Dioncomena ugandana Hemp, 2023

Hemp, Claudia, Montealegre-Z, Fernando, Woodrow, Charlie & Heller, Klaus-Gerhard, 2023, Bush-crickets with very special ears and songs - review of the East African Phaneropterinae genus Dioncomena Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878, with notes on its biogeography and the description of new species, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 70 (2), pp. 221-259 : 221

Dioncomena ugandana Hemp sp. nov.

Figs 10 , 11 , 36

Type material.

Holotype male, Uganda, Bwamba Valley, VII 1921, G.D.H. Carpenter, Pres. By Imp. Bur. Ent. Brit. Mus. 1927-77. Depository: BMNH.

Paratypes: 1♀, same data as holotype. 1♀, Bugoma Forest, 21. VI 1933, H. B. Johnston. 1♂, Toro1, 4000-4500 ft., 25-29. Dec 1911, S.A. Neave, BM 1912-192; 1♀, Mabira forest, 28.6.1913, CC Gowdey, BM 1927-77; 1♀, Mabira forest, Chagwe, 17.-20.7. 1911. Depository: BMNH.

Description.

Male. General Habitus and Color Pattern: Typical Dioncomena species in terms of its general habitus and size, with a contrasting pattern of yellow and black colors (Fig. 10A, B ). The black fascia of the pronotum is solid and very broad, covering the entire disc of the pronotum and parts of the lateral lobes, leaving only a yellow stripe along the anterior lateral lobes and a small yellow patch at the posterior margin of the pronotum. Around the fastigium verticis, a triangular area is yellow while the remaining head is black, except for a thin line posterior to the fastigium, running to the anterior margin of the pronotum (Fig. 10B ), and two broader yellow fasciae parallel on the face. Head & antennae. The fastigium of the vertex is typical for the genus, compressed, narrower than scapus, and sulcate above. Thorax & legs. The pronotum has an inflated posterior part of lateral lobes. The fore coxa is black with a very short, stout black spine. The fore and mid femora are unarmed, while the hind femur has very few small spines at the apical part. The fore tibia has a ventral double row of few irregularly set small spinules and a pair of short ventral spurs. The mid tibiae have a double row of spines near the distal end of the tibia, with four hooked spines on the outer dorsal side. The hind tibiae have a dorsal double row of spines, ventral rows with only a few spines set irregularly at the apical part, and three short spurs on each side. Tegmina & wings. The tegmina and wings have a typical shape and coloration for Dioncomena , black with a yellowish or green field at the base. The left tegmen is missing in the holotype, and the stridulatory area is destroyed in the male paratype. Abdomen. The tenth abdominal tergite is incurved at the posterior margin with a membranous structure medially (Fig. 10C ). The cerci are yellow, round with strongly inwardly curved black-tipped apices. At the apical third cerci, on the inner side, there is a small groove (Fig. 10C ). The subgenital plate is longer than wide and v-shaped, incurved medially (Fig. 10D ).

Female. Habitus, size, and color pattern similar to male with larger yellow spot on the posterior part of the pronotum (Fig. 11A, C ). Yellow area at the anterior margins of the pronotal lobes is not neatly confined and the margins are uneven and undulating between the yellow and black areas in females (Fig. 11B ). Leg spination similar to male but without hooked dorsal spurs on mid tibiae. Ovipositor short and strongly upcurved, basal part black, remaining part yellow (Fig. 11D ). Subgenital plate broad-based with triangular posterior margin, median v-shaped incision, and small lateral styli (Fig. 11E ).

Measurements, (mm) males (n = 2). Body length 15.0-16.0. Length of pronotum 3.2-3.9. Length of tegmina 25.3-26.2. Length of hind femur 17.

Measurements, (mm) females (n = 4). Body length 15.5-17.5. Length of pronotum 3.2-3.4. Length of tegmina 26.0-26.5. Length of hind femur 16.8-18.0. Ovipositor 4.8-5.2.

Habitat and distribution.

The holotype was found in the Bwamba valley, an area located between Lake Albert in the north and Lake Edward in the south, with the Semuliki National Park in the northwest. This region has an elevation ranging from about 700 to 800 m a.s.l. and is characterized by lowland wet forest.

Song.

Unknown.

Etymology.

Named after the country Uganda.

Figures

Figure 10. Male holotype of Dioncomena ugandana sp. nov. A. Habitus; B. Head and pronotum; C. Dorsal view on apex; D. Subgenital plate.

Figure 11. Female Dioncomena ugandana sp. nov. A. Habitus; B. Lateral view on head and pronotum; C. Dorsal view on pronotum; D. Ovipositor; E. Subgenital plate.

Figure 36. Distribution of Dioncomena species in East Africa. Locality data this paper, Ragge 1980; Hemp 2017; Massa 2021; Naskrecki and Guta 2019. Source: Google maps.