Research Article |
Corresponding author: Ting-Chi Wen ( tingchiwen@yahoo.com ) Academic editor: Fernando Montealegre-Z
© 2017 Ling-Sheng Zha, Feng-Ming Yu, Saranyaphat Boonmee, Prapassorn D. Eungwanichayapant, Ting-Chi Wen.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Zha L-S, Yu F-M, Boonmee S, Eungwanichayapant PD, Wen T-C (2017) Taxonomy of Macromotettixoides with the description of a new species (Tetrigidae, Metrodorinae). ZooKeys 645: 13-25. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.645.9055
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Descriptions of the flying organs and generic characteristics of the genus Macromotettixoides Zheng, Wei & Jiang are currently imprecise. Macromotettixoides is reviewed and compared with allied genera. A re-description is undertaken and a determination key is provided to Macromotettixoides. Macromotettixoides parvula Zha & Wen, sp. n. from the Guizhou Karst Region, China, is described and illustrated with photographs. Observations on the ecology and habits of the new species are recorded. Four current species of Hyboella Hancock are transferred to Macromotettixoides. Variations of the flying organs and tegminal sinus in the Tetrigidae are discussed, which will help to describe them accurately.
China, determination key, ecology, habit, Hyboella , Karst Region, Orthoptera , revision, Tetrigoidea
The originally monotypic genus Macromotettixoides (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Metrodorinae) was erected by Zheng et al. in 2005 with M. jiuwanshanensis Zheng, Wei & Jiang, 2005 as its type species.
Based on absent tegmen (accordingly tegminal sinus is absent or inconspicuous),
In this study Macromotettixoides is examined and compared it with allied genera. At the same time Macromotettixoides parvula Zha & Wen, sp. n., from Guizhou Karst Region, China, is described and illustrated with photographs. Some aspects of ecology and observations of habits of the new species are also recorded.
Specimens were photographed using a stereo microscope (Olympus Corporation, SZX16, Tokyo, Japan), ecological pictures were photographed using a Nikon Coolpix P520 camera. Morphological terminology and measurement landmarks follow
Macromotettixoides
Zheng, Wei & Jiang 2005: 366;
Macromotettixoides jiuwanshanensis Zheng, Wei & Jiang, 2005 by original designation
Size small and stout. Vertex nearly at the same or slightly below the level of anterior margin of pronotum, and decidedly wider than width of one eye; longitudinal furrow (instead of scutellum in most genera of Cladonotinae) relatively shallow, equal to or wider than diameter of scapus (similar to Cladonotinae); antennae filiform, inserted between or below lower margin of eyes. Pronotum roof-like or nearly at the same level; median carina conspicuous, sometime weakly, but not strongly lamellate; hind process short, not surpassing apex of hind femur, apex acute or acutely rounded; posterior angle of lateral lobe turning outwards (differ from Tettiginae (directed downwards and contiguous to the body)), apex truncated or roundly truncated (differ from Scelimeninae (directed sideward as an acute triangle process or a long acute spine)); ventral sinus present, tegminal sinus absent or very inconspicuous; external lateral carina surpassing middle of lower margin of pronotum. Flying organs abbreviated: tegmina invisible; hind wings invisible in most species, visible but never reaching middle of hind process in few species. Female ovipositor narrow and long.
China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Taiwan).
