Microsalomona sawetau, Naskrecki, Piotr & Rentz, David C. F., 2010

Naskrecki, Piotr & Rentz, David C. F., 2010, Studies in the orthopteran fauna of Melanesia: New katydids of the tribe Agraeciini from Papua New Guinea (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae), Zootaxa 2664, pp. 1-35 : 18-21

Microsalomona sawetau n. sp.

( Figs. 7 E–H, J–L; 8C, D, G, H)

Type locality. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Western Province, Muller Range, Sawetau (5°39'23.7''S, 142°18'16.5''E), 1550–1700 m, 11–17.ix.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki & D.C.F. Rentz—male holotype ( ANSP)

Differential diagnosis. M. sawetau is in its overall appearance similar to M. cornuta Karny , but can be distinguished from the latter by the shape of the basal spine of the male cercus, which is evenly tapered and slender in M. cornuta ( Fig. 7 M, N), but robust and distinctly inflated in the new species ( Fig. 7 E–G); the terminal spine in M. cornuta is also distinctly more slender and curved inwards. From M. brachyptera n. sp. this species differs in the presence of ventral, subapical process of the male cercus ( Fig. 7 G), and the development of wings, which are strongly reduced in M. brachyptera .

General. Body cylindrical, of medium size, slender; macropterous ( Fig. 8 C).

Head. Frons flat, oblique, weakly rugose (punctate); lateral carinae absent ( Fig. 8 D). Fastigium of frons weakly indicated by small ridge, fused with fastigium of frons; fastigium of vertex nearly hook-like, sharp apically, very narrow, only as wide as 1/5 of scapus, almost twice as long as scapus. Eyes circular, weakly protruding; median ocellus reduced, indicated only by lighter spot; lateral ocelli absent; antennae about twice as long as body.

Thorax. Pronotum surface smooth, shiny; anterior margin of pronotum weakly concave ( Fig. 7 L), flat; metazona slightly raised ( Fig. 7 K), posterior edge of metazona straight, lateral lobe about 2.2 times as long as high, its lower margin sinuate; marginal fold of pronotum very narrow, smooth. Thoracic auditory spiracle oval, completely hidden under pronotum. Sternum slightly concave; prosternum armed with two short spines; mesosternum with small, vertical protuberances on posterior lobes; metasternum unarmed.

Legs. Front coxa armed with long spine; front femur armed on both margins; genicular lobes of front femur with single spine on both sides; front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 9 spines on posterior and 9–10 on anterior ventral margin, spines robust, slightly longer than tibia diameter; tympanum bilaterally closed, with narrow, forward facing slits. Mid femur armed on both ventral margins, but posterior (inner) margin with only 2 small, spines at base; genicular lobes of mid femur with single spine on both sides; mid tibia with 9–10 spines on posterior and 10–11 on anterior ventral margin. Hind femur armed on both ventral margins, spines on posterior margin only at base of femur, minute; genicular lobes of hind femur with single spine on both sides; hind tibia armed on both dorsal and ventral margins, spines on dorsal and ventral margins of similar size and distribution.

Wings. Tegmen not reaching or barely reaching apex of abdomen ( Fig. 8 C); anterior margin rounded; costal field not dilated at base; apex narrowly rounded ( Fig. 7 J). Tegminal venation normally developed; veins Rs, M, and Cu nearly straight, running almost parallel to each other but slightly divergent in distal half of tegmen; right stridulatory area with large, fully developed mirror; mirror approximately elliptical. Stridulatory file flat, mostly straight, weakly bent only in proximal fifth, 1.3 mm long, 0.14 mm wide, with 87 teeth; hind wing as long as tegmen. Female tegmina reaching apex of abdomen.

Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified, with posterior margin slightly convex. Cercus broad, robust, with large, inflated basal spine; slightly curved apical spine; and long, poorly sclerotized subapical process ventrally ( Figs. 7 E–G). Epiproct unmodified, small, triangular. Phallus with pair of narrow, apically dilated titillators ( Fig. 7 H). Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, with broad, shallow apical incision; styli cylindrical, about 3 times as long as wide. Female subgenital plate with pair of deep invaginations at base, strongly sclerotized, posterior margin somewhat heart-shaped ( Fig. 8 G).

Ovipositor. Ovipositor shorter than hind femur (ratio femur/ovipositor 0.68); slightly curved, apex with both valvulae smooth, pointed ( Fig. 8 H).

Coloration. Coloration grey-brown to red-brown ( Fig. 8 C), head and pronotum more brightly colored than rest of body; face light brown to red-brown, without markings; clypeus and labrum yellow ( Fig. 8 D). Pronotum brown to red-brown, sometimes with lighter, irregular patches; front tibia dark brown to dark green; mid tibia light brown to green; hind femur light brown, sometimes with faint striation; hind tibia dark brown to dark green. Tegmen with venation in costal field bright yellow or green, spaces between veins dark brown; abdominal sterna without markings; abdominal terga without markings.

Measurements (2 males, 1 female). body w/wings: male 28–32 (30±2.8), female 39; pronotum: male 7– 8 (7.5±.7), female 8; tegmen: male 17–18 (17.5±.7), female 20; hind femur: male 17–18 (17.5±.7), female 18.5; ovipositor: 12.5 mm.

Material examined (4 specimens). Papua New Guinea: Western Province, Muller Range, Sawetau , elev. 1550–1700 m (5°39'23.7''S, 142°18'16.5''E), 11–17.ix.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki & D.C.F. Rentz— 1 female, 2 males (incl. holotype, paratypes), 1 nymph female ( ANSP, MCZ).

Etymology. Named after its type locality, Sawetau in the Muller Range of Papua New Guinea.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Microsalomona spp. — M. brachyptera n. sp.: A. male cerci, dorsal view; B. male left cercus, ventral view; C. ditto, lateral view; D. titillators; I. male left tegmen; M. sawetau n. sp.: E. male cerci, dorsal view; F. male left cercus, ventral view; G. ditto, lateral view; H. titillators; J. male left tegmen; K. male head and pronotum, lateral view; L; ditto, dorsal view; M. cornuta: M. male cercus, postero-dorsal view; N. ditto, dorsal view.

FIGURE 8. Microsalomona spp. — M. brachyptera n. sp.: A. paratype female; B. face; E. female subgenital plate; F; ovipositor; M. sawetau n. sp.: C. paratype female; D. face; G female subgenital plate; H; ovipositor.