Caedicia Stål, 1874

Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norhiro, 2008, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: new Phaneropterine Katydids from Queensland Rainforests (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Phaneropterinae), Zootaxa 1964 (1), pp. 1-39 : 3-9

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.1964.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0387D06C-BF0F-FF80-CDA9-C699FC5353D1
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Caedicia Stål
status

Treatment

Caedicia Stål View in CoL

Stål. 1874. Recencio Orthopterorum. Revue critique des Orthoptères décrits par Linné, De Geer et Thunberg. 2 Locustina :12.

Type species: Caedicia pictipes Stål View in CoL , by monotypy.

Although originally described from a single species, thirty-four Caedicia View in CoL taxa are now listed in Eades et al. (2007) in Orthoptera View in CoL Species File. Based on material in the Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra (ANIC), at least twice that number are known to occur within Australia, Rentz (unpubl. data). The geographical range of the genus includes almost all regions of Australia, including Tasmania, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. In addition, several species have been described from New Guinea. DCFR has examined almost all of the types of the Australian species.

Caedicia View in CoL may be a catch-all for several taxa. For example, within Caedicia View in CoL as presently understood, there appear to be two extremes in tegminal morphology. There is the long and slender tegmen as exemplified by the type species, C. extenuata Stål View in CoL , and C. gracilis Rentz. There View in CoL is a shorter, more ovoid tegmen exhibited by species like C. mesochides Rentz View in CoL and C. obtusifolia Brunner. The View in CoL new species here described, C. webberi Rentz, Su & Ueshima View in CoL , sp. nov., is one of a number of species intermediate in this character. If the genus is eventually split, these latter taxa may be determined to represent a different genus leaving the suite of species with the long, thin tegmina in Caedicia View in CoL .

Caedicia View in CoL appears to combine the following suite of characters: Tegmen with costa present or absent, if the former, then weak; MA usually weak and undulating (strong and straight on the type species), ending well before distal 1/3 of tegmen; Rs forked, usually short but forked well beyond the middle in the type species. Male cerci elongate, apically not forked but tip species-distinctive in armature; subgenital plate lacking articulated styles, although the portion of the plate where styles are expected may be elongated and seem like styles. Ovipositor short, bud-like.

Caedicia webberi View in CoL * 1 Rentz, Su, Ueshima sp. nov.

Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 , 17A View FIGURE 17 ; Table 1, Map 1

Holotype male. Label “ 16°48’S. 145°38’E. ( GPS) Kuranda, (Top of the Range), 19 Butler Dr, 335m, 15–31 MAY 2007 DCF Rentz.” GoogleMaps

Type locality. The type locality is a simple to complex mesophyll to notophyll vine forest on moderately to poorly drained metamorphics (Regional Ecosystem 7.11.1 Environmental Protection Agency, 2007). See Map 1. The type was attracted to lights at night.

Male. General. Size moderate to large for genus, form robust ( Table 1).

Head. Head with fastigium of vertex well indicated ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ); frons swollen, surface irregular; clypeus and labrum simple, not modified. Antenna with scape and pedicel simple, unmodified, flagellum thin, slightly longer than body of insect, weakly annulate.

1. * Named in honour of Dr Bruce Webber who encountered this species while studying plant-insect relationships in the Daintree region of tropical Queensland.

Thorax. Pronotum with surface of disk matte, with sulci indicated only by colour; anterior margin concave, posterior margin obtuse; lateral lobe straight, slightly deeper than broad, surface smooth, ventral margin feebly obtuse. Prosternum unarmed; meso-and metathorax each with a pair of heart-shaped structures.

Wings. Tegmen ( Figs. 2 View FIGURE 2 , 17A View FIGURE 17 ) with costa short but distinct, with many small branching veinlets; subcosta with few distinctive prominent veins, the remainder irregular; MA feeble, irregular; Rs feeble, branching near base with single bifurcation. Stridulatory region not well defined, stridulatory file with 123 teeth Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ).

Legs. Fore femur armed only on anterior margin of ventral surface with a series of small teeth ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ); apex of fore femur, auditory tympanum ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Middle femur armed only on anterior margin of ventral surface with a series of short teeth; middle tibia armed dorsally only with apical spine on posterior surface, ventral surface with a series of spines on both margins, these positioned in apical one-third, apex with a single spine on each margin. Hind femur with a series of spines on both internal and external margins; hind tibia ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ) with dorsal surface with a pair of apical spines, ventral surface with 4 apical spines.

Abdomen. Abdomen with tenth tergite with caudal margin not, or only feebly indented; cercus ( Figs. 1A–C View FIGURE 1 ) with apex hammer-shaped, apex with teeth and brushes; supra-anal plate small, evenly rounded, completely concealed by overhanging tenth tergite; subgenital plate narrowing apically, without median indentation, “style” represented as a short projection. No sclerotised concealed genitalia.

Female. General. Similar to male except for following: tenth tergite apically evenly rounded; cercus moderately elongate, feebly directed inwards; supra-anal plate evenly tongue-shaped; ovipositor very short, unarmed.

