Obolopteryx tamaholipana n. sp., Barrientos-Lozano & Rocha-Sánchez

Figs. 51–68

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:491297

Type material. Holotype ♂ and allotype ♀. Mexico, San Luis Potosí: Taninul, 76 m, 27.VII.2002, Lat. 21°57’00.38”N, Long. 98°53’17.65”W, Barrientos-Lozano L.

Paratypes. Mexico. Tamaulipas: 1 Ƌ, Rd. Ocampo-Mante, km 30, 383 m, 12.VII.2007, Lat. 22°49.307’N, Long. 99°15.413’W, Barrientos-Lozano L.; 1 Ƌ, Hwy. 80, 30 km prior to Tampico, 40 m, 19.VI.2016, Lat. 22°27.696’’N, Long. 97°59.109’’W, Barrientos-Lozano L., Rocha-Sánchez A. Y. & Fernández-Azuara G. J.; 2 ♀, Hwy. 70, Villa de Casas-Soto La Marina, km 50, 223 m, 13.VIII.2010, Lat. 23°40.516’N, Long. 98°40.311’W, Barrientos-Lozano L., Méndez-Gómez B. R. & Rocha-Sánchez A. Y.; 1♀, Aldama, Sierra de Tamaulipas, San José de las Cañadas, 325 m, 22.VII.2009, Lat. 23°03’39.7’’N, Long. 98°16’57.6’’W, Barrientos-Lozano L., Méndez- Gómez B. R. & Rocha-Sánchez A. Y.; 3 Ƌ, 2♀, Hwy. 180, Soto La Marina-Aldama, km 113, 313 m, 13.VIII.2010, Lat. 23°37.666’N, Long. 98°22.126’W, Barrientos-Lozano L., Méndez-Gómez B. R. & Rocha-Sánchez A. Y. San Luis Potosí: 2 Ƌ, 2 ♀, same data as holotype. Veracruz: 1 Ƌ, Rd. 39, Estación Manuel-Ébano, Km 11, Rancho El Gualul, 21 m, 10.XI.2001, Lat. 22°18’13.35”N, Long. 98°22’42.25”W, Barrientos-Lozano L.

Diagnosis. This species may be compared with O. castanea (Rehn & Hebard, 1914). Characters useful to separate O. tamaholipana n. sp., from O. castanea are as follows: fastigium of vertex smaller and distally more produced, in dorsal view, fastigium frontalis compressed, distally more produced and prominent than in O. castanea (Figs. 53a, 53b vs. 19a, 19b). Eyes larger and more prominent, pronotum less constricted mesially and more voluminous (Fig. 52, 66 vs. 18). Different shape and size of the stridulatory file (Fig. 54 vs. 20), in O. tamaholipana n. sp., the length of the stridulatory file is 8.3 mm, with ca. 85 teeth and 10 teeth mm (8–17); the length of analogous structure in O. castanea is 8.3 mm, ca. 147 teeth and 18 teeth mm (8–35). Tenth tergite membranous projection (Fig. 56a, 58 vs. 22) wider, and posterior margin weakly excised, not so in O. castanea. Epiproct conspicuously excised posteriorly (Fig. 56 b vs. 22), almost straight in O. castanea. Cerci (Figs. 55, 57–58 vs. 21, 23–24) more robust in general, dorsal thumb sub-cylindrical distally broader, ventral shaft stouter and more produced distally, not so in O. castanea. Subgenital plate (Fig. 58 vs. 24) excised shallow U-shape distally, forming broader and shorter lateral angles, in O. castanea deep U-shape excised and lateral angles more elongated. Internal genitalia as shown in Figs. 59–60 vs. 25–26. In females, the pronotum is slightly less constricted mesially and more voluminous (Fig. 62 vs. 27), the ovipositor more elongated, average 9.3±0.2 vs. 8.0 ± 0.1 mm (Fig. 63 vs. 28). The subgenital plate is sub-rectangular, distally less excised than in O. castanea, with broader distal external angles (Fig. 65 vs. 30).

