Sonotrella laosensis, Liu, Zhang & Shi, 2016, Liu, Zhang & Shi, 2016

Ma, Yong, Liu, Yu-Wei & Liu, Hao-Yu, 2025, Morphological differences of crickets in different generations: A case study on the Sonotrella (s. str.) laosensis Liu, Zhang & Shi, 2016 (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Oecanthidae), Zootaxa 5588 (3), pp. 426-436 : 428-431

1 Molecular study

Specimens K1 and K3 were collected at the same time and from the same location , while the holotype was collected at a different time and from a different location . The reconstructed tree reveals that specimens K3 and holotype of Sonotrella (s. str.) laosensis were situated within the same branch, while specimen K1 was grouped in the same cluster (Fig. 2). According to our calculations, the genetic distances among the three specimens ranges from 1.07% to 2.48%.

2 Morphological study

The primary distinguishing characteristics among species of the genus Sonotrella manifest in differences in genitalia, followed by variations in the head, pronotum, tegmina, metanotal gland, and abdomen ( Gorochov, 1988, 2002; Ingrisch, 1997; Liu et al., 2016). Therefore, we compared and described the differences in the characteristics among the five specimens, including the holotype.

Specimen KA (Holotype). Male. Head with four regular and clear longitudinal stripes on vertex; frontal rostrum slightly wider than scapus (9: 8). The middle surface of the pronotum exhibits a sparsity of furs. Tegmina with 2 long and 2 short oblique veins; mirror slightly longer than wide (11: 10); lateral field with 16 oblique subcostal veinlets. Bottom of metanotal gland without any hairs in middle. The dorsal area of each abdominal tergite VI–X with a semicircular light marking. Phallus distinctly sclerotized: ectophallus apodeme rather thick and short; endophallus extends backward and downward; endophallus apodeme rather thick and short; epiphallus parameres distinctly separated, with 3 or 4 larger spines on each side; lateral sides of medial lobes of epiphallus nearly smooth. (For details and figures, see Liu et al., 2016).

Specimen K1. Male (Fig. 3A). Head exhibits a slightly darker hue, with four very unclearly stripes on vertex; frontal rostrum slightly wider than scapus (10:8). The middle surface of the pronotum exhibits a sparsity of furs (Fig. 4A). Tegmina with 3 long and 2 short oblique veins; mirror slightly longer than wide (11: 9.6) (Fig. 4E); lateral field with 16 oblique subcostal veinlets. Bottom of metanotal gland with few hairs in middle (Fig. 5A). The dorsal area of each abdominal tergite VI–X see (Fig. 5E). Phallus rather sclerotized (Fig. 6A, 7A, 8A): ectophallus apodeme rather long; endophallus extends backward; endophallus apodeme rather thin and long; epiphallus parameres slightly separated, with 4 larger spines on each side; medial lobes of epiphallus with a weakly sharp angle on each side.

Specimen K2. Male (Fig. 3B). Head with four regular and clear stripes on vertex; frontal rostrum slightly wider than scapus (10:7). The middle surface of the pronotum exhibits a sparsity of furs (Fig. 4B). Tegmina with 4 long and 1 short oblique vein; mirror slightly longer than wide (12:10) (Fig. 4F); lateral field with 16 oblique subcostal veinlets. Bottom of metanotal gland without any hairs in middle (Fig. 5B). The dorsal area of each abdominal tergite VI–X see (Fig. 5F). Phallus rather sclerotized (Fig. 6B, 7B, 8B): ectophallus apodeme rather thin and long; endophallus extends backward; endophallus apodeme rather thin and long; epiphallus parameres distinctly separated, with 5 or 6 larger spines on each side; medial lobes of epiphallus with a rather sharp angle on each side.

Specimen K3. Male (Fig. 3C). Head with four regular and clear stripes on vertex; frontal rostrum slightly wider than scapus (10:8). The middle surface of the pronotum exhibits a higher density of furs (Fig. 4C). Tegmina with 3 long and 2 short oblique veins; mirror slightly longer than wide (11: 9.6) (Fig. 4G); lateral field with 15 oblique subcostal veinlets. Bottom of metanotal gland with more hairs in middle (Fig. 5C). The dorsal area of each abdominal tergite VI–X see (Fig. 5G). Phallus rather sclerotized (Fig. 6C, 7C, 8C): ectophallus apodeme rather long; endophallus extends backward; endophallus apodeme rather thin and long; epiphallus parameres distinctly separated, with 3 or 5 larger spines on each side; medial lobes of epiphallus with a rather sharp angle on each side.

Specimen K4. Male (Fig. 3D). Head with unclearly stripes on vertex, while the eye display a longitudinal white band; frontal rostrum slightly wider than scapus (10:7). The middle surface of the pronotum exhibits a higher density of furs (Fig. 4D). Tegmina with 4 long and 1 short oblique vein; mirror slightly longer than wide (11:10) (Fig. 4H); lateral field with 16 oblique subcostal veinlets. Bottom of metanotal gland with more hairs in middle (Fig. 5D). The dorsal area of each abdominal tergite VI–X see (Fig. 5H). Phallus rather sclerotized (Fig. 6D, 7D, 8D): ectophallus apodeme rather long; endophallus extends backward; endophallus apodeme rather thin and long; epiphallus parameres slightly separated, with 5 larger spines on each side; medial lobes of epiphallus with a rather sharp angle on each side.

Measurements (mm). The key morphological measurements of 5 specimens were recorded, including body length, length with wings, pronotum length, tegmen length and hind femur length. This information is presented in Table 2.