Aclodes oscari, Carvalho & Ferreira, 2025

Aclodes oscari sp. nov.

( Figures 37–42 View FIGURES 37–42 , 43–50 View FIGURES 43–50 , 51–57 View FIGURES 51–57 , 58–61 View FIGURES 58–61 ; Tables 3 View TABLE 3 and 4 View TABLE 4 )

Etymology —The specific epithet honors Colombian orthopterologist Dr. Oscar J. Cadena-Castañeda for his purposeful commitment to the study of Neotropical Orthoptera , which have led to significant discoveries in the field. It is rendered as a Latinized adjective, recognizing his expertise, contributions and impactful work in this area.

Material examined — Holotype ( ISLA 126153 ), ♂, Colombia, Santander, El Peñón, La Tronera cave (73°48’40.65”W, 6°5’21.43”N), 19.viii.2023, R.L. Ferreira; condition: genitalia dissected, right tegmen and right hind-leg detached and stored alongside the holotype, left hind-leg missing GoogleMaps . Allotype ( ISLA 126154 ), ♀, same data as the holotype; condition: right hind-leg detached and stored alongside the allotype, left hind-leg missing GoogleMaps . Paratypes: ( ISLA 126155 , ISLA 126156 , ISLA 126157 ), 3 ♀♀, same data as the holotype GoogleMaps . Paratypes condition varied: ISLA 126155—left hind-leg missing; ISLA 126156—right hind-leg missing; ISLA 126157—left and right hind-legs detached and stored alongside the paratypes.

Diagnosis —Combination of the following characteristics: posterior portion of the pseudepiphallic median lophi m-shaped; apical lobes of the pseudepiphallic median lophi curved dorsally, tapered at the apex, and ventrally covered in elongated setae; posterior projection of the dorsal pseudepiphallic parameres longer than the posterior projection of the ventral parameres; ectophallic apodeme inclined gradually away from the center of the genitalia; ectophallic lateral bars sclerotized and sinuous, with a mall acute projection on the ventral inner margin near the apex, pointing towards the center of the genitalia; anterior portion of the endophallic sclerite elongated and Vshaped.

Male genitalia (holotype ISLA 126153, Figs 37–42 View FIGURES 37–42 )—Phallic complex longer than broad and medially broadened. Pseudepiphallus: median lophi divided into anterior and posterior portion; anterior portion sclerotized, convex, with a secondary, less sclerotized bump in the center, anterior margin triangular, dorsally projected and inclined towards the anterior region of the body ( Figs 38 and 39 View FIGURES 37–42 , Ps.ap); posterior portion slightly sclerotized, central region more sclerotized than the rest of the structure, dorsally covered in setae, lateral segments of the junction area with the median lophi anterior portion concave, posterior margin m-shaped, bearing two lateral projections—the pseudepiphallic apical lobes ( Figs 38, 40 and 42 View FIGURES 37–42 , Ps.pp); apical lobes sclerotized, moderately elongated, curved dorsally, sinuous in dorsal and ventral views, broadened at the base and tapered at the apex, which is fin-shaped and ventrally covered in setae, akin to A. guane sp. nov. ( Figs 37 View FIGURES 37–42 to 42, Ps.al); arms sclerotized, subtriangular, broadened laterally, and posteriorly connected to the pseudepiphallic apical lobes ( Figs 38 and 39 View FIGURES 37–42 , Ps.arm ); ventral parameres sclerotized, exhibiting a dorsal projection running parallel to the dorsal parameres (Ps.p2), characterized by a rounded apex pointing towards the posterior end of the genitalia while slightly curving away from its center, ventrally subtriangular in shape (in ventral view), articulated with the ectophallic lateral bars (Ect.lb), region near the apex of the ectophallic lateral bars more sclerotized than the rest of the structure, internally concave, similar to A. guane sp. nov. ( Figs 37, 39 and 42 View FIGURES 37–42 , Ps.p1); dorsal parameres sclerotized, ventrally concave and accommodating the ventral paramere dorsal projection, inner margin more sclerotized when compared to the remainder of the structure, posterior projection longer than the ventral paramere (Ps.p1) dorsal projection, with a rounded apex pointing directly towards the posterior end of the genitalia ( Figs 37 and 42 View FIGURES 37–42 , Ps.p2); rami elongated, longer than the ectophallic apodeme (Ect.ap), broadened at the base, tapered at the end, triangular in shape in lateral view, proximal half externally concave, distal half internally concave, apex curving towards the central axis of the genitalia ( Figs 37 View FIGURES 37–42 to 40, R). Ectophallic invagination: ectophallic arc well-developed, sclerotized, dorsally projected, central portion ventrally concave, located between the pseudepiphallic posterior portion and the base of the endophallic sclerite, posterior margin connected to the membranous sheath surrounding the endophallic sclerite posterior portion (End. sc.p), anterior margin roughly conical ( Fig. 38 View FIGURES 37–42 , Ect.arc); apodemes slightly sclerotized, elongated, as long as the endophallic sclerite, distal half curving away from the central axis of the genitalia (in dorsal view) ( Figs 38 View FIGURES 37–42 to 40, Ect.ap); lateral bars well-developed, sclerotized, sigmoid, ventrally projected, reaching the ventral apex of the ventral paramere, broadened near the apex, which is fin-shaped, ventral inner margin with a small acute projection towards the center of the genitalia ( Figs 37, 39 View FIGURES 37–42 to 41, Ect.lb). Endophallus sclerite: anterior portion well-developed, sclerotized, V-shaped (in ventral view), with a long membranous apodeme on the opposite side of the central groove, akin to a keel, similar to A. guane sp. nov. ( Figs 37 and 42 View FIGURES 37–42 , End.sc.a); duct short and highly sclerotized, roughly heart-shaped in ventral view ( Figs 37 and 42 View FIGURES 37–42 , End.sc.d); posterior portion inserted in the central ventral concavity of the pseudepiphallic median lophi posterior portion, but not connected to it, semi-circular, sclerotized, with two small ear–like folds on each side, surrounded by a trapezoidal and membranous sheath, which has in its posterior central portion a U-shaped sclerotized region ( Figs 37, 41 and 42 View FIGURES 37–42 , End.sc.p).

