Pseudonicsara (P.) semicruciata

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2009, Revision of the genus Pseudonicsara Karny, 1912 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae: Agraeciini) 2185, Zootaxa 2185, pp. 1-122 : 40-42

Pseudonicsara (P.) semicruciata (Brunner v.W., 1898)

Figs. 16, 20, 23, 34, 65, 70, 100, 110, 139–140, 142–143, 178, 212, 268–269, 281, 304, 309, 347, 397, 446– 447, 477, 480, 493, 519, map 1.

Agraecia ornata Karny, 1907 syn. n.

Salomona semicruciata Brunner v.W. 1898, Abh. Senckenb. Natf. Ges. 24: 272; Karny 1912b, Gen. Ins. 141: 33; Otte 1997, Orthoptera Species File 7:36.

Pseudonicsara semicruciata Karny 1912a , Abh. Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden 14: 22; Karny 1926, Treubia 9: 226; OSF online 2009.

Agraecia ornata Karny 1907 , Abh. Zool.-bot. Ges. Wien 4 (3): 66; Karny 1912b, Gen. Ins. 141: 20; OSF online 2009.

Holotype (male): Papua New Guinea: New Guinea, H. Fruhstorfer, Coll. Br. v. W., 18.472, depository: Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Austria ( NMW).

Other material studied: Papua New Guinea: 1 male, 1 female (syntypes of Agraecia ornata Karny, 1907 , labelled " Agraecia ornata m. det. Karny 24.555"), Morobe Prov., Huon Golf, Sattelberg above Finschhafen [6° 28' S, 147° 44' E; without locality label, locality data taken from Karny (1907)] ( NMW); 1 female, Morobe Prov.: New Guinea (NE), Huon Peninsula, Finschhafen [6° 31' S, 147° 49' E], 80–200 m, 13.IV.1963, J. Sedlacek ( BPBM); 1 male, New Guinea, H. Dohrn, 6242 ( ZMB); 1 male, New Guinea, H. Fruhstorfer ( ZMB); 1 female, without locality label ( ZMB).

Diagnosis. P. semicruciata belongs to the species, in which the male subgenital plate has two medium sized to small internal processes in basal quarter to half and the apex of the cercus is simply obtuse. It differs from the other species with the same characters by the ventral baso-internal process inserting distinctly closer to base than the dorsal process ( Fig. 212), the apico-internal process of the cercus being compressed with a short dorsal lamella at base ( Figs. 142–143), and the apical parts of the titillators being oval with the apex obliquely truncate ( Figs. 304, 309). Females are characterised by the subgenital plate being divided in midline by a membranous area; the lobes are in ventral view nearly Y-shaped with a small median expansion; the basal area is sloping, the proximal surface is deeply furrowed and the lateral surface shallowly grooved; the apex of the lobes is obtuse ( Figs. 446–447).

Description. Fastigium verticis in front of eyes 0.9–1.1 mm, from base 1.4–1.6 mm; eye length 1.6–1.8 mm; greatest diameter of eye 1.8 mm; index fastigium verticis: eye length 0.9. Face subrugose in upper part and towards genae, almost smooth above clypeo-frontal suture ( Figs. 20, 23). Tegmen little surpassing hind knees. Femora with the following number of spines on ventral margins: fore femur 7–8 external, 5–7 internal; mid femur 6–7 external, 3 internal near base; hind femur 10–14 external, 2–7 minute internal near base.

Male. Stridulatory vein sinuate, 1.6–2.3 mm long; stridulatory teeth towards apex very dense and indistinct; with about 90–107 teeth or 40–67 teeth per mm; in middle 31.2–31.6 teeth per mm ( Figs. 65, 70). Mirror rectangular or faintly narrowing posteriorly; fore and hind margins substraight; 1.5 mm long, 1.3–1.5 mm wide; index length:width 1.0–1.2. Tenth abdominal tergite slightly prolonged behind; basal area slightly globular; apical margin broadly concave; with obtuse lobes on both sides; setose ( Figs. 100, 110). Epiproct triangular; deeply furrowed in midline, lateral margins strongly raised forming a pyriform crest, apex subobtuse ( Figs. 142–143). Paraproct with a short, obtuse projection. Cerci long-cylindrical, slightly curved; internal surface flattened; with three internal projections: two projections in basal half, one at dorsal, one at ventral margin, and one projection just before apex at ventral margin ( Figs. 139, 142–143, 178, 212). Of the former, ventral projection curved, closer to base than dorsal projection, which is small, compressed, obtuse. Apico-internal projection long-triangular, compressed; at base of dorsal margin with a short compressed lamella; apex subacute. Subgenital plate broad at base, lateral margins convex; with rounded carinae before bases of styli; apical margin broad-roundly excised ( Figs. 268–269, 281).

Titillators with basal parts simple, subhyaline; apical parts roughly triangular but with angles rounded; surface densely covered with clinging hairs; apico-lateral margin granular, without projection ( Figs. 304, 309, 347, 397).

Female ( Fig. 16). Tenth abdominal tergite furrowed in midline; apex angularly excised in middle. Subgenital plate subdivided into two obtuse lobes by a deep furrow in midline; lobes for the greater part free and embracing an ovoid space; latero-basal area of lobes curved dorsad and provided with two grooves: a baso-lateral groove and an apico-lateral groove; dorso-lateral margin connected with a membranous lateral lobe ( Figs. 446–447, 477, 480, 493, 519). Ventral ovipositor valves at very base with an oval groove, bordered on ventral side by a little distinct carina ( Fig. 493).

Coloration. Yellowish brown. Face with a dark brown band between compound eyes; with another dark brown transverse band at clypeo-frontal suture; both connected by a complete or interrupted vertical band ( Figs. 20, 23). Mandibles with very apex darkened. Antennal scrobae dark brown; scapus ventrally darkened, flagellum partly infumate. Pronotum medium brown with light spots of variable size. Tegmen brown with cells dark brown, veinlets light. Fore tibia with dark spots below and above tympana; and a brown spot at apex. Ovipositor yellowish brown in basal third, brown thereafter.

Variation. Pronotum with disc at fore and hind margins dark brown with light dots, a similar pattern along the shoulders but little expressed; centre of disc yellowish brown with a dark brown network; paranota yellowish brown. Tegmen brown with network of light veins and veinlets distinct only near base, towards apex almost uniformly yellowish brown. Fore tibia with dorsal areas infumate and light spots at tympana and apex. Hind knees infumate.

Measurements (4 males, 3 females): body male 30–33, female 29–34; pronotum male 7.6–8.0, female 8.2–8.7; tegmen male 26–27, female 28–29; hind femur male 17.5–18.5, female 19.5–21.5; antenna male 90; ovipositor 18–21 mm.

Discussion. Agraecia ornata Karny, 1907 agrees in all important diagnostic characters as male cerci, titillators, and stridulatory file with P. semicruciata . It should thus become a synonym of the latter. Salomona ornata (Brunner v.W. 1898), that was combined with Pseudonicsara by Karny (1912a), has to be combined with Axylus Stål, 1877 (Ingrisch, in preparation). Thus there will be no secondary homonymy of P. ornata under Pseudonicsara . The two males from ZMB carry a label " Pseudonicsara maculata nov. spec. C.Will. in litt." They show however no specific differences to P. semicruciata as can be seen from the extensive illustrations given.