Gymnotettix occidentalis Bruner & L. 1901

Gymnotettix occidentalis Bruner (Plate III, figs. 5-10.)
1901. Gymnotettix occidentalis Bruner, Biol. Cent.-Amer., Orth., 11, p. 21. [(Immature) 9 ; Rio Sarstoon, British Honduras.] 10
Under the generic treatment we have already discussed the
9 This species is dichromatic, possessing a brown phase, which may be rare, judging from present material. In that phase no scarlet is present on any part of the body.
10 While the type was said to be from British Honduras, the Rio Sarstoon forms the southern boundary of British Honduras and its right bank as well as the entire upper course is in Guatemala. The genus is also unrepresented in considerable series of Orthoptera now in our hands from southern British Honduras. These points are mentioned merely to show that occurrence on the Rio Sarstoon does not necessarily mean presence in British Honduras. immature condition of the unique type of this, the genotypic, species. No further comment is necessary here, other than that the exceedingly brief (three line) specific description of occidentalis gives no feature which would distinguish the type from the pair here discussed. The description does, however, emphasize the reddish color of the lateral lobes of the pronotum and of the apex of the abdomen, while it makes no specific comment on the color of the coxae, which are such striking features of the color pattern of lithocolletus, combined with the absence of scarlet from the latter's pronotum.
The following description of an adult male and female should assist in the recognition of this species, so imperfectly known previously.
c? ; Piedras Negras, Usumacinta River, Department of Peten, northern Guatemala. Elevation, 600 to 800 feet. June 30, J 933(David W. Amram, Jr.) [Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila.]
Size medium ; surface of body almost entirely micro-shagreenous, dully glistening.
Head with occiput appreciably ascending, in dorsal aspect regularly narrowing to the fastigium, which in width equals slightly more than one-fifth the entire width of the head across the eyes (as 13 to 60), but very faintly surpassing the eyes cephalad and transversely truncate with latero-cephalic angles sharply rounded, slight lateral bordering carinulae indicated, median carina obsolete; fastigium in profile rounded rectangulate ; facial line with inter-antennal arcuation occupying about half of length of face; frontal costa more deeply sulcate in the area of the inter-antennal arcuation than elsewhere, becoming shallow dorsad toward the fastigio-facial angle: eyes moderately prominent, greatest width across same slightly greater than width of head at clypeal base, ovoid in basal outline, subacute ventro-cephalad, in greatest depth equal to 1.65 times depth of infra-ocular portion of genae. Antennae subequal in length to face dorsad of clypeus, relatively slender, distal broadening very gradual from third article; distal article faintly subspatulate, in part concave dorsad.
Pronotum subsellate, but dorsal line nearly straight in profile, emargination of caudal margin of disk slight; in lateral view greatest (caudal) depth is subequal to dorsal length, ventral margin oblique, very faintly concave, caudal margin nearly straight, very obscurely bisinuate; impressed sulcation on ventral two-thirds of lateral lobes median, subvertical, inclining slightly cephalad, distinct. Mesonotum and metanotum distinctly tectate, caudal margins transverse truncate.
Tenth abdominal tergite with median emargination over twice as broad as deep, strongly concave, caudo-lateral angles limiting same developed into decurved, elongate, acute, sublinguiform lobes covered with rasp-like asperities; lateral portions of margin of tergite, encircling bases of cerci, shallowly concave, with the
ventro-caudal angle rounded rectangulate. Ultimate tergite (supra-anal plate) with greatest proximal width subequal to median length, lateral margins acute converging distad, subsigmoid, apex sharply acute, faintly decurved; dorsal surface with a pair of marked straight oblique, converging, rounded ridges, which join at the apex of the tergite. Cerci slightly compressed in proximal two-thirds, in lateral aspect slightly narrowing distad in the same area; distal third sharply inbent at but slightly less than a right angle, enlarged and thickened, vertically truncate at the broadened apex and at the disto-dorsal angle furnished with a suberect, incurved, uncinate tooth, vicinity of the disto-ventral angle supplied with a few shagreenous denticulations. Ultimate sternite (subgenital plate) with its major portion relatively short, transverse, subscaphiform ; distal margin with the subparallel lateral sections short, straight, unspined, median section of margin developed into an erect, lanceolate lamellate process, with its greatest proximal width subequal to its median length, the margins concavely notched laterad at the base of the process thence, distad slightly arcuate, acute convergent to the apex, supplied with numerous, but generally spaced, slightly recurved denticulations; in lateral view the process is seen to incline slightly caudad, with the tip curving more strongly in that direction ; ventral (i. e. caudal) surface of production distad briefly subcarinate mesad. Fourth sternite with nodose protuberance of caudal section broadly rounded but strongly marked, non-compressed.