1 | Hind wings very small and hidden beneath pronotum, invisible or barely visible | 2 |
– | Hind wings slightly elongate and nearly reaching middle of hind femur, visible | 15 |
2 | Pronotum flattened, nearly at the same level | 3 |
– | Pronotum, in lateral view, distinctly roof-like | 5 |
3 | Anterior margin of pronotum broadly arcuate forward; humeral angles also broadly arcuate (Hainan) | M. hainanensis (Liang, 2002), comb. n. |
– | Anterior margin of pronotum truncated; humeral angles obtuse angled | 4 |
4 | Vertex 1.4 times as wide as one eye; prozonal carinae contracted backward; hind process reaching middle of hind femur (Taiwan) | M. taiwanensis (Liang, 2000), comb. n. |
– | Vertex 2.0 times as wide as one eye; prozonal carinae parallel; hind process reaching knee of hind femur (Guizhou) | M. parvula sp. n. |
5 | Anterior margin of pronotum obtusely angled forward | 6 |
– | Anterior margin of pronotum truncated | 10 |
6 | Upper margin of pronotum wholly arcuate in lateral view; hind process reaching apex of hind femur | 7 |
– | Upper margin of pronotum, in lateral view, arcuate only before humeral angles while straight or undulated behind humeral angles; hind process not reaching apex of hind femur | 9 |
7 | Vertex 3.0 times as wide as one eye, anterior margin obtusely angled (Fujian) | M. wuyishana Zheng, 2013a |
– | Vertex 2.1-2.3 times as wide as one eye, anterior margin arcuate | 8 |
8 | Vertex together with frontal costa right angled; humeral angles obtusely angled, interhumeral carina absent; middle of posterior margin of female subgenital plate with a triangular protrusion (Guangxi) | M. jiuwanshanensis Zheng et al., 2005 |
– | Vertex together with frontal costa rounded; humeral angles absent, paired interhumeral carinae presented; posterior margin of female subgenital plate three-tooth-like (Jiangxi) | M. jinggangshanensis Deng, 2016 |
9 | Longitudinal furrow between antennal grooves 1.6 times as wide as diameter of scapus; pronotal disc with many net-like wrinkles; humeral angles indistinct; lower margins of fore and mid femora a little undulate (Guangxi) | M. lativertex Deng et al., 2014 |
– | Longitudinal furrow between antennal grooves as wide as diameter of scapus; pronotal disc smooth; humeral angles arcuate; lower margins of fore and mid femora straight (Jiangxi) | M. brachynota Zheng & Shi, 2009 |
10 | Lower margins of fore and mid femora undulated | 11 |
– | Lower margins of fore and mid femora straight | 12 |
11 | Antenna inserted below lower margin of eyes; prozonal carinae parallel; apex of hind process narrow (Sichuan) | M. undulatifemura Deng et al., 2012 |
– | Antenna inserted between lower margin of eyes; prozonal carinae contracted backward; apex of hind process relatively wide, concave in the middle (Yunnan) | M. curvimarginus (Zheng & Xu, 2010), comb. n. |
12 | Vertex 2.0-2.14 times as wide as one eye; interhumeral carina absent | 13 |
– | Vertex 1.3-1.6 times as wide as one eye; paired interhumeral carinae presented | 14 |
13 | In lateral view upper margin of pronotum before shoulders strongly arcuate; humeral angles obtusely rounded (Hubei) | M. wufengensis Zheng et al., 2009 |
– | In lateral view upper margin of pronotum straight; humeral broadly arcuate (Hunan) | M. badagongshanensis (Zheng, 2013b), comb. n. |
14 | Vertex 1.3 times as wide as one eye; antenna inserted below lower margin of eyes; in lateral view upper margin of pronotum strongly arcuate before humeral angles while straight behind humeral angles (Fujian) | M. zhengi Deng, 2011 |
– | Vertex 1.6 times as wide as one eye; antenna inserted between lower margin of eyes; in lateral view upper margin of pronotum nearly straight (Yunnan) | M. longling (Zheng et al., 2012) |
15 | Vertex 2.0 times as wide as one eye; hind process reaching middle of hind femur; lower margin of mid femur undulate (Yunnan) | M. cliva Zheng et al., 2006 |
– | Vertex 1.5 times as wide as one eye; hind process reaching two-thirds of hind femur; lower margin of mid femur straight (Guizhou) | M. aelytra (Zheng et al., 2002), nymph* |
*Note: according to descriptions (antegenicular denticle and genicular denticle have not been separated) and drawings of
With extremely small size, Macromotettixoides parvula sp. n. can easily be separated from other species of the genus. Other differences are listed in the key to species of Macromotettixoides.
Female. Body size extremely small.
