Brazitettix roraimae Silva, 2024

Pereira, Daniela Santos Martins Silva Marcelo Ribeiro, 2024, A new genus of horn-like tetrigids (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Tetrigidae) from South America, Insecta Mundi 2024 (72), pp. 1-15 : 8-9

Brazitettix roraimae Silva , new species

( Fig. 1 – 3 )

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in the genitive case and refers to the Roraima state.

Material examined. Holotype ♂, Allotype ♀, 4 paratypes (3♀ and 1♂) ( Fig. 1 – 3 ).

Type locality. Brasil, Roraima, Caracaraí (Villa Caicubi, trilha do INPA) 01°01′45,2″S, 62°05′12,2″W 30.viii.2011 Luz ; Biffi, G & Prado, L. R.col. (label data) ( Fig. 6A, B ) .

Preservation Status. Poor condition. Missing parts (tarsus, and antenna), and remnants of fungi.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from the other species of genus by the following combination of characters: (i) horn - like projection in the head with the lateral margins strongly notched, the middle one almost rounded at tip (dorsal view); (ii) well - marked fascial carinae, with a “V” inverted shape; (iii) antennal scape and pedicel more robust than other segments; (iv) tegmina ovoid; (v) fore femur arc-shaped in upper and lower margin, almost shield - like; middle femur with dorsal margins undulated, with lappets in the ventral margin; (vi) dorsal external area of hind femur with black pits/protuberances; (vii) posterior apex of the pronotum not upward directed.

Description. Body thin, elongated and flattened dorsoventrally. Head. Strongly oblique with finely granulose integument, brownish pronotum and dark brown body. Lateral view ( Fig. 1A – B ): head and compound eye insert exerted bellow the pronotal disc; vertex visible; fastigium of vertex and frontal costa forming the horn directed forwards, with the lateral margins strongly notched, and rounded apex that is longer than the compound eye, measured from its most frontal point to the apex; occipital area short and granulated; antennal groove situated in the same level of the lower margin of eyes; antennae filiform, pointed, with 13 antennomeres. Frontal view ( Fig. 1D ): medial carina and frontal costa forming a “cross”; fastigium of vertex and frontal costa forming the long horn directed forwards; horn - like projection in the head with the lateral margins strongly notched, the middle one almost rounded at tip; scutellum width equal to antennal groove; scape and pedicel protuberant; frontal costa bifurcation at the top third of an eye height; well - marked fascial carinae, with a “V” inverted shape; medial ocellus situated distinctly below the lower margin of eyes and antennal grooves; antennal grooves situated below at level of the lower margin of eyes; paired lateral ocelli situated between the compound eyes, slightly below the frontal costa bifurcation. Dorsal view ( Fig. 1E ): occipital area granulated; short medial carina of the vertex presents in the anterior part of the elongated horn - like projection; horn - like projection with the lateral margins strongly notched, the middle one almost rounded at tip; vertex between the eyes wide as a compound eyes horizontal diameter; fastigium of vertex forming long horn almost rounded apex and two lateral margins notched; occipital area longer than a compound eye’s vertical diameter; fastigium and vertex between the compound eyes light brown; ventral side of the fastigium dark brown. Pronotum. Brownish, macropronotal, surpassing abdominal apex, finely granulose integument, with small tubercles throughout length. Lateral view ( Fig. 1A – B ): anterior margin does not extend over the head; median carina almost straight and well - marked; prozonal carina present; extralateral carina conspicuous; humero - apical carina visible, interhumeral carina inconspicuous; 2 – 3 sulci on pronotum; ventral sinus and tegminal sinus present; infrascapular area as “obtuse triangle” shape; internal lateral carina elongated, continuum with humero - apical carina, from lateral lobe of pronotum reaching to the apex of pronotum; lateral area wide; lateral lobe of pronotum truncate at tip, directed downward; ovoid tegmina; membranous wing and pronotum with the same length; posterior apex of the pronotum not upward directed. Frontal view ( Fig. 1D ): shoulders not projected, lateral pronotal lobes directed downwards. Dorsal view ( Fig. 1C,E ): dorsum rich in fine granules; anterior margin of the pronotum truncated; median carina, prozonal carina and interhumeral carina visible; internal and external lateral carina conspicuous; pronotal process with dark brown irregular dots; external lateral carina, with a serrated aspect; extralateral carina inconspicuous; median carina not elevated; narrow and long infrascapular area; lateral pronotal lobes directed downwards; external lateral carina with small pits, and a serrated aspect; lateral area wide; pronotum narrowed in the apex; pronotum apex truncated; dorsal light brown band from fastigium to pronotum apex with dark brown dots. Sternomentum. ( Fig. 1D ) [= modified prothoracic sternum]: sternomentum collar - like, necklace shaped, well visible in frontal and ventral view, brown in color. Wings. ( Fig. 1A – B ): tegmina and wing visible; wings surpassing the hind femur; tegmina as long as the middle femur; tegmina surface similar to the rest of the body. Legs. Surface with small tubercles throughout length. Fore legs ( Fig. 1A – B ): fore femur arc - shaped in upper and lower margin, almost shield - like; dorsal margins undulated, with lappets in the ventral margin; femur slightly longer than tibia; fore tibia thin, hairless, and less carinate than fore femur; distal tarsal segment longer than the proximal, at its apex with two claws. Middle legs ( Fig. 1A – B ): femur distinctly carinate and slightly undulated in dorsal and ventral margins, not shield - like with dorsal, and ventral margins finely tuberculated, dorsal margins undulated, with lappets in the ventral margin; tibia thin and carinate; distal tarsal segment longer than the proximal, at its apex with two claws. Hind legs ( Fig. 1A – B ): dorsal and ventral margins finely granulated; femur robust; femur dorsal and ventral margin without lappets or projections; genicular and antigenicular teeth small; external surface finely granulate, with transverse ridges in external surface; hind femur slender and elongated, almost the same length of tibia; hind tibiae slender, shorter than hind femur; tibial sulcus (= the depression on the ventral side of the hind femur in which the tibiae are placed when the grasshopper is walking) darker than the other parts of the body; dorsal external area of hind femur with black pits/protuberances; proximal segment of the hind tarsus long, middle segment short, distal segment shorter than proximal, having two claws in its apex. Abdomen ( Fig. 1A – B ): Subgenital plate in lateral view with apex slightly directed upwards; cerci short, their basal part swollen.