Male body morphology and color (holotype ISLA 126153, Figs 43–50 View FIGURES 43–50 )— Body color: vertex brown, lighter than that of Aclodes guane sp. nov. and without distinct stripes; ocellar regions yellow and of larger diameter than in Aclodes guane sp. nov.; fastigium, frons, and subgena dark brown, darker than in Aclodes guane sp. nov., covered with yellowish spots; gena coloration pattern similar to that of Aclodes guane sp. nov.; clypeus whitish; labrum yellow, apex white; mandibles, maxillae, palps, antennae, pronotum, right tegmen, and sternites similar in color to those of Aclodes guane sp. nov.; tergites dark brown with fewer light spots compared to Aclodes guane sp. nov.; end of the abdomen darker in color; supra-anal plate dark brown, with three well-defined regions separated by a central whitish ring; subgenital plate dark brown, with two oval black spots near the base, but lacking a central yellowish-white spot; cerci yellowish-brown; legs exhibiting alternating dark and light rings, with the external face of the hind femur covered with brown stripes, lighter in color compared to the legs of Aclodes guane sp. nov.; tympanum white. Head ( Figs 44, 45 and 47 View FIGURES 43–50 ): elongated dorsoventrally, slightly pubescent; fastigium covered with elongated setae, measuring approximately half the length of the antennal scape; maxillary palps pubescent, with palpomeres I and II short and globose, palpomeres III and IV elongated and of similar length, and palpomere V longer than the others with a clavate apex; labial palps also pubescent, with palpomeres I, II, and III progressively increasing in size, and the apex of palpomere III dilated; ocelli depigmented, but their insertion zones are more prominent compared to those of Aclodes guane sp. nov.; compound eye slightly reduced, with a slightly larger depigmented dorsal region compared to Aclodes guane sp. nov. Thorax ( Figs 43 and 47 View FIGURES 43–50 ): pronotum slightly pubescent, broader than long; anterior and posterior margins arched and covered with long setae; lateral lobes subtriangular, directed ventrally and slightly towards the anterior region of the body; metanotal glands absent. Abdomen ( Figs 48 View FIGURES 43–50 to 50): pubescent; supra-anal plate approximately trapezoidal, slightly longer than the paraprocts, with a rounded posterior margin covered with long setae, and lateral margins with a small invagination in the centroposterior portion; subgenital plate elongated, approximately twice as long as the supra-anal plate, rectangular in shape, with a slightly curved posterior margin, long setae, and a small central dent; cerci pubescent, with elongated setae throughout their length, and globose setae on the internal portion of their bases. Right tegmen ( Fig. 46 View FIGURES 43–50 ): slightly sclerotized, roughly oval, reaching the anterior portion of the sixth tergite; subtriangular mirror with a rounded left margin, featuring a complete, arched crossvein connecting the right edge to a point between the center and the left edge of the sinuous posterior margin; harp with one incomplete and five complete crossveins; 1A and 2A veins in the basal field weakly marked, not converging; lateral field with two parallel longitudinal veins and numerous weakly marked, anastomosed crossveins; stridulatory file with 224 teeth. Fore-legs: pubescent, proximal portion of the internal face of the tibia bearing an oval tympanum; apex with two ventral spurs; tarsomere serrated ventrally with two rows of spines. Middle-legs: also pubescent; apex of the tibia with three spurs (two ventral and one lateral on the external face); tarsomere also ventrally serrated with two rows of spines; left middle-leg malformed. Hind-legs: pubescent, femur developed; tibia longer than the femur, bearing two longitudinal rows of spines, external and internal rows with four spines, and two sets of apical spurs, three internal and three external (on the inner side, the most ventral spur being extremely reduced, akin to Aclodes guane sp. nov.); tarsomere I longer than the sum of the length of tarsomeres II and III, with one longitudinal, externally positioned, dorsal row of a few short spines, plus one small spine on the apex of the inner dorsal side, and two apical spurs, with the internal spur being longer than the external one; left hind-leg missing. Legs very similar to those of Aclodes guane sp. nov. ( Figs. 16 View FIGURES 16–19 to 19).

Female body morphology and color (allotype ISLA 126154, Figs 51–57 View FIGURES 51–57 )—Slightly larger than the male. Body color: coloration pattern similar to the holotype, except for the vertex, pronotum, and supra-anal and subgenital plates; vertex with two parallel, yellowish-brown, anteroposterior stripes; pronotum with two yellowish-brown oval spots in the posterior portion; supra-anal plate light brown, with three weakly-marked regions defined by a thin, whitish central ring; subgenital plate yellowish-white; ovipositor orange-brown, with a dark brown apex. Tegmina ( Fig. 52 View FIGURES 51–57 ): reduced, without apparent veins, rounded, positioned on the sides of the mesonotum, reaching the anterior margin of the metanotum. Legs ( Fig. 51 View FIGURES 51–57 ): similar to those of the holotype; proximal portion of the internal face of tibia I bearing an oval tympanum; tarsomere I with one longitudinal, externally positioned, dorsal row of a few short spines and a second shorter inner row comprised of two short spines; left leg III missing. Ovipositor ( Figs 55 View FIGURES 51–57 to 57): elongated, longer than the cerci, lance-shaped, slightly curved ventrally, with a sclerotized, tapered apex, triangular in dorsal view. Copulatory papilla: membranous.

Variations in body morphology (paratypes)—Tibia III bearing two longitudinal rows of dorsal spines, the outer one with five and inner one with four ( ISLA 126157).

Ecological remarks —La Tronera cave is located in a semi-preserved karst area, with some forested sections surrounded by pastures ( Fig. 58 View FIGURES 58–61 ). The cave has two large entrances and 1,502 meters of extension. The main entrance is horizontal ( Fig. 60 View FIGURES 58–61 ), measuring 100 m x 15 m, and leads to a descending gallery measuring 50 m x 30 m, which extends up to 155 m. On the other side of the main cave conduit, there is a 145 m deep pit that drops straight down ( Fig. 59 View FIGURES 58–61 ), representing the second cave entrance. Around - 130 m from the second entrance, a linear horizontal fossil gallery can be followed for 200 m, with a width of 60 m, up to the fill. At - 155 m, a narrow passage through the blocks provides access to a river that ends in a siphon at a depth of - 167 m. The upstream part of the river can be followed for 250 m through a more or less deep lake to another siphon.

The cave receives organic matter from the external surrounding environments both by gravity (through the vertical entrance) and by water. Vegetal debris is brought into the cave by the river and by floods during rainy periods. These organic debris can be observed alongside the main cave conduit. Additionally, a colony of oilbirds ( Steatornis caripensis ) provides guano in some areas of the cave.

Specimens of Aclodes oscari sp. nov. were rarely observed throughout the cave, likely due to the large volume of the chambers combined with the high number of collapsed blocks on the cave floor, which serve as shelters for the crickets. Individuals were observed close to organic debris or on the rocks, but they immediately ran away when approached or illuminated by a flashlight. Consequently, we were, unfortunately, unable to photograph living specimens. Furthermore, this cave is frequently visited due to its scenic beauty, and the crickets may have become accustomed to fleeing from groups of tourists.

It is important to highlight that, although not observed in the immediate surroundings of the cave, limestone extraction is becoming increasingly common in the area ( Fig. 61 View FIGURES 58–61 ). Such activities pose a significant threat to the caves and their fauna, representing a concerning development for the preservation of these ecosystems.