Pemba paleovarzeana Mendes & Acosta, 2025

Mendes, Diego Matheus De Mello, Vieira, Camila Batista & Acosta, Riuler Corrêa, 2025, The Black-winged Spiny Katydid-new species of Pemba Walker, 1870 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae: Teleutiini) from the Brazilian Floodplain Paleo-Várzea Forest, Zootaxa 5653 (1), pp. 133-142 : 135-141

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5653.1.8
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6324BA87-9FDA-4804-AF3B-875A180CE0ED
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15855397
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/AE746876-FFB8-8915-A8A4-F8C9C9FDFA7C
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Pemba paleovarzeana Mendes & Acosta
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pemba paleovarzeana Mendes & Acosta sp. nov.

Figures 1–5 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5

Diagnosis. Pronotal disc with anterior median projection elongated, acuminate, and recurved toward the dorsum of head; the projection of the posterior dorsal shield bears at least five large subtriangular projections with blunt apices ( Figs. 3C–D View FIGURE 3 ).

Description. Holotype Male.

Head. Head elongated, with frons and gena smooth, in frontal view ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ); fastigium-vertex small and laterally bilobated, in frontal view ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ); Globular eyes ( Figs. 3B–D View FIGURE 3 ). Scape broad, rectangular, with a large posterior spine on the inner margin, the apex reaching almost half the length of pedicel ( Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ).

Thorax. Pronotal disc subrectangular and rough, anteriorly convex with a median acuminate projection, laterally rounded with sinuous margins, and posteriorly triangular with a median projection, in dorsal view ( Fig. 3C View FIGURE 3 ); Anterior median region, posterior region, and carinae with several projections of varying sizes, the largest being the anterior and posterior median ones; the anterior median projection is elongated, acuminate, and recurved toward the dorsum of head; the projection of the posterior dorsal shield bears at least five large subtriangular projections with blunt apices. Additionally, in the dorsomedian region of the pronotal disc, there are two pairs of small, blunt, lateral projections, in lateral and dorsal views ( Figs. 3C–D View FIGURE 3 ). Mesobasisternum triangular-shaped, anteriorly straight and posteriorly narrow ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ). Lateral lobes of mesobasisternum anterolaterally concave, laterally straight and posterolaterally concave ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ). Metabasisternum triangular-shaped, anteriorly straight and posteriorly narrow ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ). Lateral lobes of metabasisternum anterolaterally and laterally straight and posteriorly slightly convex ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ).

Wings. Tegmina long, broad, slightly curved, with an angulated apex. Region of the main veins darker, with clusters of small, asymmetrical white spots in the median portion of tegmina ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ). Vein R slightly curved with several branches, branches almost straight reaching anterior margin of tegmina. Vein MA bifurcated near apex. Vein MP medially connected to vein MA by five transversal veins, forming a large rectangular-shaped cell. Vein MP slightly sinuate, parallel to posterior margin of tegmina, posteriorly with five bifurcated touching posterior margin of tegmina. Vein CuA and CuP slightly sinuous, parallel to ventral margin of tegmina, connected by small transversal veins, forming several rectangular cells ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 ). Left stridulatory file curved with numerous small narrow teeth close together; apical and basal teeth shorter than medial teeth ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ).

Legs. Fore and mid legs thin and straight ( Figs. 3F–G View FIGURE 3 ). Fore femur with portion median to the apical region with four ventral triangular black spines; fore tibia with eight small ventral spines, in lateral view ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ). Mid femur slightly recurved at the apex with four large ventral triangular black spines, with increasing size from base to apex, in lateral view ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ). Mid tibia with basal region slightly wide with three small dorsal spines; ventral side of tibia with six straight short spines, in lateral view ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ). Hind femur elongated, with the apical region slightly curved outwards; ventral region with nine large ventral triangular recurved black spines pairs of black spines, in lateral view ( Fig. 3H View FIGURE 3 ). Hind tibia slightly curved, with dorsal and ventral region with two rows of several short and curved spines, in lateral view ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). All legs with short bristles ( Figs. 3A, F–H View FIGURE 3 ).

Abdomen. Tergite X posteriorly slightly concave ( Fig. 3J View FIGURE 3 ). Cerci broad, slightly recurved inwards and decreasing in thickness at apex, where they terminate in a small curved spine, in dorsal view ( Fig. 3I–K View FIGURE 3 ); apex of cerci exceeding base of styli; cerci with several large bristles ( Figs. 3H–J View FIGURE 3 ). Subgenital plate subrectangular, laterally slightly curved and posteriorly bilobated, zone between base of styli triangular ( Fig. 3I View FIGURE 3 ). Styli small and elliptical ( Fig. 3I View FIGURE 3 ).

Internal male genitalia. Not examined.

