Nocaracris judithae Unal, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ünal, Mustafa
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Pamphagidae
Nocaracris
Nocaracris judithae

description: Nocaracris judithae Ünal, sp. nov.
(Figs. 71, 353, 355, 535, 673–676, 845)
Type locality. Armenia: Zangezur, Mt. Kapudjich. Holotype: male (NHMUK).
Material examined. ARMENIA: Zangezur, Jaglu-dara, 10500 ft, 31.7.1929, 2♂, 6♀; Zangezur, Mont. Kapudjich, 10000 ft, 28.7.1929, 19♂ (including Holotype), 13♀; Zangezur, val. Araxis, Ali-dara, 15.7.1929, 2♀; NAKHICHEVAN: Nachičevan, Mont. Soiuch, 9000 ft, 21.6.1929, 3♂, 3♀ (all leg. A. Schelkovnikov) (NHMUK).
Description. Male (Holotype): Body (Figs. 673, 674) antennae relatively compressed laterally, large as for the genus. Fastigium of vertex narrow, elongated, depressed and sloping. Vertex between the eyes narrow, 1.2 times narrower than vertical diameter and 1.1 times wider than transversal diameter of eye; supraocular foveola semiclosed, variable in the other males; vertex distinctly convex in lateral view. Frontal ridge very broad, not narrowed below the median ocellus, its lateral carinae thick and blunt. Antennae with 12–13 segments. Pronotum (Figs. 673, 674) slightly compressed laterally, with distinct lateral carinae; median carina thick and blunt, distinctly raised, with a wide longitudinal sulcus along its length; anterior margin convex, posterior margin straight in dorsal view; slightly convex in lateral view, in some males more convex. Prosternum slightly raised, pointed with a short, narrow triangular, almost spine-like projection. Mesosternal interspace very narrow, almost as wide as its length and much narrower than mesosternal lobes. Hind femur (Fig. 673) 2.5 times longer than its height. Hind tibia with 9 inner, 10 outer spines. Abdominal tergites (Figs. 673, 674) simple, median carina very slightly raised but never protruded posteriorly. Mesonotum, metanotum and first abdominal tergite with grooved median carinae. Tympanum very distinct, slightly larger than the neighbour stigmal area, or as wide as in some males. Phallus (Figs. 71 a, b) short; posterior lobes of zygoma stout; arch of zygoma short and wide; tumida of zygoma large, ridge-like; apodemes narrow, with a distinct apical notch; pseudolophi (Fig. 71 c) separated, located anterior wall of dorsal swelling, with 7–10 spines.
Female: Body (Figs. 675, 676) as in male, but larger. Fastigium of vertex almost flat, in some females slightly depressed. Vertex between the eyes 1.2 times wider than vertical diameter and 1.5 times wider than transversal diameter of eye. Antenna, frontal ridge, vertex and fastigium as in male. Pronotum (Figs. 355, 675, 676) slightly compressed laterally with blunt lateral carinae; median carina raised, thick and blunt, with a wide longitudinal sulcus along its length; anterior margin distinctly, posterior margin slightly convex in dorsal view or straight in some females; pronotum straight in the middle part, both ends slightly convex, in some females convex along its length. Prosternum as in male. Mesosternal interspace 2.2 times wider than its length and much narrower than mesosternal lobes. Hind femur (Fig. 675) very narrow, 2.7 times longer than its height, dorsal margin almost straight, slightly convex in some females, ventral margin clearly expanded, distinctly convex. Hind tibia with 8–9 inner, 10 outer spines. Abdominal tergites, mesonotum and metanotum as in male. Tympanum (Figs. 353, 535) always very distinct, as large as the neighbour stigmal area, slightly smaller in some females. Subgenital plate distinctly longer than wide.