Eggs. The eggs are light brown, flat, poorly sclerotised and measure 4.78 x 1.99 mm. The degree of sclerotisation of the eggs suggests that they are laid in leaf tissue rather than concealed in bark cracks.

Colour. General overall colour of species rich deep green ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 ); Head with eye with dorsal surface yellow, internal margin reddish, remainder brown; frons mottled green; antennal with scape and pedicel uniformly green, flagellum with first few segments green remainder dark brown, feebly annulate. Pronotum mottled green. Tegmen dark green with exceptions as follow: surface with 8–9 small white spots ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ) these as small blisters along radius; tegmen adjacent to lateral angle of pronotum with articulating vein as a yellow spot with the membranes of adjacent veinlets black; “surface” of tegmen of male with a black region at posterior end of stridulatory area. Legs uniformly green, tarsi white. Abdomen green dorsally, each tergite with a greenish white spot laterally, ventral surface greenish yellow. Ovipositor greenish yellow.

Specimens examined: Paratypes: Queensland: Palmerston Nat. Park, on Cairns-Tully powerline , 6.xi.1966 (E. B. Britton, 1 male, at light). 16°48’S. 145°38’E. ( GPS) Kuranda, (Top of the Range), 19 Butler Dr, 335m, the following paratopotypes all collected by DCF Rentz GoogleMaps : 15–30.iv.2003 (1 male); 1–15.vii.2003 (2 males); 1–15.x.2003 (1 male) 15–30.xi.2003 (1 male); 1–15.xii.2003 (1 female) 15–31.xii.2003 (1 male); 15–31.i.2004 (1 male Cytol. prep. 04-26) 15–31.ii.2004 (1 male); 15–29.ii.2004 (5 males; Cytol. preps. 04–27, 31, 43); same locality 15–31.iii.2004 (1 male, 1–15.iv.2004 (1 male); 15–30.iv.2004 (2 males); 15–31.vii.2004 (1 male) 15–30.x.2004 (1 female); 15–30.xi.2004 (4 males); 1–15.xii.2004 (1 male); 1–15.i.2005 ( DCF Rentz, 1 male) ; same locality 1–15.i.2005 (1 male); 15–31.i.2005 (3 males); same locality , 1–15.ii.2005 ( DCFR 1 female) ; 15–31.ii.2005 (1 male); 15–31.x.2005 (1 male); 1–15.xi.2005 (1 male, Cytol. Prep. 05-03) ; 1–15.xii.2005 (2 males, 1 female); 1–15.xii.2005 (1 male); 16–31.xii.2005 (1 male); 1–15.ii.2006 (1 male); 1–15.iii.2006 (1 male); 15–31.iii.2005 (1 male); 16–30.iv.2006 (1 male); 1–15.ix.2006 (1 male); 16–30.ix.2006 (1 male); 1–15.x.2006 (2 males); 16–26.x.2006 (1 male); 15–30.xi.2006 (3 males, Cytol. preps 2007-06, 07) ; 16–31.xii.2006 (3 males, 1 female); 1–15.i.2007 (2 males); 1–5.ii.2007 (3 males); 16–28.ii.2007 (3 males); 1–15.iii.2007 (2 males); 1–15.iv.2007 (4 males: 16–30.iv.2007 (1 male); 1–15.v.2007 (1 male); 16–31.v.2007 (2 males); 15.x.2007 (1 male); 30/11/2007 (3 males, 1 female); 15.xii.2007 (3 males); 15.i.2008 (5 males); 31.i.2008 (1 male); 15.ii.2008 (1 male); 31.v.2008 (1 male); Kuranda, 20.i.1982 (W. N. B. Quick , 1 male) . 36°48’S. 145°35’E. Russett Park, 5 km WSW. of Kuranda , 500m, 14 GoogleMaps , 18.iii.1988 (P. Shanahan, 2 males, at light); same locality GoogleMaps 7–14.vi.1988 (P. Shanahan, 1 male, at light.). 17°02’S. 145°37’E., Davies Ck GoogleMaps 30.ii.1988 ( DCF Rentz, 1 male, Cytol. prep. 88-214; Song recorded S-630) . 16°135’S. 145°26’E. ( GS) 4 km W. of Bailey Pt “Crocodylus Village” 30.x.1993 ( DCF Rentz, L. Lowe, stop 6, 1 female) . 15 O 47’S. 145°14’E. Shiptons Flat, nr Cooktown , 16–18.v.1981 ( DCF Rentz, stop 38, 1 male) . 12°43’S. 143°17’E. 9 km ENE. of Mt Tozer, Iron Range Nat. Park GoogleMaps , 7.vii.1986 ( DCF Rentz, stop I-12, 3 males, Cytol. preps. 86-85-102, 109; Song recorded S-410, one collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 25.ix.1986) . 12°44’S. 143°14’E. 3 km ENE. Mt Tozer, nr Iron Range Nat. Park GoogleMaps , 28.vi–4.vii.1986 ( DCF Rentz, 2 males collected as nymphs, matured in laboratory 3.vii.1986) . Locherbie, 22.iii.1987 (G. B. Monteith, 1 male, collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 21.iv.1987).

