Parapholidoptera hepat, Ünal, 2025

Ünal, Mustafa, 2025, Taxonomic notes on Phaneropterinae and Tettigoniinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from the Palaearctic Region, Zootaxa 5687 (1), pp. 1-77 : 46-48

Parapholidoptera hepat Ünal, sp. nov.

( Figs. 229–235 , 248–255 )

Type locality. Turkey: Diyarbakır Prov., Silvan Distr. , 700 m.

Description. Female (Holotype). Fastigium of vertex wide, 1.5 times wider than width of eye; 2.6 times wider antennal scape; 2.4 times wider than frontal groove. Width of eye 1.7 times wider than antennal scape. Antennal scape 1.06 times narrower than frontal groove. Pronotum ( Figs. 233, 234 ) with soft-lined structure, without any sharp curvature; cylindrical along its length, including metazona, with smooth surface; reaching to half of first abdominal tergite; 1.8 times longer than high (5.6 mm), 1.6 times longer than width of metazona (6.4 mm); shoulder incision distinct like a broad concavity; anterior margin almost straight, posterior margin broadly rounded with a small and weak concavity in the middle; dorsal margin in lateral view convex along its length. Tegmina not visible, fully concealed under pronotum. Fore femur with two inner and without outer spinules on genicular lobes; mid femur with one inner and two outer spinules; hind femur with one inner and one outer spinules on genicular lobes. Hind femur with 3 ventral spines at inner margin. Hind femur ( Fig. 231 ) long, 2.8 times longer than pronotum, almost as long as body. Last abdominal tergite very short on both sides, strongly and sharply extended posteriorly in the middle part, which twice as long as the lateral part, with a truncate posterior margin (but right corner of hind margin slightly folded in holotype); in paratypes with a weak concavity in the middle of hind margin. Cercus ( Fig. 235 ) long (2 mm), spiniform, acute at apex. Subgenital plate ( Figs. 229, 230 ) narrow and long, shaped as a narrow triangle; 1.3 times longer (5 mm) than wide; posterior lobes narrow, distinctly upcurved and strongly pointed at apex ( Fig. 230 ), with an acute angular, narrow V-shaped posterior incision; ventral surface smooth without longitudinal carina. Ovipositor ( Figs. 231, 235 ) long, indistinctly upcurved along its length, in paratypes more straight; 2.65 times longer than pronotum, only 1.05 times shorter than hind femur.

Male (Allotype). Fastigium of vertex 1.4 times wider than width of eye; 2.4 times wider antennal scape; 2.2 times wider than frontal groove. Width of eye 1.9 times wider than antennal scape. Antennal scape 1.06 times narrower than frontal groove. Pronotum ( Figs. 254, 255 ) as in female, but shoulder incision weaker; reaching just beyond the half of first abdominal tergite; 1.98 times longer than high (5.2 mm), 1.7 times longer than width of metazona (6.1 mm); anterior margin very slightly concave, posterior margin rounded, with a very small concavity in the middle. Tegmina ( Figs. 254, 255 ) brachypterous, almost concealed under pronotum, apical 0.7 mm part visible in dorsal view, reaching to end of first abdominal tergite. Legs include the number of spinules as in female, but hind femur with 6 ventral spines at inner margin. Hind femur ( Fig. 252 ) long, 2.6 times longer than pronotum, 1.1 times shorter than body. Last abdominal tergite ( Fig. 248 ) short and wide, 3.1 times wider (4.7 mm) than long in lateral part (1.5 mm) where cercus connected; with very narrow and acute (almost spiniform) posterior lobes downcurved under an obtuse angle (downcurved part black) ( Fig. 252 ), with V-shaped posterio incision. Cercus ( Fig. 248 ) not very long (3.7 mm) comparing the related species, 1.3 times shorter than width of last tergite (4.7 mm at the point cercus connected); basal third cylindrical, with an inner tooth near to end of proximal part; in distal part (after inner tooth) strongly narrowed almost half wide of proximal part; apex blunt, not pointed; only the tip of inner tooth blackened. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 249 ) slightly wider than long, with a relatively deep, narrow V-shaped posterior incision which begins near to base of styli; without typical lateral dark bands; styli long and thick, almost half of the length of plate; slightly upcurved along its length in lateral view. Titillator ( Figs. 250, 251 ) relatively stout; apical arms strongly curved forward under an obtuse angle, not very wide in lateral view; basal arms almost V-shaped in anterior view, but rounded at the bottom, reaching just above the fused part of apical arms, without dorsal spinules.

