Morphna decolyi Bolivar 1897
Creators: name: Anisyutkin, Leonid N.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Blattodea
Blaberidae
Morphna
Morphna decolyi

description: Morphna decolyi (Bolivar, 1897)
(Figs. 1 H–J, 6 A–Q, 7 A–J)
Material. SOUTH INDIA, state Tamil Nadu, Anamalai Hills, Cinchona, 3200 ft., April 1959, coll. P.S. Nathan— 1 female (specimen No 190812/01) (ZIN); same data, but 3500 ft., April 1959— 1 females (MMUM); same data, but May 1959— 1 male (specimen No 190812 /03) (ZIN), 1 female (MMUM); same data, but 3500 ft., April 1960— 1 male (specimen No 190812 /04) (MMUM); same data, but 3500 ft., May 1960— 1 male (specimen No 190812 /02) (MMUM), 3 females (2— MMUM, 1— ZIN).
Description. Male. General color yellowish brown, partly blackish (Fig. 1 I); facial part of head, proximal part of antennae and maxillary palps—blackish; vertex, areas at ocellar spots and partly mouthparts—yellowish; vertex with three longitudinal dark stripes; eyes and distal part of antennae—greyish (Fig. 1 H); central part of pronotum with large reddish brown spots, lateral parts—yellowish, with numerous small reddish-brown spots; tegmina—reddish brown; legs—yellowish-brown, with coxae and tibial spines more light—yellowish; femora with small yellow spots from above and below at apex (Fig. 6 C); abdomen reddish brown, darker from below. Surfaces smooth and lustrous; pronotum, tegmina and abdomen from above somewhat rugose; facial part of head with weakly expressed wrinkles (Figs. 1 H, 6A); tegmina with punctation. Head widely rounded at vertex, slightly longer than wide (Figs. 1 H, 6A); ocellar spots distinct; distance between eyes 0.91–0.95 times eye length; distance between antennal sockets about 1.7–1.8 times of the scape length (1.3–1.4 mm); approximate length ratio of 3rd–5th segments of maxillary palps 1: 1: 1.1–1.3. Pronotum transverse, widely rounded along anterolateral margins, caudal margin slightly angulate (Figs. 1 I, 6B). Scutellum triangular, small. Tegmina subquadrate (Figs. 1 I, 6B), only reaching 2nd abdominal tergite; truncated apically; venation subobsolete; Sc and anterior rami of Sc thickened (well visible on ventral side of tegmen). Wings vestigial, completely hidden under tegmina (Fig. 1 I). Anterior margin of fore femur armed as in the type B, with 5–8 spines, including 2 apical ones. Tibiae weakly thickened distally (Fig. 6 C). Structure of hind tarsi (Fig. 6 D, E): metatarsus about as long as other segments combined, with large euplantula along lower margin; spinules on metatarsal euplantula and spines along lower margin of tarsal segment absent; metatarsus and 2nd–4th segments with 0–2 (usually 1) "additional spines" bordering euplantulae from inside and outside (Fig. 6 D, E, a.s.); claws symmetrical, simple; arolium about half of claw length (Fig. 6 D, F). Abdomen without visible specializations; posterolateral angles of tergites obtuse. Anal plate (tergite X) widely rounded, with triangular median incision on caudal margin (Fig. 6 G, I). Cerci fusiform, very weakly depressed, with distinct segments (Fig. 6 G, I). Paraprocts of the blaberid-type, as in Fig. 6 I, J. Hypandrium nearly symmetrical, with antero-lateral parts short (Fig. 6 K, l.s.a.); caudal margin with distinct median incision (Fig. 6 K); styli short, cylindrical (Fig. 6 K).
Male genitalia (Figs. 6 L–Q, 7A–D). Right phallomere (R+N) with caudal part of sclerite R1T subrectangular in shape (Fig. 6 L, c.p.R1T); densely covered with bristles; R2 weakly curved (Fig. 6 L); R3 elongated, widened caudally (Fig. 6 L, M); R4 large; R5 elongated (Fig. 6 L). Sclerite L2D (L1) divided into basal and apical parts (Fig. 6 N); basal part rod-like, weakly widened cranially, with small "accessory sclerite" at caudal end (Fig. 6 N, O, ac.scl.); apical part smaller, densely covered with recumbent bristles (Fig. 6 O–Q); "dorsal outgrows" large (Fig. 6 O–Q, d.o.). Sclerite L3 (L2d) with weak basal subsclerite (Fig. 7 A, b.L3), generally similar to that of M. lucida sp. nov.; apex as in Fig. 7 A–D. Sclerite L4U (L3d) weakly sclerotized, elongated.
Female. Similar to male, but slightly larger (Fig. 1 J). Tibiae slightly more robust (Fig. 7 E), as compared to those of male. Anal plate as in Fig. 7 F. Paraprocts triangular in shape, medially membranous (Fig. 7 H, par.). Genital plate rounded, caudally truncated (Fig. 7 G).
Ovipositor and adjacent structures (Fig. 7 H–J). Intercalary sclerite absent. Tergal processes of abdominal segment VIII reduced, not reaching paratergites of VIII tergite (Fig. 7 H, teVIII.); tergal processes of abdominal segment IX completely developed (Fig. 7 H, teIX.). Gonangulum distinct, well sclerotized (Fig. 7 H–J, gg.). First valves of ovipositor large, membranous at apex, with numerous setae along inner side (Fig. 7 H–J, v.I.). Base of 2nd and 3rd pairs of valves as in Fig. 7 I, J, with large sclerotized lobes (Fig. 7 I, J, pl.). Anterior arch of second valvifer as in Fig. 7 I, J, a.a. 2nd valves of ovipositor small, completely hidden under 1st ones (Fig. 7 H–J, v.II.). 3rd valves of ovipositor (gonoplacs) wide, partly membranous (Fig. 7 H–J, v.III.). Basivalvulae (Fig. 7 J, bsv.) and vestibular sclerite (Fig. 7 J, vs.) transformed into two lateral elongated sclerites, with small "median sclerite" between them (Fig. 7 J, m.scl.). Brood sac large (Fig. 7 H, bd.s.), with small transverse sclerotized plate at its ventrocaudal end (Fig. 7 H, t.s.p.).
Measurements (mm). Head length: male 5.8–6.0, female 6.5–7.3; head width: male 5.3–5.5, female 6.0–6.8; pronotum length: male 8.1–8.3, female 9.3–10.3; pronotum width: male 11.6–11.7, female 12.5–14.2; tegmen length: male 9.5–10.0, female 9.5–10.5; tegmen width: male 7.0–7.5, female 8.1–9.0.
Note. The similarity in the appearance of Morphna decolyi and Comptolampra liturata (Audinet-Serville) was mentioned by Bolivar (1897) in the original description of the former species. These taxa are similar in the structure of the male genitalia as well, but differ in the tarsal structure (Anisyutkin 1999).
description: Published as part of Anisyutkin, Leonid N., 2014, On cockroaches of the subfamily Epilamprinae (Dictyoptera: Blaberidae) from South India and Sri Lanka, with descriptions of new taxa, pp. 301-332 in Zootaxa 3847 (3) on pages 313-316, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3847.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/253194