Cephalic femora twice as long as pronotum. Median femora but faintly shorter than cephalic pair, slightly more robust. Caudal femora surpassing apex of abdomen by about two and two-thirds times the pronotal length.
9 ; Same data as described male.
Differing from the above description of the male in the following noteworthy features.
Size above medium for Episacti.
Head with width of fastigium slightly less than a fourth of width of head across eyes (as 18 to 76), as seen from dorsum fastigium is as a whole arcuato-truncate, less flattened than in the male ; facial line with inter-antennal arcuation less elevated than in male; frontal costa less deeply sulcate immediately dorsad of the median ocellus; greatest width across eyes and of head at clypeal base subequal; eyes in greatest depth equal to 1.17 times depth of infra-ocular portion of genae. Antennae damaged.
Pronotum with dorsal portion of lateral lobes bearing obscure traces of longitudinal low carinulae, these disconnected and evanescent cephalad and caudad.
Tenth abdominal tergite broadly V-emarginate dorso-mesad, the tergite severed and the emargination continued as a shallow groove-like depression mesad across the ninth tergite; caudo-ventral angles produced ventrad of cerci and infra-cereal plates into acute lobes. Ultimate tergite (supra-anal plate) subcompressed laterad, with sculpture of dorsal disk showing in proximal three-fifths a longitudinally disposed broad-ovate area, shallowly impressed within the peripheral margin and this divided in two longitudinally by a further shallow impression, which arcuately widens proximad and distad, distal portion transversely arcuate, apex as seen from dorsum slightly acute. Cerci falling slightly short of apex of ultimate tergite, regularly tapering, apex acute. Ovipositor valves with external margin of dorsal valves more strongly and serrately dentate than internal margin, distal third of dorsal surface of same valves concavo-excavate, lateral areas of dorsal valves subdeplanate; ventral valves with median tooth of ventro-internal margin marked, transversely disposed but not entirely crossing valve, surface divided into two planes at this tooth, the proximal deplanate, the distal distinctly concavo-excavate. Ultimate sternite (subgenital plate) with medio-distal production rectangulate at apex.
Cephalic and median limbs proportionately somewhat shorter than in male. Caudal femora surpassing apex of ovipositor by faintly less than pronotal length.
Coloration. — General tone of males dull orange-citrine to dark citrine, lightening on the limbs to aniline yellow and darkening on the venter of the abdomen and much of the preapical portion of the dorsum of the same to medal bronze. The females, apparently discolored in this respect by desiccation, are more uniformly medal brown on the body as a whole, the limbs showing evidence of having been more uniformly aniline yellow to old gold. Head in the males medal bronze with blotchings of orange-citrine; eyes largely fuscous, in females marked obliquely (drying?) with buckthorn brown; antennae orange-citrine. Pronotum with ventral half of side washed with scarlet-red, females show evidence of same through its general discoloration. Coxae of body color ; mesosternum of males distinctly and metanotum weakly washed with scarlet-red. Apex of abdomen, in the males involving tenth and ultimate tergite, cerci and ultimate sternite and portions of the ninth tergite and ninth sternite, solidly scarlet-red to carmine, doubtless very vivid in life ; in the females before us the abdominal apex is largely discolored and the extent of the scarlet cannot be determined, although traces of it can be seen on the ovipositor and ultimate tergite. Caudal tibiae dull olivaceous, with fuscous carinae and blackish spines and spurs; caudal tarsi courge green, clouded with fuscous distad, spines blackish.
