Goodangarkia Rentz, 2009

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning, Ueshima, Norihiro & Wilson, Gw, 2016, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: A review of the Australian katydids of the genus Goodangarkia (Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Agraeciini; Liarina), Zootaxa 4136 (1), pp. 71-100 : 78-79

Goodangarkia Rentz, 2009

Type species: Dicranocercus prasinus Karny 1911 , designated by Rentz, 2009

The genus Goodangarkia was established to accommodate the species “ prasinus Karny 1911 ” which was originally described in Dicranocercus , which was later moved to Scytocera by Ingrisch (1998) who considered Dicranocercus as a synonym of Scytocera . The type species of Dicranocercus , prasinus , was described from “Endeavour River,” Queensland (see below). Goodangarkia is quite distinct from Scytocera in the reduced development of the fastigium of the vertex (see Figs. 5 A, 9A, 10B, 12A) and compare with Eades et al. (2016) Scytocera . The much more conservative development of the male genitalia and, in females, the more conservative development of the subgenital plate. Scytocera is known from New Guinea with S. smaragdifrons Naskrecki and Rentz (2010) from Mt Gahavisuka Provincial Park. This species is very different from any known Goodangarkia species and could not be considered congeneric with it.

All Goodangarkia katydids have a similar appearance, exception the short-winged G. prasina . Green is the predominating colour morph with some patterning in the costal region of the tegmen and a thin yellow line along the posterior margin of same. There is no patterning on the surface of the pronotum nor on the frons as is usually the case for Scytocera species. Goodangarkia species live in grasslands and secondary growth along rainforest margins. They are nocturnal and spend the day in leaf axils of larger grasses and Pandanus and unfolding aroids and gingers.

Goodangarkia species occur from Torres Strait, south to the vicinity of Babinda, Queensland. (Map 1).

Differential diagnosis. Greenish species, with one exception fully-winged, with characteristic colour patterns on costal region of tegmen. Internal tooth of male cercus well produced, species distinctive; apical tooth usually directed upwards. Titillators paired, often with basal sclerites and/or tubercles. Ovipositor scythe-like, unarmed.

Description Male/female. General. Body cylindrical, moderate sized for subfamily; very short-winged in both sexes ( G. prasina ), others fully winged but tegminal only slightly exceeding apex of abdomen. Size moderate to large for subtribe, form robust.

Head. Frons convex, minutely rugose, lateral carinae absent. Fastigium of vertex distinct, short, hooked forward, fastigium of frons minute, separate from same of vertex by a poorly defined gap; fastigium of vertex ( Figs. 12 A, C–E) hooked, narrow, at base less than width of base of antennal scape; eyes globular, protruding; median ocellus present, small ( Figs. 10 B, 12E), circular, lateral ocelli reduced, positioned at base of fastigium of vertex on each side; antennal scape unarmed; antennae about 1.5 times length of body.

Thorax. Pronotum with surface irregular but not rugose, surface shining; cephalic margin of disk feebly concave in the middle, caudal margin truncate; lateral lobe ( Figs. 4 ; 10A; 12C broader than deep, humeral sinus produced over thoracic auditory opening. Thoracic auditory opening elongate, prominent, almost wholly concealed by pronotum, with short setae on inner margin. Sternum with prosternum armed with a pair of tubercles ( G. prasina ) or elongate spikes (other species); mesosternum with lobes broadly triangular, the outer posterior margin toothed; metasternum with distinctive tooth ( Fig. 12 J) directed outwards on anterior margin.

Legs. Fore coxa armed with an elongate spine; fore femur laterally compressed, armed on both ventral margins; fore tibia quadrate, dorsal surface flat, slightly expanding distally, unarmed but posterior margin feebly tuberculate, tympanum bilaterally enclosed, with narrow, forward facing slits; ventral spines short, stout. Middle femur armed on both margins of ventral surface, posterior margin with only 2–3 short spines at base; middle tibia slightly inflated proximally, surface convex, unarmed, ventral surface armed with many spines on both margins, the anterior margin with fewer spines. Hind femur armed anterior (outer) ventral margin only with a few short, stout spines in distal half; hind tibia armed on both dorsal and ventral margins; apex with a pair of elongate spines dorsally, ventral apex with 4 much shorter spines. Genicular lobes of all femora armed on both sides.

