Itara (Phormincter) mindanao Tan, Grumo, Gono & Bahoy 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Tan, Ming Kai
name: Grumo, Kim C.
name: Gono, Alfredo Iii A.
name: Bahoy, Daphne Cayle M.
name: Rivera, Rodrin R.
name: Nuñeza, Olga Macas
name: Japir, Razy
name: Chung, Arthur Y. C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Gryllidae
Itara
Itara mindanao

description: Itara (Phormincter) mindanao Tan, Grumo, Gono & Bahoy, sp. nov.
(Figs 1–5)
Material examined. Holotype: PHILIPPINES: Mindanao Island: Misamis Occidental province: Don Victoriano Chiongbian: Lake Duminagat Barangay • ♂; Mount Malindang Natural Park, forest near Lake Linao; N8.30988, E123.61167, 1662.0± 8.6 m.a.s.l; 8 January 2024, 20h16; on a leaf of a fern; coll. M.K. Tan; MIN.24.16 (PNM)
Paratype: PHILIPPINES: Mindanao Island: Misamis Occidental province: Don Victoriano Chiongbian: Lake Duminagat Barangay • 1♀; same locality as holotype; 8 January 2024, after 22h00; coll. K.C. Grumo, A.III.A. Gono, D.C.M. Bahoy; MIN.24.18 (ZRC)
Diagnosis. This new species is characterised by the combination of genitalic characters: its pseudepiphallus [= epiphallus] fairly stout, in dorsal view having the upper proximal edge truncated at the middle, at its apex with a small, acute triangular process pointing dorsad, and its ventro-lateral margins serrated with the serration of relatively small and of subequal size and reaching the apical end; and its pseudepiphallic parameres [= ectoparameres] large and stout (only surpassing slightly the apex of pseudepiphallus) and forming a hull-like structure, and at the apices being strongly narrowed, pointing dorso-posteriorly and in lateral view, slightly sinuous.
The new species mostly resembles Itara (Phormincter) similis Gorochov, 1988 from Sumatra and Malay Peninsula by the shape of the genitalia having its pseudepiphallus stout with its ventro-lateral margins finely serrated and the pseudepiphallic parameres stout and deep hull-like; but differs by the pseudepiphallus having the upper proximal edge, in dorsal view, truncated at the middle (instead of obtusely rounded), and at its apex with a distinctly smaller dorsal process (which is pointing dorsad and not curving anteriorly) and its ventro-lateral margins serration extending to the apical end (instead of limited to only the ventral part).
The FW of the new species also resembles that of Itara (Phormincter) melanocephala Gorochov, 1988 from Java and Sumatra by the posterior most harp vein at the middle forked but differs by the genitalia with the ventro-lateral margins of the pseudepiphallus having a row of serration (instead of only a few teeth near the apex) and the shape of the pseudepiphallic parameres stouter in lateral view.
The new species somewhat resembles Itara (Itara) vietnamensis Gorochov, 1985 from Indochina in its genitalia having strongly dilated pseudepiphallic parameres and narrow at the apex; but it differs by the shape of the pseudepiphallus not having medium-sized lateral distal processes and upper proximal edge of pseudepiphallus truncated (instead of having two median lobes), and by the pseudepiphallic parameres at the apical end stout and S-shaped curved (instead of long, slender and C-shaped curved).
From Itara (Itara) palawanensis Gorochov, 2004, the other species known from the Philippines, the new species differs by the shape of the pseudepiphallus being triangular with a narrow apex (instead of a broadly truncated apex) and the shape of the pseudepiphallic parameres being more truncated apically and S-shaped curved (instead of long, slender and C-shaped curved),
Etymology. The species is named after the Mindanao Island where it was discovered.
