Oropodisma tzoumerkae Trillo & Ortego, 2025

Trillo, Marina & Ortego, Joaquín, 2025, Geometric morphometric characterization of the Balkan alpine grasshopper genus Oropodisma Uvarov, 1942 (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae), with description of two new species, ZooKeys 1240, pp. 195-217 : 195-217

Oropodisma tzoumerkae Trillo & Ortego sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 A , 7 K , 8 K

Diagnosis.

Differentiated from other species by the shape of the phallus apex (Fig. 7 ) and furculae (Fig. 8 ) of males. Phallus apex similar to O. macedonica , but presenting wider cingular valves, which lateral margins converge medially and become more pointed toward the tips (Fig. 7 ). Unlike O. macedonica , valves do not exhibit a basal swelling and remain straight or slightly concave at the base. Furculae of O. tzoumerkae present a wide base, similar to O. karavica and O. lagrecai , but are more elongated (Fig. 8 ). In comparison with O. lagrecai , furculae of O. tzoumerkae narrow more markedly medially, becoming slenderer (Fig. 8 ). Furculae of O. karavica show a very sharp angular bending, with a characteristic internal notch, whereas in O. tzoumerkae the curvature is more gradual and smooth (Fig. 8 ). Females indistinguishable from other species.

Description.

Male: small to medium-sized body (12.6–14.1 mm; Fig. 3 A ). Tegmina and wings absent. Head much shorter than pronotum, with frons slightly oblique. Fastigium sulcate. Eyes elliptical and obliquely flattened at the base. Vertical diameter of eyes approximately 1.1 times larger than the horizontal diameter. Eyes are dark brown to nearly black, sometimes with light-brown spots. Antennae stout, filiform, and short, similar to or slightly longer than the combined length of head and pronotum. The basal half of antennae is testaceous or yellowish, gradually darkening toward the tips. Pronotum short and broad, dorsally convex; anterior margin straight, posterior margin slightly convex. Pronotum with a densely punctured surface, lacking lateral carinae, and presenting continuous and deep transverse sulci. Prozona 1.8 times the length of the metazona. Prozona nearly cylindrical; metazona subcylindrical, slightly widening posteriorly. Median carina only visible and slightly raised in metazona. Dorsal surface of the pronotum black with a slight metallic sheen, similar to that on the top of the head and dorsal side of the abdomen. Lateral lobes of the pronotum with a characteristic whitish testaceous coloration, matching that of the thoracic sternum and the ventral parts of the head, including frons, genae, clypeus, labrum, mandibles and maxillae and labium. Abdomen slender, dorsally black with a distinctive bright yellowish median stripe; only the lower margins of mesonotum and metanotum bear a small testaceous stripe. Tympanal organ absent. Anterior and intermediate femora distinctly incrassate. Hind femora are robust, approximately 3.1 times as long as their maximum width, and present well-developed upper and lower carinae. Outer surface of the hind femur reddish to light brown; femora present two dark fasciae in the upper-inner area; inner surface testaceous with a blackish basal spot. Knees mostly black. Tibiae generally grayish-bluish. Last tergite bearing elongated furculae with a broad base, narrowing markedly medially, and tapering distally (as in Fig. 8 K ). Supra-anal plate triangular, with a deep median sulcus. Cerci small, narrowly triangular and shorter than the supra-anal plate. Phallus apex with narrow cingular valves, similar in shape to the valves (as in Fig. 7 K ); valves nearly equal in width and length to the cingular valves; lateral margins of the cingular valves converge medially and become markedly pointed toward the tips; lateral margins of the valves straight or slightly concave, lacking a basal swelling (as in Fig. 7 K ). Female: small to medium-sized body (17.0– 19.3 mm), larger and more robust than males (Fig. 3 B ). Pronotum broader and more trapezoidal than in males. Pronotum presents continuous transverse sulci, but these are less deeply impressed than in males. Antennae much shorter than the combined length of the head and pronotum. Posterior margin of the pronotum bordered with alternating light testaceous and dark stripes. Abdomen considerably stouter than in males. Anterior and intermediate femora not or only slightly incrassate. Supra-anal plate triangular, with short, conical cerci. Ovopositor valves robust, strongly sinuate, with a curved, pointed apex. Lower valve with two acute lateral teeth. Other characteristics resemble the male.

Type material.

Holotype: • 1 ♂, Greece, Epirus, Mount Tzoumerka , 10 August 2023, J. Ortego & J. Gutiérrez-Rodríguez leg.; deposited in Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales ( MNCN, Madrid, Spain; accession number: MNCN_Ent 429979 ) (Fig. 3 A ) . Paratypes: • 5 ♂ and 6 ♀, same data as holotype; deposited in Estación Biológica de Doñana ( CSIC-EBD, Seville, Spain; accession numbers: 5 ♂, JO-15944 , JO-15945 , JO-15946 , JO-15947 , JO-15949 & 5 ♀, JO-15954 , JO-15955 , JO-15956 , JO-15957 , JO-15958 ) and Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales ( MNCN, Madrid, Spain; accession number: 1 ♀, MNCN_Ent 429980 ) (Fig. 3 B ) .

Type locality.

Greece, Epirus, Arta, Athamanio, Mount Tzoumerka , 39.4031 ° N, 21.1632 ° E, 1830 m. a. s. l., 10 August 2023; open alpine habitat characterized by stony ground and sparse plant cover (Fig. 6 A ).

Male measurements

(mm) (n = 5). Body length: 12.6–14.1 (mean = 13.4); pronotum length: 2.7–3.0 (mean = 2.8); hind femur length: 6.9–7.4 (mean = 7.2); furcula length: 3.9–4.7 (mean = 4.4); furcula basal width: 2.1–2.8 (mean = 2.5).

Female measurements

(mm) (n = 5). Body length: 17.0–19.3 (mean = 18.2); pronotum length: 3.3–3.7 (mean = 3.5 cm); hind femur length: 8.5–9.3 (mean = 8.9).

Habitat.

Open alpine habitat characterized by stony ground, moderate slopes, and sparse plant cover with scattered patches of evergreen scrubs ( Juniperus sp. , Daphne sp. ) (Fig. 6 A ). Similar habitat as previously described for other species of Oropodisma .

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 1 ).

Etymology.

A toponimic name. The name tzoumerkae refers to Mount Tzoumerka (Pindus range, Greece), the area where the species was found.

Suggested common name.

Tzoumerka mountain grasshopper.

Figures

Figure 1. Map showing the geographical location of topotype localities for species in the genus Oropodisma Uvarov, 1942 and type localities for the two newly described taxa. Map in Plate Carrée projection.

Figure 3. Habitus of Oropodisma tzoumerkae sp. nov., in lateral and dorsal view A male (holotype, MNCN) B female (paratype, MNCN). Photographs: M. Trillo.

Figure 5. Oropodisma tzoumerkae sp. nov. photographed at Mt. Tzoumerka, Greece, 10 August 2023 A male B female. Photographs: J. Ortego.

Figure 6. Habitat of the new Oropodisma species A O. tzoumerkae sp. nov., Mount Tzoumerka (10 August 2023) B O. agrafae sp. nov., Mount Agrafa (08 August 2023). Photographs: J. Ortego.

Figure 7. Dorsal view of the phallus apex of males in Oropodisma species. Drawings: M. Trillo.

Figure 8. Dorsal view of furculae of males in Oropodisma species. Drawings: M. Trillo.