Afrophaloria apiariensis Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp.
Creators: name: Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Phalangopsidae
Afrophaloria
Afrophaloria apiariensis

description: Afrophaloria apiariensis Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp.
(Figs 2 D, I, L, M, P–R, 3G–I, Table 2)
Type locality. Gabon, Makandé, affluent Offoué, Bees forest, 11°55'E 0°41'S, 220m.
Type material. Holotype. Gabon, Makandé, affluent Offoué, forêt des abeilles, 11°55'E 0°41'S, 220m, 1 male, 3.vi.1994, nuit, fn52, sur tronc, cavité termitière (L. Desutter-Grandcolas), MNHN-EO-ENSIF3708. Allotype. Same locality and collector as the holotype, 1 female, 24.v.1994, jour, fn3, litière, MNHN-EO-ENSIF3712. Paratypes, 3M, 1F. Same locality and collector as the holotype, 1 male, 27.v.1994, jour, fn9, litière, MNHN-EO-ENSIF3709; 1 male, 11.vi.1994, nuit, fn27, litière, MNHN-EO-ENSIF3711, 1 female, nuit, fn24, sur base d'une racine, MNHN-EO- ENSIF 3713; 1 male, 1.vii.1994, nuit, fn56, litière, MNHN-EO-ENSIF3710.
Other material examined. Same locality and collector as the holotype, 1 female, 11.vi.1994, nuit, fn49, litière, MNHN-EO-ENSIF3714.
Etymology. Species named after the Latin name "apiarium", meaning "the place where the bees live", according to the French name of the forest where the species has been found, i.e. the "forêt des abeilles".
Diagnosis. Within the genus, A. apiariensis Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp. can be identified by its maxillary palpi (joint 3 longer than joint 4, Fig. 2 D), its lightly colored, ringed legs, the coloration of terminalia in males, lighter than the body, but not ivory as in A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp., the light coloration and shape of female subgenital plate (deeply emarginate: Fig. 2 L, M), ovipositor length (longer than TIII), male genitalia (ectophallic fold apex raised dorsally and subdivided only very apically, but not split as in the other two species: Fig. 3 G, I), pseudepiphallic distal processes as blunt sclerites raised dorsally: Fig. 3 I, pseudepiphallic parameres flat: Fig. 3 G) and female genitalia (copulatory papilla flat and rounded, narrowed before apex, apex not deeply bisinuated: Fig. 2 P–R).
Description.
In addition to the characters of the subfamily and genus: Maxillary palpi (Fig. 2 D): joint 4 slightly shorter than joint 3; joint 5 truncated almost straight apically. DD transverse, posterior margin very slightly sinuate. TIII without serrulation between apical and subapical spurs, and between subapical spurs; above subapical spurs, outer spines: four to ten (mean 7,3) in males, eight to 11 (mean 9,3) in females; inner spines: zero to four (mean two) in males, two to six (mean 3,5) in females. Basitarsomeres III shorter than in A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp., the longest inner apical spur nearly reaching basitarsomere tip; serrulation: no inner spine in addition to apical one; three outer spines in males and females.
Coloration. Head dorsum yellowish, with a darker band from the lateral ocelli to occiput, and a thin brown line close to each eye inner margin (this pattern entirely brown in lighter specimens); fastigium yellow more or less bordered with brown; ocelli ivory, partially circled with black, with a black spot behind the median ocellus. Cheeks light brown with a darker band behind the eye, and lighter along the suture. Face and mouthparts light yellowish brown with indistinct brown and yellow pattern. Maxillary palpi yellowish, the tip of joint 5 darker. Scapes and antennae yellowish. Pronotum dark brown, except the yellowish anterior margin and somewhat lighter posterior margin; DD ochre brown with dark brown posterior third; LL dark brown. Abdomen dark brown; posterior margins of meso- and metanotum, and tergite I yellow (coloration more or less distinct in the different specimens examined). Cerci light yellow. Legs yellowish with some brownish patterns, with few brown spots at setae bases: TI, TII as in A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp. with a more clear brown pattern; FIII with regular oblique light brown striae on outer side and two irregular brown rings separate by yellow spots; TIII yellow with four dark half rings dorsally; tarsi as in A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp.; TIII spurs as in A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp., but the apical brown coloration shorter.
Male. Supra anal plate longer than wide, with an elongate distal part; lighter brown than other tergites. Subgenital plate short, narrowed toward apex, distal margin straigth (Fig. 2 I).
Male genitalia. Fig. 3 G–I. Upper part of pseudepiphallus developped mostly laterally, with a long dorsal expansion; a pair of small apodemes from its reinforced transverse basis (Fig. 3 G). Pseudepiphallic membranous part much reduced compared to A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n.sp.; lateral sclerites raised as thick, slightly elongate clubs with a small spine on their anterior angle (Fig. 3 G, I); rami much wider and thinner than in A. amani Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp., also slightly curved. Pseudepiphallic parameres short and plate-like, dejected distally and connected by pseudepiphallic membrane, sclerotized only laterally and distally, their inner margins variously sinuous (Fig. 3 G, I). Ectophallic apodemes very short and very thin (Fig. 3 G); dorsal and ventral sclerotization of epi-ectophallic invagination joined at the arc level (Fig. 3 G). Ectophallic fold very long, going well beyond pseudepiphallic hooks, sclerotized, greatly narrowed before apex; a subapical dorsal and vertical process, with a small bifurcate apex; fold symmetrical (Fig. 3 G, I). Endophallic sclerotisation very faint, without clear sclerite on the ventral side of ectophallic fold (Fig. 3 H); no endophallic apodemes and no dorsal ectophallic valves, but ventral margins of ectophallic fold well sclerotized and symmetrical (Fig. 3 H).
Female. Subgenital plate wider than long; apex very deeply bisinuate, the concavity almost squared (Fig. 2 L, M). Ovipositor longer than TIII.
Female genitalia. Fig. 2 P–R. Copulatory papilla very flat and hardly sclerotized, narrowed before the bisinuate apex.
description: Published as part of Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure, 2015, Phalangopsidae crickets from Tropical Africa (Orthoptera, Grylloidea), with descriptions of new taxa and an identification key for African genera, pp. 451-496 in Zootaxa 3948 (3) on pages 464-466, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3948.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/241857