Varitrella (Cantotrella) exculta Gorochov, 2025

Gorochov, A. V., 2025, Taxonomy of Podoscirtinae (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). Part 17: some Madagascan genera and Varitrella, Russian Entomological Journal 34 (1), pp. 19-36 : 35-36

Varitrella (Cantotrella) exculta Gorochov , sp.n.

Figs 92–95 , 100–102 .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype ♂, Philippines, Mindanao I., ~ 150 km NNW of Dabaw City, environs of Dahilayan Adventure Park (8º11′38′′ N, 124º51′39′′ E), 1000– 1500 m, forest, on leaf of bush at night, 2–9.II.2024 (collected as old nymph, imago 3.III.2024), A. Gorochov, M. Omelko, I. Naumenko ( ZIN).

DESCRIPTION. Male (holotype). General appearance more or less similar to that of V. (C.) robusta and V. (C.) variabilis , but: coloration of head and pronotum slightly different, light greyish brown with greyish brown dorsum of head (except for rostral apical part before median ocellus, but this light part with darker narrow spot contacting with this ocellus) and upper half of pronotum having a pair of slightly lighter areas in middle part of disc and a pair of poorly distinct lightish stripes along lateral edges of disc (each lateral pronotal lobe with darker upper half and lighter low- er one; Fig. 92 ); coloration of other body parts also more or less light greyish brown with barely darker majority of vens as well as a few spots on basal area of dorsal tegminal field and near plectrum, yellowish to whitish humeral stripe and spot near (behind) mirror, greyish brown stripe along Sc-R area in lateral tegminal field, sparse darkened spots on femora (including few rather small spots along ventral edge of hind femur), partly darkened fore and hind tibiae as well as fore tarsus (middle legs missing), and dark grey anal plate having somewhat lighter as well as rather large and transverse (but partly interrupted in median part) semimembranous area ( Fig. 93–95 ); anal and genital plates more or less as in Figs 94, 95 (these structures deformed and partly reconstructed). Genitalia with following features: epiphallus short, having dorsoapical processes moderately large and widely spaced, and posteromedian notch less deep than in V. robusta and V. variabilis (apical part of this notch narrowly rounded but not very narrow; Fig. 100 ); each ectoparamere very short and rather thick, having acute spine-like apical projection slightly curved downwards ( Figs 101, 102 ); rachis short and thick, having strongly widened cup-like distal part and somewhat projected downwards ventrolateral lobules ( Figs 101, 102 ); formula rather long and narrow, having truncately convex anterior part and rather narrow (but deep) posteromedian notch as well as very long and well sclerotized anterior ribbon ( Fig. 101 ); endoparameral apodemes long but very thin (probably these apodemes and absent rami partially formed and not formed, respectively, in specimen that died almost during moult to imago).

Female unknown.

Length in mm. Body 15; body with wings 20; pronotum 3.2; tegmina 17; hind femora 12.

COMPARISON. The new species is similar to V. (C.) sukau from Borneo I. in very short ectoparameres, but it differs from the latter species in a slightly concave (not convex) dorsal edge of each apical lobe of the epiphallus and in acute apical parts of the ectoparameres. From all other similar congeners, the new species is distinguished by the ectoparameres entirely sclerotized as well as shorter and/or with distinctly less curved apical parts.

ETYMOLOGY. This species name is the Latin word “exculta ” (raised, grown), because the holotype of this species was raised under artificial conditions.

Figures

Figs 85–95. Varitrella, male: 85–88 — V. (Cantotrella) paraiso sp.n.; 89–91 — V. (C.) robusta luzoni subsp.n.; 92–95 — V. (C.) exculta sp.n. Head with pronotum, fore leg and parts of spread tegmina from above (85); fore part of body from above/side and slightly in front (89, 92); anal plate (86) and its partial reconstruction (94) from above and slightly behind; genital plate from below (87, 91, 95); right tegmen (88, 93) and its dorsal field (90). Рис. 85–95. Varitrella, самец: 85–88 — V. (Cantotrella) paraiso sp.n.; 89–91 — V. (C.) robusta luzoni subsp.n.; 92–95 — V. (C.) exculta sp.n. Голова с переднеспинкой, передней ногой и частЯми расправленных надкрылий сверху (85); переднЯЯ часть тела сверху/сбоку и слегка спереди (89,92);анальнаЯпластинка (86) и ее частичнаЯреконструкциЯ (94) сверху и слегкасЗади; генитальнаЯ пластинкасниЗу (87,91, 95); правое надкрылье (88, 93) и его дорсальнаЯ плоскость (90).

Figs 96–102. Varitrella: 96–99 — V. (C.) robusta luzoni subsp.n.; 100–102 — V. (C.) exculta sp.n. Male genitalia from above (96, 100), from below (97, 101) and from side (98, 102); female genital plate from below (99). Рис. 96–102. Varitrella: 96–99 — V. (C.) robusta luzoni subsp.n.; 100–102 — V. (C.) exculta sp.n. Гениталии самца сверху (96, 100), сниЗу (97, 101) и сбоку (98, 102); генитальнаЯ пластинка самки сниЗу (99).