Sphingonotus (Sphingonotus) axeli Husemann & Hawlitschek, 2026, sp. nov.

Résumé fourni par la source

Sphingonotus (Sphingonotus) axeli sp. nov. Fig. 2 Type material. Holotype: • 1 ♂, Portugal, Selvagens-Inseln, Selvagen-Grande, P. Wagner, 2001. SEL- 046-01. ZFMK. Paratypes: • 2 ♂♂, MNHN - EO-Caelif- 3184, - 3185; [previous identification label] Sphingonotus rubescens rubescens (Walker), M. Descamps det. 1964; Grande Salvage, 24-7 - 63, Johanin leg; • 6 ♀♀, MNHN - EO-Caelif- 3186 to - 3190, - 3192; [previous identification label] Sphingonotus rubescens rubescens (Walker), M. Descamps det. 1964; Grande Salvage, 24-7 - 63, Johanin leg. All in MNHN, besides one male and one female at SMNK. Etymology. The new species is named after Prof. Dr. Axel Hochkirch, in honor of his important work in the conservation of Orthoptera, also in the Macaronesian archipelago. The first author also is grateful to Axel as he as BSc and MSc advisor of MH sparked his interest in the genus Sphingonotus and in grasshoppers in general. The name is a Latinized genitive of his first name. Distribution. The species is endemic to the Salvage Islands (Portugal) and to date is only known from the main island (Selvagem Grande). Description of the holotype. Habitus as typical for the genus; small to medium size: length from fastigium of vertex to end of tegmina 18.4 mm. Coloration. Color pattern similar to other Sphingonotus species, brown to beige. Ventrally light beige. Head bluish grey. Antennae alternating dark and light brown. Outer lower area of hind femora whitish; inner lower area light beige. Inner side of hind femora dark with one incomplete and one complete light band before the knee. Hind tibiae bluish grey with brown spines, spines light at the base, tip dark. Tegmina translucent brownish with irregular darker markings, veins mostly beige, distal part with darker veins. Hindwings not visible. Head: Antennae filiform, longer than head and pronotum together. Frontal ridge slightly concave with lateral carinae, widest part slightly below antennae at level of ocellus. Fastigium verticis straight; lateral carinulae and central carina present. Fastigial foveolae triangular, small, clearly visible. Thorax: Pronotal disc rugose with three complete transverse sulci; median carina present in anterior part of prozona and in metazona, raised in complete metazona; posterior margin almost rectangular (slightly acutely angled) with rounded tip; lateral carinae of metazona missing or just slightly developed; upper hind angles of pronotum comparatively steep (“ shoulders ”). Metazona of pronotum longer than prozona (see measurements). Mesosternal interspace wider than long. Wings: Tegmina in basal part densely reticulated, narrow. Intercalary vein largely straight, slightly bent posteriorly, with fine and dense serration. Costal margin expanded. Hind femora: Hind femora longer than wide (see measurements). Spurs of hind tibiae of normal length; not elongated. Arolium small (slightly less than half of claw length). Abdomen: Tympanum large, as high as long, broadly rounded; ventral lobe covering about 30 % of anterior part of opening. Basal outer areas and apical area of supra-anal plate slightly concave, margins lightly elevated, basal part trilobite, outer lobes with strongly thickened ridges appearing similar to spines from above, tip broadly rounded. Cerci short, about as long as outer margins of supra-anal plate. Sub-genital plate trilobite, intermediate parts concave. Measurements as in Table 1. Male paratypes. As in holotype, but slightly differing in dimensions (see table). Coloration duller (likely more discolored). Hind wings transparent, slightly hyaline with darkened veins, no dark or colored bands. Frontal ridge slightly concave with lateral carinae, widest part between antennae and level of ocellus. Fastigium verticis straight; lateral carinulae present, central carinae in one specimen absent (MNHN - 3185). Fastigial foveolae triangular, small, less distinct than in holotype. Basal outer areas and apical area of supra-anal plate