Poecilimon pala, Ünal, 2025

Ünal, Mustafa, 2025, Taxonomic notes on Phaneropterinae and Tettigoniinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from the Palaearctic Region, Zootaxa 5687 (1), pp. 1-77 : 24-25

Poecilimon pala Ünal, sp. nov.

( Figs. 99–113 )

Type locality. Turkey: Kastamonu Prov., PınarbaŞı Distr. , Kutlugedik Vill., 1000 m .

Description. Male (Holotype). Fastigium of vertex very narrow, 3.3 times narrower than antennal scape, compressed laterally, therefore its apex more angular (not rounded), with a weak dorsal fossa; in some males slightly wider. Pronotum ( Figs. 101 , 102 ) cylindrical in prozona, slightly flattened and widened in metazona; paranota compressed laterally, therefore shoulders distinct; pronotum not high in lateral view; anterior part of prozona weakly, metazona gradually and gently raised in lateral view; anterior margin slightly concave, posterior margin slightly convex in dorsal view. Tegmina ( Figs. 101 , 102 ) slightly narrower than posterior margin of pronotum; reaching slightly beyond the end of the first abdominal tergite. Hind femur without ventral spines. Supra anal plate weakly wider than long, rounded at hind margin. Cercus ( Figs. 103, 104 ) relatively slender, basal part narrow conical, weakly incurved; apical 1/3 part gradually and gently incurved, posterior margin and dorso-inner margin of cercal apex armed with a row of denticles, these 2 rows meet at apex; this serrated part narrow in dorsal view, gradually and roundly downcurved in posterior view ( Fig. 107 ), with a single apical denticle; posterior margin with 10, dorso-inner margin with 6 denticles except the apical one. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 106 ) long, more than twice as long as wide; distal part narrow, with a deep and narrow posterior incision, which deeper than wide; lateral lobes thickened and incurved.

Female (Allotype). Fastigium of vertex narrow, 2.9 times narrower than antennal scape, with a more distinct dorsal fossa than male. Pronotum ( Figs. 110, 111 ) compressed laterally during the drying process, therefore not in natural form; almost cylindrical, slightly widened in posterior third; anterior margin weakly raised, remaining part straight in lateral view; anterior and posterior margins almost straight in dorsal view. Tegmina scale-like laterally, fully concealed under pronotum. Hind femur without ventral spines. Supra anal plate slightly wider than long, rounded at hind margin. Cercus narrow conical, apical fourth slightly incurved, apex blunt. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 112 ) triangular, almost twice as wide as long, with a triangular depression in the middle at the base. Ovipositor ( Fig. 113 ) narrow (not high) and long, 2.2 times longer than pronotum, 6.3 times longer than its height in the mid part; apical serrated part widened, with 6 upper, 10 lower apical teeth; gonangulum narrow, its posterior margin straight; basal fold of lower valve almost triangular, slightly bent upwards.

Colouration. In dry specimens, green colour replaced with creamish milky-brown. Body milky brown, with black spots, bands, reddish and yellow parts. Face yellowish cream. Antennae black with narrower (than black rings) yellowish cream rings. Occiput with 2 large black maculae, remaining dorsal surface of head, prozona of pronotum, all legs including tibias, abdomen and basal third of upper valve of ovipositor with dense, numerous, black spots. Dorsal sides of all tibias with a thin brown stripe along their lengths; ventral margins of femora with 2 parallel black stripes except basal half of hind femur; inner and outer sides of hind femora with a black band in the middle. Metazona of pronotum reddish in both sexes. Tegmina yellow in both sexes. Female first abdominal tergite yellow. Anterior margins of abdominal tergites (beginning from the second tergite) with irregular, in different size and sometimes partly transversal black bands, which sometimes divided into 3 parts (as 2 lateral, 1 central); apical third of male cercus black.