Supplementing the pair described above we have received for study from the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, two males and one female from the Cuyamapa Valley, a tributary branch of the Sula Valley of northwestern Honduras, taken September 1 by Stadelmann. These individuals are inseparable
in structural features from the Piedras Negras specimens, but are very much larger, as the measurements given above demonstrate. The coloration, as far as preserved, would indicate in life a vivid brilliancy, probably equal to that known in the other species of the genus.
Measurements (in millimeters)
Length of Length of Length of
body pronotum caudal femur
cf, Piedras Negras, Guatemala 14
<?, Cuyamapa Valley, Honduras 21
0", Cuyamapa Valley, Honduras 17
9 , Piedras Negras, Guatemala 21
9 , Cuyamapa Valley, Honduras 25 7 2.85 15.7 7 2.6 15
5 319 18.5
Distribution. — From extreme northwestern Guatemala south and east to the Rio Sarstoon district of eastern Guatemala, and the eastern arms of the Sula Valley of northwestern Honduras (Cuyamapa Valley). Apparently the species does not occur across the Continental Divide on the Pacific slope, and, in Honduras at least, it is there replaced by the following species. The latter, however, seems partial to an environment of different character from that found where occidentalis has been taken. Gymnotettix lithocolletus 12 new species (Plate I, fig. 1; pi. Ill, figs. 11-15.)
This very striking and distinctive species can at once be distinguished from occidentalis by the form of the tenth tergite, the cerci, the ultimate tergite (supra-anal plate) and of the ultimate sternite (subgenital plate) of the male, as well, in both sexes, as by the absence of scarlet from the pronotum and the almost invariable presence of striking scarlet areas involving the cephalic and median coxae.
Type. — cf ; Cantarranas, Rio Choluteca, Department of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Elevation, 2200 feet. August 4, 1930. (AcademyEmlen-Worth Expedition; J. A. G. Rehn.) [Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Type no. 5531.]
Size slightly smaller than in G. occidentalis; surface subglabrous to micro-shagreenous, the pronotum laterad particularly subglabrous, body as a whole more glistening than in G. occidentalis.
11 Apex of abdomen sharply recurved.
12 From Xi0ok6XXtjto?, inlaid with precious stones, in allusion to its gem-like brilliancy in life. Head with truncation of fastigium, as seen from dorsum, slightly more rounded laterad, width and production of same as in occidentalis ; profile of fastigium and obsolescence of median carina of same as in occidentalis; facial line with inter-antennal arcuation slightly less marked than in occidentalis; frontal costa similar to that of occidentalis but slightly wider ventrad of the paired ocelli; eyes in profile faintly narrower than in occidentalis, slightly shorter proportionately, the greatest depth equal to 1 .48 times depth of infra-ocular portion of genae. Antennae appreciably longer than face dorsad of clypeus (as 86 to 76), more slender than in occidentalis, distal article similar to that of latter species but less robust.
Pronotum in general as in occidentalis but ventro-cephalic angle less broadly rounded and more truly obtuse-angulate, while the ventro-caudal angle is sharper and more nearly rectangulate, the caudal portion of the ventral margins being more distinctly truncate and less broadly arcuate; caudal margin of lateral lobes virtually straight, not bisinuate ; lateral lobes with several low cicatriform areas longitudinally disposed dorso-mesad, these not true carinae, broken by the vertical impressed sulcus; median vertical sulcus as in occidentalis, with in addition two parallel, closely intermarginal ones near the caudal margin, that nearer the margin weaker and less extensive.
