Paradecolya briseferi, Hugel, Sylvain, 2010

Hugel, Sylvain, 2010, New and little known predatory katydids from Mascarene islands (Ensifera: Meconematinae and Hexacentrinae), Zootaxa 2543, pp. 1-30 : 14-15

Paradecolya briseferi n. sp.

( Figs. 27–31 , 36–37 , 40 , 45–46 ; Tab. 4)

Holotype. Male. Mauritius, Plaines Wilhems District, Brise Fer vieille parcelle, 648 m alt., 20°23’02’’S 57°26’23’’E, 5 May 2009, S. Hugel, MNHN-ENSIF2657.

Allotype. Female. Same as holotype. 6 May 2009, S. Hugel, MNHN-ENSIF2658.

Diagnosis. Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. is larger than the two other Paradecolya species, and differs by all of the following characters: fore tibia with 6–7 / 6–7 subapical spurs (usually 8 / 8 on the other species); male paraprocts reduced, apex not bilobate ( Fig. 30 ); epiphallus cephalic lobe in the neck axis (no distinct angle in side view, Fig. 31 ); male FW not longer than pronotum (distinctly longer in other species); female subgenital plate notched; on living specimens all knees and distal part of FW anal field yellow; spurs bluish.

Description. Head and antennae: antennae more than twice as long as length of body (~ 4 cm long), scapus non armed. Cuticle of head smooth. Conical laterally compressed fastigium of vertex exceeding antennal sockets, reaching the middle of the antennal scapus (with forwardly stretched antennae). Space between eyes 1.7 times as wide as the wider diameter of eye. Eyes prominent, slightly projecting forward. Thorax. Pronotum with pro- and mesosulci distinct, metasulcus indistinct, lateral lobe relatively shallow with a conspicuous ventral rim. Prosternal processes short; mesosternal processes short and blunt, metasternum non armed. Thoracic auditory opening larger than spiracle. Anterior margin shallowly concave, posterior margin almost strait. Legs: Fore coxae dorsally with anteriorly directed moderately long spine. Fore femora rounded dorsally, armed with 6 / 5 spurs; fore femora genicular lobe with one apical spine on each side. Fore tibiae with one apical spur on both ventral sides; with 6–7 / 6–7 ventral subapical spurs; tympanal organ orifices ovoid, little expended, oriented forward on both sides, tympanic area not particularly inflated. Mid trochanters with a ventral spine. Mid femora rounded, the ventral anterior side armed with 4–5 / 1 ventral spurs posterior ventral carina with numerous minute spinules; mid femora genicular lobe with one apical spine on each side. Mid tibiae with one apical spur on both ventral sides; with 6 / 5–6 ventral subapical spurs; with a dorsal posterior preapical spur; with a single dorsal posterior sub-basal (proximal) spur. Hind femora rounded dorsally, with one ventral carinae armed with 13–16 spines; hind femora genicular lobes with one apical spine on each side. Hind tibiae rectangular in cross section; 1 dorsal apical spur on both sides, and 2 ventral apical spurs on both sides; with 22–24 external dorsal spines, 18–28 internal dorsal spines, 12–13 external ventral spines, 8–9 internal ventral spines. All spurs thicker than on other Paradecolya species. Abdomen. Dorsal surface of tergites not modified.

Male. Wings. FW shorter than pronotum. Left FW stridulatory file 1.3 mm long, with 52 lamellar teeth ( Fig. 40 ); mirror rounded ( Fig. 36 ); membranous cells darkened. Wings very small, but distinct. Terminalia. Epiproct not fused with last tergum, hind margin convex ( Fig. 27 ). Paraproct apex not bilobate; not spatulate distally ( Fig. 30 ); each paraproct with a short external blunt process at the basis, 1.3 mm long. Cerci moderately angled at the basis, with a narrow flat dorsal crest apically (in side view; Fig. 29 ); with a ventrally directed minute process on the basis; length: 2.5 mm. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 28 ) symmetrical with smooth surface, margin widely concave; 0.8 times as long as wide (maximal length, maximal width). Styli blunt, 1.5 times as long as wide. Genitalia. Epiphallus cephalic lobe in the axis of the neck (no distinct angle in side view); with ventral serrulations; basal lobe relatively long ( Fig. 31 ).

Female. FW. reduced, much shorter than pronotum. Terminalia. Ovipositor slightly upcurved in proximal half, and curved upwards distally ( Fig. 46 ). Cerci slightly inwardly curved, with scattered hairs. Subgenital plate oval with a minute apical notch on the distal end ( Fig. 45 ).

Color: Light green. On living specimens all knees and distal part of FW anal field yellow; spurs bluish.

Bioacoustics. No data.

Biology. I found the male holotype dead (but still intact) on the ground; the female was ovipositing in a dead branch of a living tree in the undergrowth (1.5 m high). As these are the two only known specimens, I can only speculate on this species biology. I explored this plot many times by day and night hours in 2005, 2008 and 2009 usually at the ground level, but also using tree climbing techniques (mostly by night hours at around 15–20 m); the low number of observed specimens suggests that this species is not very frequent and/or that is occurs only rarely near the ground.

Body Head Pronotum Tibia Femora FW O

I II III I II III III

L L W L W H L L L L L L W L L

3 Holotype 17.2 2.2 3.2 4.2 3.7 1.2 9.9 8.5 7.8 6.2 14.2 12.4 2.4 3.9 ƤAllotype 20.1 2.2 3.4 4.7 3.9 1.1 10.5 8.9 9 7.1 16.6 14.5 2.5 3.7 14.2

Pronotum W: maximal width, including the lateral lobes. Femora W: maximal width.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 31. Paradecolya male terminalia and genitalia. 17 – 21, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 22 – 26, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 27 – 31, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. 17, 22, 27, terminalia, dorsal view. 18, 23, 28, subgenital plate, ventral view. 19, 24, 29, scan electron microscope pictures of right cerci, inner view (ventral margin on the right). 20, 25, 30, scan electron microscope pictures of right paraprocts, inner view (ventral margin on the right). 21, 26, 31, scan electron microscope pictures of epiphallus (right side view). Bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 32 – 37. Paradecolya fore wings (dorsal view). 32 – 33, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 34 – 35, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 36 – 37, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. the dotted area is yellow on living specimen. 32, 34, 36, left fore wing. 33, 35, 37, right fore wing. Bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 38 – 40. Paradecolya stridulatory files (scan electron microscope pictures). 38, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 39, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 40, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. Bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 41 – 46. Paradecolya female terminalia 41 – 42, Paradecolya inexpectata (Chopard, 1957). 43 – 44, Paradecolya expectata n. sp. 45 – 46, Paradecolya briseferi n. sp. 41, 43, 45, subgenital plate (ventral view). 42, 44, 46, ovipositor, right side view.