Varitrella (Cantotrella) orion Tan et Gorochov

Gorochov, Andrej V. & Tan, Ming Kai, 2014, Species of the subgenus Cantotrella (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Podoscirtinae: Varitrella) from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, Zootaxa 3774 (6), pp. 535-551 : 536-540

Varitrella (Cantotrella) orion Tan et Gorochov , sp. nov.

( Figs 1 , 2 , 10 , 20–22 , 32–34)

Material examined. Holotype (male): Singapore, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, along Hindhede Way, secondary forest, 26 January 2011, M.K. Tan ( ZRC).

Description. Male (holotype). Body medium-sized for this subgenus, pubescent but with frons and anterior part of genae smooth. Coloration light brown with following marks ( Figs 1 , 2 , 10 , 20–22 ): head with dark small spot on frons under each eye, elongate spot on frons under each antennal cavity, small spot on each gena under eye, small spot on each lateral part of dorsum between eye and antennal cavity, a few spots on hind part of vertex, triangular spot between ocelli and large irregular area behind each lateral ocellus, and with darkened maxillary palpi; pronotum with large dark spots along anterior margins of disc and lateral lobes, most part of disc differently darkened, few small dark spots forming interrupted longitudinal stripe in upper half of lateral lobes, and anterior and ventral margins of these lobes darkened; dorsal field of tegmina brown with basal area, proximal part of region of chords, and apical area almost dark brown (but latter area having three small white spots near stock of MP+CuA1 and blackish areas between these spots), and with large white spot between distolateral edge of mirror and stock of MP+CuA1; coloration of lateral field of tegmina light brown with blackish marks near stock of Sc; legs with small dark spots, but these spots most dense on fore legs, and hind femora having rather large dark spots along ventral edges; coloration of abdomen brown. Head typical of this subgenus in structure ( Fig. 2 ), with narrow and almost angular in profile rostrum (scape approximately 1.4 times as wide as rostral apex), with distinct and medium-sized ocelli, and with rather short and almost oval in shape apical segment of maxillary palpi. Pronotum slightly wider than long, somewhat narrowing to head, with moderately low lateral lobes and almost horizontal ventral edges of these lobes, with barely concave anterior and slightly convex posterior edges of disc ( Fig. 2 ). Tegmina covering abdomen and surpassing apex of hind femur, with mirror longer than wide, with stridulatory vein as in Fig. 20 , with R clearly fused with 1MA1 after lancet-like area, and with 16 branches on Sc ( Fig. 10 ); hind wings clearly surpassing tegmina. Fore tibiae slightly swollen, with inner tympanum slit-like, with outer tympanum open and having elongate, oval tympanal membrane; hind tibiae with 6 inner and 5 outer long spines in distal half, 1–3 denticles between inner spines, 2–4 denticles between inner spines, with small denticles before most proximal spines, and with inner spurs (apical spines) longer than corresponding outer ones. Abdomen with anal and genital plates as in Figs 21, 22 ; genitalia with very high dorsal epiphallic spines directed upwards and slightly forwards, rather long distal epiphallic part (behind these spines) almost equal in length to proximal epiphallic part (before spines), rather low apical parts of epiphallus, long ectoparameres having spine-like distal part rather long and curved downwards, long rachis (guiding rod) having rather long apical (strongly widened) part, and moderately short formula (mold of spermatophore attachment plate) (Figs 32–34).

Female unknown.

Length in mm. Body 19.9; body with wings 27.7; pronotum 3.4; tegmina 20.5; hind femora 12.4.

Comparison. The new species is most similar to V. variabilis and V. glabra in the structure of male genitalia. It is clearly distinguished from V. variabilis by much higher dorsal epiphallic spines, a distinctly shorter and slightly concave in profile proximal part of the epiphallus, and much longer ectoparameres. From V. glabra , the new species differs in higher epiphallic spines, longer ectoparameres with more strongly curved distal parts, and a shorter proximal epiphallic part (before dorsal spines).

Etymology. The species is named after the Orion Constellation, since the shape of dark area on the pronotal disc somewhat resembles the hourglass figure formed by Orion’s seven brightest stars.

Remarks. The specimen was tentatively identified as Varitrella or Idiotrella or Noctitrella species 2 in Tan (2012).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Male of Varitrella orion sp. nov. with spread right wings from above.

FIGURES 2 – 9. Head and pronotum of male from above: 2, Varitrella orion sp. nov.; 3, V. trusmadi sp. nov.; 4, V. striata sp. nov.; 5, V. ro bu st a sp. nov.; 6, V. suk au sp. nov.; 7. V. tawau sp. nov.; 8, V. amoena sp. nov.; 9, V. manukan sp. nov.

FIGURES 10 – 11. Right male tegmen of Varitrella orion sp. nov. (10), and its scheme with names of veins and areas (11). Abbreviations: ap, apical area; ar, arcuate area (or cell); b, basal area; ch, chords; d, diagonal vein; di, dividing vein; i, intercalary triangle; la, lancet-like area (or cell); m, mirror; o, oblique veins; pl, plectrum; s, stridulatory vein formed by part of CuP [red color, veins M (with branches) and 1 A; red line interrupted by black spots, parts of M and 1 A fused with part of R, CuA 1, CuP, or 2 A; black interrupted line, thickened crossveins; line from red and black dots, lost part of one of branches of MP + CuA 1; line from black dots only, folds of membrane looking almost as veins].

FIGURES 20 – 31. Varitrella, male: 20 – 22, V. orion sp. nov., stridulatory vein of right tegmen from below (20), abdominal apex from above (21), and genital plate from below (22); 23 – 28, anal plate partly from above and partly from behind in V. trusmadi sp. nov. (23), V. striata sp. nov. (24), V. robusta sp. nov. (25), V. tawau sp. nov. (26), V. suk au sp. nov. (27) and V. amoena sp. nov. (28); 29 – 31, genitalia of V. palawanensis (29), V. mindoroensis (30) and V. quadrata (31) from side and from below, with names of morphological structures. Abbreviations: ds, dorsal epiphallic spine; ec, ectoparamere; ea, endoparameral apodeme; en, endoparamere; ep, epiphallus; f, formula (= mold of spermatophore attachment plate); lo, lateral lobe of rachis; mr, median sclerotized ribbon fused with formula; r, rachis (= guiding rod); ra, ramus.