Brachyamytta rapidoaestima Naskrecki, 2008, n. sp.
Creators: name: Naskrecki, Piotr
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2008
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Tettigoniidae
Brachyamytta
Brachyamytta rapidoaestima

description: Brachyamytta rapidoaestima n. sp.
(Figs. 3 E, F, I, J, L; 4E, O; 7C–E)
Differential diagnosis. B. rapidoaestima can be distinguished from the remaining species of the genus by the shape of male cerci (apex unmodified, bent outwards under right angle in other Brachyamytta spp.), and coloration (stridulatory area bright yellow, posterior margin of pronotum dark brown.)
Description.
General. As in generic (Figs. 7 C–E).
Legs. Front tibia with 4 spines on posterior and 4 on anterior ventral margin. Mid tibia with 2 spines on posterior and 3 on anterior ventral margin.
Wings. Tegmen distinctly narrowed towards apex, not reaching middle of abdomen; anterior margin straight. Costal field not dilated at base; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length; left stridulatory area with large, fully developed, roughly rectangular mirror (Fig. 4 O). Stridulatory file flat, weakly bent, with 100 teeth, 1.05 mm long, 0.05 mm wide (Fig. 4E).
Abdomen. Cercus unarmed, long and slender, slightly bent inwards; apex narrowed, blunt (Figs. 3 E, F); styli horizontal; cylindrical, about twice as long as wide, parallel, separated by small gap. Female subgenital plate with two narrow lobes on posterior margin; posterior lobes acute to rounded, slightly divergent (Fig. 3 I).
Ovipositor. Ovipositor normally developed, slightly curved; shorter than hind femur (ratio femur/ovipositor 1.68–1.75) (Fig. 3 J); apex with both valvulae smooth; pointed, dorsal edge of upper valvula parallel to lower valvula;.
Coloration. Coloration green, with brown and yellow markings; antennal scapus without markings; antennae concolorous; eyes uniformly colored; face without darker markings; occiput without markings; pronotum light green (Ghanaian population) to brown, posterior edge of metazone darker brown; prozona light brown; tegmen with basal part bright yellow, and small, brown patch behind stridulatory area; hind wing hyaline; genicular lobes of front legs without markings; hind femur with basal part light green, apical part gradually turning brown; hind tibia brown.
Measurements (2 males, 5 females). body w/o wings: male 10, female 9–10 (9.7±.4); pronotum: male 4.5, female 4–4.5 (4.3±.3); tegmen: male 3.3, female 3.3–4 (3.6±.4); hind femur: male 10, female 10–10.5 (10.1±.2); ovipositor: 6 mm.
Material examined. GUINEA: Guinee Forestiere, Mt. Bero, elev. 630 m (8°8'21''N, 8°34'24''W), 2–6.xii. 2003, coll. P. Naskrecki – male (holotype) (ANSP), 3 females, 1 male (paratypes) (ANSP, MCZ); Foret Classee Diecke, Camp 2, nr. Yossono, elev. 460 m (7°29'40''N, 8°49'54''W), 26–29.xi. 2003, coll. P. Naskrecki - 1 female (paratype) (MCZ); Simandou Mts., nr. Banko, Camp 2, elev. 590–700- 700 m (8°31'29''N, 8°56'12''W), 3–7.xii. 2002, coll. P. Naskrecki - 2 females, 1 male (paratypes) (ANSP); GHANA: Eastern Region, Atewa Range, Asiakwa (North), elev. 769 m (6°16'16.4''N, 0°33'52.8''W), 16–24.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 3) - 2 females, 1 male (paratypes) (MCZ); Asiakwa (South), elev. 690 m (6°15'44.3''N, 0°33'18.8''W), 11– 16.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 2) - 1 male (paratype) (MCZ); Asiakwa, main road, elev. 817 m (6°15'.7''N, 0°33'53.7''W), 7–11.xii. 2007, coll. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and N. Jengre - 1 female, 1 male nymph (paratypes) (MCZ).
Etymology. Named with reference to the Rapid Assessment Program of Conservation International, a group of dedicated conservationists, who bring to light many new species of organisms and are on the forefront of biological exploration and protection of Earth’s ecosystems.
description: Published as part of Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008, New species of arboreal predatory katydids from West Africa (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae), pp. 1-28 in Zootaxa 1732 on pages 18-19, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.181351