Tenth abdominal tergite with median emargination twice as broad as deep, truncate subcuneate, the bottom of same arcuate truncate, the lateral portions of the margin diverging caudad, straight oblique, caudo-lateral angles limiting emargination slightly acute, somewhat decurved, but not elongate lobes as in occidentalis, surface asperities of angles distinct but smaller and more numerous than in occidentalis; lateral portions of margin of tergite, encircling cereal bases, as in occidentalis, but caudo-ventral angle faintly acute produced. Ultimate tergite (supra-anal plate) with greatest (median) width contained slightly more than one and one-half times in length of tergite (as 22 to 35), the shape of the tergite subpyriform, evenly narrowing proximad from widest point, and filling the emargination of the tenth tergite, the margins sinuately converging distad to the sublinguiform, acute apex, which reaches to the cereal apices when the cerci are in their usual position ; dorsal surface of ultimate tergite with most of the distal two-thirds shallowly concave within the lateral margins, no indications present of converging carinate ridges, such as occur in occidentalis. Cerci proximad subcompressed as in occidentalis, dorsally carinate in that area, as seen from the dorsum the proximal half is slightly incurved, the distal half is strongly incurved but not bent, the slender distal fourth directed inward at slightly more than a right angle to the axis of the proximal half of the cercus; in profile the depth of the cercus tapers evenly from a deep base to the slender, subcompressed, forcep-like distal fourth, apex narrowly blunt acute with faint traces of single dorsal and ventral minute denticulations. Ultimate sternite (subgenital plate) with its proximal portion as in occidentalis but median production of distal margin slightly shorter and broad lanceolate, its height not more than two-thirds its proximal width, the lateral sections of the margin passing into that of the process without distinct notches as in occidentalis, the converging sides of the production nearly straight, the apex broadly rounded, the border of the whole production evenly supplied with larger, more distinctly recurved denticu
lations than in occidentalis; in lateral view the production is seen to follow the regular convexity of the more proximal portion of the sternite. Fourth sternite with nodose protuberance more compressed and distally subtruncate than in occidentalis.
Cephalic femora one and seven-tenths times the pronotal length. Median femora virtually subequal to cephalic in length, more robust. Caudal femora with inflated proximal portion slightly broader than in occidentalis.
Allotype. — 9 ; Same data as type except date is August 9, 1930. Differing from the above description of the male in the following noteworthy features.
Size when compared with female of occidentalis even smaller proportionately than the male of the present species; surface as in male.
Head with truncation of fastigium, as seen from dorsum, faintly more rounded laterad than in male; facial line with inter-antennal arcuation distinctly shorter, lower and less evident than in male; frontal costa shallower in sulcation than in male; eye in depth equal to 1.3 times infra-ocular portion of genae along supplementary carinae. Antennae distinctly shorter than in male, shorter than face, the ratio of length to that of face dorsad of clypeus being 68 to 80.
Apex of abdomen when compared with the same area of G. occidentalis with the ninth and tenth tergites medio-longitudinally deeply and narrowly sulcate, expanding caudad on tenth tergite to receive base of the much narrower, acute lanceolate ultimate tergite (supra-anal plate), the apex of which is sharply acute, while the dorsal surface is concavo-excavate in the proximal half and there with a very finely impressed medio-longitudinal sulcation, the distal half of same surface subdeplanate but not at all excavate, lateral areas of ultimate tergite vertical, subconcave, in proximal half separated from concave dorsum by sharply carinate lateral margins of latter. Cerci as in occidentalis. Ovipositor with dorsal valves much as in occidentalis; ventral valves with teeth of ventro-lateral margins larger and without intercalated denticulations as in occidentalis, median tooth of ventral surface as in latter. Ultimate sternite (sub-genital plate) with median production elongate, subcuneate, its lateral margins subparallel in proximal half, then concavoacute convergent to the slightly upcurved apex.
Cephalic and median limbs proportionately somewhat shorter than in the male. Caudal femora surpassing apex of abdomen by less than pronotal length.
Coloration. — This species is dichromatic, but the far rarer brown phase has been seen in but two adult specimens, both females. The green phase is certainly the dominant condition at the type locality and probably represents the more usual condition of the species.