slightly concave, margins lightly elevated, basal part trilobite, outer lobes with thickened ridges appearing similar to spines from above, but less so than in holotype. Females. Habitus as typical for the genus; medium size: length from fastigium of vertex to end of tegmina 24.6 and 27.4 mm. Coloration: Color pattern similar to other Sphingonotus species, brown to beige. Ventrally light beige. Head bluish grey. Antennae alternating dark and light brown. Outer lower area of hind femora whitish; inner lower area light beige. Inner side of hind femora dark with one incomplete and one complete light band before the knee. Hind tibiae bluish grey with brown spines, spines light at the base, tip dark. Tegmina translucent brownish with irregular darker markings, veins mostly beige, distal part with darker veins, no dark or colored bands. Hind wings transparent, slightly hyaline with darkened veins. Head: Antennae filiform, longer than head and pronotum together. Frontal ridge slightly concave with lateral carinae, widest part between antennae and level of ocellus or at level of ocellus. Fastigium verticis straight; lateral carinulae present, central carina visible only in some individuals. Fastigial foveolae triangular, small, indistinct. Thorax: Pronotal disc rugose with three complete transverse sulci; median carina present in anterior part of prozona and in metazona, raised in complete metazona; posterior margin almost rectangular (slightly acutely angled) with rounded tip; lateral carinae missing or slightly developed in metazona; upper hind angles of pronotum comparatively steep (“ shoulders ”). Metazona of pronotum longer than prozona (see measurements). Mesosternal interspace wider than long. Wings: Tegmina in basal part densely reticulated, narrow. Intercalary vein largely straight, slightly bent posteriorly, in parts dissolved, no visible serration. Costal margin expanded. Hind femora: Hind femora longer than wide (see measurements). Spurs of hind tibiae of normal length. Arolium small (slightly less than half of claw length). Abdomen: Tympanum large, as high as long, broadly rounded; about 30 % of the opening is anteriorly covered by the ventral lobe. Valves of ovipositor short, margins darkened. Sub-genital plate widening posteriorly, posterior margin straight; distal half with two depressions separated by a ridge; depressions with a distal dot. Supra-anal plate obtusely angled without further features. Measurements as in Table 1. Differential diagnosis. Sphingonotus (Sphingonotus) axeli sp. nov. is endemic to the Savage Islands, where only a single additional species of the genus Sphingonotus is known from: the widespread Sphingonotus (Sphingonotus) rubescens. The two species are distinguished by the different shape of the intercalary vein: S-shaped in S. rubescens and rather straight in S. (Sphingonotus) axeli sp. nov.; and by the differently angled metazona of the pronotum: slightly acutely angled in S. axeli sp. nov., slightly obtusely angled and more rounded in S. rubescens. Furthermore, they differ in size, with S. (Sphingonotus) rubescens being the larger species. The other non-endemic, more widespread species in the Macaronesian islands are S. (Neosphingonotus) canariensis and Sphingonotus (Sphingonotus) savignyi. Both species can be easily distinguished by the dark wing band on the hind wings (beyond a variety of other differences). Sphingonotus (Neosphingonotus) canariensis furthermore has the typical stridulatory apparatus of the subgenus Neosphingonotus (elevated cross veinlets between radius and media), whereas the new species has the typical serrate intercalary vein in males. Further material studied. Sphingonotus (Sphingonotus) rubescens. Savage Islands: • 1 ♂: MNHN - EO-Caelif- 3183, Sphingonotus rubescens (Walk.), det. B. Uvarov 1936, S. coerulans 4, Chopard det., Museum Paris, Grande Salvage, 2 Tage 6.8. 33. • 1 ♀: MNHN - EO-Caelif- 3193, Sphingonotus rubescens rubescens (Walker), M. Descamps det. 1964, Grande Salvage, 24.0. 63,

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