Sichuana planicercata Gu, Zheng & Yue, 2023

Gu, Jun-Jie, Zheng, Chengjie, Jiang, Su-Rong & Yue, Yanli, 2023, Phylogeny of genus Sichuana Shen & Yin, 2020 (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Tettigoniinae) with four new species from Sichuan, China, Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 70 (2), pp. 337-355 : 337

Sichuana planicercata Gu, Zheng & Yue sp. nov.

Material examined.

Holotype: ♂, Xiaojin County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China, (30°59'31"N, 102°21'39"E, alt., ca. 2700 m), coll. Cheng-Jie Zheng and Yuan Wei, VIII-2022 . Paratypes: 10♂ 5♀, same data as in holotype .

Diagnosis.

Differs from all other Sichuana species by its male tenth abdominal tergite with a pair of very short round projections at posterior margin (Fig. 2F ); male cercus without distinct curve upward or downward (Fig. 2E, F, H ), inner tooth far above the top of cercus in lateral view (Fig. 2 H ); and lacuna of female tenth abdominal tergite rounded and deep, reaching to or near posterior margin of ninth abdominal tergite (Fig. 2G ).The related species S. curvicercata sp. nov. with narrower lateral field of male tegmen and simple male tenth abdominal tergite, thus being similar to S. planicercata sp. nov. (Fig. 6I, F ).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is derived from a combination of the Latin ' plani ' meaning flat, and ' cercus ', describing the male cerci not bent ventrally or dorsally. Chinese name: 平尾川螽.

Measurements

(mm). Body (head to tip of abdomen): 32.4-33.86♂, 34.22-35.83♀; pronotum: 8.26-8.98♂, 7.86-8.46♀; tegmen: 15.39-16.21♂, 7.96-9.35♀; mirror of right tegmen (from fore to hind): 4.23-4.42♂; hind wing: 6.12-6.90♂, 5.43-5.76♀; protibia: 8.86-9.36♂, 8.85-10.31♀; profemur: 7.68-8.04♂, 7.92-8.53♀; mesotibia: 9.18-10.58♂, 9.96-11.28♀; mesofemur: 8.47-9.01♂, 8.48-9.42♀; metatibia: 21.09-22.71♂, 22.39-23.24♀; metafemur: 21.61-22.71♂; 22.98-23.76♀; ovipositor: 20.82-21.43.

Description.

Male. Body, large. Frons flat, slightly oblique. Frontal fastigium and clypeofrontal sulcus black. Face light-colored. Occiput convex. Vertical fastigium broad, slightly wider than scape. Median ocellus visible. Compound eyes broadly round and bulging outwards, surrounded by black coloration that extends backward to form a band. Antennae inserted at the inner sides of the compound eyes, scapus robust, much thicker than pedicel, flagellum tapers toward the apex, covered with short setae (Fig. 2A-D ).

Pronotum saddle-shaped, smooth, nearly equal to profemur in length. Disc of prozona with a broadly obtuse concavity in the middle of each side, anterior margin of pronotum slightly concave and posterior margin blunt, median carina faintly indicated in prozona, absent in metazona, lateral carina distinct in metazona, faintly indicated in prozona. Lateral lobe of pronotal length greater than depth, with a light-colored stripe along the lateral margin, sometimes not obvious, humeral sinus obvious (Fig. 2A-D ). Prosternum with a pair of small cone-shaped spines (Fig. 4E ). Mesosternum with a pair of triangular lobes, nearly equal in width to height. Metasternum with a pair of rounded triangular lobes, width distinctly greater than height (Fig. 4E ). Thoracic auditory spiracle elongated and elliptical, partially covered by lateral lobe of pronotum.

Tegmen approximately equal to, or slightly shorter than, twice length of pronotum, with clear longitudinal and cross veins. Tegmen folded downward along the M+CuA, flat dorsal field with a transverse lacuna in the middle. Tegmen almost the same width as the metazona disc from base to middle, then gradually narrowing in dorsal view. Lateral field of the tegmen slightly broadened (Fig. 2I ). ScA weak and short, very close to anterior margin, ended at or before the middle of the anterior margin. ScP strong, with 4-6 branches. R forked to RA and RP very distally or without distinct dichotomy (Fig. 3B ), sometimes distally fused with ScP then separated immediately (Fig. 3A ). M+CuA separated to M and CuA after the origin of the handle, but the position of their separation is unstable. M forked to MA and MP distally (Fig. 3A-F ). Stridulatory file with about 20 teeth (Fig. 4G ). Mirror on right tegmen pentagonal, its length greater than its width (Fig. 3B, D, F ). Hind wing rudimentary.

Legs. Prothoracic leg: genicular lobes of pro- and mesothoracic leg usually unarmed on both sides, sometimes armed with 1-2 spinules; dorsal procoxa with a long spine; profemur with 0-2 external black spinules and 1-4 internal black spinules ventrally; protibia with a slit-like tympanum on both sides; protibia with 2-3 external spurs dorsally, with 4-5 spurs on each side ventrally; protibia with an external apical spur dorsally and a pair of apical spurs ventrally. Mesothoracic leg: mesofemur with 1-4 external black spinules and 0-2 internal black spinules ventrally; mesotibia with 2-4 external spurs and 3-4 internal spurs dorsally, with 5-6 spurs on each side ventrally; mesotibia with an internal apical spur dorsally and with a pair of apical spurs ventrally. Metathoracic leg: metafemur with sparse black spinules on each side ventrally; metatibia with a row of spines of different sizes on each side dorsally, with a row of sparse tiny spurs on each side ventrally, progressively denser toward apex; metatibia with a pair of apical spurs dorsally, with two pairs of apical spurs ventrally, one pair distinctly larger.