Colouration. General colouration greyish light (milky) brown, with some black and brown spots and marks. Antennae light brown. Face yellowish cream, with 4 brown spots; clypeus with 4 and labrum with 1 brown spots in both sexes. Fastigium of vertex surrounded by a thin blackish brown stripe in female, weaker in male; scapus yellowish cream with one brown spot at upper edge; behind scapus and eye with 2 wide black bands up to pronotum, with a short and thin creamish stripe between them; vertex with 2 pieced blackish brown bands along its length. Pronotum greyish light brown with a brown stripe along the third sulcus; paranota with a wide pieced brown band in the middle, typical light band at ventral margin wide and yellow; pronotum slightly darker in male. Fire and mid femora with irregular brown spots and stripes. Hind femur darkened in distal half, regularly pieced with short and thick transversal stripes along the upper parts of inner and outer surfaces, ventral side yellowish cream. Visible part of male tegmina with a wide black band in the middle; costal part yellowish. Abdomen greyish milky brown; abdominal tergites with 3 short transversal brown stripes (and spots) in posterior halves, which are continuing along the abdomen, but regularly weaker backwards; the middle ones rounded spots from the second tergite to the end of abdomen; these markings weaker in male. Basal part of ovipositor, with a black band dorsally. Subgenital plates in both sexes pale yellowish cream, without typical lateral bands in male. Male last tergite with 2 brown stains laterally; downcurved parts of posterior lobes dark brown.

Discussion. This new species is closely related to P. syriaca and P. signata . It is similar to P. signata as indicated by the male last tergite with black posterior lobes and the pointed and upcurved posterior lobes of the female subgenital plate. It is similar to P. syriaca in the male cercus and the shallow posterior incision of the female subgenital plate. The shape of the female subgenital plate is different from these two species, and also P. indistincta (compare Figs. 229–230 with Figs. 217– 218, 221–222, 225–226 ). In P. syriaca , the female subgenital ( Figs. 221, 222 ) plate has the posterior lobes broad and rounded, never curved upwards; the posterior incision is narrow, rounded at its bottom, not deep and not acute. In P. signata ( Figs. 217, 218 ), the posterior lobes of the female subgenital plate are broad, strongly upcurved, and pointed as in this new species, but the shape of the very deep posterior incision differs with its distinctly rounded bottom. The female subgenital plate also similar to P. indistincta ( Figs. 225, 226 ) with the upcurved and pointed posterior lobes, but the shape of shallower posterior incision (distinctly deeper in P. indistincta ) and the ventral surface is without a median carina (in P. indistincta , ventral surface with a distinct longitudinal median carina), and all the other diagnostic characters such as male cercus, titillators (compare Figs. 250, 251 with Figs. 256, 257 ), last tergite in both sexes, the subgenital plate are very different from P. indistincta . The other differences from P. syriaca and P. signata are in the male last tergite. In P. syriaca , the male last tergite ( Fig. 244 ) is 2.5 times wider than long (at the point where the cercus is connected); the posterior lobes are wider, triangular, strongly downcurved under a right angle, and not blackened. In P. signata , the male last tergite ( Fig. 238 ) is twice as wide as long; blackened posterior lobes similar, but narrower; with a narrow U-shaped incision (in the type); by the shape of the male cercus. In P. syriaca , the shape of cercus ( Fig. 244 ) is similar, but longer, only 1.1 times shorter than the width of the last tergite. In P. signata , the male cercus ( Fig. 238 ) differs in length, like the previous species, 1.1 times shorter than the width of the last tergite; a much shorter basal part and longer apical part, inner tooth nearer to the base, larger (wider), and blackened. The male subgenital plate in P. syriaca ( Fig. 245 ) and P. signata ( Fig. 239 ) is longer than wide (in the types), styli straight, thinner and shorter, 2.2 times shorter than subgenital plate in P. signata , 2.4 times shorter in P. syriaca ; the posterior incision clearly smaller in P. syriaca , slightly smaller in P. signata and both, this incision begins far from the base of styli after a straight part; but in the new species it begun almost from the base of styli ( Fig. 249 ). Titillator in P. syriaca ( Figs. 246, 247 ), with apical arms longer, broader in anterior view; unfused part of apical arms distinctly less curved downwards and with 5–6 dorsal spinules. In P. signata , the titillator ( Figs. 240, 241 ) with long and S-shaped apical arms in lateral view; the unfused part is very long, almost as long as the basal part, strongly downcurved, sickle-shaped, with 2 dorsal spinules; basal arms are long and distinctly curved forward in lateral view. The colouration much darker, castaneous, dark brown with more black in P. signata ; light brown (but without greyish shades) in P. syriaca ; posterior lobes of male last tergite black in P. signata ; it is not black as in the other tergites and as the remaining part of last tergite in P. syriaca (including holotype), but in several males the tips of posterior lobes faintly darkened.

