Rhaphidophora piscicauda Dorji, Morgan-Richards & Trewick, 2025

Dorji, Cheten, Morgan-Richards, Mary & Trewick, Steven A., 2025, Little-known wingless crickets of Bhutan (Rhaphidophoridae): discovery and description of nine new species, Zootaxa 5653 (1), pp. 1-32 : 22-23

Rhaphidophora piscicauda Dorji, Morgan-Richards & Trewick sp. nov.

( Figure 17A–H )

Holotype. BHUTAN • 1 adult male; Mahadev Dham, Tashiding, Dagana; 26.899°N, 89.975°E; 915 m asl; 21 May 2022; Jigme Wangchuk & Galey leg.; Subtropical forest : surrounding limestone cave under leaf litter; MPN_ CW5475 ; NBCB143 .

Other material. BHUTAN • 2 male and 1 female nymphs; Mahadev Dham, Tashiding, Dagana; 26.899°N, 89.975°E; 915 m asl; 21 May 2022; Jigme Wangchuk & Galey leg.; Subtropical forest : surrounding limestone cave; MPN_CW5474, CW5476, CW5477 .

Description. Male. Body medium in size (<20 mm). Median ocellus elliptic or oblong ( Fig. 17C ) slightly longer than its width; lateral ocelli oval, occupying basal two-thirds of lateral surface of the rostral tubercles. Posterolateral margins on left side of mesonotum and metanotum are different from the right possibly because of incomplete ecdysis during nymph stages or early-stage injuries ( Fig. 17A &. B ). Epiproct broad and long, fishtail shaped when view dorsally. The dorsal surface of epiproct is shallowly grooved ( Fig. 17G ), slightly curved laterally, projecting behind body. In about proximal half gradually narrowing with apical margin obtusely excised from the centre forming two lateral obtuse apices ( Fig. 17G ). Ventral surface of basal plate of epiproct is almost quadrate with slightly angled from middle on lateral view with a pair of small sclerotised marginal spines slightly projecting outwards, separated by traverse ridge ( Fig. 17E ). Cerci slender, conical and slightly longer than epiproct. Paraproct acutely triangular ( Fig. 17F ). Subgenital plate width as wide as length, with two distinct large lobes ( Fig. 17E ). Styli stout and simple, conical and apical obtuse without sclerotization. Linear measures of body elements ( Table 4 ). Fore and mid leg spine details as per the generic description except mid tibiae with only three inferior linear spines (retrolateral). Hind leg spine details ( Table 5 ).

Colouration. Head dorsally back with brownish face and mouthparts. Rostral tubercles dark black. Eyes silver white and black forming maculation of white and black connecting spots. Body dark brownish from above and slightly yellowish brown from beneath when compared to other species. Epiproct brownish. Cerci dark brown with one-third end white. Cerci and styli white with dense yellowish brown short setae, and fewer longer hairs along first half of the cerci.

Female. Adult unknown.

Etymology. Name is derived from fishtail shape of male epiproct, when viewed from above.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Rhaphidophora piscicauda sp. nov. Male holotype (MPN_CW5475; NBCB143): (A) Lateral and (B) dorsal views of body. (C) Anterior view of head. (D) Lateral view of hind femur and basitarsus. (E) Ventral view of lower abdomen showing quadrate shaped ventral basal plate of epiproct (red arrow) with a pair of sclerotised apical spines. (F) Lateral and (G) dorsal views of lower abdomen. Scale bars = 2 mm.