Nicephora angustifolia, Su & Wang & Chang, 2023

Su, Jie, Wang, Haijian & Chang, Yanlin, 2023, Two new species of the genus Nicephora Bolívar, 1900 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae Meconematinae) from Yunnan, China, Zootaxa 5297 (1), pp. 133-138 : 135-137

Nicephora angustifolia sp. nov., Chinese name ḦĘNJ⁂

( Figs. 2 , 3 )

Description. Male. Body small. Fastigium verticis conical, with a longitudinal sulcus in the midline on dorsal surface, apex rounded. Apical segment of maxillary palpus nearly as long as subapical one, apex slightly inflated ( Fig. 2B ). Eyes ovoid, slightly protruding forwards ( Fig. 2A, B ). Anterior margin of pronotum slightly protruding forwards, posterior margin protruding semicircularly ( Fig. 2A, B ); lateral lobe slightly longer than deep, humeral sinus indistinct ( Fig. 2B ). Thoracic auditory spiracle exposed completely, nephroid. Tegmina elongate, surpassing apices of hind femora, anterior and posterior margins nearly parallel, apices rounded, hind wings shorter than tegmina. All femora unarmed on ventral surfaces. Fore tibiae with 2 external and 5 internal spines on ventral surface, fore tibial tympana open on both sides; middle tibiae with 3–4 external and 2–3 internal spines on ventral surfaces; internal and external margins of hind tibiae with 20–24 short spines on dorsal surfaces separately, as well as 1 pair of dorsal apical spurs and 1 pair of ventral apical spurs.

Posterior margin of tenth abdominal tergite concave ( Fig. 2C ). Cercus elongate, basal area stout, apex rounded, apical third upcurved; cercus with a narrow lobate expansion between basal area and apical third, inner margin sinuate ( Fig. 2C, D, E, F ). Genitalia lamellar, lateral margin extended outwards in basal half, its apical half curved inwards, apices rounded; apical area of genitalia lamellar, nearly rectangular, curved dorsad, posterior margin rounded. Subgenital plate with middle area broad, anterior margin concave ( Fig. 2G ); styli conical, inserted on apices of lateral margins of subgenital plate, apices rounded.

Female. Appearance is similar to male. Cercus relatively elongate, compressed, basal area narrow, stout in the middle, apical area narrow. Subgenital plate wider than long, apical area slightly narrow, posterior margin concave ( Fig. 2I ). Ovipositor slightly surpassing apices of tegmina, moderately upcurved, apex acute ( Fig. 2H ).

Coloration. Body yellowish green (probably green when alive). Eyes brown. Lateral margins of pronotal disc with a pair of longitudinal yellowish stripes. Dorsal spines of hind tibiae with apices black brown ( Fig. 3A, B ).

Material examined. Holotype: ♁, Wuliangshan, Jingdong, Yunnan, China, 14 August, 2022, coll. Yanhao Duan and Jie Su. Paratypes: 1♁, Wuliangshan , Jingdong , Yunnan, China, 14 August, 2022, coll. Yanhao Duan and Jie Su; 1♀ , Wuliangshan, Jingdong, Yunnan, China, 22 August, 2022, coll. Yanhao Duan and Jie Su. Other specimens: 1♁, Wuliangshan, Jingdong, Yunnan, China, 9 August, 2022, coll. Yanhao Duan and Jie Su. 1♀ , Wuliangshan, Jingdong, Yunnan, China, 14 August, 2022, coll. Yanhao Duan and Jie Su.

Measurements (mm). Body length: ♁6.5–7.4, ♀ 7.7–8.3; pronotum length: ♁2.9–3.2, ♀ 3.1–3.4; hind femur length: ♁7.1–7.3, ♀ 8.1–8.3; tegmen length: ♁7.3–8.2, ♀ 8.2–9.1; ovipositor length: 5.9–6.3.

Distribution. China (Yunnan).

Discussion. This new species is similar to Nicephora (Eunicephora) dianxiensis Wang & Liu, 2013 , but it differs from the latter in: Male cercus with a narrow lobate expansion between basal area and apical third, inner margin sinuate. Male genitalia lamellar, lateral margin of basal half extends outward, curved inwards and backwards, apical area rounded; apical area of genitalia lamellar, nearly rectangular, curved upwards, posterior margin rounded.

The new species is similar to the species of the genus Nicephora in appearance except for wings, also similar to the species of the genus Neoteratura Shi & Zhang, 2021 . However, the known species of the genus Neoteratura with various branches on male cerci, and the genitalia is not lamellar. Based on the morphology of the male cerci and its genitalia, the new species is tentatively attributed to the genus Nicephora .

Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from male cercus with a narrow lobate expansion between basal area and apical third, Latin “ angust- ” (narrow) and “ foli- ” (folium).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Nicephora angustifolia sp. nov. male: A–B. head and pronotum: A. dorsal view; B. lateral view; C–G. apex of abdomen: C. dorsal view; D. dorso-apical view; E. lateral view; F. ventral view; G. ventral view; female: H. ovipositor in lateral view; I. subgenital plate in ventral view. Abbreviations. s. styli; g. genitalia.

FIGURE 3. Habitus lateral view of Nicephora angustifolia sp. nov.: A. female; B. male.