Changiola sarawakensis, Tan & Muhammad & Robillard, 2021

Tan, Ming Kai, Muhammad, Amira Aqilah & Robillard, Tony, 2021, A review of the genus Changiola (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Pteroplistinae) and description of the first species from Borneo, Zootaxa 4941 (1), pp. 101-114 : 109-112

Changiola sarawakensis new species

( Figs. 1 , 7–9 )

Type material. Male holotype, Malaysia, Borneo, “ Sarawak ” state, Samarahan Division , Simunjan District , Ulu Sebuyau , Kampung Tuba , “Tuba”, coll. “Gardebfors, Hall, Hansson, Samuelsson”, 16–22 January 1979 ( ZMLU) .

Distribution. BORNEO: Malaysia: Sarawak: Samarahan

Diagnosis. This new species distinctly differs from all known species by male subgenital plate truncated and with a small median nodule at posterior margin ( Fig. 8G ) (instead of faintly or deeply notched); posterolateral lobes of epiphallus of male genitalia very narrow and straight; rachis long and fairly broad; formula stout and strongly forked anteriorly; and shape of additional sclerite plate slender and angularly bent.

Genus status. The male genitalia shows some resemblance with the species from the genus Kerinciola Gorochov, 2004 (known from Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, but not Borneo), specifically by the posterior end of rachis (= guiding rod) somewhat pointing ventrad. The two genera also share similarities in the genitalia: rachis moderately long, without upper process; endoparameres not connected with formula (= mold of spermatophore) attachment plate. Until the relationships between the genera can be clarified, we tentatively place this new species in Changiola owing to the epiphallus being H-shaped in the distal part and S-shaped in the proximal parts.

Description. Body dorsoventrally compressed, generally brown, with head and pronotum sparsely pubescent ( Figs. 7 , 8A, 8D ). Head brown, sparsely mottled yellow brown ( Fig. 8A ). Head rostrum slightly wider than scape, with apex truncated (in dorsal view) ( Fig. 8A ). Scape and pedicel and antennal segments yellow brown; scape rectangular ( Fig. 8A ). Face brown with yellow brown spots ( Fig. 8C ). Maxillary palpi elongated, with apical, subapical and third segments equally long; apical segment brown, subapical and third segments yellow brown at the apex; apical segment obliquely swollen ( Fig. 8C ). Eyes ovular; median ocellus small; lateral ocelli large, located near eyes posterior of scape ( Fig. 8B ). Gena with a small oval spot ventrad of eyes; posterior of eye with yellow brown ring ( Fig. 8D ). Pronotum dark brown, lateral lobes slightly darker ( Fig. 7 ). Pronotal disk 1.4 times as long as wide, with strong setae along anterior margin; anterior margin of disc slightly concave; barely widening posteriorly; posterior margin of disk straight ( Fig. 8A ). Pronotal lateral lobe 1.6 times as long as high, with ventral margin rising posteriorly ( Fig. 8D ). Anterior tibia with minute oval tympana on both sides; anterior and middle legs generally pubescent. Posterior femur pubescent and flattened, without ventral spines. Posterior tibia also pubescent, with about 13 small and stout spines on each dorsal side, with 2 long ventral apical spurs; posterior basitarsus with about 6 denticles on each dorsal side. Coxa yellow brown; anterior and middle femora yellow brown and mottled brown (especially on dorsal surface), tibiae brown with yellow brown rings in the middle and at apex, tarsi with basal segment brown. Posterior femur mostly yellow brown with spots of brown; brown at the apex and knee area; posterior tibia and tarsus brown with brown spines ( Fig. 7 ). Thoracic and abdominal segments yellow brown to brown.

Tegmen not pubescent, extending beyond abdominal apex, with dorsal field distinctly longer than lateral field. Tegminal dorsal field generally brown, apical field with some cells darkened or cells bordering the veins (and cross-veins) darkened ( Fig. 8E ); lateral tegminal field brown, with veins slightly paler ( Fig. 8F ). Dorsal field with five parallel oblique veins in harp ( Fig. 8E ). Mirror large, 1.4 times as wide as long, with anterior margin angular, with posterior margin widely rounded, and with two parallel dividing veins, gently-curved and located close to each other; anal area slightly shorter than length of mirror ( Fig. 8E ). Tegminal lateral field wide, with 11 branches of Sc and about nine cross-veins (anterior ones less distinct) between R and M; R and M diverge anteriorly, then run parallel, strongly converging towards the apex ( Fig. 8F ). Hind wings slightly surpassing tegmina ( Fig. 7A ).

Subgenital plate rectangular, slightly longer than wide, slightly narrowing posteriorly, anterior margin wide, posterior margin truncated and with a small median nodule ( Fig. 8G ).

Male genitalia as shown in Fig. 9 : epiphallus (ep) with strongly transverse median part broad, with posterolateral lobes strongly sclerotized, moderately long, faintly diverging from each other and apex truncated. Rachis (ra) strongly sclerotized, cylindrical, long and fairly broad; anterior half gently curved, bent in the middle, posterior half cylindrical before tapering into a subacute apex. Ectoparamere (ec) long and slender, surpassing posterolateral lobes of epiphallus, apex spatulate in lateral view. Endoparameres (en) strongly sclerotized, slender, with anterior parts curved ventrad and posteriorly and apex acute; apodemal endoparamere (ap) forming a large plate connected to (but not fused to) endoparamere. Formula (f) X-shaped and somewhat lamellate; rami (r) strongly S-shaped, widened and lamellate in the middle part. Additional sclerite plate (p) characteristics of Changiola slender slightly curved with anterior apex acute and posterior apex obliquely truncated.

Female. Unknown.

Measurements (in mm). BL = 14.3; PL = 3.2; PW = 4.4; TL = 11.3; TW = 5.3; HFL = 10.4; HTL = 6.6.

Etymology. The species is named after the type locality, Sarawak.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of parts of Southeast Asia showing the distribution of Changiola.

FIGURE 7. Changiola sarawakensis n. sp. male habitus in dorsal (A) and lateral (B) views. Scale bars = 5 mm.

FIGURE 8. Changiola sarawakensis n. sp. male: head and pronotum in dorsal (A) and lateral (D) views; head in anterior view (B); maxillary palps showing the apical three segments (C); tegminal dorsal field in dorsal view (E) and lateral field in lateral view (F); subgenital plate in ventral view (G). Scale bars: 2 mm (A, B, D–F), 1 mm (C, G).

FIGURE 9. Changiola sarawakensis n. sp. male genitalia in dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views; rachis (ra) and endoparameres (en) (D). Scale bar: 1 mm.