 15C). Cerci with apical area hook-shaped; apical tooth large, compressed, little recurved (Fig. 15B). Subgenital plate with central area prolonged and faintly widening apicad; apex triangularly divided into deviating acute triangular lobes (Fig. 15A). Phallus with two pairs of hyaline sclerites with darkened margin and/or apex (Figs. 18A–C): inner sclerites oval but twisted, in apical view appearing wavy; margin at dorso-apical angle crenulated, otherwise sharp; lateral sclerites elongate, clamp-shaped; apical area rounded, flattened with sharp margin.

Coloration. Green when alive; specimens studied discoloured, brown, except for green tegmen (Fig. 2N). Pronotum and posterior area of tegmen with black dots; stridulatory area of left male tegmen with large blackish brown mark (Fig. 12I).

Etymology. The name refers to the clasp-shaped phallus sclerites.

Measurements (4 males). Body w/wings: 34–36; body w/o wings: 16–17; pronotum: 4.7–4.9; tegmen: 26.0– 26.5; hind wing: 28–31; hind femur: 13.5–14.2 mm.