Nebulodraculus Mendes 2022, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2022
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Tettigoniidae
Nebulodraculus

description: Nebulodraculus Mendes gen. nov.
Figures 2–7
Type-species. Nebulodraculus marioi sp. nov.. here designated; masculine gender.
Diagnosis. Fastigium-vertex elongated forming an acuminate projection, laterally flattened, in lateral view (Fig. 2D). Pronotal disc dorsally with two elongated projections, the first on the anterior border and the second on the posterior border; first projection narrow, acuminate and with a length less than or equal to the projection of the fastigium-vertex; second projection enlarged at the base and apically acuminate, with a small curved spine directed towards the head, in lateral view (Fig. 2D). Cerci with bifurcated apical region, with the two projections dorsoventrally flattened and curved; smooth external projection with acuminate apex; internal projection with the internal margin with a small serration and acuminate apex (Figs. 2I–J). Subgenital plate elongated and moderately narrow (Figs. 2I–J). Stylus small, rectangular and with apex directed inward (Figs. 2I–J).
Description. Head dorsally with elongated fastigium-vertex forming an acuminate projection, laterally flattened, in lateral view (Fig. 2D). Globular eyes (Figs. 2B–D). Pronotal disc rectangular, without carina, in dorsal view (Fig. 2C); dorsally with two elongated projections, the first on the anterior edge and the second on the posterior edge; first projection narrow, acuminate and with a length less than or equal to the projection of the fastigium-vertex; second projection enlarged at the base and apically acuminate, with a small curved spine directed towards the head, in lateral view (Fig. 2D).
Dorsal-lateral suture straight and black (Fig. 2C). Furcal suture concolorous with pronotal disc (Fig. 2C). Tegmina narrow, with curved apical half and straight apex (Fig. 4). Vein R sinuose and with small branches, most of them bifurcated near the apex (Fig. 2). Vein MP with three bifurcations branches reaching wing margin (Fig. 2). Vein MA with only one branch (Fig. 2). Vein CuA with two bifurcated branches reaching wing margin (Fig. 2). Fore femur slightly curved, with four long and narrow ventral spines (Fig. 3F). Fore tibia straight, with open tympanum and four pairs of small spines in ventral region (Fig. 3F). Mid femur slightly curved, with five narrow ventral spines, with the two apical spines much longer than the others (Fig. 3G). Mid tibia with enlarged basal half, two pairs of long dorsal spines and five pairs ventral spines (Fig. 3G). Hind femur enlarged at basal half, with eight pairs of long, narrow and curved ventral spines; apical half spines much larger than basal spines (Figs. 3A, 3H). Hind tibia straight with long, narrow and curved ventral spines (Figs. 3A, 3H). All legs with short bristles (Figs. 3F–H). Cercus wide with bifurcated apical half (Figs. 3I–J). Subgenital plate elongated and medially narrow (Figs. 2I–J). Stylus small, rectangular and with apex directed inward (Figs. 2I–J).
Additional taxonomic notes. Nebulodraculus gen. nov. appears most closely related to Markia White, 1862 and Lichenodraculus Braun, 2011, differing from both genera in having two long dorsal projections on the pronotal disc (versus only one dorsal projection on the pronotal disc in Lichenodraculus); projection of the fastigium-vertex larger or the same size as the first dorsal projection of the pronotal disc (versus the first dorsal projection of the pronotum larger than the projection of the fastigium-vertex in Markia); apically bifurcated cercus (versus elongated, curved and with a small basal triangular projection in Lichenodraculus).
Etymology. From Latin word nebulo = mist, fog + draculus = little dragon, meaning little fog dragon. In reference to the foggy altitude environment this katydid lives and the name of the proximate genus Lichenodraculus (Little lichen dragon).
Distribution. Brazil (Roraima) and Venezuela (Bolíviar).
description: Published as part of Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello, 2022, The Little Fog Dragon-a new genus of Mountain Lichen Katydid (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Dysoniini) from the Serra do Sol, Roraima, Brazil, pp. 84-92 in Zootaxa 5182 (1) on pages 85-88, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5182.1.6, http://zenodo.org/record/7042871