Remarks. The new species belongs to the subgenus Itara (Phormincter) Saussure, 1878 based on the following characters: the pseudepiphallus without medium-sized lateral distal processes, but with a pair of sloping lower lobes at the middle part; the pseudepiphallic parameres usually curved S-shaped at the apical part and surpassing the apex of the pseudepiphallus (Gorochov, 1997). This represents a new locality record outside the known distribution of this subgenus (i.e., Borneo, Java, Malay Peninsula and Sumatra).
This new species also represents only the second species of Itara described and known from the Philippines, after Itara (Itara) palawanensis Gorochov, 2004 from the Palawan Island (Gorochov, 2004). Furthermore, this also signifies the first species of Itara known from Mindanao Island.
Description. Medium sized among congeners. Head dorsum shiny dark brown (Fig. 1A). Fastigium darkened, anterior of median ocellus with transverse pale band; 1.6 times wider than scapes (Fig. 1A). Scapes grey brown (Fig. 1A). Eyes in dorsal view protruding anteriorly (Fig. 1A) and in profile view taller than long (Fig. 1B). Median ocellus oval; lateral ocelli larger and more elongated, located dorsal of scapes (Figs 1B, 1C). Maxillary palpi dark brown, with fine short setae; with apical segment longest and at apex enlarged obliquely; with subapical and third segments subequal lengths; subapical segment after basal part faintly expanding; third segment cylindrical (Fig. 1B). Face in anterior view rounded, 1.1 times taller than wide; area between median and lateral ocelli very dark; otherwise brown to grey brown (Fig. 1C). Gena grey brown; slightly dark brown posterior of eye (Fig. 1B). Pronotal disk unicolourous dark brown; 1.9 times wider than long, widening posteriorly (posterior margin 1.6 times wider than anterior margin); densely and finely pubescent, with a row of setae along posterior and anterior margins; anterior margin broadly concave; posterior margin broadly convex (Fig. 1A). Pronotal lateral lobe same colouration as dorsal disk, at middle with paler patch, at ventro-anterior angle with pale elongated spot; ventral margin nearly straight (Fig. 1B). TI without inner tympanum, outer tympanum with opening elongated oval (Fig. 1D). TIII with 3 inner and 4–5 outer subapical spurs, 4 inner and 3–4 outer apical spurs; with 2 inner and 4 outer small spines before most proximal subapical spurs; without small spine between spurs. FIs and FIIs grey brown, with dorsum of basal half cream coloured. TIs generally grey brown. FIIIs generally cream coloured; outer surface with brown oblique stripes; apical part including knee brown. TIIIs with dorsum of basal part having incomplete dark-brown to grey-brown ring; apical part dark brown to grey brown; spurs generally cream coloured with apices dark brown. Tergites and sternites cream coloured, except apical tergites laterally dark brown.
Male. FW 2.4 times longer than wide, surpassing abdominal apex, mostly yellow brown and hyalinous (Fig. 1E). FW venation (Fig. 1E): dorsal field in harp (ha) with four increasingly longer veins; posterior-most harp vein strongly sinuous and at middle forked, anterior fork somewhat fused with next-anterior harp vein; d2 slightly curved basally, thereafter straight. Mirror (mi) very large and transverse, 1.5 times as wide as long, very large and separated by one dividing vein; dividing vein slightly sinuous. Apical field relatively long, 1.8 times longer than length of mirror (Fig. 1E). Lateral field with R and M at basal half widely spaced apart then gently converging posteriorly, with numerous faint transverse veins; M and Sc mostly parallel and more closely spaced apart; Sc with numerous inter-laced projections, with 12 tranverse projecting veins (Fig. 1F). Hind wings well surpassing apex of FW.