Measurements (mm). Holotype (female). Length of body 28; pronotum 10.2; hind femur 28.3; ovipositor 27. Allotype (male). Length of body 29.8; pronotum 10.3; tegmina visible 0.7; hind femur 26.4. Paratypes. Length of body: female 28.6–29.4; pronotum: female 10.6–11; hind femur: female 29.2–29.9; ovipositor: 27–28.3.

Material examined. Turkey: E Anatolia, Diyarbakır Prov., Silvan Distr. , 700 m, 30.6.1937, 3 females (including holotype) , 1 male (leg. Ramme) ( MfN) .

Its original label data: O. Anatolien, Silvan (90 kms östl. Diarbekir), 30.6.1937.

Etymology. The distinctive appearance of this species was first observed by the author in female specimens, which set it apart from other members of the genus. As a result, a female has been designated as the holotype.

The Mother Goddess, known as Magna Mater, has her origins in Anatolia and is recognized by various names across ancient civilizations. Among the earliest is Vurushemu in the Hattians (⁓2500 BC–1700 BC), followed by Arinna in the Hittites, Hepat in the Hurrians, Kupaba in the late Hittites, Kybele in Phrygians, Hellenes and Romans, Ishtar in Babylon, and Artemis in Hellenes, the latter of which is associated with the Virgin Mary.

The “Hepat” is a mother goddess of the Hurrians (⁓2300 BC–1100 BC), who resided in Southeast Anatolia, Upper Mesopotamia, and Northern Syria. This newly discovered species is located in Southeast Anatolia, within the Mesopotamian region of Turkey. Due to the significance of the female sex, it is named after the region’s mother goddess, Hepat.

Remarks. Since Ramme collected other species on the same date and location, the elevation of 700 m is included in the label data for this species [see Platycleis (Tessellana) tessellata holoptera above] (MfN).

Ramme (1951) classified these specimens, consisting of 2 males and 6 females, as P. signata . They were among the P. signata specimens at MfN. Half of Ramme’s specimens, 1 male and 3 females, are missing from the collection, possibly on loan or otherwise lost.

This new species was compared with extensive material, including the type specimens of P. syriaca and P. signata , deposited in the collections of NMW, MfN, and AİBÜEM.

Figures

FIGURES 207–235. 207–216 Bolua turkiyae male end of abdomen, 207–208 from Bolu, TaŞkesti; 209–210 from TaŞkesti, Dereköy; 211 from Devrek, Babadağ Geç.; 212–214 from Bursa, Soğukpınar yolu; 215 from Bursa, Domaniç yolu; 216 from Kütahya, Kocayayla. 217–220 Parapholidoptera signata, (lectotype at NMW) 217 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 218 ditto, lateral view; 219 female habitus, lateral view; 220 ditto, dorsal view. 221–224 Parapholidoptera syriaca, (paratype at MfN) 221 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 222 ditto, lateral view; 223 female habitus, lateral view; 224 ditto, dorsal view. 225–228 Parapholidoptera insignata, 225 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 226 ditto, lateral view; 227 female habitus, lateral view; 228 ditto, dorsal view. 229–235 Parapholidoptera hepat sp. nov., 229 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 230 ditto, lateral view; 231 female habitus, lateral view; 232 ditto, dorsal view; 233 female head and pronorum, lateral view; 234, ditto, dorsal view; 235 ovipositor.

FIGURES 236–257. 236–241 Parapholidoptera signata, (from Hatay, Dörtyol at MfN) 236 male habitus, lateral view; 237 ditto, dorsal view; 238 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 239 male subgenital plate, ventral view; 240 titillator, anterior view; 241 ditto, lateral view. 242–247 Parapholidoptera syriaca, (holotype at MfN) 242 male habitus, lateral view; 243 ditto, dorsal view; 244 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 245 male subgenital plate, ventral view; 246 titillator, anterior view; 247 ditto, lateral view. 248–255 Parapholidoptera hepat sp. nov., 248 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 249 male subgenital plate, ventral view; 250 titillator, anterior view; 251 ditto, lateral view (a small part of its apical tips are broken, but the missing part was completed as in original shape in this illustration); 252 male habitus, lateral view; 253 ditto, dorsal view; 254 male head and pronotum, lateral view; 255 ditto, dorsal view. 256–257 Parapholidoptera insignata, 256 male titillator, anterior view; 257 ditto, lateral view.