Description of males (alive). Large size and body slender, general color dark green, dorsally dark brownblackish (Figs. 51, 66). Face whitish-green with two broad dark brown-reddish bands, one each side beneath the eyes. Eyes (Fig. 52) sub-circular very prominent. Fastigium of vertex white compressed, sub-conical, in contact with the fastigium frontalis, in dorsal view (Fig. 53a); fastigium frontalis as shown in Fig. 53b. Vertex and occiput dark-brown, head’s median carina white for about the proximal 3/4; antennae’s sockets whitish-brown, scape and pedicel dark brown-reddish, flagellum proximal portion dark-brown remaining portion blackish, with creme joints. Post ocular band white, extending onto pronotum and abdomen sides. Pronotum (Figs. 52, 66) brown, sculptured, moderately constricted mesially, anterior and posterior margins emarginated; typical sulcus on pronotal disc shallow U-shape moderately projected over the metazone; lateral lobes of pronotum (Fig. 66) wider than deep, ventral margin white and slightly emarginated. Tegmina dark-brown-blackish, ventral margin, veins and stridulatory area white, surpassing the first abdominal tergite posterior margin. Fore and mid femora proximal portion green, distally orange; hind femora proximal half green, with black marks dorsally and ventrally, then orange, the distal portion black, knees orange; tibiae with a proximal orange ring, external face black, inner face yellowish. Abdomen dorsally dark-brown-blackish, tergites’ posterior margin with broad white marks, along midline turquoise green. Tenth tergite membranous projection sub-circular, posterior margin shallowly excised (Fig. 56a). Cerci as shown in Figures 55, 57–58. Epiproct (Fig. 56 b) broadly excised distally. Subgenital plate (Fig. 58) as described in diagnosis. Internal genitalia as shown in Figs. 59–60.

Description of females (alive). Similar to the males. General body color dark-green, dorsally dark brownblack (Figs. 61, 67). Pronotum (Figs. 62, 67) reddish-dark brown. Tegmina about twice broader than long, intertegmina space 1.5± 0.1 mm. Ovipositor (Fig. 63, 67) moderately produced, evenly curved, ventral margin darkgreen, dorsal margin reddish-brown. Subgenital plate (Figs. 64 –65) as described in diagnosis; ovipositor’s lobe and basal sclerites as shown in Figs. 64 –65.

Measurements (mm). M ales: Body length from vertex to end of abdomen: 21.2±1.0 (19.8–22.3). Pronotum length: 4.4±0.3 (3.9–4.6). Tegmina length: 3.8±0.2 (3.6–4.0). Fore femur length: 10.4±0.3 (10.0–10.9). Mid femur length 11.3±0.2 (11.0–11.4). Hind femur length: 25.1±0.9 (23.6–26.1). Females: Body length: 21.2±0.6 (20.2– 21.7). Pronotum length: 5.2±0.3 (4.8–5.5). Tegmina length: 0.9±0.1 (0.8–1.0). Fore femur length: 9.2±0.3 (8.8– 9.4). Mid femur length: 10.3±0.3 (10.0–10.7). Hind femur length: 24.8±1.2 (23.6–26.7). Ovipositor length: 9.3±0.2 (9.1–9.7). Inter–tegmina space: 1.5±0.1 (1.3–1.6).

Distribution (Fig. 130). O. tamaholipana n. sp., has been collected from south, Tamaulipas to eastern San Luis Potosí. It occurs from about sea level to 400 m.

Habitat (Fig. 68). O. tamaholipana n. sp., inhabits the southern portion of the State of Tamaulipas and eastern San Luis Potosí. Climate in the region is generally warm and humid because of the influence of the Gulf of Mexico. This species seems well adapted to a variety of climatic conditions. From steppe at the municipality of Villa de casas where the average year temperature is 21°C and the annual mean rainfall is 860 mm, through the warm temperate climate at the low lands of the Huasteca Region, which is characterized by an average annual temperature of 23–25°C and abundant rainfall (~ 800–1600 mm per year). Although, O. tamaholipana n. sp., distribution area is mountainous, the species lives at the lowlands feeding on thorny shrub and low forest secondary vegetation.

Etymology. The specific name “ tamaholipana ” refers to the Huasteca word from which the State of Tamaulipas derives its name; it means "high mountains".