Male genitalia (Fig. 2). Pseudepiphallus [epiphallus] stout, without medium-sized lateral distal processes. Pseudepiphallus in dorsal view: with upper proximal edge truncated at middle, along posterior margin laterally with long strong setae; lateral margins basally slightly convex then strongly tapering towards narrow apex, apex triangularly emarginated, medial carinae slightly raised with fine setae. Pseudepiphallus in lateral view: with upper proximal edge slightly raised; tall, with dorsal and ventral margins mostly parallel; dorsal margin mostly straight to faintly concave with numerous setae, at apex with small triangular process pointing dorsad and having apex acute; ventro-lateral margins after middle to apex serrated, serration small, of subequal sizes and reaching the apical end. Pseudepiphallic parameres [ectoparameres] slightly surpassing apex of pseudepiphallus, stout and large. Pseudepiphallic parameres at middle distinctly widened (both ventral and lateral views), laterally curved dorsad forming hull-like structure; both parameres in ventral view with internal margins gently converging posteriorly; paramere at apex strongly narrowed and pointing dorso-posteriorly, and in lateral view slightly sinuous. Ectophallic apodeme [endoparameral apodeme] in ventral view, sinuous. Ectophallic fold [rachis] needle-like, long and slender with posterior apex acute, tubular and strongly curved anteriorly into endophallic sclerite [formula]. Endophallic sclerite small, slender and Y-shaped, ventrad of ectophallic fold. Rami slightly curved, longer than pseudepiphallus length, at anterior ends not connected.
Female. Habitus typical of genus (Fig. 3A). Head, pronotum and legs not different from male (Figs 3A–D): fastigium also with anterior of median ocellus with transverse pale band. Lateral lobe at middle with paler patch, at ventro-anterior angle with pale elongated spot. FIs and FIIs with dorsum of basal half cream coloured; FIIIs generally cream coloured; outer surface with brown oblique stripes; apical part including knee brown. TIIIs with dorsum of basal part having incomplete dark-brown to grey-brown ring; apical part dark brown to grey brown. Tergites and sternites generally cream coloured.
FWs with dorsal field having venation net-like (Fig. 3E). Lateral field of FWs with numerous near-parallel veins; with transverse veins between veins (Fig. 3A). Subgenital plate triangular, posterior margin roundly emarginated (Fig. 3F). Ovipositor straight, barely surpassing FWs but not hind wings (Fig. 3A); apical valves deltoid (Fig. 3G).
Measurements (in mm). ♂ holotype: BL = 16.1; BWL = 25.2; HL = 2.2; PronL = 2.3; PronW = 4.3; FWL = 17.3; FWW = 7.3; HWT = 3.4; FIIIL = 8.8; TIIIL = 5.8; TaIIIL = 2.9. ♀ paratype: BL = 12.1; BWL = 23.9; HL = 1.9; PronL = 2.2; PronW = 3.8; FWL = 14.2; FWW = 3.6; HWT = 5.6; FIIIL = 8.3; TIIIL = 5.4; TaIIIL = 2.2; OL = 6.9
Ecology. This species was found in the mossy forest and forest edge in the highlands (Fig. 4). The species may have also been attracted to light towards the forest edge.
Type locality. PHILIPPINES (Mindanao Island: Misamis Occidental province: Don Victoriano Chiongbian: Lake Duminagat Barangay: Mount Malindang Natural Park)
Distribution. PHILIPPINES (Mindanao Island: Mount Malindang Natural Park)
Calling song (1♂, 26.7°C) (Fig. 5). The calling song consists of a continuous trill. Each syllable has an average duration of 19.9±0.5 ms (19.1–21.0 ms). The average interval between consecutive syllables is 8.0±0.5 ms (7.0–9.9 ms). The frequency spectrum is pure-tonal and forms a harmonic, with the energy peaking at the fundamental frequency of 4.03±0.00 kHz.
description: Published as part of Tan, Ming Kai, Grumo, Kim C., Gono, Alfredo Iii A., Bahoy, Daphne Cayle M., Rivera, Rodrin R., Nuñeza, Olga Macas, Japir, Razy & Chung, Arthur Y. C., 2024, New species of Itara (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Itarinae) and descriptions of calling songs from Mindanao and Sabah, pp. 61-79 in Zootaxa 5424 (1) on pages 63-69, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5424.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/10808003