Lyperogryllacris forcipata, 2018

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2018, New taxa and records of Gryllacrididae (Orthoptera, Stenopelmatoidea) from South East Asia and New Guinea with a key to the genera, Zootaxa 4510 (1), pp. 1-278 : 67-70

Lyperogryllacris forcipata sp. nov.

Figs. 19 A–E, 20A–C

Material examined. Holotype (male): Vietnam: Con Dao NP, Con Son Island, (8°41'30''N, 106°38'0''E), 17– 24.vi.2012, leg. J. Constant & J. Bresseel (I.G.: 32.161)—(Brussels RBINS).

Other specimens studied: same data as holotype, 3 females, 4 males (paratypes) (Brussels RBINS).

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to L. b. bodenklossi ( Karny, 1926a) , only known from a female from South Thailand, and the subspecies L. bodenklossi impunctata ( Karny, 1926a) , only known from a male from Malaysia, in general habitus and with regard to the black head contrasting to the light body. It differs from both by the strikingly light ocelli with the median ocellus distinctly larger than both lateral ocelli, while in L. b. impunctata the ocelli are unmarked black, in L. b. bodenklossi all three ocelli are yellowish but small. The female of L. forcipara differs from L. b. bodenklossi by the subgenital plate that is markedly constricted between the wide basal and the narrow apical area with the apical lobes more closely approached and the seventh abdominal sternite is projecting apically over the intersegmental membrane and base of subgenital plate, while in L. b. bodenklossi the subgenital plate is slightly but regularly narrowed from base to tip with the apical lobes more widely separate and less deeply excised in between and the seventh abdominal sternite, although obviously longer, is not projecting behind. The male ninth abdominal tergite of L. forcipara has the apical projections wide at base then suddenly narrowed and with a sharp internal black tooth just before obtuse tip while in L. b. impunctata the projections are narrower at base and gradually narrowed into the acute apical black tooth at tip of the projection.

Description. Medium sized species. Head: Face narrow ovoid, forehead with impressed dots and very fine transverse riffles; fastigium verticis distinctly wider than scapus, separated by a fine suture from fastigium frontis; ocelli distinct; subocular furrow shallow ( Fig. 19C ). Wings reaching about hind knees ( Fig. 19A ). Tegmen: Radius with two branches, both forked near tip; media anterior fused with radius in about basal half of tegmen, it raises from R together with RS and divides from the latter shortly thereafter; MP absent; CuA divides into two branches just behind mid-length of tegmen; cubitus posterior undivided, free throughout; with 4 anal veins, the last vein short, fused at base and tip with third anal vein. Legs: Fore coxa with a spine at fore margin; fore and mid femora unarmed; fore and mid tibiae with four pairs of large ventral spines and one pair of smaller ventral spurs; hind femur with 7–10 external and 5 internal spines on ventral margins; hind tibia with spaced spines on both dorsal margins; ventral margins with one pre-apical spine; with 3 apical spurs on both sides.

Coloration. General color yellow brown with indistinct pattern; vertex brown with black bands around compound eyes continued along margins of fastigium, and with or without a dark medial band. Face black, two long oval spots on fastigium verticis, median ocellus and ventral area of clypeus yellowish; compound eyes ochre; antennae red brown but scapus with black spots. Tegmen semi-transparent yellow; veins and veinlets yellow, towards base brown; hind wing semi-transparent light ochre with veins brown, cross-veins black, bordered by dark brown bands; along margin veins and veinlets of lighter color.

Male. Ninth abdominal tergite strongly narrowing posteriorly, split near apex, on both sides of divided apex with a stout process pointing posteriorly, with wide base, narrowed before half of its length, and at tip on internal side with an acute tooth ( Fig. 20A, C ). Epiproct small; paraproctes forming extended plates from base of cerci. Subgenital plate about twice as wide as long (17:8); lateral margins slightly convex, subparallel; apex shortly bilobate; curved styli not much shorter than subgenital plate, inserted at posterior-lateral angles of plate ( Fig. 20B ). Phallus membranous.

Female. Seventh abdominal sternite longer than preceding sternite, rounded lobate but apical margin substraight, faintly concave in middle, overlapping base of subgenital plate. Subgenital plate with moderately long membranous zone at base; sclerotised part rather long, very wide at base but constricted behind basal third, with a medial carina; apical area bilobate ( Fig. 19E ). Ovipositor upcurved, most strongly in subbasal area, margins gradually approaching towards apex; lateral surface with a furrow that ends before apical area; apical area slightly widening, then narrowed; tip subacute ( Fig. 19D ).

Measurements (5 males, 3 females).—body w/wings: male 28–31, female 27–28; body w/o wings: male 21– 25, female 22–27; pronotum: male 5.0–5.5, female 5.0–5.5; tegmen: male 20–22, female 17–19; tegmen width: male 8.5, female 7.5; hind femur: male 14.0–16.5, female 14–15; antenna: male 105–140, female 90–100; ovipositor: female 11.5–12.5 mm.

Etymology. The name refers to the forcipate hooks of the male ninth abdominal tergite; from Latin forceps, forcipis (forceps).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Genus Lyperogryllacris: A–E, L. forcipata sp. nov. male holotype (A) and female paratype (B–E); F–H, L. khuntan sp. nov. male holotype; I–J, L. ocellata sp. nov. male holotype.—Habitus dorsal view (A, F, I), do. lateral view (B), face (C, G, J), female abdominal apex with ovipositor (D), female seventh abdominal sternite and subgenital plate (E), stridulatory pegs on second and third abdominal tergites, front is left (H).

FIGURE 20. Genus Lyperogryllacris: A–C, L. forcipata sp. nov. holotype; D–F, L. ocellata sp. nov. holotype; G–I, L. khuntan sp. nov. holotype.—Male abdominal apex in dorsal (A, D), ventral (B, E), apical (G), and oblique ventro-apical view (H); appendages of ninth abdominal tergite in greater enlargement, ventral margin is right (C, F, I).