Rhaphidophora, Serville, 1838

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 : 17

Genus RHAPHIDOPHORA Serville, 1838

Type species Rhaphidophora picea Serville, 1838

The genus Rhaphidophora was defined in 1838 with a single female specimen of one species and now includes 129 species (Cigliano et al. 2025). The general characteristics of the genus are agreed ( Gorochov, 1999, 2012) and here we summarise the appearance of Rhaphidophora species considering traits that are shared.

HEAD. Oval, smooth and shiny except for maxillary palps and antennae covered in dense short hair. Fastigium projecting forward with longitudinal furrow along midline on dorsal surface, partially dividing apical half into a pair of rostral tubercles. Eyes oval, slightly bigger than antennal scapi. Median ocellus situated in between ventral margins of antennal scapi and, lateral ocelli occupying basal two-thirds of lateral surface of rostral tubercles.

THORAX. Body medium size and with abundant fine black or brown hairs. Anterior margin of pronotum generally straight and posterior margin obtusely convex or nearly straight. The posterolateral margin of pronotum straight or concave while posterolateral margins of mesonotum and metanotum are slightly oblique or almost rounded.

LEGS. Legs moderately long ( Table 4 ). Fore femora with single short, prolateral, apical spine and mid femora with a pair of prominent apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral). Hind femora unarmed but with apical inferior spine (retrolateral). Fore tibiae with three inferior linear spines (one prolateral and two retrolateral), and two apical spines (one prolateral and one retrolateral). Mid tibiae with four superior linear spines (two prolateral and two retrolateral) and five inferior linear spines (three prolateral and two retrolateral), and two apical spines on inferior and superior sides (one prolateral and one retrolateral). Hind tibiae with variable number of linear, short, fixed spines on superior surface (in two rows of prolateral and retrolateral) ( Table 4 ), and typical eight, articulated apical spines. The longest pair of these (= spurs) are longer than 1 st and/or 2 nd segments of hind tarsi combined. The 1 st tarsal segment of hind tibiae have variable number of superior spines.

MALE TERMINALIA. Adult male terminalia show significant differences among species and are widely used as a key morphological trait for diagnosing species within this genus. A description of terminalia is provided for each newly described species.

Abdominal tergites usually without distinct posterior projections. The epiproct is weakly specialised, broad always projecting behind body. The posterior margin may bear one to two sclerotised spines of variable size and shape. Genitalia membranous without any sclerotization. Cerci slender, conical and usually longer than epiproct, covered in both short and long hairs. Subgenital plate is broad and fairly similar. Styli variable from stout to somewhat long in short hairs.

COLOURATION. Head and pronotum dorsally dark brown, face and mouthparts brownish. Rostral tubercles usually dark brown. Compound eyes small and black, brown or sometimes with maculation of black and white. Maxillary palps usually pale or with black and white distinct band on each segment. Antennae longer than body mostly pale brown in colour. Body dark brown or yellowish brown with irregular white patches along the posterior of abdominal tergites from above and slightly yellowish brown from beneath. Legs are general yellowish with somewhat darker colouration in joints. Hind femur paler speckled at proximal end and darker to distal end. Cerci and styli either black or white or both.

NYMPHS. General appearance of the nymph is usually similar to adults but terminalia used for distinguishing species are not well developed.