Zvierckia Skejo, Tumbrinck et Pushkar 2024, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Skejo, Josip
name: Husemann, Martin
name: Jr, Romeo Patano
name: Tumbrinck, Josef
name: Pushkar, Taras I.
name: Pavlović, Marko
name: Mohagan, Alma
name: Pamin, Jan-Henrik
name: Kasalo, Niko
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Tetrigidae
Zvierckia

description: Genus Zvierckia Skejo, Tumbrinck et Pushkar, gen. nov.
Zoobank ID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: A9011CA9-F3E6-4C34-B7EF-CA259292D9F9
Vernacular name: “ Sulawesi Pygmy Devils” (Figs. 1, 22–32)
Historical mentions: Zvierckia Skejo, Tumbrinck, Šapina et Puškar in Skejo, 2017: 185–193; unavailable according to Article 13.1 of the Code (ICZN, 1999).
Type species: Zvierckia storozhenkoi Skejo et Tumbrinck sp. nov., here designated.
Etymology: Diminutive of the Slavic word for ‘beast’ (zvir, zvier, zver in Slavic languages), owing to the beasty look of Zvierckia members, but also after our friend Dora Zvjerković, who found this genus interesting. The genus name is of feminine gender.
Composition and distribution. Endemic to Indonesia, Sulawesi (in older literature Celebes), where three species live, of them Z. sarasinorum comb. nov. in the northern part, Z. storozhenkoi sp. nov. in the central part, and Z. montanta comb. nov. in the southeastern mountains (Fig. 22A, 22B, 22C).
Diagnosis. Based on (a) the low position of the frontal costa bifurcation, (b) low position of the antennal grooves, (c) characteristic vertex shape with horns and deep fossulae, (d) pronotal projections arrangements, (e) triangular infrascapular area, and (f) toothed femora, we place this new genus to the tribe Discotettigini of the subfamily Scelimeninae. It is generally very similar to Discotettix, from which it can easily be distinguished by the complete reduction of the pronotal projection of the discus.
Description. Moderately large robust species (body size up to 15 mm) of widened subapical antennal segments, with tegmina partly covered by the pronotum and alae shorter than pronotum, with finely granulated surface. Pronotum and body dark with rich maculations (red, yellow, orange). Fore and mid tibiae stripped.
Antennae. With 14 antennomeres, long, and with strongly widened subapical antennomeres. Rough in surface and with saw-like margins (= basiconic sensilla).Similar to antennae of Discotettix members, but with one basal antennomere more (so the widest segment is 9 th and not 8 th like in Discotettix). 1 st massive scapus, barrel-like; 2 nd large pedicel, 3 rd to 7 th basal segments, elongated (3 rd and 4 th antennomeres short, about 3 times as long as wide; 5 th antennomere about 4 times as long as wide; 6 th antennomere more than 6.5 times as long as wide; 7 th about 7 times as long as wide). 8 th, subapical segment very elongated and slightly widened, 9 th subapical antennomere is the widest segment, pennate and about 2.3 times as long as wide in the widest part; 10 th, apical antennomere pennate, reduced, small, about 3 times as long as wide; 11 th to 14 th antennomeres, apical ones, completely reduced, cylindrical, and small.
Head. Frontal costa, in frontal view, long and bifurcating between the compound eyes; lateral ocelli situated in the lower third of the compound eyes width; upper margins of the antennal grooves situated just below the compound eyes lower margins. Antennal groove and scapus considerably wider than a narrow and almost parallel scutellum. In dorsal view vertex truncated, in frontal view concave because of the slightly elevated lateral carinae of the vertex. Vertex visibly wider (1.4–1.9 times) than a compound eye in dorsal and frontal view. Fossulae deep. In dorsal view, medial carina of the vertex present only in the apical third. Compound eyes in dorsal view crescent-moon shaped, in lateral view semi-globular, and in frontal view globular in shape. Maxillary palps flattened, dark and usually with yellow markings.
Pronotum. Pronotum flat or weakly undulated, covering whole abdomen and extending to the abdominal apex and lightly extending behind the hind femora in falling fashion. Anterior margin of the pronotum truncated in dorsal view. Median carina continuous; prozonal carinae parallel. The apex of the pronotum blunt in dorsal view. Humeroapical carinae forming with the external lateral carinae an obtuse, rounded angle. Pronotal projections reduced, very low and barely recognizable in lateral view (minute FM, weakly elevated PM and MM1, as well as very low MML1s), ML absent. Infrascapular area triangular covering most of the tegmina. Tegminal sinus weak, much weaker than the ventral sinus. Lateral lobes directed outwards and bear weak VL or without it.
Legs. Dorsal and ventral margins of fore and mid femora slightly undulated and weakly toothed. Ventral margin of the mid femur strongly undulated and usually with two to three teeth. Tibiae robust and with undulated margins, rectangular in cross-section. Hind femora slender, about 2.8 to 3.3 times as long as wide. Six transverse ridges visible on the external surface of hind femora. Femoral carinae and transverse ridges weakly tuberculated. Dorsal margin of the hind femora with finely serrated. Genicular and antegenicular teeth small. Hind tibia toothed and with several larger spines. Proximal and distal segments of the hind tarsi almost equal in length. Tarsal pulvilli obliquely angular, proximal two pulvilli half in size of the distal one.
Key to species of Zvierckia
1A) Lateral lobes of the pronotum truncated, without spines...................................................... 2
1B) Lateral lobes of the pronotum bearing spines. (Vertex 1.55 to 1.65 times wider than an eye. Hind femur 3 to 3.33 times as long as wide. Face 4 to 4.1 times wider than an eye.) N Sulawesi ............................. Z. sarasinorum, comb. nov.
2A) Dorsum undulated. Antennae black with yellow rings, especially in the subapical area. Vertex 1.47 times wider than an eye. Hind femur 2.7 times as long as wide. Face 3.56 times wider than an eye. SE Sulawesi ........... Z. montana, comb. nov.
2B) Dorsum flat. Antennae uniformly black. Vertex 1.64 to 1.86 times wider than an eye. Hind femur 2.85 to 3.06 times as long as wide. Face 4.00 to 4.54 times wider than an eye.......................................... Z. storozhenkoi, sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Skejo, Josip, Husemann, Martin, Jr, Romeo Patano, Tumbrinck, Josef, Pushkar, Taras I., Pavlović, Marko, Mohagan, Alma, Pamin, Jan-Henrik & Kasalo, Niko, 2024, Revision of the polyphyletic genus Hirrius Bolívar, 1887 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae), with descriptions of three new genera and insights into antennal sensilla morphology, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 5524 (1) on pages 35-37, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5524.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14021629