Dolichopoda dirussoi Alexiou & Bakolitsas & Di Russo & Rampini 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Alexiou, Sotiris
name: Bakolitsas, Kostas
name: Di Russo, Claudio
name: Rampini, Mauro
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Rhaphidophoridae
Dolichopoda
Dolichopoda dirussoi

description: Dolichopoda dirussoi Alexiou sp. nov.
Figs 1, 3, 4, 5
Type material.
Holotype: GREECE • ♂ ; Sterea Ellas, Nomos Etolias-Akarnanias, Skourtou, Geralexis cave ; 102 m a. s. l. ; 38 ° 38.150 ' N, 21 ° 12.617 ' E ; 25 Nov. 2017 ; K. Bakolitsas leg. (KMNH). Paratypes: GREECE • 1 ♂, 3 ♀ ; same data as for holotype. Other material: GREECE • 2 ♂, 6 ♀ ; Sterea Ellas, Nomos Etolias-Acarnanias, Gouria Aitolikou, cave Gouria ; 38 ° 27.383 ' N, 21 ° 16.478 ' E ; 7 Jan. 2018 ; K. Bakolitsas leg. (KMNH).
Diagnosis.
The new taxon shows affinities with the other Dolichopoda species of the west Sterea Ellas, D. giachinoi Rampini & Di Russo, 2008 and D. bakolitsasi Rampini & Di Russo, 2017 as well as the species of the south Ionian Islands D. gasparoi Rampini & Di Russo, 2008, D. ithakii Rampini & Di Russo, 2008, D. pavesii Galvagni, 2002 and D. patrizii Chopard, 1964. (Fig. 4). The combination of the morphological characters of D. dirussoi sp. nov. is unique among the neighbouring species, with the most outstanding difference being the lack of a ridge or tubercles on the X tergite of males. Despite the obvious differences of the new species from D. bakolitsasi, especially in the shape of the lateral lobes of the X tergum, the two species stand out from the others by the strongly curved median process of the epiphallus.
Description.
Body pale brownish-yellow, legs elongated, hind femora unarmed. Fore tibiae with 3 spines on both sides of the ventral side, mid tibiae with 4 spines on both sides of the ventral side and hind tibiae with 20 spines on both sides of the dorsal side.
X tergum (last abdominal tergite) (Fig. 3 A) with two lateral lobes, lobes shallowly bilobed at apex. Lateral lobes separated by a broad concavity, broader than the lobes, inner side of the concavity slightly more thickened.
Subgenital plate convex, with a wide median incision that runs for half of the total length; lateral lobes rather rounded, styli short.
Epiphallus sclerotized, with the median process thickened to about 2 / 3 of its length, strongly curved and acute (Fig. 3 C, D).
Measurements (length in mm): body 16, pronotum 3.4, fore femora 17, middle femora 18, hind femora 23.
Female: Characters similar to male. Subgenital plate large, triangular with a rounded apex. Sternite VII with a very large protuberance covering the anterior half of the sternite (Fig. 3 B), in the shape of flattened triangle with thickened margins and rounded apex. Ovipositor 14 mm in length, almost straight, the inferior valves with 19 apical denticles.
Etymology.
The new species is named after our dear friend and co-author Claudio Di Russo, who introduced S. A. into the study of Greek cave crickets thirteen years ago.
Distribution.
Known only from the two caves of Etolia-Akarnania. Cave Geralexis is approximately 30 m long, with its entrance facing east. It appears to have been twice as long but has collapsed. The entrance is quite large (4.0 × 8.0 m), although well hidden by lush vegetation. The cave is composed of one main room and a second smaller room to the left, where the cave crickets were found.
description: Published as part of Alexiou, Sotiris, Bakolitsas, Kostas, Di Russo, Claudio & Rampini, Mauro, 2024, Four new Dolichopoda species from Greece, one Troglophilus new to Greece and new locality records (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae), pp. 103-111 in Contributions to Entomology 74 (1) on pages 103-111, DOI: 10.3897/contrib.entomol.74.e121614