Adelosgryllus megapterus Merlo & Castro-Souza & Junta & Ferreira 2022, n. sp

Adelosgryllus megapterus n. sp. (Figures 46–51, 52–59, 60–62, 63–64, 65–71, Table 3) Material examined. Holotype ♂, code ISLA 66157, Brazil, Minas Gerais state, Conceição do Mato Dentro municipality, Resgate cave (18º 55’ 41.593” S; 43º 25’ 10.146” W), 12.iv.2018, CARSTE leg. Holotype condition: right tegmen and legs detached, and maintained in holotype’s tube. Paratypes, 3 ♂♂ (ISLA 64193, ISLA 64208 and ISLA 64206) and 1♀♀ (ISLA 64165), ISLA 64193 and 64206 same data of holotype, ISLA 64208 and 64165 collected in 05.v.2018, all specimens collected in same locality of holotype. Distribution. Known only to Resgate cave (18º 55’ 41.593” S; 43º 25’ 10.146” W), Conceição do Mato Dentro municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the presence and size from second pair membranous wings present in some adult males of this species, from the Latin “ megapterus ”, mega = large, pterus = wing. Diagnosis. Combination of the following characteristics: superior inner base of paramere 1 quadrangular-shaped with slight bulging (ventral view) (Ps.P1, Fig. 47); paramere 2 slightly inclined towards pseudepiphallic median projection (dorsal view) (Ps.P2, Fig. 46); rami dilated, acuminate apex and poorly sclerotized (very similar to A. spurius) (R, Figs 47, 48 and 50); pseudepiphallic posterior projections poorly sclerotized, quadrangular-shaped, a little less developed compared to A. lucifugus and A. xambioa n. sp. (Ec.Pr, Fig. 50); ectophallic fold well sclerotized, lateral border slightly directed outward (Ec.F, Fig. 47); endophallus slightly less sclerotized (when compared to A. ferratilis n. sp.), circular-shaped and vertically elongated (similar to A. ferratilis n. sp.) (End.Sc, Fig. 47). Description, male holotype. Similar to A. ferratilis n. sp. with the following differences: body dark brown and head slightly orange, possibly discoloration occurred after fixation in ethanol 70% (Figs 52 and 53); compound eyes with a depigmented well pronounced upper region near the scape insertion (Fig. 52), vestigial ocelli; pronotum dark brown, well darkened and pubescent, marked with a whitish vertical band and a slight horizontal band, absence white spots (Fig. 54); Right tegmen: well sclerotized, covering the first four or five abdominal tergites (Fig. 55). Lateral field (in lateral view, Figs 55 and 64): diagonal (DV) and subcostal (SC) veins well marked, connected to each other by poorly marked irregular veins; radial (R) vein with five branches towards outside; medial (M) and radial (R) veins connected to each other by well-marked irregular veins. Field (in ventral view, Fig. 63): harp with reticular veins in the first three distal cells; mirror with reticular veins in all cells, with a narrower proximal part of triangular shape (similar to A. xambioa n. sp.); second pair membranous wings developed occur below the tegmina (Figs 55 and 56); subgenital plate darker and acuminate at apex (Fig. 57); supra-anal plate darker (Figs 58 and 59); stridulatory file with 102 teeth. Observations in Paratypes. Male phallic sclerites: Similar to A. ferratilis n. sp. with the following differences: phallic complex less sclerotized, but more sclerotized than A. xambioa n. sp. (Figs 46–50); Pseudepiphallic: superior inner base of paramere 1 quadrangular-shaped with slight bulging (ventral view) (Ps.P1, Fig. 47); paramere 2 slightly inclined towards pseudepiphallic median projection (dorsal view) (Ps.P2, Fig. 46); rami dilated, acuminate apex and poorly sclerotized (very similar to A. spurius) (R, Figs 47, 48 and 50); Ectophallic invagination: posterior projections poorly sclerotized, quadrangular-shaped, a little less developed compared to A. lucifugus and A. xambioa n. sp. (Ec.Pr, Fig. 50); ectophallic fold well sclerotized, lateral border slightly towards outside (Ec.F, Fig. 47). Endophallus: endophallic sclerite slightly less sclerotized (End.Sc, Fig. 26). Female (Figs 65–71, ISLA 64165). Same coloration as holotype (Fig. 65), body size bigger than the holotype (11.382 mm); small wings triangular-shaped (Fig. 65); supra-anal plate darkened and with white spots, trapezoidalshaped, with two small lateral projections, rounded at apex, with long apical bristles (Figs 67 and 68); subgenital plate light brown, short, V-shaped (Figs 66 and 67); ovipositor elongated and thin (5.255 mm), size proportional to tibia III, sword format at apex (Figs 65–67 and 69–71). Copulatory Papilla (Fig. 51: a, b and c, ISLA 64165): well sclerotized, circular-shaped (similar to A. lucifugus), with an extensive opening, in the half moon shape, reaching more than 2/3 of the structure in dorsal view (Fig. 51c); lateral face sclerotized (similar to A. lucifugus) (Fig. 51b), apex slightly concave, with a ventral indentation followed by a less sclerotized region (in white), base with a large membranous opening half moon shape in ventral view (Fig. 51a). Ecological Remarks Since the specimens of Adelosgryllus megapterus n. sp. were not collected by any of the authors of this study, there is no information regarding its habitat preferences. However, as for other species herein described, despite the fact that the species was only found inside a cave, it does not exhibit any troglomorphic traits, thus not being a caverestricted species. Accordingly, it is likely that the species’ distribution is much wider than currently known.
Published as part of Merlo, Rayanne Lays Sant'Ana, Castro-Souza, Rodrigo Antônio, Junta, Vitor Gabriel Pereira & Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes, 2022, Expanding the taxonomic knowledge of Adelosgryllus Mesa & Zefa, 2004 (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae): description of four new species for Brazilian subterranean habitats, pp. 83-109 in Zootaxa 5133 (1) on pages 94-95, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5133.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/6521377