The following color description was made from a freshly killed green phase male, and we give it from the original field notes before presenting a more detailed analysis from the dried material. Body above shining emerald green, turning turquoise blue on the head, apex of abdomen solidly carmine, above several abdominal segments before apex becoming pale turquoise blue with transverse black patches proximad, a medio-longitudinal fine black line. Eyes black; antennae black with two proximal segments pearl ; postocular line black. Lateral lobes of pronotum of dorsal color with slight golden tendency; pleura in part and coxae of cephalic and median limbs carmine ; remainder of mesopleura and metapleura turquoise blue ; caudal coxae whitish. Lateral aspects of abdomen turquoise blue ventrad of lateral series of black patches ; venter of abdomen pearl; mesoand metasterna turquoise blue with greenish reflections; base color of all limbs greenish straw yellow, lined with black.
The dry material is naturally far less brilliant than the gem-like effulgence of the freshly killed insect. It shows, however, the extent of variation seen in a long series, and also presents the color tones seen in the cabinet specimen. Taken with the above notes on the life colors, the following specific and detailed analyses of dried material should be of service.
Green phase. — General body color ranging from sulphine yellow to olive-yellow, quite dull on the head, washed to a variable depth and extent with dull fuscous black, as a whole the more elevated surfaces or sculpture of the body moderately polished and in consequence more evident. The general fuscous black infuscation ranges from a recessive extreme in which on the head bordering dark areas throw into relief the facial carinae and the fastigium, occiput and postocular areas are largely infuscate, on the pronotum the more deeply sculptured areas alone are infuscate, the mesoand metanota and pleura, and abdomen except apex are infuscate as on the pronotum, except that the sides of the abdomen in the region of the spiracles is more heavily infuscate, the sternum is medal bronze, the limbs as a whole with the carinae lined with fuscous and the caudal tibiae basically very weak glaucous; to an intensive extreme in which the infuscation is so general and pronounced that the head, pronotum, mesonotum, metanotum and abdominal terga except for the apex are almost wholly very dark fuscous citrine, but small areas, chiefly marginal, on the lateral lobes of the pronotum and a series of paired quadrate
blotches on the abdominal dorsum being all showing sulphine yellow to citrine, the pleura largely sulphine yellow, the sternum medal bronze to citrine, the limbs as in the recessive extreme except that the pale glaucous of the caudal tibiae is more marked, while the caudal femora are distinctly infuscate distad. Eyes generally dresden brown to mummy brown, rarely as light as buckthorn brown, often the two tones are mottled one with the other. Antennae fuscous black with two to three proximal articles cream. Apex of male abdomen, embracing everything distad of the eighth tergite and sternite, the prothoracic pleura and cephalic coxae, the cephalic surface of the meso-episternum and the apex of the more lateral surface of the same area, and the median coxae vivid scarlet to light carmine; in the female sex the involvement is similar except that of the abdominal apex includes the distal margin of the eighth tergite and the entire ultimate sternite (subgenital plate), while the ovipositor jaws are of the base color, except proximo-laterad where the scarlet suffusion is indicated.
Brown phase. — General color buckthorn brown to pale dresden brown, with broad lateral dull fuscous black bars extending from the postocular areas to the sides of the eighth tergite, the bars complete except for a diagonal paler linear interruption laterad on the pronotum and occasionally (one specimen) in part obsolete ventrad on the three proximal abdominal tergites; face ranging from the greenish of the green phase to dull ochraceous-buff ; antennae dull vertiver green, darker distad, paler proximad, but with the two proximal articles light ochraceous-buff, the second in part annulate with fuscous; eyes as in green phase; ventral surface as dorsal surface ; limbs ranging from much as in green phase to a pale buckthorn brown, in the latter the carinal infuscation is broken at many points and producing an interrupted "ticking" of the usually firm pencilling. No scarlet present anywhere in the brown phase.
Immature material shows the major elements of the adult coloration back to at least the second instar preceding material. The scarlet markings, however, are weak in the instar preceding maturity and almost absent in that next preceding. In life, however, this coloration was more evident than the dry immature material would indicate, but never as vivid as in the adults. At least one individual in the instar preceding maturity (August 4) represents the brown phase.
