Latitatagraecia vulgivaga Rentz, Su and Ueshima 2021, Gen. et sp. nov.

Latitatagraecia vulgivaga 8 Rentz, Su and Ueshima Gen. et sp. nov.

ANIC number Gen. No. L 1 sp. 1

(Fig. 1F, Figs 14 A-K; Fig. 20H; Table 4, Map 6)

18 Named for the uncertainty of locating specimens even though the proper habitat may be searched.

Common name. Dry-litter Secretive Katydid

Holotype male. 1. “ 31 o 4’S 121 o 6’EW. A. Coolgardie 14 Km S. by W. 10 November 1999. DCF Rentz YN Su Stop 187”. 2. “Collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 1.xii.99”. 3. “ ANIC database #14008753”. Holotype in Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra.

Type locality. The type locality was red clay soil with small rocks and was vegetated by large Salmon Gums, Saltbush, Atriplex sp. with a prostrate Prostanthera sp. around the base of the trees. The holotype was found amongst the dead twigs at the base of a salmon gum tree.

Paratypes. Western Australia. 30 o 53’S 121 o 10’E 9 km N. Coolgardie 5.x.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 128 1 male, ANIC). 31 o 6’S 121 o 5’E 19 km S. by W of Coolgardie, 10.xi.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 188, 1 male, collected as nymph, matured in laboratory 10.xii.1999, ANIC). 30 o 40’S 118 o 55’E 38 km NNW of Bullfinch 10.ix.1981 (DCF Rentz, Stop 96, 1 male, 1 female, 6 third instar nymphs, ANIC). 30 o 58’S 149 o 6’E Bullfinch, near “Sons of Gwalia” Mine 10.xi.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 183, 3 males, 2 females, ANIC). 31 o 5’S 119 o 23’E 16.7 km SE Bullfinch, 10.xi.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 185, 1 male, 1 last instar male, ANIC). 31 o 16’S 119 o 21’E 6 km SE of Southern Cross, road to Marvel Loch, 26.x.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 132, 1 male, 1 female, ANIC). 31 o 17’S 119 o 45’E 41.6 km E by S of Southern Cross, 10.xi.1999 (DCF Rentz, YN Su, Stop 186, 1 last instar male and female, 1 female, ANIC).

Measurements. Table 4

Differential diagnosis. Male. Differs from L. kalamaya principally in the shape of the cercus (Figs 14 H-J), the dark colour of many specimens, the presence of the dark patch on the outer pagina of the hind femur (Fig. 14A) and the elongate paraprocts of the male (Fig. 14C). The internal margin of the male cercus is minutely serrate (not easily seen in Fig. 14J).

Female. The subgenital plate is broader than long; cercus conical, expanded basally. Ovipositor shorter than length of hind femur (Table 4), gracefully upcurved.

Colouration. The overall colour of this species is very dark, especially on the pinned specimens. The head is very dark, especially in the region of the genae. The pronotum is almost uniformly black in some specimens. The outer pagina of the hind femur is usually dark (Fig. 14A) or light with an elongate dark stripe.

Habitat. This species seems to prefer the dry leaf litter and dead twigs under eucalypts.

Seasonal occurrence. L. vulgivaga occurs from late spring and probably extends its activity into summer.

Stridulatory file. Fig. 20H. The stridulatory file comprises 19 principal teeth with the usually few small teeth at the distal end. The proximal teeth are rather widely spaced.

Song. The calling song of this species has not been documented.

Karyotype. Not documented.

Discussion. L. vulgivaga is a member of the Southwestern Interzone Community in the Coolgardie Botanical District as depicted by Beard (1990). This area is semi-arid and receives 200-300 mm of annual precipitation. This is a complex biotic association and it will be interesting to see how this katydid fits in and if it is absent in areas where understory vegetation is reduced. For example, there are abrupt changes from the sand plain to the Mulga (Acacia aneura). We suspect the katydids will not be found much beyond the distribution as we now represent it (Map 6).

Characters useful for the discrimination of Latitatagraecia Species

L. kalamaya

Most specimens very light, appearing bi-coloured, lateral portions of the body dark, dorsal portion of head and abdomen lighter; hind femur without a longitudinal stripe (Fig. 13A), sometimes faint. Male paraprocts short. Female with subgenital plate broader than long (Fig. 13C), apices convergent; cercus rather constricted at base.

L. vulgivaga

Colouration very dark; hind femur often uniformly dark. Male paraprocts very elongate (Fig. 14C), divergent; cercus minutely serrate on internal margin (Figs 14I, J). Female with cercus not constricted at base.