Pendleburyella nimba 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 nimba

description: Pendleburyella nimba sp. nov.
(Figs 1C, 1D, 2B, 2D, 2F, 2H, 3D–G, 5)
Material examined. EAST MALAYSIA: Sabah State • ♁ holotype; Trusmadi Entomology Camp in Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve; N5.44174, E116.45074, 1189.0± 5.2 m.a.s.l.; 31 October 2023, 19h58–20h23; attracted to light trap at ridge; coll. M.K. Tan, J.L. Yukang & A.Y.C. Chung; SBH.23.26 (FRC)
Paratypes: EAST MALAYSIA: Sabah State • 1♁; Trusmadi Entomology Camp in Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve; N5.44307, E116.45155, 1199.0± 5.6 m.a.s.l.; 31 October 2023, 20h33–20h49; attracted to light trap near camp; coll. M.K. Tan, J.L. Yukang & A.Y.C. Chung; SBH.23.33 (ZRC) • 1♁; Trusmadi Entomology Camp in Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve; N5.44300, E116.45140, 1184.0± 11.6 m.a.s.l.; 31 October 2023, 19h34; attracted to light at camp; coll. M.K. Tan, J.L. Yukang & A.Y.C. Chung; SBH.23.6 (MNHN).
Diagnosis. This species is characterised by the four distinct dark-brown bands on the dorsum of the head and its vertex dark brown; and by the genitalia stouter than the congeners and with the ventral process of the pseudepiphallic paramere short, slightly curved inwards and not surpassing its pseudepiphallic lophi; and the ectophallic fold very slender with the anterior and posterior margins straight and converging.
Etymology. The species name refers to the species being found to inhabit the highlands “among the clouds” in Sabah; nimbus = cloud in Latin.
Description. Smaller and lighter in colouration than the preceding species, yellow brown in general (Figs 1C, 1D). Head dorsum yellow brown, with four distinct dark-brown bands and vertex dark brown (Fig. 2B). Face rounded (Fig. 2D). Antennae inserted at level midpoint of eye in anterior view (Fig. 2D). Vertex sloping anteriorly (Fig. 2F) Eyes projected anteriorly, slightly taller than wide (Fig. 2F); median ocellus transverse, smaller than lateral ocelli; lateral ocelli oblong, whitish (Fig. 2D). Maxillary palpi brown; with apical segment elongated-triangular, distinctly longer than subapical and third segments; with subapical segment cylindrical and expanded slightly distally, somewhat similar length as apical and third segments; third segment cylindrical (Fig. 2F). Pronotal disc brown about 1.7 times as wide as long, widening posteriorly (posterior margin about 1.6 times as wide as anterior margin); anterior margin of disc broadly concave; posterior margin of disc slightly convex (Fig. 2B). Pronotal lateral lobe 1.1 times as long as high (Fig. 2F). TI slightly swollen; with inner and outer tympana open and having oval tympanal membrane; legs generally pale brown.
Male. FW yellow brown and slenderer; about 3.1 times as long as broad (Fig. 2H); covering abdomen. Venation (Fig. 2H): 1A vein transverse, faintly sinusoidal; diagonal substraight, with two distinct and one shorter less-distinct oblique veins in harp area; posterior two oblique veins faintly curved and parallel, join at base near 1A, anterior most vein distinctly shorter and running nearly perpendicular to 1A. Mirror about 1.4 times as long as wide, dividing vein strongly curved at basal end. Lateral field around 10 branches on Sc (Fig. 1D). Apical field 0.14 times as long as FWL (Fig. 2H). Hind wings clearly surpassing FWs but not cerci.
♁ genitalia (Figs 3D–F). Pseudepiphallus [epiphallus] typical of genus, stouter than preceding species. Posterior end of pseudepiphallus [epiphallus] produced into two stout tongued-shaped pseudepiphallic lophi [posterolateral epiphallic lobe] with apices obtuse; between these lophi triangularly emarginated. These lophi, in profile, flattened and having fine setae on dorsal surface. Pseudepiphallic paramere [ectoparamere] with ventral process short, slightly curved inwards and not surpassing pseudepiphallic lophi; with external margin more sclerotized. In profile, ventral process pointing slightly ventrad. Dorsal process of pseudepiphallic paramere weakly sclerotized and not surpassing pseudepiphallic lophi; apices acute. Ectophallic fold [rachis] in profile very slender and tapering into very acute apex, with anterior and posterior margins straight and converging.
Measurements (3♁, in mm). See Table 1.
Ecology. The species was found to be attracted to light, particularly the males (Fig. 5).
Distribution. Borneo (Sabah, Mountain Trus Madi)
Type locality. EAST MALAYSIA, Sabah State, Mountain Trus Madi in Nuluhon Trusmadi Forest Reserve
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 267-271, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5397.2.7, http://zenodo.org/record/10468735