Wings. Tegmen mesopterous ( Fig. 4 ) or fully alate ( Figs. 8 , 10 ) and reaching tip of abdomen or beyond. Male costal field expanded at base ( Figs. 6 A; 7A, C; 9D; 11A, B; 12H) tegminal venation normally developed; right stridulatory area with moderately large mirror, roughly quadrate, without internal venation. Stridulatory file ( Figs. 13 A–F) flat, the teeth, broad. Hind wing reduced but almost as long as tegmen (G. p r a s i n a) or fully developed (all other species). Female tegmina reduced ( G. prasina ) to fully developed (other species, always overlapping at base).

Abdomen. Tenth tergite of male with shallow, poorly indicated median incision ( Figs. 5 E, 12K); paraprocts unmodified. Cercus relatively short, stout, with single internal tooth, inflated ( Figs. 6 B, C) or dorsal ventrally flattened ( Figs. 7 E, 11F); apical tooth blunt and directed inwards or acute and directed upwards (most other species). Supra-anal plate narrow, with deep median groove, apex blunt or elongate and directed downwards. Phallus with titillators well developed, closely set, margins often serrate, base often with sclerotised pads ( Figs. 6 E; 7 F; 9G, H; 11C, D; 12N) often modified. Subgenital plate virtually unmodified amongst the species, with shallow U- to V-shaped median incision, each side bearing unmodified short styli ( Figs. 9 B; 12L). Female subgenital plate, ovoid, laterally carinate, apex with shallow median incision ( Figs. 9 C; 11E; 12O).

Ovipositor. Ovipositor about three-quarters length of hind femur, never longer than, slightly curved, apex with both surfaces smooth, apex acute.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Goodangarkia prasina. Adult male.

FIGURE 5. Goodangarkia prasina (Redtenbacher), taxonomic structures. A, lateral view, head, pronotum, tegmina, female and B, dorsal view head, pronotum tegmina male. C, dorsal view head, note fastigium of vertex and antennal scrobes. D, spination of ventral surface of middle femur. E tip of male abdomen, dorsal view. F, male left tegmen. G, male cercus dorsal and H, ventral views. I, titillator, note weak serration.

FIGURE 6. Goodangarkia dingaali sp. nov., holotype male. A, left tegmen. B, left cercus, dorsal view, C, latero-internal and D, ventral views. E, titillator. Note tubercles and reduced armature of apex.

FIGURE 7. Goodangarkia brevicerca sp. nov. A, left tegmen, holotype male. B, left tegmen showing stridulatory region, holotype male. C, left tegmen, male, stop I- 20. D, left male cercus, dorsal view, stop I- 20. E, left male cercus, internal view, stop I- 20. F, titillator, stop I- 20. Note paired tubercles on each side. G, Female subgenital plate, stop I- 20.

FIGURE 8. Goodangarkia brevicerca sp. nov., adult female, stop I- 20.

FIGURE 9. Goodangarkia farrowi sp. nov. All illustrations of paratopotyes. A, head lateral view. Note fastigium of vertex and lateral ocellus. B, Apex of male abdomen, ventral view showing subgenital plate and juxtaposition of cercus. C, Apex of female abdomen, ventral view showing subgenital plate. D, left male tegmen. Note stridulatory region. E, left male cercus, dorsal view. F, left male cercus, ventral view. G, titillator, dorsal view. H, titillator, dorsal view. Note tubercles.

FIGURE 10. Goodangarkia farrowi sp. nov., A, adult female, lateral view. B, Adult male aggressive stance. C, Adult male aggressive stance and in defensive “ squeaking ”.

FIGURE 12. Goodangarkia oedicephala sp. nov. A, dorsal view head, pronotum, stridulatory region of male tegmen. B, lateral view pronotum, tegmen, Note colour and pattern. C, Head, female frontal view. Note texture of frons, median ocellus and fastigium of vertex. D, lateral view head, pronotum, female. E, dorsal view fastigium of vertex. F, left foreleg, female. G, left midleg, female. H, left tegmen, male. I, wing, male. J, meso- and metasternites, female. K, tip of male abdomen, dorsal view. L, male subgenital plate, ventral view. M, male cercus, dorso-internal view. N, titillator. note tubercles and conical projections. O, Minute female subgenital plate, almost hidden by preceding segment. P, ovipositor, lateral view. Note absence of armature.

FIGURE 13. Stridulatory files of Goodangarkia species. A, G. prasina. B, G. dingaali sp. nov. C, G. farrowi sp. nov. D, G. platycerca sp. nov., E, G. oedicephala.