A New Genus and Species of Cricket from Venezuela and a Case Report on the Occurrence of Epiphallic Glands among the Eneopteridae (Orthoptera: Grylloidea)

Abstract

A new cricket from Venezuela, Adenophallusia naiguatana gen. et sp. n., is described. Its most distinctive feature is the presence of a pair of sac-shaped epiphallic glands. This type of gland is not uncommon in certain members of South American phalangopsid crickets, but the present case seems to be the first reported from the Eneopteridae. Adenophallusia, the new genus of Eneopterid cricket described here is a member of the tropical American subfamily Tafaliscinae Desutter, 1987. It shares characteristics of the Paroecanthini Gorochov, 1986, which comprises Paroecanthus and Amblyrhetus and Diatrypini Desutter, 1987, a monotypic tribe containing Diatrypa [Desutter (1990) mentions a new, still undescribed genus for this tribe]. Adenophallusia also bears some peculiarities that do not fit either tribe (cf. table 1): generally its body morphology agrees more closely with Paroecanthini, while phallic structure resembles more that of Diatrypini. When more material of this cluster of crickets become known, the tribal definitions will probably need to be reconsidered. Only three specimens ofA. naiguatana, sp. n. are known, and nothing else is known about the species, beyond the label's data. The male genitalia of this cricket possess a pair of well developed epiphallic glands. As far as we know, this is the first case to be reported on the occurrence of such gland among the Eneopteridae although some neotropical phalangopsids belonging to the Luzarinae do have them (Mello 1992, Mello & Reis 1994, Desutter-Grandcolas 1995). The terminology we employ for the structures of the phallic complex follows Desutter (1990). ADENOPHALLUSIA Mello & Camargo e Mello, n. gen. Type species: A. naiguatana, n. sp. The present genus resembles Paroecanthus Saussure 1859 in several aspects, including the harp veins of the fore wings which are divided into two clusters, but differs from that genus by the following: fore tibiae with an internal tympanum only; stridulum not as sharply bi-sinuose; male genitalia not elongate, its structures well developed (not regressed); epiphallus distinctly bilobate (not shaped as a duck bill), each lobe with a round opening on its infero-distal portion associated to a pair of sac-shaped glandular structures; epiphallic parameres elongate, longitudinally oriented; dorsal cavity well developed; ectophallic apodemes conspicuous; endophallic sclerite long and well pigmented. (See table 1 and figs. referred therein). Adenophallusia naiguatana Mello & Camargo e Mello, n. sp. Figs. 1, 2 to 7, 16 to 18, table 1 Males.-Size medium, yellowish to medium brown, body covered by fine pubescence. Head slightly wider than front margin of pronotum; lateral ocelli small, median absent; space between antenna narrower than sockets, maxillary palpi as in Fig. 2. Pronotum wider posteriorly, inferior margin of lateral lobes straight, fore and hind angles evenly round. Fore wings covering abdomen, its dorsal surface as in Fig. 3, lateral field with two juxtaposed longitudinal veins, the inferior one with many sinuose oblique branches. Hind wings slightly shorter than fore wings. Supra-anal plate bearing a conspicuous spine (Fig. 4). Limbs rather short and robust; fore tibia with an oval internal tympanum; hind femora thick; hind tibia with 5 external and 4 internal dorsal spurs, apical spurs typical for the subfamily (cf. Desutter 1990); hind basitarsus with 3 external and 2 internal spines. Genitalia as in figs. 16, 17 and 18. Females.-Similar to males except by the following: dorsal surface of fore wings with several oblique veins, not united by cross-veins; lateral field with only one branched longitudinal vein below angulation. Ovipositor depressed, normally developed, its apical valves acute and crenulated (Figs. 5 to 7). Measurements.-in mm (holotype male-paratype male/ allotype): body length 16.64-15.45/17.91; head width 3.18-3.0/ 3.64; pronotum length 3.54-3.47/4.18; pronotum width 4.093.9/4.36; fore wing length 10.72-10.0/11.09; hind femora length 10.45-10.36/12.36; hind tibia length 9.0-8.58/9.64; ovipositor length 8.54. Material examined.-Holotype male and allotype: Naiguata, D.F., Venezuela, 2.400 feet, vii-23-1939, G.V.Berthier leg.; 1 male paratype: Los Canales, Naiguata, D.F., Venezuela, 720 meters, ix-24-1938, same collector. All specimens kept at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Acknowledgments We thank the Entomology Department of The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia for loan of material and Dr. Dan Otte for reviewing the manuscript and providing the artwork of Fig. 1. JOURNAL OF ORTHOPTERA RESEARCH No. 5, AUG. 1996 65 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.181 on Thu, 29 Sep 2016 04:34:31 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms