Varitrella? ocellata Gorochov, 2025

Gorochov, A. V., 2025, Taxonomy of Podoscirtinae (Orthoptera: Gryllidae). Part 17: some Madagascan genera and Varitrella, Russian Entomological Journal 34 (1), pp. 19-36 : 36

Varitrella? ocellata Gorochov , sp.n.

Figs 69–71 .

MATERIAL EXAMINED. Holotype ♀, Philippines, Luzon I., ~ 60 km NWW of Manila City, environs of Bataan National Park on Natibi Mt (14º44′37′′ N, 120º25′08′′ E), 600–700 m, forest, on leaf of bush at night, 19–21.II.2024, A. Gorochov, M. Omelko ( ZIN).

DESCRIPTION. Female (holotype). Body medium-sized, similar in structure to other representatives of Varitrella s.l., but general coloration rather dark: head light brown with dark brown dorsum and a pair of small spots on anterolateral corners of clypeus, whitish ocelli, brown upper parts of genae (after eyes) and most part of each antennal flagellum (pedicel also brown, but flagellum with sparse and small light brown to yellowish spots) as well as fuzzy marks on scapes; pronotum dark brown with a pair of brown spots on middle part of disc and small marks on middle and posterior parts of lateral lobes ( Fig. 69, 70 ); tegmina dark greyish brown with small yellowish basal spot on each humeral part, light brown venation of lateral fields and light greyish to whitish crossveins in these fields ( Fig. 70 ); legs brown with almost dark brown most part of all tibiae and apical part of hind femur; abdomen (including anal and genital plates) as well as venter of pterothorax light greyish brown; ovipositor brown with dark brown apical part. Ocelli clearly larger than in other congeners; median ocellus distinctly smaller than lateral ones but almost twice as wide as space between this ocellus and lateral one; rostrum between antennal cavities almost as wide as scape ( Fig. 69 ); pronotum slightly wider than long and somewhat narrowing to head; tegmina with longitudinal branches in dorsal field almost as in females of other congeners previously considered here, but crossveins in this field clearly irregular and rather dense, lateral field with Sc-R area having also irregular crossveins, Sc branches very numerous and oblique as well as with rather numerous and regular crossveins ( Fig. 70 ); genital plate with moderately deep posteromedian notch having rounded apex ( Fig. 71 ); ovipositor typical of Varitrella s.l. and approximately as long as hind femur.

Male unknown.

Length in mm. Body 21.6; body with wings 36; pronotum 3.8; tegmina 22.5; hind femora 16; ovipositor 15.5.

COMPARISON. The new species differs from all other congeners in the following combination of characters: a darker general coloration, larger ocelli (especially lateral ones; compare Figs 63 and 69 ), the genital plate with a rounded apex of its posteromedian notch, and the hind femur almost as long as ovipositor.

ETYMOLOGY. This species name is the Latin word “ocellata ” (big-eyes, with big ocelli) due to a large size of the ocelli in the new species.

Acknowledgements. This study was performed in the frames of the state research project No. 125012901042-9 ( Russian Federation).

Figures

Figs 58–71. Varitrella: 58–65 — V. (Cantotrella) contraria sp.n., holotype (58–61) and paratypes (62–65); 66–68 — V. (C.) sympatrica sp.n.; 69–71 — V.? ocellata sp.n. Head of male (58) and of female (63, 69) in front; anterior half of body from above/side and partly in front, male (59) and female (64, 70); male right tegmen (66) and its dorsal field (60); genital plates of male (61, 67) and of female (65, 71) from below; distal part of male abdomen from above/behind (62); male anal plate from above/behind (68). Рис. 58–71. Varitrella: 58–65 — V. (Cantotrella) contraria sp.n., голотип (58–61) и паратипы (62–65); 66–68 — V. (C.) sympatrica sp.n.; 69–71 — V.? ocellata sp.n. Голова самца (58) и самки (63, 69) спереди; переднЯЯ половина тела сверху/сбоку и частично спереди, самец (59) и самка (64, 70); правое надкрылье самца (66) и его дорсальнаЯ плоскость (60); генитальные пластинки самца (61, 67) и самки (65, 71) сниЗу; дистальнаЯ часть брюшка самца сверху/сЗади (62); анальнаЯ пластинка самца сверху/сЗади (68).