The apical area of the tenth abdominal tergite with a wide and pileous lacuna in the middle, covered with many tiny granular protrusions; posterior margin of tenth abdominal tergite with a shallow notch at the middle of the posterior margin, sides of which form a pair of very short round projections (Fig. 2F ). Cercus conical and pileous, strongly incurved after the middle of itself, apex acute, not bent toward dorsal or ventral side. Presence of a hook-like and incurved inner tooth at base of cercus, tapering and curving from base to apex; inner teeth far above top of cercus in lateral view (Fig. 2E, F, H ). Subgenital plate length greater than width, slightly beyond cercus; with lateral carinae, middle part of posterior margin with a deep notch; width of notch varies; stylus slender and longer than notch (Fig. 4A-C ). Epiproct triangular. Titillator L-shaped, with 2-3 rows of larger denticles, gradually decreasing from base to apex in apical portion (Fig. 4F ).

Female. Generally similar to male, but body slightly larger. Tegmen slightly longer or shorter than pronotum, extending to the third abdominal tergum (Fig. 2B, D ). Hindwing micropterous, longer than half of pronotum. Cercus conical and pileous. Tenth abdominal tergite with a wide rounded deep lacuna in the middle, reaching to or near posterior margin of ninth abdominal tergite (Fig. 2G ). Subgenital plate nearly trapezoid, its width greater than length, middle of posterior margin with a wide notch (Fig. 4D ). Ovipositor slightly shorter than metafemur, straight or slightly decurved distally (Fig. 2B, D ).

Remarks.

S. planicercata sp. nov., can be assigned to Sichuana Shen & Yin, 2020 by its median carina faintly indicated in the prozona and absent in the metazona; lateral carina distinct in metazona, faintly indicated in prozona; prosternum with a pair of spines; male tegmina mesopterous, far exceeding pronotum; male cerci conical, strongly incurved at middle, apex acute, and with an inner tooth placed in basal area.

S. planicercata sp. nov. is similar to S. curvicercata sp. nov., but differs distinctly by: male cerci not bending ventrally or dorsally, while those of S. curvicercata sp. nov. are curved ventrally with apex pointing dorsally; a hook-like inner tooth that tapers and curves from base to apex, extending far above the top of cerci in lateral view, while S. curvicercata sp. nov. having almost the same thickness overall and suddenly sharp and incurved at apex, slightly above the top of the cerci in lateral view; the posterior margin of the male tenth abdominal tergite has a shallow notch at the middle of the posterior margin, and its sides form a pair of very short round projections, while that of S. curvicercata sp. nov. is without protrusion, only a wide and shallow notch at the middle (Figs 2E, F , 6E, F ); denticles on the apical portion of the titillator of S. planicercata sp. nov. are fewer and sparser than those of S. curvicercata sp. nov. and are relatively larger (Figs 4F , 8F ); S. planicercata sp. nov. has slightly more stridulatory teeth than S. curvicercata sp. nov., and the spacing of the teeth of S. planicercata sp. nov. is slightly narrower than that of S. curvicercata sp. nov. (Figs 4G , 8G ); and female tenth abdominal tergite has a wide rounded deep lacuna in the middle that reaches the posterior margin of the ninth abdominal tergite, while that of S. curvicercata sp. nov. has a wide trapezoidal projection at the posterior margin (Figs 2G , 6G ).

S. planicercata sp. nov. differs from S. feicui He, 2020 and S. cryptospina Shen & Yin, 2020 by the following character states: the lateral field of the male tegmina is only slightly broadened; in the male tegmina, M+CuA is separated to M and CuA after the origin of the handle; the male cerci are strongly incurved after their middle; a hook-like inner tooth is far above the top of the cerci in lateral view; and the pair of projections at the posterior margin of the male’s tenth abdominal tergite is very short and inconspicuous. These two species also differ from S. planicercata sp. nov. in the shape of the inner teeth, the denticles on the titillator, the morphology of the female tenth abdominal tergite, the shape of the stridulatory file, and the number of stridulatory teeth.

Figures

Figure 2. A-D. Body of Sichuana planicercata sp. nov. A, B. Male holotype; C, D. Female paratype; A, C. Dorsal view; B, D. Lateral view; E. Male terminal abdomen with artificially unfurled cerci in dorsal view for showing inner tooth; F. Male terminal abdomen in dorsal view; G. Female terminal abdomen in dorsal view; H. Male terminal abdomen in lateral view; I. Male left tegmen in lateral view.

Figure 3. A-F. Tegmina of Sichuana planicercata sp. nov. in dorsal view. A, C, E. Left tegmina; B, D, F. right tegmina.

Figure 4. Sichuana planicercata sp. nov. A-C. Male subgenital plate; D. Female subgenital plate; E. Thorax in ventral view; F. Titillator; G. Stridulatory file on underside of male left tegmen.

Figure 6. A-D. Body of Sichuana curvicercata sp. nov. A, B. Male holotype; C, D. Female paratype; A, C. Dorsal view; B, D. Lateral view; E. Male terminal abdomen with artificially unfurled cerci in dorsal view for showing inner tooth; F. Male terminal abdomen in dorsal view; G. Female terminal abdomen in dorsal view; H. Male terminal abdomen in lateral view; I. Male left tegmen in lateral view.

Figure 8. Sichuana curvicercata sp. nov. A-C. Male subgenital plate; D. Female subgenital plate; E. Thorax in ventral view; F. Titillator; G. Stridulatory file on underside of male left tegmen.