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

description: Turkanocaracris levigatus Ünal, sp. nov.
(Figs. 79, 371–372, 727–738, 846)
Type locality. Turkey: Van, Başkale Dağı. Holotype: male (NHMUK).
Material examined. TURKEY: Prov. Van, Başkale dist., İspiriz Dag (Başkale Dağı), 1.8.1954, 3400 m, screes, 2♂ (including Holotype), 2♀ (leg. P. H. Davis) (NHMUK).
Description. Male (Holotype): Body (Figs. 727, 728) strongly depressed dorso-ventrally. Fastigium of vertex (Figs. 371, 731, 732) flat, distinctly sloping. Frontal ridge (Fig. 735) almost flat, not narrowed below the median ocellus. Vertex (Figs. 371, 731, 732) between the eyes broad, as wide as vertical diameter of eye and 1.1 times wider than transversal diameter of eye; vertex with completely smooth surface, no any tubercles, carinulae or grooves; distinctly convex in lateral view. Eye broad, 1.1 times longer than wide. Antennae with 12 segments. Pronotum (Figs. 371, 731, 732) strongly depressed dorso-ventrally; lateral carinae absent; median carina very weak with a thin longitudinal sulcus along its length; very slightly convex in lateral view; anterior and posterior margins straight in dorsal view. Prosternum (Fig. 734) very slightly raised, anterior margin almost straight without any projection. Mesosternal interspace 2.7 times wider than its length and slightly narrower than mesosternal lobes. Hind femur (Fig. 727) 2.5 times longer than its height, dorsal margin slightly convex and smooth, without preapical notch and dorsal denticles. Hind tibia with 9 inner, 9 outer spines. Mesonotum and metanotum with weak median carinae, not grooved. Abdominal tergites (Figs. 727, 728) simple, with weak and not raised median carina; lateral carinae absent. Tympanum (Fig. 733) visible a vestigial tympanum smaller than the neighbour stigmal area. Arch of zygoma strongly raised, higher than posterior lobes of zygoma, strongly widened at apex; tumida of zygoma absent; apical valves of penis not covered by the sheath of penis ventrally, their ventral margins not turn to lateral sides; apodemes narrow, with a weak apical notch; basal valves of penis narrow (Figs. 79 a, b, d); epiphallus (Fig. 79 c) very short and broad, with small ancorae, pseudolophi separated, with 8–14 spines.
Female: Body (Figs. 729, 730) strongly depressed dorso-ventrally. Fastigium of vertex (Figs. 372, 736, 737) very short and broad, flat and sloping. Vertex (Figs. 372, 736, 737) as in male, but between the eyes 1.14 times wider than vertical diameter and 1.3 times wider than transversal diameter of eye. Antennae with 13–14 segments. Pronotum (Figs. 372, 736, 737) as in male, but straight in lateral view. Prosternum as in male. Hind femur (Fig. 729) narrow, 2.9 times longer than its height; the other characteristics as in male. Hind tibia with 9 inner, 9–10 outer spines. Abdominal tergites (Figs. 729, 730), mesonotum and metanotum as in male. Mesosternal interspace broad, 3 times wider than its length and as wide as mesosternal lobes. Subgenital plate almost as wide as long.
Coloration. Male: Body partly pale greenish-grey and creamish-brown with black and cream spots and stains. Head yellowish-cream. Eyes light brown; around lateral ocelli greenish-grey, remaining parts yellowish-cream with some irregular dark greenish-grey stains. Pronotum greenish-grey; middle part of paranota with a large cream spot; posterior margin of pronotum with blackened tubercles; typical light bands on paranota absent. Mesonotum, metanotum, first abdominal tergite and lateral sides of 2nd and 3rd tergites greenish-grey. Typical light band on abdomen weak, creamish light brown; lateral surface of abdomen blackened. Posterior margins of abdominal sternites reddish-cream. Inner and ventral surfaces of hind femur black, dorsal margin of inner surface yellowishgrey. Inner and dorsal surfaces of hind tibia black including spines, outer surface greyish; apical end of tibia with a small red spot dorsally. Tarsus bright red. Female: Body unicolor creamish straw brown. Eyes and antennae light brown. Abdomen slightly darker. All sternites darkened with brown in the middle parts. Inner and ventral surfaces of hind femur slightly reddish black, dorsal margin of inner surface weakly yellowish-orange. Inner and dorsal surfaces of hind tibia light cherry color with black tipped spines; its base black on inner side; in the other female basal 2/3 part blackish cherry, its distal part lightened. Tarsus light red.
Diagnosis. See the Diagnosis of Turkanocaracris davisi sp. nov.
Measurements (mm). Holotype (male): body length 22.9; pronotum length 4.5; pronotum height 4.4; pronotum width anterior 5.3; pronotum width posterior 7.3; hind femur length 9.2; hind femur height 3.6. Paratypes: body length: male 21.2–22.9, female 35.6–36.5; pronotum length: male 4.5, female 5.9–6; pronotum height: male 4.4, female 6.2–6.4; pronotum width anterior: male 5.1–5.3, female 6.7–7.1; pronotum width posterior: male 6.9–7.3, female 9.5–10.1; hind femur length: male 9.2–9.9, female 11.6–11.7; hind femur height: male 3.3–3.6, female 4–4.1.
Etymology. The Latin name of this new species “ levigatus ” (smooth) indicates the completely smooth surfaces of the head and the vertex.
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 185-186, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4206.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/208260