Zhengitettix Liang, 1994

Chen, Ya-Zhen & Deng, Wei-An, 2022, Two new species of the genus Zhengitettix (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Scelimeninae) from China, Zootaxa 5154 (1), pp. 71-80 : 72-73

Genus Zhengitettix Liang, 1994

http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org/Common/basic/Taxa.aspx?TaxonNameID=1101684

Zhengitettix Liang, 1994: 33–34 ; Liang & Zheng, 1998: 75; Zheng, 2005: 49; Deng, Zheng & Wei, 2007: 405; Deng, Zheng & Wei, 2010: 46; Zheng, Zeng & Ou, 2010: 1153–1156; Storozhenko, 2013: 205; Deng, 2016: 48; Adžic, Deranja, Franjevic & Skejo, 2020: 133.

Type species: Zhengitettix hainanensis Liang, 1994 by monotypy and original designation.

Description and differential diagnosis. Zhengitettix spp. have the following characteristics: Size small, slender; body surface smooth. Head and eyes distinctly exserted above pronotal surface; vertex strongly narrow, its width equal to the basal segment of antenna, still narrower towards front, more or less triangular in shape; width of longitudinal furrow of frontal ridge narrower than or equal to or slightly wider than antennal groove diameter; antennae filiform, antennal grooves inserted below or between inferior margins of compound eyes. In dorsal view, anterior margin of pronotum truncate; median carina entire; hind pronotal process narrow and long cone-shaped, extending beyond the apices of hind femora; in profile, median carina of pronotum straight or slightly undulate before shoulders; lateral lobes of pronotum turning outwardly, with triangular or short or long lateral spines, lateral spines of pronotal lateral lobes pointing sideway or slightly curved forward or obliquely backward. Tegmina long, ovate. Hind wings reaching apex of hind pronotal process. Fore and middle femora elongated, with straight ventral margins.

Zhengitettix is closely related to Hebarditettix Günther, 1938 in Scelimeninae . The difference between the two genera occurs in the characteristics of vertex. The Zhengitettix fastigium of vertex strongly narrow, still narrower towards the front, more or less triangular in shape. In Hebarditettix , width of vertex between eyes slightly narrower than width of compound eye, vertex not narrower towards the front and not triangular. Zhengitettix is also similar to Systolederus Bolívar, 1887 in Metrodorinae and Teredorus Hancock, 1906 in Tetriginae . The three genera characterised by almost the same combination of features: fastigium of vertex extremely narrow, still narrower towards the front. The main differences among the three genera occurs in the characteristics of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes. The Zhengitettix posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes produced outward, end of posterior angles bearing triangular, subspiniform or spiniform. In Systolederus , posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes produced outward, end of posterior angles truncate. In Teredorus , posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes turned downwards, apex of posterior angles rounded.

Composition and distribution: Altogether, 16 species are now assigned to the genus Zhengitettix and found in China, Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines.

Key to the species of Zhengitettix Liang, 1994

1. Sternites ochrous or brown…………....................................................................... 2

- Sternites black or sometimes black with indistinct yellowish spots............................................... 4

2. Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with long spines slightly curved forwards; pronotum with a pair of interhumeral carinae between shoulders. Distribution: Philippines (Palawan Island)........ Z. palawanensis Storozhenko, 2013

- Posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes bearing triangular, subspiniform, and directed laterally; interhumeral carinae between shoulders absent...................................................................................... 3

3. Antennal grooves inserted below inferior margins of compound eyes; width of longitudinal furrow of frontal ridge wider than antennal groove diameter. Distribution: China (Hainan).................................. Z. hainanensis Liang, 1994

- Antennal grooves inserted between inferior margins of compound eyes; width of longitudinal furrow of frontal ridge equal to antennal groove diameter. Distribution: China (Yunnan)........................ Z. triangularis Zheng, Zeng & Ou, 2010

4. Median carina of pronotum undulate before shoulders and straight behind shoulders................................ 5

- Median carina of pronotum straight....................................................................... 6

5. In dorsal view, disc of pronotum slightly convex between shoulders and interspersed with sparse carinae on the protuberance, slightly concave behind shoulders. Distribution: China (Yunnan).................... Zhengitettix convexa Deng , sp. nov.

- In dorsal view, disc of pronotum flat between shoulders and with a pair of interhumeral carinae. Distribution: China (Zhejiang)............................................................... Zhengitettix fengyangshana Deng , sp. nov.

6. Lateral spines of pronotal lateral lobes obliquely backwards Distribution: China (Guangxi) and Vietnam (Thai nguyen)...................................................................... Z. obliquespicula Zheng, Jiang & Liu, 2005

- Lateral spines of pronotal lateral lobes slightly curved forward or pointing sideways................................ 7

7. Lateral spines of pronotal lateral lobes slightly curved forward................................................. 8

- Lateral spines of pronotal lateral lobes pointing sideways...................................................... 9

8. Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with short spines; hind tibiae completely black. Distribution: Vietnam (Cao bang)....................................................................... Z. hosticus Storozhenko, 2013

- Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with long spines; hind tibiae ochrous with light basal part. Distribution: China (Guangxi) and Vietnam (Nghe an)......................................... Z. curvispinus Liang, Jiang & Liu, 2007

9. Antennal grooves inserted below inferior margins of compound eyes........................................... 10

- Antennal grooves inserted between inferior margins of compound eyes.......................................... 11

10. Disc of pronotum with a pair of interhumeral carinae between shoulders; middle femur narrower than visible part of tegmen in width. Distribution: Thailand (Surat thani and Phang nga)............................. Z. extraneus Storozhenko, 2013

- Disc of pronotum with numerous abbreviated carinae between shoulders; middle femur wider than visible part of tegmen in width. Distribution: China (Guizhou)..................................... Z. nigrofemurus Deng, Zheng & Wei, 2010

11. Interhumeral carinae between shoulders absent............................................................. 12

- Pronotum with a pair of interhumeral carinae between shoulders............................................... 13

12. Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with short spines; middle femur narrower than visible part of tegmen in width; hind tarsi white. Distribution: Thailand (Nakhon Ratchasima and Mae hong)............. Z. albitarsus Storozhenko, 2013

- Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with long spines; middle femur equal to visible part of tegmen in width; hind tarsi light brown. Distribution: China (Guangxi)................................. Z. transpicula Zheng & Jiang, 2002

13. Lateral ocelli placed below middle parts of eyes. female subgenital plate with longitudinal and transverse creases. Distribution: Vietnam (Vinh phu)......................................................... Z. mucronatus Storozhenko, 2013

- Lateral ocelli placed between middle parts of eyes; female subgenital plate smooth................................ 14

14. Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with long spines; hind tibiae completely brown. Distribution: Vietnam (Hoa binh)..................................................................... Z. spinulentus Storozhenko, 2013

- Apex of posterior angles of pronotal lateral lobes with short spines; hind tibiae black or blackish-brown............... 15

15. Pronotum in dorsal view with straight anterior margin, prozona of pronotum longitudinal; middle femur wider than visible part of tegmen in width. Distribution: Philippines (Palawan Island)........................ Z. taytayensis Storozhenko, 2013

- In dorsal view anterior margin of pronotum slightly concave in the middle; prozona of pronotum transverse; middle femur equal to visible part of tegmen in width. Distribution: Thailand (Loei)...................................................................................................... Zhengitettix ruangsuwani Dawwrueng & Doodduem, 2014