Coloration. Description based on photos of live specimens ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ). General coloration dark brown, with variations of light and dark brown in some regions. Eyes light brown. Lateral sides of frons, area behind the eyes, dorsal region of pronotal disc, and stridulatory region of tegmina light brown, alternating laterally with a very dark brown area. Apical region of femora light brown; mid tibia with a dorsal light brown stripe; hind femur with two transverse light brown bands, one median and one apical. Abdomen and cerci dark brown with lighter, asymmetric spots.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. The epithet paleovarzeana results from the combination of the words paleo (referring to the Paleolithic period) and varzeana (related to seasonally flooded forests, regionally known as várzeas), in direct allusion to the environment, Paleovárzea floodplain forest, where this new katydid was collected Geographical records. Brazil: Amazonas ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Type material. Holotype ♂. BRASIL, Amazonas, Maraã, Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Amanã , Casa do Baré , 02°29’27.3”S – 64°42’31.6”W, 09.xi.2023, D.M.M. Mendes, C. Batista & R. C. Acosta leg. (1♂ INPA). GoogleMaps

Measurements (mm). Holotype ♂: TL: 32,9; TegL: 48,6; TegH: 11,1; WF: 4,1; PL: 11,3; FF: 13,6; FT: 13,4; MF: 13,6; MT: 13,6; HF: 32,8; HT: 35,6; Lplac: 3,8; LC: 3,4.

Calling song ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ). The species calling sound consists of a short phrase, with three syllables with moderate increasing intensity during the sound production. This signal lacks a regular temporal pattern, as males were observed to emit calls at irregular intervals throughout the night under captive conditions. The phrase is 0.04 ± 0.003 (0.0373 –0.0465) seconds duration, with three syllables each. The syllables have different durations and intervals between them, so they were analyzed independently. Syllable 1, shorter and with less intensity (dB), is 0.008 ± 0.0008 (0.007 –0.009) seconds duration. Syllable 2, with average values between syllables 1 and 3, has a duration of 0.011 ± 0.005 (0.010 –0.012) seconds. Syllable 3, which lasts longer and has greater intensity, has a duration of 0.15 ± 0.002 (0.011 –0.018) seconds. As with syllable duration, the interval between each syllable also varies; therefore, these parameters were analyzed independently. Interval 1, between syllable 1 and syllable 2, has 0.002 ± 0.0005 (0.001 –0.003) seconds duration, while interval 2, between syllable 2 and syllable 3, has 0.003 ± 0.0005 (0.002 –0.004) seconds duration.

Notes of Natural History and distribution. Pemba paleovarzeana sp. nov. is an inhabitant of paleo-várzea floodplain forest. This type of floodplain is characterized by highland areas that, although not seasonally flooded today, were periodically inundated in the past—during the Middle and Late Pleistocene (approximately between 781,000 and 11,700 years ago). At that time, sea levels were higher, resulting in significantly more extensive Amazonian alluvial plains than those seen today (Assis et al. 2014; Irion 1976). For this reason, these areas now act as ecotones between várzea (seasonally flooded forests) and terra firme (upland) forests, exhibiting a combination of geological and botanical characteristics from both ecosystems. These floodplains cover an area of at least 125,000 km ² along rivers such as the Coari, Jutaí, and Tefé in the central and western Amazon Basin. They also extend around numerous lakes (e.g., ria lakes) formed in the submerged lower valleys of smaller tributaries of the Amazon River, as well as along major whitewater tributaries such as the Purus and Japurá Rivers ( Junk et al., 2011).

The holotype of P. paleovarzeana sp. nov. was found at night in a forest edge area, in shrubby vegetation (about 1 m high), presenting behavior and niche typical of other Amazonian Teleutiini .

The type locality of P. paleovarzeana sp. nov., located at the Casa do Baré base within the Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Amanã, is located on the left bank of the Japurá River, within the Imeri area of endemism ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ). This region presents one of the largest gaps in Amazonian faunal information, especially regarding Orthoptera , with some taxa recently described for the area ( Mendes et al., 2023a; Mendes et al., 2023b). The record of P. paleovarzeana sp. nov. in this location is particularly interesting because, in addition to representing the first official record of the genus in Brazil, it considerably expands its distribution to the eastern Amazon—far from the records of the other species, located in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. These regions, with a much more pronounced Andean influence, belong to the areas of endemism of Napo and Imeri ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ).

However, the actual distribution of the genus may be even wider in the Amazon biome. When investigating the records of the group on the websites of citizen science (iNaturalist 2025), it is possible to clearly observe a female specimen of Pemba sp. recorded for French Guiana. This finding reinforces how little is known about the group and indicates that, with more studies and collections, new species will probably be discovered.