Discussion. This species is common where it occurs but its host plant associations have not been determined. It commonly comes to lights. Adults appear at the end of the dry season (October & November) with the last adults of the season being recorded in May at the beginning of the dry season.

C. webberi has a number of peculiar identifying characters. The white spots on the tegmina ( Figs. 17A View FIGURE 17 ) are actually minute blister-like swellings that are creamish white in colour. The articulation of the tegmen at the humeral angle of the pronotum is yellow as noted above. This presents a 2-spotted appearance when viewed from above in some extreme specimens.

MAP 1. Known distribution of Caedicia webberi Rentz, Su & Ueshima , new species.

Caedicia goobita * 2 Rentz, Su, Ueshima sp. nov.

Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ; Table 1

Holotype male. Label “ 16°48’S. 145°38’E. ( GPS) Kuranda, (Top of the Range), 19 Butler Dr, 335m, 1–15 NOV. 2007 DCF Rentz.” GoogleMaps

2. * Goobita is an aboriginal word meaning small, an allusion to the size of this species.

Type locality. The type locality is a simple to complex mesophyll to notophyll vine forest on moderately to poorly drained metamorphics (Regional Ecosystem 7.11.1 EPA, 2007). The type was attracted to lights at night.

General. Size small for genus, form slender ( Table 1).

Head. Head with fastigium of vertex very broad, well indicated; frons smooth, shining, almost flat; clypeus and labrum unmodified. Antenna with scape and pedicel simple, unmodified; flagellum thin, with faint annulations.

Thorax. Pronotum with surface of disk smooth, flat, shining, without any trace of sulci or indentations; anterior margin feebly concave, posterior margin obtuse; lateral lobe deep. about as deep as broad, cephalic margin slightly indented above eye, caudal margin indented dorsally. Prosternum unarmed; meso- and metathorax each with a pair of heart-like structures.

Wings. Tegmen with costa short but relatively well indicated, undulating; subcosta with a few weak, diagonal veins; MA straight, then curving posteriorly, with a few short branches on each side; Rs strong, bifurcating near the base. Stridulatory region poorly defined.

Legs. Fore femur armed on anterior margin of ventral surface with a series of small teeth ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ); apex of fore femur unspined; fore tibia unarmed dorsally or with a single minute spine subapically on posterior margin, ventral surface with a series of small spines with one apical on each side; auditory tympanum ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ) expanded. Middle femur with a series of up to 4 teeth on anterior margin, ventral margin unarmed; middle tibia warmed dorsally with a single apical spines on each side, ventral surface with a series of small spines on each side. Hind femur with a series of spines on both margins, those of the internal surface more concentrated near the apex; dorsal surface with a pair of apical spines, ventral surface with 4 apical spines. Abdomen._ Abdomen with tenth tergite ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ) undulating, feebly concave; supra-anal plate broadly triangular; cercus ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ) long and slender, gently curving inwards, apex with a minute tooth on internal margin; subgenital plate broadly scoop-shaped, interspace broad, corners produced, style-like. No sclerotised concealed genitalia.

Female. Similar to male except for following: tenth tergite unmodified, supra-anal plate broadly triangular; cercus elongate, strongly directed upwards; ovipositor ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ) small but projecting well beyond apex of abdomen, valves not serrate, thin; subgenital plate narrowly triangular, with median sulcus, apex minutely indented.

Colour. General overall colour median to dark green, lateral margins of pronotum yellow; frons light green; antenna with scape, pedicel and flagellum light green, the flagellum with fiant brown, broad annulations. Pronotum with disk and lateral lobes dark green except as noted above; Tegmen dark green, some veins somewhat darker than the rest. Legs uniformly green except hind knees reddish brown with a small black spot on each side; tarsi green. Abdomen dark green, each tergite with a faint yellow chevron position in the middle; ventral surface greenish yellow. Ovipositor light green.

Eggs. The eggs are wedge-shaped, black, well sclerotised, depressed on the middle on one surface. Measurements: 3.4 x 1.0 mm.

Specimens examined paratypes: Queensland: 16 O 48’S. 145 O 38’E. ( GPS) Kuranda, (Top of the Range), 19 Butler Dr , 335m, 15.iv.2003 (1 male); 30.iv.2004, (1 male) ; 15.x.2004 (1 male); 15.vi.2004 (1 female); 15.x.2004 (2 females): 15.xi.2004 (1 female); 30.xi.2004 (1 male, 1 female); 30.ix.2006 (1 female); 15.xii.2006 (1 female); 31.v.2007 (1 male, 1 female); 15.vi.2007 (2 females); 15.ix.2007 (1 female); 31.x.2007 (1 male); 15.xi.2007 (2 females); 31.iii.2008 (1 female); 30.iv.2008 (1 female). All collected by DCF Rentz .

Discussion. This rather non-descript species is among the least common of the Caedicia species that come to the lights in Kuranda. The records suggest that it is active in both the wet and dry seasons.

C. goobita could be mistaken for other species such as C. flexuosa but is easily distinguished from it when carefully compared. See also Table 1. The combination of the reddish brown hind knees with a small spot on each side and the protruding ovipositor are its most distinctive characters.