Lunidia bicercata, Hemp, Claudia, 2017

Hemp, Claudia, 2017, Review of the genus Lunidia Hemp (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) and the description of a new species from the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa, Journal of Orthoptera Research 26 (2), pp. 85-89 : 85

Lunidia bicercata sp. n. Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Holotype.

- Male, Tanzania, Uluguru Mountains, submontane forest above Morningside, February 2016. Depository MfN. Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype. Depository MfN.

Further paratype material: 4 females, same data as holotype but November 2016 and February 2017. Collection C. Hemp.

Description.

- Male.General habitus and color: Uniformly green with dark marking at base of left tegmen (Figs 1A, 2D), a few dark spots on tegmina and the tympana marked brownish. Venter of abdomen white (Fig. 1A). Head and antennae: Antenna thin, slightly longer than flexed tegmina. Fastigium verticis elongated, surface smooth. Conus-like projection of the face running to fastigium verticis acute and thin. Thorax: Fore coxae with slender, slightly curved spine. Fore and mid femora unarmed. Hind femora at posterior narrow part ventrally with double row of few spines. Wings: Tegmina oval, rounded at tip; hind wings hyaline except area protruding beyond tegmina, which have the same color as the tegmina. Sc and R contiguous. Stridulatory file contiguous (Fig. 2E), mirror of right tegmen as in Fig. 2F. Abdomen: Last abdominal tergite broad with median depression at posterior margin (Fig. 2A, B). Cerci stout with bidentate tips (Fig. 2B). Subgenital plate elongated, surpassing cerci, v-shaped incised at posterior margin (Fig. 3C).

Female. Body size and color pattern as male but without brown patch on left tegmen but with two dark patches at bases of tegmina (Fig. 1B). Wing venation and spination of the legs as in male. Ovipositor with sclerotized margins along the serration of the valves (Fig. 2C). Subgenital plate triangular with indentation at tip (Fig. 4B).

Measurements, male (mm) (n=1): Total length of body 22.5; Length of pronotum 5.2; Length of hind femur 20.2; Length of elytra 25.

Measurements, females (mm) (n=4): Total length of body 22.0-23.0; Length of pronotum 5.4-5.6; Length of hind femur 21.0-21.7; Length of elytra 25-26.5; Length of ovipositor 6.6-7.0.

Diagnosis

.- A typical Lunidia species from its size and habitus. Males of the three species can easily be distinguished when comparing the subgenital plate (Fig. 3). L. viridis has an elongated and narrow subgenital plate forming two finger-like processes at its posterior end (Fig. 3A). L. acuticercata also has an elongated subgenital plate which is however deeply split into two rounded lobes (Fig. 3B). L. bicercata sp. n. has a shorter and broader subgenital plate, v-shaped incised at its posterior end (Fig. 3C). Further, the cerci of all three species differ considerably in their morphology: long and stout with a ridge at its tips in L. viridis (Fig. 3A), stout with inflated base, acute tips embracing the subgenital plate in L. acuticercata (Fig. 3B) and stout and curved with bi-dentate tips in L. bicercata sp. n. (Fig. 3C).

Female Lunidia species may be distinguished by comparing the subgenital plates (Fig. 4). L. viridis has a broad wing-like subgenital plate with a posterior broad indentation (Fig. 4A) while L. acuticercata has a stout subgenital plate forming two broad evenly rounded lobes at the posterior end (Fig. 4C). L. bicercata sp. n. has an almost tri-angular subgenital plate with a short indentation at its posterior tip (Fig. 4B). However, L. viridis and L. bicercata sp. n. females are morphologically very similar. L. viridis only occurs in northern Tanzania while L. bicercata sp. n. seems to be restricted to the Uluguru Mountains. L. acuticercata is a species of lowland wet forest and probably occurs along the Tanzania coast in suitable habitats and further inland in lowland forest.

Habitat

.- Submontane forest.

Biology

.- Single oval and black eggs are deposited between the tissue layers of leaves. Adults and nymphs were only collected in January and February suggesting a similar cycle as for L. viridis (see below).

Etymology.

- Named with reference to the bidentate male cerci.

Distribution.

- At present only known from the Uluguru Mountains of central Tanzania.