Measurements of holotype (mm). BL: 14.44, FL: 0.97, FW: 0.72, P: 12.94, TL: 1.60, HFL: 4.45, and HFW: 1.37.

Female allotype ( Fig. 2 ). Similar in shape to holotype, however more robust and larger in size. Ovipositor short, not hirsute, with pointed tooth. Overall body darker than holotype (without dorsal light brown band from fastigium to pronotum apex with dark brown dots) ( Fig. 2A – C ). Likewise, the horn-like protuberances are not exactly the same design, it is possible to notice slight differences in the shape, it might be a sign of sexual dimorphism ( Fig. 5A – C ).

Preservation status. Some remnants of fungi are in the body.

Measurements (mm). BL: 15.0, FL: 0.85, FW: 0.70, P: 13.54, TL: 1.65, HFL: 4.81, and HFW: 1.91.

Paratypes. Three females and one male with similarities to the holotype and allotype ( Fig. 3 ).

Preservation Status. Poor condition. Missing parts (legs, tarsus, and antenna), and remnants of fungi. Paratype 1 ( Fig. 3A ♀)

Measurements (mm). BL: 15.61, FL: 0.85, FW: 0.81, P: 13.88, TL: 1.66, HFL: 4.59, and HFW: 1.48. Paratype 2 ( Fig. 3B ♂)

Measurements (mm). BL: 14.25, FL: 0.72, FW: 0.70, P: 12.90, TL: 1.42, HFL: 4.30, and HFW: 1.31. Paratype 3 ( Fig.3C ♀)

Measurements (mm). BL: 14.59, FL: 0.62, FW: 0,71, P: 12.99, TL: 1.58, HFL: 5.19, and HFW: 1.39. Paratype 4 ( Fig. 3D ♀)

Measurements (mm). BL: 15.25, FL: 0.84, FW: 0.78, P: 13.51, TL: 1.94, HFL: 5.03, and HFW: 1.41.

Figures

Figure 1. Brazitettix roraimae new species. A–B) Holotype male, lateral view. C) Dorsal view. D) Head details, frontal view. E) Head details, dorsal view. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 2. Brazitettix roraimae new species. A–B) Allotype female, lateral view. C) Dorsal view. D) Head details, frontal view. E) Head details, dorsal view. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 3. Brazitettix roraimae new species paratypes lateral view. A) Female. B) Male. C–D) Females. Scale bar = 5 mm.

Figure 5. Head details, dorsal view (images not to scale). A) holotype Brazitettix roraimae new species. B) paratype female 4 Brazitettix roraimae new species. C–D) Allotype Brazitettix roraimae new species. E–F) Brazitettix paulista new species. G) Rostella processus (Hancock, 1907) from ANSP. H) Dravidacris annamalaica Bhaskar and Kasalo, 2022.

Figure 6. Distribution of Brazitettix Silva, 2024 new genus. A) Map highlighting the two new species. B–C) Google Maps images of type localities of new species. B) Brazitettix roraimae new species. C) Brazitettix paulista new species.