Asiophlugis spatulata Tan & Salvador & Nuñeza 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Tan, Ming Kai
name: Salvador, Jewel Anne G.
name: Nuñeza, Olga Macas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Orthoptera
Tettigoniidae
Asiophlugis
Asiophlugis spatulata

description: Asiophlugis spatulata sp. nov.
(Figs 2–5)
Specimens examined. Holotype: PHILIPPINES • 1J; Mindanao, Misamis Oriental, Gingoog City, Barangay Lunotan, near Mt Sumagaya; N8.69952, E125.01376, 1243.0± 6.5 m.a.s.l.; 13 February 2023, 11h15; at the edge of a mossy forest, under the foliage of a shrub; coll. J.A.G. Salvador, M.K. Tan, A.M. Sabang, A. Gono, D. Bahoy & K. Grumo; PNM (MIN.23.06)
Paratype: PHILIPPINES • 1J; Mindanao, Misamis Oriental, Gingoog City, Barangay Lunotan, near Mt Sumagaya; N8.70034, E125.00941, 1217.0± 9.9 m.a.s.l.; 17 February 2023, 10h11; vegetation along a river, under the leaf of a shrub; coll. M.K. Tan, J.A.G. Salvador, A.M. Sabang, A. Gono, D. Bahoy & K. Grumo; ZRC (MIN.23.77)
Other material: PHILIPPINES • 1♀ subadult; Mindanao, Misamis Oriental, Gingoog City, Barangay Lunotan, foot of Mt Balatukan; N8.70531, E125.00652, 1209.0± 6.1 m.a.s.l.; 14 February 2023, 10h55; cleared forest patch, under the leaf of a small tree; coll. M.K. Tan, J.A.G. Salvador, A.M. Sabang, A. Gono, D. Bahoy & K. Grumo; MSU-IIT (MIN.23.35) • 1♀ subadult; Mindanao, Misamis Oriental, Gingoog City, Barangay Lunotan, foot of Mt Balatukan; N8.70389, E125.01028, 1209.0± 6.3 m.a.s.l.; 17 February 2023, 20h10; open, disturbed forest, on the leaf of a shrub; coll. J.A.G. Salvador, M.K. Tan, A.M. Sabang, D. Bahoy & K. Grumo; ZRC (MIN.23.91)
Diagnosis. This new species is most similar to Asiophlugis philippina (Jin, 1993) from Luzon and shares similar unique characters among Asiophlugis (see Tan et al., 2020): brachypterous, and with the male tegmen being tear-shaped; the male stridulatory anatomy obscure; the presence of two long, cylindrical latero-apical processes at the posterior end of the male tenth abdominal tergite; and dark patterns on the dorsal and medial parts of some tergites. However, the new species differs from A. philippina by: the lateral processes on the male tenth abdominal tergite being more cylindrical (instead of being dorso-ventrally flattened) and pointing more dorsad and externally (instead of pointing posteriorly); the male cercus distinctly longer, slenderer and flattened, with a medial flattened tooth-like process produced along inner margin, but without any apical process; the basal process of the male cercus with spatulated apex. The female of this new species differs from that of A. philippina by the shape of subgenital plate being small and transverse (rather than long, narrowed distally with a rectangular lobe at the apex).
The new species is also similar to the brachypterous Asiophlugis cercalis Gorochov, 2012 and Asiophlugis paracercalis Gorochov, 2019 from Sarawak (Borneo) in the presence of a slender male cercus with very short stout setae along its inner margin; but the cercus differs from those of the two species by the shape of the basal process and the presence of a medial flattened tooth-like process produced along the inner margin. The new species also differs from these two species by the presence of cylindrical latero-apical processes produced along the posterior margin of the male tenth abdominal tergite and the weakly visible venation on the male tegmen.
The new species is also similar to Asiophlugis borneoensis (Jin, 1993) from Sabah (Borneo) in the greatly reduced male tegmen with weakly visible venation and the presence of latero-apical processes along the posterior margin of the male tenth abdominal tergite; but it differs distinctly by the slenderer latero-apical processes of the male tenth abdominal tergite and the shape of cercus.
Etymology. The species name refers to the spatulated apex of the basal process of the male cercus.