Discussion. The populations of this new species were considered as P. naskrecki in Ünal (2003), which is a closely related species. It is separated from P. naskrecki mainly by the shape of the male cercus (in P. naskrecki , male cercus stouter, apical third strongly and sharply incurved, with 13 posterior and 3–5 dorsal denticles; serrated apical part wide and stout, very weakly or not downcurved) and the shape of longer and narrower ovipositor (in P. naskrecki , ovipositor not very long and higher, 1.7 times longer than pronotum and 5 times longer than its high in the mid part; gonangulum wider and rounded at posterior margin; basal fold of lower valve of ovipositor rounded, larger and more vertical). Other differences from P. naskrecki as follows: the narrower fastigium of the vertex (in P. naskrecki , rounded and wider), the male pronotum (in P. naskrecki , pronotum higher and anterior margin and metazona strongly raised), the male subgenital plate (in P. naskrecki , distal part distinctly wider and its posterior incision wider than its depth). The general appearance and apical configuration of the male cercus are also similar to P. similis . But, the shape of the stouter male cercus, male subgenital plate with deep posterior incision, and the shape of the longer ovipositor are very different. Moreover, both species are in different species groups.

Measurements (mm). Holotype (male). Length of body 19; pronotum 4.1; tegmina visible 2; hind femur 13.3. Allotype (female). Length of body 18.3; pronotum 4.3; hind femur 13.7; ovipositor 9.5. Paratypes. Length of body: male 17.8–19.9, female 18.8–19.9; pronotum: male 3.7–4.6, female 4.1–4.4; tegmina visible: male 1.2–2.5; hind femur: male 12.8–14.8, female 14.8–15.1; ovipositor: 8.8-9.6.

Material examined. TURKEY: Turkey : Kastamonu Prov., PınarbaŞı, Kutlugedik Köyü , 1000 m, 19.7.2001, 4 males (including holotype) , 1 female; Kastamonu Prov., PınarbaŞı-Ulus, UrŞan Köyü , 700 m, 19.7.2001, 5 males ; Kastamonu Prov., Azdavay-Daday , 1200 m, 21.7.2001, 2 males ; Kastamonu Prov., Şenpazar, Dağlı Köyü , 680 m, 20.7.2001, 1 male ; Karabük Prov., Eflani, Çiftçiler-Yağlıca , 980 m, 19.7.2001, 5 males, 3 females (leg. M. Ünal ) ( AİBUEM).

Etymology. The Palaic people were inhabitants of the ancient “Pala” region in Anatolia, which existed from an unknown date until around 1180 BC. This area corresponds mainly to the present-day Western Black Sea (Batı Karadeniz) Region of Turkey, located in northwestern Anatolia. The Palaic people are considered one of the oldest societies in Anatolia, emerging just after the Hattians. This new species is found in the same region of Anatolia.

Remarks. The specimens of this new species were considered as P. naskrecki by the author ( Ünal 2003). The present large collections of all species of Poecilimon in Turkey and neighbouring countries and regions (based on the type specimens and rich material) convinced its separate status, which is determined by stable characters also in different populations.

Figures

FIGURES 82–101. 82–93 Poecilimon helleri zeybek ssp. nov., 82 male habitus, dorsal view; 83 male head, pronotum and tegmina, lateral view; 84 ditto, dorsal view; 85 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 86 male left cercus; 87 male subgenital plate, ventral view; 88 female habitus, lateral view; 89 ditto, dorsal view; 90 female head and pronotum, lateral view; 91 ditto, dorsal view; 92 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 93 ovipositor. 94–98 Poecilimon zimmeri, 94 labels; 95 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 96 ditto, ventral view; 97 male dorso-lateral view; 98 female lateral view. 99–101 Poecilimon pala sp. nov., 99 male habitus, lateral view; 100 ditto, dorsal view; 101 male head, pronotum and tegmina, lateral view.

FIGURES 102–124. 102–113 Poecilimon pala sp. nov., 102 male head, pronotum and tegmina, dorsal view; 103 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 104 male left cercus; 105 male cerci, posterior view; 106 male subgenital plate, ventral view; 107 male tip of subgenital plate, posterior view; 108 female habitus, lateral view; 109 ditto, dorsal view; 110 female head and pronotum, lateral view; 111 ditto, dorsal view; 112 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 113 ovipositor. 114–121 Poecilimon bosphoricus bosphoricus, 114 male (lectotype) habitus, lateral view; 115 ditto, dorsal view; 116 male (lectotype) end of abdomen, dorsal view; 117 male (lectotype) subgenital plate, ventral view; 118 female (paralectotype) habitus, lateral view; 119 ditto dorsal view; 120 female (paralectotype), ovipositor; 121 labels of lectotype. 122–124 Poecilimon bosphoricus septemlacus ssp. nov. 122 male habitus, lateral view; 123 ditto, dorsal view; 124 male head, pronotum and tegmina, lateral view.