Sathrophyllia saeedi, Sultana, Riffat, Panhwar, Waheed Ali, Wagan, Muhammad Saeed & Khatri, Imran, 2014

Sultana, Riffat, Panhwar, Waheed Ali, Wagan, Muhammad Saeed & Khatri, Imran, 2014, Systematic status of true katydids Sathrophyllia (Orthoptera, Tettigonioidea, Pseudophyllinae) from Pakistan, with description of two new species, ZooKeys 466, pp. 1-11 : 6

Taxon classification Animalia Orthoptera Tettigoniidae

Sathrophyllia saeedi sp. n. Fig. 3 a–e

Diagnosis.

This new species is closely related to Sathrophyllia femorata but differs in coloration and body size and in having a unique light brownish coloration. It is also smaller in size than femorata by approximately 3 mm. Body medium size; pronotum with tubercles and tegmina wider in the middle slightly tapering at apex. Ovipositor small in size, thick at its basal part and serrated at apex (Fig. 3e).

Description.

Head short, rounded, slightly ovoid at apex; pronotum with tubercles (Fig. 3b, d); size medium; antennae longer than the body length (Fig. 3a, c). Fastigium of frons with brownish spots. Pronotum paler in color dorsally, brown at posterior part. Eyes ovoid, brownish in color. Body light brown in color; antennae yellowish at scapus and with brownish spots; fastigium with brownish spots; abdomen brownish in color. Tegmina have brownish or dark brownish patches in a lunar shape. Ovipositor small, thick at its basal part, and serrated at apex (Fig. 3e). Ovipositor brown at base and over-all yellowish in color.

Length measurements.

♀: pronotum 10 mm, tegmina 47 mm, femur 19 mm, tibia 16 mm, ovipositor 18 mm, total body length 29 mm.

Material examined.

Rawalakot, 1♀, 11.ix.2013, 33.51°N, 73.45°E (leg. Riffat S & Waheed AP).

Remarks.

This new species is closely related to Sathrophyllia femorata but differ in the tegmina. The tegmina of femorata is of a peculiar texture with low nodes of short cross veins, whilst the tegmina in new species is brownish and has dark brownish patches on it producing a lunar shape.

Ecology.

Sathrophyllia saeedi apparently has been found in the agricultural/cultivated field habitats between dunes in valleys where Desmostachya - Brachiaria cynodon was dominant. Moreover, the valleys were comprised of different plant communities such as Achyranthus aspera , Alhagi maurorum , Dactyloctenium aegypticum , Cenchrus ciliaris , and Cynodon dactylon . The present study suggests that few grasshopper species were probably able to utilize these resources of such a habitat for promoting their breeding and feeding activities.

Derivatio nominis.

This new species is named in honor of Prof. Dr. Muhammed Saeed Wagan, a renowned taxonomist and ex-chairperson, Department of Zoology, University of Sindh, and the person who opened the door of entomology to us.