Conocephalus (Anisoptera) rentzi, Farooqi & Usmani, 2018

Farooqi, Mohd Kaleemullah & Usmani, Mohd Kamil, 2018, Review of genus Conocephalus Thunberg, 1815 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) with one new species from India, Zootaxa 4461 (3), pp. 381-398 : 386-390

Conocephalus (Anisoptera) rentzi sp. nov.

( Fig. 4 , 5 , 6 )

Description. Male: Body small sized and slender. Fastigium of vertex compressed laterally; base of fastigium 1.66 times as wide as scapus. Fastigium verticis moderately wide, apex rounded. Eyes globular and protruding outward. Pronotum: pronotal disc slightly raised posteriorly; median carina faintly visible; anterior margin almost straight, posterior margin convex. Lateral lobes triangular, higher than long with posterior margin rounded; posterior edge of lateral lobe with secondary tympanum, slightly raised elliptical area of thinner cuticle covering partially thoracic auditory spiracle; humeral sinus distinct. Prosternum armed with a pair of spines; mesosternal lobes triangular and elongate; metasternal lobes rounded. Thoracic auditory spiracle large, elliptical, completely hidden under lateral lobe of pronotum with a weak tubercle present at mid anterior inner edge of spiracle. Tegmina shorter than hind wings, apex rounded. Hind wings reaching before the middle of hind tibia when straightened; stridulatory file with 44 teeth, file curved at distal end, teeth of file with smooth surface, evenly spaced, file gradually narrow at both ends, and sulcate in the middle. Legs: All tibiae have a dark spot basally. Genicular lobes of fore femora armed by a single spine on inner side and unarmed on outer side; mid genicular lobes armed by a single spine on both inner and outer side; hind genicular lobes armed by single spine on inner side and bispinose on outer side. Fore coxae armed by a single spine. All femora dorsally and ventrally unarmed. Fore and mid tibiae dorsally unarmed. Fore tibiae ventrally armed by 6 spines on inner margin; 6 spines on outer margin. Mid tibiae ventrally armed by 6 spines on inner margin; 6 spines on outer margin. Hind tibiae dorsally armed by 30 minute to small-sized, thick spines on inner margin; 26 minute to small sized, thick spines on outer margin. Hind tibiae ventrally armed by 7 small to moderate-sized spines on inner margin; 12 small to moderate sized spines on outer margin. Single dorsal pair of spurs and two ventral pairs (inner small and outer large) of spurs present on the apical region of hind tibiae. Tenth abdominal tergite slightly broad and triangular, median carina present, basal margin indented, apical lobes triangular, apices triangularly rounded. Supra-anal plate triangular, small, with basal groove, apex sub obtuse. Subgenital plate moderately long with median carina, apical margin with triangular median excision; styles long, cylindrical, slightly diverging apically; apex obtuse. Cerci stout, broad, slightly compressed apically on lateral inner side, apex rounded; median internal tooth broad at base, apex with spine like projection.

Female: Tenth abdominal tergite with deep, longitudinal, complete median incision; apical margin rounded. Supra-anal plate triangular with basal groove; apex obtuse. Subgenital plate slightly broader than long; apex with distinct triangular excision. Cerci conical and straight. Ovipositor slightly upcurved, dorsal margin straight, ventral margin convex; dorsal valve longer than ventral; length of ovipositor shorter than hind femur.

Morphometry (length in mm)

Material examined: India—Uttar Pradesh, Aligarh, Reyaz colony (27°56'48.52"N, 78° 3'6.72"E), 3♂♂, 2♀♀, 13.XI.2016, on bushes, (coll. M. K. Farooqi).

Distribution: India—Uttar Pradesh.

Comments: The new species is allied to Conocephalus (Anisoptera) maculatus ( Le Guillou,1841) and Conocephalus (Anisoptera) melaenus ( Haan,1843) but it differs in the following characters: Stridulatory file with 44 teeth; posterior margin of lateral lobe of pronotum rounded; hind genicular lobes armed by bispinose on outer side; hind tibiae relatively armed by less number of spines on both dorsal margins; male cerci relatively broad throughout the length exept at apex, slightly compressed apically on lateral inner side; female tenth abdominal tergite with deep, longitudinal, complete median incision; apical margin rounded; female subgenital plate with distinct triangular apical excision; ovipositor not surpassing the apex of hind wings when straight.

Etymology: This species is named in honor of Dr. David Rentz, for his prodigious contributions in the field of Tettigoniidae .

Figures

FIGURE 4. Conocephalus (Anisoptera) rentzi sp. nov. A—Male, B—Female.

FIGURE 5. Conocephalus (Anisoptera) rentzi sp. nov. (A–P): A—Lateral view of head and pronotum ♂, B—Dorsal view of fastigium of vertex ♂, C—Dorsal view of pronutum ♂, D—Sternum ♂, E—Dorsal view of left basal tegmen ♂, F—Dorsal view of right basal tegmen ♂, G—Stridulatory file ♂, H—Dorsal view of abdominal end ♂, I –Ventral view of subgenital plate ♂, J—Dorsal view of cercus ♂, K –Dorsal view of supra-anal plate ♀, L –Ventral view of subgenital plate ♀, M—Dorsal view of cercus ♀, N—Lateral view of ovipositor ♀, O—Lateral view of fore tibia ♂, P—Lateral view of hind tibia ♂.

FIGURE 6. Stridulatory file of Conocephalus (Anisoptera) rentzi sp. nov. A—Entire file, B—Enlarged fragment.