Description. Habitus typical of Asiophlugis, generally green when alive (and yellow when preserved), but with some brown and dark patterns on pronotum and tergites (Figs 2, 3). Eye very large with a bright red band (not always present), almost globular, somewhat longitudinally elongated (Fig. 4A). Scapus brown apically; antennal segments generally black, some with brown apices (Fig. 4A). Face high, oblique and slightly concave in profile (Fig. 4A). Pronotum dorsal disc slender and elongated, generally green; with posterior half of metazona brown (Fig. 2); having fairly straight posterior margin (Fig. 4B). Pronotum lateral lobe distinctly longer than tall; with metazona barely elevated (Figs 3, 4A). Thoracic auditory foramen small, thoracic spiracle slit (Fig. 4A). Outer and inner tympana on fore tibia open, oval and large. Fore coxa with long and thin spine which is slightly curved. Fore and middle legs generally green with tint of brown (particular around the tympana, basal and apical parts of middle tibiae) (Fig. 2). Fore femur with 4 and 1 ventral spines on the inner and outer margins respectively (outer spine at distal third distinctly shorter than inner ones). Fore tibia with 5 and 4 long and thin ventral spines on the inner and outer margins respectively. Middle leg with one tibial spine slightly after middle. Hind femur mostly green, posterior third slightly brown, black ring around knee; hind knee lobe blunt and black (Figs 2C, 3). Hind tibia brown, at the posterior end with a broad white ring, posterior of the white ring black; with only moderately numerous small spinules on both dorsal edges of tibia (Figs 2C, 3). Hind tarsus mostly black (Figs 2C, 3). Abdominal tergites generally green; some segments (especially the basal and posterior segments) with brown bands (either longitudinal along tergite length in middle, or transverse along posterior margin) and triangular black patch along posterior margin (Fig. 2).
Male. Tegmina tear-shaped; transparent with anal and apical margins brown; barely surpassing beyond posterior margin of first tergite (Figs 3A, 3B, 4B). Venation and stridulatory anatomy obscure (Fig. 4B). Tenth abdominal tergite with posterior margin slightly concave in middle, with a pair of brown long latero-apical processes (Fig. 4C). Latero-apical process of tenth abdominal tergite cylindrical, long and surpassing epiproct, pointing dorsad and outward; apex obtuse and black (Figs 4C–F). Epiproct stoutly tongue-shaped; basal half slightly swollen laterally, posterior half rounded (Fig. 4D). Cercus complex: long, slender and flattened after basal third (Figs 4C, 4F). Inner basal process of cercus green and swollen basally, then black, flattened and strongly curved into spatulated apex; apex flattened, obtuse and with fine setae (Figs 4D, 4E). In middle, cercus dorso-ventrally flattened; with sparse setae very short and stout (spinule-like) along inner margin and inner-dorsal surface; with tooth-like and flattened medial process produced along inner margin. Medial process with apex brown, obtuse and with a few stout setae (Figs 4C, 4E). Before apex, cercus rotates inwards and slightly widens, with apical part more laterally flattened; with very short stout setae along inner margin; apex brown and rounded truncated (Figs 4C, 4E, 4F). Subgenital plate about as long as broad, with lateral margins rounded into posterior margin; posterior margin somewhat straight, with lateral lobe barely produced. Stylus green, fairly long and cylindrical; with obtuse apex brown to black (Figs 4E, 4F).
Female (subadult) (Fig. 3C). Tegminal bud squarish (Fig. 5A). Cercus long and slender, typical of genus; apical half progressively darkened (Fig. 5B). Ovipositor also typical of genus (Fig. 5B). Subgenital plate small, transverse, broader than long; posterior margin broadly rounded and faintly emarginated (Fig. 5C).
Measurements (in mm). Table 1.
Ecology. This species was found on and under the leaves of small trees and shrubs (Fig. 2A), which is typically the case for Asiophlugis. The specimens were collected from forest edges (Fig. 1).
Distribution. Philippines, Mindanao, Misamis Oriental (currently known only from type locality)
Type locality. Philippines, Mindanao, Misamis Oriental
Calling song. Unknown.
description: Published as part of Tan, Ming Kai, Salvador, Jewel Anne G. & Nuñeza, Olga Macas, 2023, A new species of Asiophlugis (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phlugidini) from Misamis Oriental (Philippines, Mindanao), pp. 475-484 in Zootaxa 5258 (4) on pages 477-483, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5258.4.8, http://zenodo.org/record/7784627