Nocticola appendiculata, Li & Liu & Chen & Wei & Yue & Qiu, 2025

Li, Ting-Ting, Liu, De-Xing, Chen, Jian, Wei, Xiao-Ya, Yue, Qiao-Yun & Qiu, De-yi, 2025, Three new species of the cockroach genus Nocticola Bolívar, 1892 (Blattodea, Corydioidea, Nocticolidae) from China, ZooKeys 1232, pp. 267-284 : 267-284

Nocticola appendiculata sp. nov.

Figs 7 A – P , 8 A – D

Type material.

Holotype: China • 1 ♂; Guangxi Province, Guilin City, Lingchuan County, Haiyang Town, Xiaofu Village , 25°15.17'N, 110°35.33'E; 329 m; 26 April 2024; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0033 . Paratype: China • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0034 to 0035 • 2 ♂; Guangxi Province, Guilin City, Lingui District, Huixian Town, Edi Village , 25°3.67'N, 110°10.25'E; 176 m; 29 April 2024; Hao-Fei Fan leg; ZSCTC -LI-0036 to 0037 .

Diagnosis.

The fourth abdominal tergum specialized tergal gland places the new species into the uenoi - species group. It closely resembles Nocticola currani Trotter, McRae, Main & Finston, 2017 in terms of the well-developed tegmina and fourth abdominal tergum specialized. It differs from N. currani as follows: 1) wings curved, longer than tegmina and extending beyond the end of abdomen, while in N. currani wings reduced, not extending beyond the first abdomen; 2) ventral of L 3 hook with ~ 10 strong setae scattered, while in N. currani with 11 long and strong setae clustered on distal end below the curve of L 3 hook; and 3) accessory hook-like phallomere (L 4 N) inner margin curved and smooth at distal end, whereas L 4 N is spear-shaped, with longitudinal ribbing of distal end in N. currani . In addition, the tegmina of this species are distinctly longer than the end of the abdomen, with a small appendicular field, while the tegmina of N. australiensis Roth, 1988 , N. uenoi kikaiensis Asahina, 1974 , N. uenoi miyakoensis Asahina, 1974 , N. uenoi uenoi Asahina, 1974 and N. rohini ( Fernando, 1962) are shorter than the end of the abdomen, and without appendicular field.

Measurements (mm).

Male, pronotum: length × width: 1.01–1.21 × 1.08–1.29, tegmen: 2.66–2.87, wings: 3.05–3.26, overall length (including tegmen): 4.08, body length (the length from the tip of vertex up to the tip of abdomen): 2.48–2.65. Female, pronotum: length × width: 1.10 × 1.33; body length (the length from the tip of vertex up to the tip of abdomen): 3.50.

Description.

Small size. Nymphs whitish (Fig. 8 B ). Body yellowish. Male (Figs 7 A, B , 8 B, C, D ). Head: vertex of head exposed; eyes reduced; ocelli absent (Fig. 7 D ). Pronotum ovoid, densely pubescent, hind margin weakly concave, anterior and lateral margins with 12 setae (Fig. 7 B ). Tegmina and hind wings: tegmina extending beyond the end of abdomen, with a small appendicular at the apical (Fig. 7 H ). Wings inflexion, longer than tegmina and extending beyond the end of abdomen, veins indistinct, with some setae. Hind wings are placed on both sides of the abdomen and not covered by the tegmina (Fig. 7 A, B, I ). Legs: legs long and slender. Anteroventral margin of front femur Type C 1 (Fig. 7 G ); the first tarsus of the hind leg longer than the sum of the remaining tarsi; tarsal claws symmetrical and unspecialized (Fig. 7 L ), arolium and pulvillus absent (Fig. 7 O ). Abdomen and genitalia: second and third abdominal tergum deeply concave on hind margin, exposing the gland of the fourth abdominal tergum. Fourth abdominal tergum specialized, median area has dense setae convex and a large and deep invagination; Posterior margin has three convexities, with the middle one being smaller than the two sides (Fig. 7 J, K ). Supra-anal plate symmetrical, middle of the hind margin concave (Fig. 7 N ). Subgenital plate symmetrical, middle of the hind margin weakly concave (Fig. 7 M ). Style absent. Male genitalia of left phallomere: L 3 elongate, ventral to hook with ~ 10 strong setae scattered; L 4 N inner margin smooth; L 2 narrow; L 1 long, apex of left process slightly curved towards L 4 N. Male genitalia of right phallomere: R 1 medial border with several long setae; R 2 sinuate protrusion, with scale-like tubercles; R 3 membranous; R 1 H reduced, rounded margin, with scale-like tubercles (Fig. 7 P ).

Female: Apterous (Fig. 8 D ). Supra-anal plate triangular, transverse of hind margin, U-shaped invagination slightly to the right in the middle of hind margin. Subgenital lobate (Fig. 7 C, D ). Cerci with 11 segments; ventral surface of segments without spinous setae.

Etymology.

The specific name is derived from the Latin word appendiculatus, in reference to the extended appendicular field of tegmina.

Distribution.

China (Guangxi).

Figures

Figure 7. Nocticola appendiculata sp. nov. A male, dorsal view B male, ventral view C female, dorsal view D female, ventral view E pronotum F head G front femur H tegmen I wings J, K male T 4, dorsal view L tarsal claw N supra-anal plate, ventral view M subgenital plate, dorsal view O hind tarsus, male genitalia P phallomeres. Abbreviations: L 1, L 2, L 3, L 4 G, L 4 N, L 4 M: sclerites of the left phallomere (L 1 situated in the central dorsal wall; L 2 arch-shaped sclerite situated in the ventral to L 1; L 3 situated in the left wall protrudes a large hook-process; L 4 G situated in the posterior ventral wall of the ventral lobe; L 4 N accessory hook-like phallomere; L 4 M situated in the ventral wall); R 1, R 2, R 3, R 1 H: sclerites of the left phallomere (R 1 situated in the dorsal or ventral walls, or in the posterior part of dorsal and ventral wall; R 2 a ridge on the ventral margin; R 3 plate-like situated in the anteriormost ventral wall; R 1 H a larger lobed situated in the dorsal wall, with extensions into the ventral wall).

Figure 8. Habitats of Nocticola appendiculata sp. nov. from China A habitats of N. appendiculata sp. nov. B nymphs and an adult of N. appendiculata sp. nov. on wood C N. appendiculata sp. nov., side view D female and male of N. appendiculata sp. nov. mating.