Coloration. Male: Brown with black, reddish, yellowish, greyish-green stains and pattern. Dorsal surface of head greyish-green, ventral part of head cream. Fore and mid legs reddish. Typical light bands on paranota absent or weak; dorsal surface pronotal median carina cream, its both sides black, below parts of lateral carina black on anterior and posterior margins. Typical light band on abdomen distinct; lateral sides of abdomen dark brown. All sternites darkened with dark brown, only posterior half of abdominal sternites cream. Inner surface of hind femur reddish or brownish black (almost black). Hind tibia completely bright red including spines; inner side of its base blackened. Tarsus completely red. Female: Body greenish, yellowish-cream with black pattern. Head, pronotum and abdomen on greenish or yellowish ground with black spots and short stripes. Both sides of pronotal median carina, below area of lateral carinae on anterior and posterior margins black. All legs with weak red spots. All sternites strongly darkened with dark brown. Inner surface of hind femur black, dorsal margin body color, its base with small red stains; apex of genicular lobes and base of hind tibia with red stains; vetral surface of hind femur brown. Inner surface of hind tibia in proximal part dark bluish-green, slightly turning to red in apical half, outer sides of inner spines and outer spines red with black tips, in some females bluish-green predominant in apical half. Tarsus red.
Diagnosis. This new species is easily distinguished from the related species by the presence of a distinct tympanum (all the closely related species lack tympanum). It is most related to N. cyanipes (Motschulsky) by the body size, general shape of fastigium, the wide longitudinal sulcus of pronotum, prosternum, and hind femur. But it is clearly different by the narrower vertex (as wide as vertical diameter of eye in N. cyanipes), the raised median carina of pronotum (distinctly less raised in N. cyanipes), the presence of a large tympanum (tympanum absent in N. cyanipes), more compressed body and pronotum laterally (strongly depressed dorso-ventrally in N. cyanipes), the shape of phallus (phallus in different shape and longer in N. cyanipes), the short and wide arch of zygoma (narrow and elongated in N. cyanipes), longer and ridge-like tumida of zygoma (short and pointed in N. cyanipes), the male hind tibia colors (black in N. cyanipes) and the less sloping frons in female. All these differences are also available for N. curtus Mistshenko except the relatively sloping frons (female frons vertical in N. curtus). It is also related to N. rubripes (Motschulsky). But, the sloping fastigium (almost horizontal in N. rubripes), distinctly convex vertex (straighter in N. rubripes), more compressed body and pronotum laterally (distinctly depressed dorso-ventrally in N. rubripes), the blunter and thick pronotal carinae (sharp and thin in N. rubripes), the spine-like projection of prosternum (collar-shaped or slightly pointed triangularly in N. rubripes), the narrower hind femur, the presence of a large tympanum (tympanum absent in N. rubripes), the shape and shorter phallus, the short and wide arch of zygoma (slender and elongated in N. rubripes), longer and ridge-like tumida of zygoma (short and pointed in N. rubripes) are very different.
Measurements (mm). Holotype (male): body length 24.6; pronotum length 5.5; pronotum height 5.4; pronotum width anterior 5; pronotum width posterior 7.6; hind femur length 9.8; hind femur height 3.9. Paratypes: body length: male 20–25.7, female 46.4–54.1; pronotum length: male 4.8–5.8, female 7.5–8.6; pronotum height: male 5.2–5.8, female 8.5–9.3; pronotum width anterior: male 4.8–5.1, female 7–7.6; pronotum width posterior: male 6.5–7.7, female 10.4–11.7; hind femur length: male 9.6–10, female 11.8–14; hind femur height: male 3.4–4.2, female 4.3–4.9.
Etymology. This new species is named in honor of Dr. Judith Marshall (NHMUK London) for her contributions to the orthopteroid insects as well as her support during this study.
Remarks. The female abdomens were fully and strongly filled with cottonwool, therefore the abdomens were stretched to maximum length.
description: Published as part of Ünal, Mustafa, 2016, Pamphagidae (Orthoptera: Acridoidea) from the Palaearctic Region: taxonomy, classification, keys to genera and a review of the tribe Nocarodeini I. Bolívar, pp. 1-223 in Zootaxa 4206 (1) on pages 162-164, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4206.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/208260