Pendleburyella eremita Tan & Japir & Chung 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Tan, Ming Kai
name: Japir, Razy
name: Chung, Arthur Y. C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Gryllidae
Pendleburyella
Pendleburyella eremita

description: Pendleburyella eremita sp. nov.
(Figs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2E, 2G, 3A–C, 4)
Material examined. EAST MALAYSIA: Sabah State • ♁ holotype; Bukit Hampuan; N5.99702, E116.67550, 943.2± 10.3 m.a.s.l.; 3 November 2023, 21h10; on a dead log; coll. M.K. Tan, R. Japir, M.A.B. Asidi & D.F.A. Damit; SBH.23.143 (FRC)
Diagnosis. This species is characterised by its dark colouration and head dorso-ventrally compressed and by the shape of its pseudepiphallic paramere. This new species has the male genitalia most similar to that of Pendleburyella eirmosa Tan, Muhammad & Wahab, 2023 from Brunei Darussalam, but differs by the ventral process of the pseudepiphallic paramere, in profile, slightly bent dorsad at middle. In addition to the characters described above, it also differs by its distinctly larger size and the apical segment of its maxillary palps stoutly triangular (instead of oblong).
Etymology. The species name refers to the elusive nature of the species (hiding among leaf litters and dead logs), which is also typical of the genus; erēmía = solitude in Latin and Greek.
Description. Habitus typical of genus (Figs 1A, 1B). Very large species for this genus, dark brown in general (Fig. 1A). Head, including scapes and antenna, wholly dark brown and a little wider than pronotum (Fig. 2A), dorso-ventrally compressed (Fig. 2C). Antennae inserted at level midpoint of eye in anterior view (Fig. 2C). Eyes projected anteriorly, longer than tall (Fig. 2E); median ocellus smaller than lateral ocelli; lateral ocelli oblong, whitish (Fig. 2A). Mandibles and clypeus more yellow brown (Fig. 2C). Maxillary palpi dark brown; with apical segment stoutly triangular, not longer than subapical segment; with subapical segment cylindrical and expanded slightly distally, somewhat similar length as apical and third segments; third segment cylindrical (Fig. 2E). Pronotal disc brown, about 1.7 times as wide as long, widening posteriorly (posterior margin about 1.5 times as wide as anterior margin); anterior margin of disc broadly concave; posterior margin of disc slightly convex (Fig. 2A). Pronotal lateral lobe 1.2 times as long as high (Fig. 2E). TI slightly swollen; with inner and outer tympana open and having oval tympanal membrane; legs generally brown to yellow brown (Figs 1A, 1B).
Male. FW yellow brown; 2.6 times as long as broad (Fig. 2G); covering abdomen. Venation (Fig. 2G): 1A vein transverse, faintly sinusoidal; diagonal substraight, with two distinct and one shorter less-distinct oblique veins in harp area; posterior two oblique veins substraight, join at base near 1A, anterior most vein distinctly shorter and running nearly perpendicular to 1A. Mirror about 1.2 times as long as wide, dividing vein strongly curved at basal end. Lateral field around 10 branches on Sc (Fig. 1B). Apical field 0.11 times as long as FWL (Fig. 2G). Hind wings clearly surpassing FWs but not cerci.
♁ genitalia (Figs 3A–C). Pseudepiphallus [epiphallus] typical of genus, elongated and gently narrowing posteriorly. Posterior end of pseudepiphallus [epiphallus] produced into two triangular pseudepiphallic lophi [posterolateral epiphallic lobe] with subobtuse apices having a few long setae along external margin pointing dorsad; between these lophi triangularly emarginated. These lophi, in profile, tongue-shaped with apices roundly truncated and pointing slightly dorsad. Pseudepiphallic paramere [ectoparamere] with ventral process very elongated, surpassing pseudepiphallic lophi; with inner margins straight, parallel and more sclerotized, and external margins curved towards apices; apices converging innerly, sclerotized and acute; in profile, ventral process slightly bent dorsad at middle. Dorsal process of pseudepiphallic paramere distinctly shorter than ventral process, but barely surpassing pseudepiphallic lophi; apices acute. In profile, dorsal and ventral processes not emarginated; both processes parallel and close together. Ectophallic fold [rachis] typical of genus, pointing dorsad; in profile tapering into very acute apex, with anterior margin concave and posterior margin straight.
Measurements (♁ holotype, in mm). BL = 10.2; BWL = 14.5; HL = 1.5; PronL = 1.5; PronW = 2.5; FWL = 8.3; FWW = 3.2; HWT = 3.8; FIIIL = 5.7; TIIIL = 4.2; TaIIIL = 2.8.
Ecology. The species was found dwelling among leaf litters and dead logs (Fig. 4).
Distribution. Borneo (Sabah, Bukit Hampuan)
Type locality. EAST MALAYSIA, Sabah State, Bukit Hampuan
Calling song. Unknown.
description: Published as part of Tan, Ming Kai, Japir, Razy & Chung, Arthur Y. C., 2024, New species of the elusive crickets from the genus Pendleburyella Chopard, 1969 (Gryllidae, Pentacentrinae) from Sabah, Borneo, pp. 264-272 in Zootaxa 5397 (2) on pages 266-267, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5397.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/10468735