Latitatagraecia kalamaya Rentz, Su and Ueshima, 2021

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norihiro, 2021, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: New short-winged Agraeciini from Australia (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae; Agraeciini), Zootaxa 5059 (2), pp. 1-72 : 24-25

Latitatagraecia kalamaya Rentz, Su and Ueshima Gen. et sp. nov.

ANIC Number Genus L1, sp. 1 (in part)

( Figs 13 A- J; Fig. 20G ; 22b B ; Table 4 , Map 6 )

17 Kalaamaya is an aboriginal region within the geographic range of this species.

Common name. Kalamaya Secretive Katydid

Holotype male. ( In alcohol) 1. “ 30.54S 121.32E 21 km SSE of Kalgoorlie, W. A. 17.II.1978 D. C. F. Rentz, M. J. D. White, Stop 57”. 2. “ D. C. F. Rentz, Cytol. prep. 78-66”. 3. “ ANIC database #14008752” . Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra.

Type locality. The type locality is located in an area along a highway vegetated by large Salmon Gums, Eucalyptus salmonophloia F. Muell. The type series was collected at the base of a large established tree where there was a considerable accumulation of dead twigs, leaves and bark. Specimens were not common and revealed themselves only after considerable trampling of the habitat.

Paratypes. Western Australia. 30 o 54’S 121 o 32’E 21 km SSE of Kalgoorlie , 17.ii.1978 DCF Rentz, MJD White, Stop 57, 8 females, ANIC ). 29 o 55’S 121 o 07’E 26 km SSE of Menzies , 20.ii.1978 (DCF Rentz, MJD White, Stop 69, 1 female, ANIC). 32 o 35’S 123 o 36’E 27 km S. of Balladonia Motel , 21.ii.1978 (DCF Rentz, Stop 72, 3 females, ANIC). 31 o 31’ SS 121 o 35’E 3 km SE of Widgiemooltha , 21.ii.1978 (DCF Rentz, Stop 70, 5 females, ANIC) . 121 o 07’S 29 o 57’E 3.8 km NE of Comet Siding , 7-15.iii.1979 (TE Houston et al. 1 female WAMU) .

Measurements. Table 4

Differential diagnosis. Male. Antenna not unusually thin, just surpassing the tip of the abdomen. Eye round, large, positioned high on head. Hind tibia armed dorsally with 18 spines on internal margin, 15 on external margin. Cercus ( Figs 13 E-G) decurved, with basal internal ridge. Paraprocts well indicated ( Fig. 13B ) rather short in this species. Phallic complex ( Fig. 13H ) very lightly sclerotised, titillators, if at all, converging internally. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 13D ) narrowing apically, with a shallow median incision; style short, slender.

Female. Differs from male in following. Cercus constricted basally, tapering evenly to apex, clothed with long setae. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 13C ) broader than long, tapering to apex, median portion excavate at tip. Ovipositor heavy, shorter than hind femur, generally of uniform width, apically without armature.

Colouration. Colouration in this genus is odd. Most specimens are very dark and are very well camouflaged in their habitat. However, some L. kalamaya are comparatively more light-coloured than one might expect. Dorsal surface of insect predominantly black. Legs and tarsi straw brown, mottled with darker brown or grey brown. Hind femur usually without a dark stripe. Entire ventral surface straw brown. Head with frons and genae straw brown overlaid with darker brown or grey brown speckles. Eye uniformly grey in life, not striped. Antenna medium dark brown, the apical portion of each article somewhat darker. Fastigium of vertex mostly straw brown; occiput and portion of fastigium with a broad, black longitudinal stripe. Thorax black; abdomen black, sides of tergites and thorax with sky blue overcast in life. Tegmen transparent, faintly smoky black or brown. Median portion of abdominal tergites light brown, speckled with darker brown; tergites 8, 9 uniformly jet black; median portion of tenth tergite grey. Cercus straw brown, margins darker brown. Ovipositor basally speckled dark brown, remainder medium brown, apically slightly darker.

Variation. The type series is quite uniform morphologically. Topotypic females tend to have a broad light brown, mottled speckled stripe extending from the head to the apex of the abdomen. The single male lacks this stripe altogether. Two topotypic females show traces of the stripe on the dorsal surface of the pronotum.

Distribution. Known from a few localities in the Kalgoorlie region west to Southern Cross, Western Australia ( Map 6 )

Habitat. Live in dry twigs and bark under tall eucalypts. The dark colour of the katydids provides excellent camouflage.

Seasonal occurrence. All specimens have been found from mid to late summer.

Stridulatory file. Fig. 20G . The stridulatory file is short and comprises approximately 14 narrow teeth on a slightly raised swelling.

Song. The calling song of this species has not been documented.

Karyotype. 2n male= 31 (30t +Xt) Fig. 22b B upper first metaphase, lower left 2 nd metaphase with x, lower right 2 nd metaphase without x.

Comments. These katydids live in the litter below the surface of the tangle of dry twigs and branches at the base of large Salmon Gums. Large isolated Salmon Gums or groves of such trees can harbour numbers of this species. L. kalamaya seems to prefer the area within a metre of the trunk of these trees. Perhaps, there is more moisture there and a greater accumulation litter, especially large bark fragments under which the katydid hide.

When discovered, individuals quickly retreat into the tangle of the twigs. The populations appear to be highly localised but this could be due to the difficulty in locating them.

L. kalamaya is not restricted to Salmon Gums. The specimen from south of Balladonia Motel was in a similar ecological situation but under mallee eucalypts.

Unfortunately, trampling the dead twigs and rubble at the base of the trees seems to be the only way to collect this species. The effect of wildfires or controlled burning could be disastrous to the members of this genus.

Females laid eggs is soil in the laboratory. They are typical in many respects of many tettigoniid eggs that are laid in the ground However, the position and structure of the micropyles is probably species distinctive ( Figs 13I, J ).

Figures

FIG. 13. Latitatagraecia kalamaya. A. Holotype male. B. Holotype male, tip of abdomen. C. Female abdomen, subgenital plate, ventral view. D. Male subgenital plate, internal view. E. Male, left cercus, internal view with bridging sclerite. F. Male, left cercus, dorsal view. G. Male, left cercus, ventral view with bridging sclerite. H. Phallic complex. Note faint shagreening of median lobe. I. Egg. scale = 0.01 mm. J. Egg showing micropyles. Scale = 0.01 mm.

FIG. 20. Stridulatory files. A. Australiagraecia spina holotype. B. Australiagraecia minuta. C. Ganiagraecia karwnia, Cytol. prep. 85-19. D. Ganiagraecia karwinia, S-363. E. Gwynnagraecia viridis, Kerragullen. F. Gwynnagraecia perplexa, Fitzgerald River. G. Latitatagraecia kalamaya, Cytol. prep. 2001-1. H. Latitatagraecia vulgivaga, Cytol. prep. 88-66. I. Cooloolagraecia wallum, paratopotype. J. Cooloolagraecia gubbi, paratopotype. K. Kokominiagraecia dicra, S-373. L. Coptaspis sp. 2. M. Timabarragraecia samneilli, paratopotype.

FIG. 22A. Cytology. A. Australiagraecia spina holotype. B. Australiagraecia spina, Cytol. prep. 81-81. C. Australiagraecia spina, South Australia Cytol. prep. 78-32. D. Australiagraecia helleri, Cytol. prep. 81-154. E. Australiagraecia helleri, Cytol. prep. 82-147. F. Australiagraecia minuta, Holotype. G. Australiagraecia tagera, Cytol. prep. 81-111.

MAP. 6.