Hebridea rufotibialis Willemse 1926
Creators: name: Hugel, Sylvain
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Baissogryllidae
Hebridea
Hebridea rufotibialis

description: <i>Hebridea rufotibialis</i> Willemse, 1926 (Figs 1 A-F; 2; 3A-F; 4; Table 1) TYPE MATERIAL. —[Vanuatu], N[ew] Hebrides, Espir[itu] Santo Isl., Hog Harbour, clearings, 4.I.1923, John R. Baker (OUMNH type ORTH. 907). TYPE LOCALITY. — Vanuatu, Sanma Province, Espiritu Santo. OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — SANTO 2006, Vanuatu, Sanma Province, Espiritu Santo Isl., Funafus, 15°32'46.4"S, 167°00'46"E, jour, 30.X.2006, S. Hugel, 2 ♂♂ (MNHN SH-137, SH-138), 1 ♀ (MNHN SH-140); same data, but T. Robillard, 1 ♀ (MNHN SH-139); same data, but L. Desutter-Grandcolas, 1 juv. (MNHN SH-141).— Big Bay, Matantas, Vatthé Conservation Area, 15°20'S, 166°95'E, 25.X.2006, 2 ♂♂ (MNHN SH-142, SH-143), 27.X.2006, S. Hugel, 2 ♀♀ (MNHN SH-144, SH-145). — Peavot, Mt Nouresororo, 14°59'26"S, 166°45'14"E, 636 m alt., forêt de brume, nuit, 22.X.2006, S. Hugel, 3 ♀♀ (MNHN SH-146, SH-147, SH-148), 2 juv. (MNHN SH-149, SH-150); same data, but L. Desutter-Grandcolas, 2 juv. (MNHN SH-151, SH-152). — Butmas, forêt sur plateau de Tankara, 15°21'56"S, 166°59'04"E, 600 m alt., 13.X.2006, L. Desutter-Grandcolas, 1 juv. (MNHN SH-153); same data, but 14.X.2006, 1 juv. (MNHN SH-154). HABITAT AND LIFE HISTORY TRAITS. — <i>Hebridea rufotibialis</i> was found in both preserved and moderately degraded forested areas. This species occurs in undergrowth vegetation (20 cm- 1 m), often in groups of few specimens. We observed this species on monocots (tall herbaceous plants, <i>Dracaena</i> sp., and also on small palm trees, <i>Pandanus</i> sp., etc.). Juveniles were seldom observed on ferns. DIAGNOSIS (EMENDED). — Hind femur upper carina with a weak concavity before the knee (Fig. 1D; N.B.: this non sexual character seems valid on the examined specimens, but should be used with caution). <b>Male</b>. Penultimate abdominal tergite (tergite 10) with well-distinct rounded furculae (Fig. 1F). Supra-anal plate with lateral bulges (Fig. 1F, arrow). Supra-anal plate with long posterior median projection (Fig. 1F). Epiphallus: interspace between lophi at least twice as wide as lophi width (Fig. 3A). Dorsal valves exceeding ventral valves (Fig. 3D). In mature males, hind femora blue/green (inner and outer fields). REDESCRIPTION In addition to generic characters: hind femur upper carina with a weak concavity before the knee (Fig.1D). <i>Male</i> Penultimate abdominal tergite (tergite 10) with well-distinct rounded furculae (Fig. 1F). Supra-anal plate with lateral bulges (Fig. 1F, arrow), with long posterior median projection (Fig. 1F). Epiphallus (Fig. 3A, B): interspace between lophi at least twice as wide as lophi width. Dorsal valves exceeding ventral valves (Fig. 3D). <i>Females</i> It is not clear whether the females display useful characters at the species level. Terminalia are illustrated Figure 3E, F. General colouration of adults green (more or less yellowish; badly preserved specimens are darker such as the holotype; Fig. 4); hind tibia red or purple, tibial spines with black apex; hind knees dorsally yellowish. In mature males, fore and mid femora green with sometimes the middle reddish; hind femur blue/green (inner and outer fields); hind tibia proximally darker. In females, middle of fore and mid femora sometimes reddish; inner field of hind femur sometimes purple. Non adult specimens entirely lack green, blue and red colour; these are brown on the sides with a cream band on the dorsum (from fastigium to Prn and often to abdomen apex); Prn lateral carinae light cream; outer median field of FIII with some dark pattern. REMARK Two male specimens from Espiritu Santo identified as <i>Hebridea</i> sp. by David Hollis are in NHM collections. The supra-anal plate of these specimens is very similar to that of <i>Hebridea rufotibialis</i> illustrated in the present article (Judith Marshall, <i>in litt.</i>). For the distinctive characters between <i>Hebridea rufotibialis</i> and <i>H. amedegnatoae</i> n. sp. see Table 3.
description: Published as part of <i>Hugel, Sylvain, 2012, Review of Hebridea Willemse, 1926, an endemic genus of grasshoppers from Vanuatu (Orthoptera, Caelifera) with the description of a new species from Malekula, pp. 267-277 in Zoosystema 34 (2)</i> on pages 270-272, DOI: 10.5252/z2012n2a5, http://zenodo.org/record/4547512
description: {"references": ["WILLEMSE C. 1926 [1925]. - Contribution a la faune des orthopteres des Nouvelles-Hebrides. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London: 513 - 529."]}