Gwynnagraecia marandoo Rentz, Su and Ueshima 2021, Gen. et sp. nov.
Creators: name: Rentz, Dcf
name: Su, You Ning
name: Ueshima, Norihiro
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Tettigoniidae
Gwynnagraecia
Gwynnagraecia marandoo

description: Gwynnagraecia marandoo Rentz, Su and Ueshima Gen. et sp. nov.
(Figs 12 A-F; Table 3; Map1)
Common name. Gwynne’s Marandoo Katydid
This very small species is known only from the holotype and a late instar female. To the uninitiated even the adult male appears as a nymph. But the tegmina are developed as they would be in an adult member of the genus. The male cercus and the extension of the tenth tergite is unlike any others known for the genus. As with G. perplexa gen et sp. nov., this species is straw brown with a longitudinal stripe extending from the fastigium of the vertex to the tip of the abdomen leading one to assume it is a member of Australiagraecia. The colourless male tegmen and the shape of the male cercus, projections of the tenth tergite and phallus place it in Gwynnagraecia.
Holotype male. 1. “Marandoo Camp (22 o 38’S 118 o 06’E) W. A. 5-19 May1980 T. F. Houston et al 317.” 2. Western Australian Museum Collection 13/1408”. Holotype in Western Australian Museum, Perth. Specimens examined. Paratype. Western Australia. The female paratype bears the same data as the holotype except the WA Museum number is 93/1409.
Type locality. Marandoo was formerly located in the Karijini National Park until it was excised in 1991 to allow for mining operations to commence. An associated rail corridor was built allowing transport of the ore to the coast to the west, and to connect with future mines to the east. We have no further information on the condition of the type locality.
Distribution. Known only from the holotype male and a female paratype.
Habitat. Typical open shrub steppe community with scattered Eucalypt and Acacia trees with Soft Spinifex, Triodia pungens R. Br. and Limestone Spinifex, T. wiseana CA Gardner and short-grass plains.
14 Named in apposition for the type locality.
Seasonal occurrence. Only known occurrence is May.
Differential Diagnosis. Male. Size small for genus, form slender. Antenna slightly longer than length of body (probably broken), not annulate, surface hirsute. Eye large for size of head, ovoid, bulging. Fore and middle tibiae with 5 spines on each side of ventral surface; fore tibia without any spines dorsally, middle tibia with a single spine positioned in the middle of posterior margin. Hind femur armed on ventral surface with 3 minute teeth on internal margin; hind tibia armed ventrally with a pair of apical spurs on ventral surface, dorsal surface with a pair of smaller spurs, somewhat subapical in position, the more external of which is smaller than the internal spur. Prothorax with a pair of widely spaced elongate spines; meso- and metathorax each with peg-like projections. Tegmen short (Table 3) extending to beginning of second abdominal tergite; stridulatory file on a raised swelling or blister. Cercus (Figs 12 D-F) with an apparent tooth on internal margin when viewed dorsally, but not really visible from ventral views. Abdomen with 10 th tergite with soft median area; supra-anal plate triangular, elongate, depressed in the middle; tenth tergite with extension (Figs 12A, B) straight, with an acute projection dorsally; subgenital plate with shallow median incision, styles long on one side, shorter on the other on holotype; phallic complex not dissected due to fragility of holotype.
Female. The only known female is a topotype was teneral when pinned. It may be a last instar nymph. The cerci are rather robust but narrowed abruptly apically. The subgenital plate is slightly longer than broad and apically with a very shallow notch.
Colouration. Overall colour straw brown with w broad dorsal stripe extending from fastigium of vertex to seventh tergite. Body not especially hirsute, cercus clothed with pale elongate setae. Ovipositor short (Table 3) (valves not separating suggesting the specimen is an adult) straight.
Recognition. Males have a short fish-hook type cercus. The extension of the tenth tergite is short and broad (Figs 12A, B).
Discussion. The presence of this species in the Pilbara region suggests the genus may be more widespread than presently known. Because of its small size, it is likely to be overlooked by general collectors.
description: Published as part of Rentz, Dcf, Su, You Ning & Ueshima, Norihiro, 2021, Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: New short-winged Agraeciini from Australia (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Conocephalinae; Agraeciini), pp. 1-72 in Zootaxa 5059 (2) on pages 22-23, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5059.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5602508