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Supplementary information for


description (Kevan 1989)

Content:  copied from http://www.redpav-fpolar.info.ve/entomol/v05/0501b001.html (January 10, 2007)

Cocconotus unicolor, new species

It is with some diffidence that I describe this species, as it is known from but 2 males, one with damaged abdominal terminalia, but it is quite distinctive, and it would seem preferable not to leave it indescribed, coming, as it does, from the same geographical area as do the other species discussed herein. Is does not seem to be closely related to these and is possibly nearest to the Colombian C. gracilicauda Beier. 1960, though it lacks the four blackish spots on the frons and has characteristically long male cerci and styli.

Holotype, male : TRINIDAD, Morne Bleu, 2800 ft., nr. summit on small palm in high bush, 8.II.1942, D.K. McE. Kevan coil. In Lyman Entomological Museum, McGill University, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Québec, Canada.

Size moderate for genus.

Head: in anterior view almost parallel-sided: eyes scarcely protruding beyond genae; middle ocellus rather small, antennal scape more or less cylindrical, with short, blunt, terminal process, antennal scrobes projecting for less than one-third of length of scape and scarcely beyond apex of fastigium of vertex, space between their apices less than the length of a scrobe; maxillary palpi long, fifth segment longer than third, fastigium of vertex very narrowly triangular, apically acute, basal tubercles distinct; genae, frons and clypeus smooth, virtually unpunctured, lateral frontal carinae low but distinct throughout, genal carinae low, obsolescent dorsally.

Thorax: pronotum granulate, but rather indistinctly so on lateral lobes, almost parallel-sided in dorsal view, very slightly longer than broad, anterior margin of disk distinctively convex, posterior margin also convex, metazona rather flat but distally with definite (though not laterally carinate) "shoulders", transverse sulci of disk strong, anterior one crossing disk before one-third of its length, posterior ("typical") sulcus crossing well beyond middle, intersected by a distinct, median, longitudinal groove extending from about middle of mesozona to anterior part of metazona, and descending obliquely forward across the lateral lobe (uniting with anterior transverse sulcus) to meet its inferior margin somewhat before its middle, latter somewhat sinuous, slightly oblique, ascending slightly distad; prosternal spines relatively short, very acute; lateral loves of meso and metasterna only moderately acute and directed slightly mesally, sternal grooves rather shallow.

Wings: tegmina and hind wings at rest extending far beyond hind knees; anterior field of tegmen distinctly less closely reticulate than postradial field, left stridulatory area rather small and with but a single distinct proximal cross-vein.

Legs: anterior femora with 3, middle femora with 3 (or 4 in paratype (right only)), posterior femora with 6 ventral spines (right proximal one greatly reduced) (paratype with 7 left); anterior genicular lobes unarmed, others with a very small spine on inner lobe (in paratype, right middle femur lacks spine); posterior tibiae dorsally with 6 left and 7 right outer, and 10 left and 12 right inner spines, ventrally with 9 outer and 8 inner spines (paratype with 8 and 7 respectively).

Abdomen: last abdominal tergum convex dorsally, posterior margin slightly rounded and with a transverse median depression; supra-anal plate bluntly triangular; cerci very long and slender (except at base) strongly tapered and inwardly curved and somewhat rugose, apices finely pointed; subgenital plate slightly curved upwards in lateral view (Fig. 6D), in ventral view more than three times as long as basal width, gradually narrowing from base to apex, strongly carinate laterally, apex with a shallow excision; styli long, slender cylindrical, slightly curved upwards, a little less than half length of subgenital plate.

Coloration: more or less uniform light brown to testaceous (appendages paler); eyes mottled; fastigium blackish dorsally and immediately above median ocellus, later pale, narrowly margined blackish; labrum blackish-brown; mandibles reddish-brown, apices black; hind wings infumated; penultimate segments of tarsi infuscated; femoral and tibial spines and spur, and tarsal claws pale, tipped reddish-brown to blackish. Measurements: body (without subgenital plate) cat 30.5, pronotum 6.2, tegmen 34.5 x 6.2, stridulatory field 3.0 x 2.1, speculum 2.0, anterior femur 9,9, middle femur 10.0, posterior femur 19.5, subgenital plate (median, without styli) 6.9, styli 2.7 mm.

Paratype: 1 male, same data and depository as holotype.

Agrees very well with holotype but is very slightly smaHer with damaged abdominal cerci and lacking styli. The spines on the legs differ in number, as indicated in the description.

Etymology: From the almost complete lack of dark pigmentation.

Source of information:  Kevan, D.K.M. 1989. A new genus and new species of Cocconotini (Grylloptera: Tettigonioidea: Pseudophyllidae: Cyrtophyllinae) from Venezuela and Trinidad, with other records for the tribe. Boletín de Entomología Venezolana. 5(1):1-17

Date last modified:  Wednesday, January 10, 2007


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