Head. Face and vertex rough, covered with large and small granules. Vertex nearly at the same level but uneven, 2.0 times as wide as one eye, a little contracted forward, protruding forward and slightly surpassing anterior margin of eyes; anterior margin broadly arcuate and depressed, anterior part of lateral carina distinctly folded upward and reaching top of eyes; medial carina distinct and erected in anterior half, but absent in posterior half; paired fossulae deep, behind fossulae vertex slightly elevated on both sides (Fig.
Macromotettixoides parvula sp. n. a frontal view of female head b dorsal view of female head c left-lateral view of female tegmen and hind wing after uncovering the pronotum d lateral view of female head and anterior pronotum e lateral view of female ovipositor and subgenital plate f ventral view of female subgenital plate g lateral view of male subgenital plate h left-lateral view of female hind tarsus. Scale bars 0.5 mm.
Thorax. Pronotum disc very coarse, covered with big and small granules and many thick and net-like wrinkles (Fig.
Abdomen. Ovipositor: upper valva about 4.0 times as long as wide, upper margin arcuate, sub-base widest, in the middle slightly distorted inward, then slightly turn outward and at last inward again; outer margins of upper and lower valvae with saw-like teeth, but base of upper valva smooth (Fig.
Coloration. Body dark or dark brown (Fig.
Male. Slightly smaller than female (Fig.
Length of body ♂5.8–6.2 mm, ♀7.5–8.3 mm; length of pronotum ♂5.8–6.0 mm, ♀6.3–7.0 mm; length of hind femur ♂4.1–4.3 mm, ♀4.2–4.5 mm; length of antenna ♂, ♀2.6–2.8 mm.
Holotype female, China, Guizhou, Leishan, Leigongshan Mountain, N26°22'18.25", E108°11'28.06", 1430 m alt, 2 Aug. 2016, collected by Lingsheng ZHA. Paratypes: three males and two females, Leigongshan Mountain, 1300–1600 m alt, 1–3 Aug. 2016, collected by Lingsheng ZHA.
Specimens of Macromotettixoides parvula sp. n. were collected and observed among low and sparse shrubs with fall-leaf layers in gullies, slopes and a dry stream bed in humid rainforests of Karst Region (Fig.
The new species epithet ‘parvula’ means body size is extremely small.
China (Guizhou). Only found in Leigongshan Mountain (Leishan County).
According to
In order to clarify relationship between Macromotettixoides and its allied genera, we summarize their main differences, based on their known species, as in Table
Characters Genera |
Vertex and anterior margin of pronotum | Antenna inserted above, between or below lower margin of eye | Tegminal sinus | External lateral carina reaching lower margin of pronotum | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nearly at the same level | Vertex distinctly higher | Lower 1/3 of inner margin | Between or slightly below | Far away below | Absent or inconspicuous | Presented | Middle or more | Before middle | |
Pseudomacromotettix | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||||
Macromotettixoides | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||||
Macromotettix | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||||
Hyboella | √ | √ | √ | √? | √ | √ | √ | ||
Cotysoides | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||||
Bolivaritettix | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||||
Mazarredia | √ | √ | √ | √ | |||||
Xistrella | √ | √ | √ | √ |
According to
Herein we transfer the related Chinese species of Hyboella whose tegminal sinuses are all absent (their flying organs are all invisible); also their pronota do not meet the typical characteristic of Hyboella (wholly roof-like or flattened), into Macromotettixoides as follows:
Macromotettixoides badagongshanensis (Zheng, 2013b), comb. n. = Hyboella badagongshanensis Zheng, 2013b;
M. curvimarginus (Zheng & Xu, 2010), comb. n. = H. curvimarginus Zheng & Xu, 2010;
M. hainanensis (Liang, 2002), comb. n. = H. hainanensis Liang, 2002;
M. taiwanensis (Liang, 2000), comb. n. = H. taiwanensis Liang, 2000.
We sincerely thank Dr. Josef Tumbrinck and Dr. Josip Skejo who provided feedback and suggestions, and Dr. Fernando Montealegre-Z who offered careful corrections which improved the manuscript. This work was supported by the Science Research Foundation of Guizhou University (GZUKEY20160701).