Measurements (in millimeters)
Length of Length of Length of
body pronotum caudal femur
c Cantarranas, Honduras, type 13 . 4 13 2 . 10 1 1 . 5
<? , Cantarranas, average of eleven
paratypes 14.3 2. 11 11. 6
(13. 7-15. 8) (2.01-2. 18) (11-12.3)
d", Minas de Oro, Honduras 13.9 2.26 12.5
9 , Cantarranas, Honduras, allotype 17.5 2.26 12.8
9 , Cantarranas, average of eleven
paratypes 18.7 2.31 13.2
(16.9-20.9) (2.18-2.43) (12. 8-13. 9)
9 , Minas de Oro, Honduras 20 2.85 16.5
Paratypic Series.— In addition to the type and allotype we have before us a series of one hundred and forty paratypic adult individuals (fifty-six males and eighty-four females) taken at the type locality, on various dates between July 19 and August 9, 1930, by the Academy-Emlen-Worth Expedition of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, in the collection of which it is contained.
Distribution. — Known from the upper valley of the Rio Choluteca and the Comayagua district in southern and central Honduras. The two localities from which the species is known are Cantarranas in the former valley, and Minas de Oro, approximately thirty miles northeast of the city of Comayagua and near the Rio Sulaco.
Morphological Notes. — The extensive Cantarranas series is very uniform in structure, but the single pair from Minas de Oro is slightly (d 1 ) to appreciably (9) larger than the average, or in some respects at least in the female sex than the maximum, from Cantarranas. The female from Minas de Oro is also noteworthy in having the lateral margins of the distal production of the ultimate sternite (subgenital plate) less narrowly produced and
13 The apex of the abdomen of the type is more strongly recurved than usual, and in consequence the body length is relatively short.
more evenly conical in outline. The shape of the distal extremity of the same production, however, is as in the Cantarranas material. It is possible a series of females from Minas de Oro may show variation in the shape of the above mentioned lateral margins.
Biological Notes. — The semi-arid Pacific tropical element extends up the courses of at least certain of the rivers of western Honduras, and at Cantarranas on the upper Rio Choluteca we find well represented a flora strongly suggestive of that of the slopes bordering the Gulf of Fonseca. This is rich bush vegetation with clumps of trees, often of acacia-like types, some large and spreading, open potreros with low mimosas, occasionally cacti, and dense tangles of higher trees, climbing lianes and vines along the rather shallow river. Here in low cover, from near the ground to not over five feet above it, the present species was locally abundant. The preferred habitats included garden weeds in the neglected grounds of an old hacienda, in potreros, and similar weedy cover along jungly trails. Generally a pair would be found near one another, rarely in coitu, always reasonably active irrespective of sex. The brilliant living coloration made them exceptionally conspicuous.
Our first visit to Cantarranas was made July 19 to 20, when but five adults were taken, the majority of the specimens seen, twelve of which were taken, being immature. At least the two instars immediately preceding maturity were secured at that time. The second visit was August 2 to 9, during which time a steadily increasing proportionate number of adults was seen. On the 4th it was noted that about half were still immature, but no immature specimens were taken or noted after the 5th. On the 4th two out of ten immature females taken were in the second instar preceding maturity, the others being in that immediately preceding maturity. All immatures taken on the 5th (four) were in the instar preceding maturity.
The brown phase was specifically noted in the field, and one immature female taken August 4 is distinctly representative of this type. Both color phases were taken under the same conditions and at the same time.
Specimens examined: 177; 57 d 85 9, 12 immature d 23 immature 9. Honduras: Cantarranas, Rio Choluteca, Department of Tegucigalpa; elevation 2200 feet; July 19-20 and August 2-9, 1930; (Academy-EmlenWorth Expedition; J. A. G. Rehn, J. T. Emlen, Jr. and C. Brooke Worth); 56 <? type and paratypes, 84 9 (allotype and paratypes), 12 immature d 23 immature 9 ; [A. N. S. P.], Minas de Oro, Department of Comayagua; (J. B. Edwards); 1 d 1 9 ; [Mus. Comp. Zool.].