Philmontis minimus Willemse, 1966

Ingrisch, Sigfrid, 2022, Revision of the genus Philmontis Willemse, 1966 and description of a new genus Philmontoides gen. nov. from New Guinea (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae), Zootaxa 5182 (2), pp. 101-151 : 124

Philmontis minimus Willemse, 1966 stat. nov.

Figs. 3L , 5L

Philmontis nigrofasciatus f. minima Willemse, 1966

Holotype (male): Papua New Guinea: New Guinea , Sepalakembang, Salawaket range, 1920 m (6°19’S, 147°5’E), 14.IX.1956, leg. E.J. Ford Jr. —depository: Bernice B. Bishop Museum, Honolulu ( BPBM).

Diagnosis and discussion. In the collections of specimens studied there have been four brachypterous species in which the tegmen does not reach the tip of abdomen. They are also of markedly smaller size than the other species of the genus. One of these species had been described by Willemse (1966) as a form of P. nigrofasciatus . From that species P. minimus differs by the widened apical area of the male titillators and by the shape of the male cerci. Although the cerci have a convex widening of the ventro-internal margin similar to the situation in P. nigrofasciatus , they end into a short spinose tip and are provided with a short, curved, subapical-internal projection with acute tip similar to the situation in P. pandus sp. nov. From the latter species, P. minimus differs however by the shape of the cercus having a marked widening of the basal area that is missing in P. pandus , the acute end of the cercus being shorter, and the subapical internal projection terminating into a single instead of two acute ends. Moreover, the tenth abdominal tergite has the apical margin shallowly excised at end in P. minimus while markedly excised in P. pandus .

Description. Brachypterous, tegmina covering little more than half of abdomen. Pronotum lateral lobes long and narrow, its deepest point in male little before mid-length, auditory swelling distinct, without humeral sinus. Prosternum with two small tubercles (covered with clue in type specimen). Femora with the following number of spines on ventral margins: profemur 3 external, 3–4 internal; mesofemur 4–5 external, 0 internal; postfemur 5 external, 0 internal. Knee lobes of hind femur with one spine on both sides.

Male. Stridulatory file with about 60 teeth at 1.16 mm. Male tenth abdominal tergite wider than long, anterior margin in middle roundly excised, apical margin wide-roundly excised for about one fifth or one sixth the length of the tergite. Epiproct with a deep pit at dorsal surface. Cerci with ventro-internal margin swollen around mid-length; internal surface of swollen area slightly concave; end of cercus acute triangular with a minute tooth at tip; just before end of cercus with an internal, curved process ( Fig. 3L ). Titillators long and narrow, basal area hyaline, pointing laterad; afterward narrow parallel-sided, toward apical area widened and curved, toward end curved again and at end provided with a roughly disc-shaped pad twisted against the main titillator axis ( Fig. 5L ).

Female unknown.

Coloration. Discolored, subgenital plate yellowish brown. Hind knees brown except for very apex.

Measurements (1 male).—Body w/o wings: male 17; pronotum: male 6.8; tegmen: male 9; anterior femur: 5; hind femur: male 9 mm.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Male abdominal apex with tenth abdominal tergite and cerci in dorsal view (A, C–D, F–G, I–J, L); cerci in lateral view (B); cerci and subgenital plate in lateral view (E); right cercus in dorsal view (H, K); stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen (M).—A–C, Philmontis spinosus sp. nov. [A–B, Upper Watut; C, Mt Missim]; D–E, P. pumilus sp. nov.; F, M, P. angulatus sp. nov.; G, P. profusus sp. nov.; H–I, P. pandus sp. nov. [H, Wau; I, Edie Creek], J–K, P. robustus sp. nov.; L, P. minimus Willemse, 1966.—The arrow in M marks the end of the area with indistinct teeth of the stridulatory file.—Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Male titillators in oblique ventro-apical (A–B, D–E), strict ventro-apical (C, F–I, K–N), and oblique distal view (J).—A, Philmontis nigrofasciatus Willemse, 1966; B, P. angustus sp. nov.; C–D, P. forcipatus (Willemse 1966); E, P. flexus sp. nov.; F, P. spinosus sp. nov.; G, P. profusus sp. nov.; H, P. angulatus sp. nov.; I, P. pumilus sp. nov.; J–K, P. murmur sp. nov.; L, P. minutus Willemse, 1966; M, P. robustus sp. nov.; N, P. pandus sp. nov.—Scale bars 1 mm.