Neopedies sainthilairensis, Costa & Acosta & Timm & Zefa, 2025

Neopedies sainthilairensis View in CoL sp. nov. Matiotti da Costa, 2024

( Figs 6A–B View FIGURE 6 , 7A–L View FIGURE 7 , 8A–B View FIGURE 8 )

Type locality. Parque Natural Municipal Saint’Hilaire , Viamão, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (30° 5’35.98”S, 51° 5’42.95”W) ( Fig. 9B–C View FIGURE 9 ) GoogleMaps .

Depository. Holotype and paratype of Neopedies sainthilairensis sp. nov. (04 male and 06 females). Museu de Ciências e Tecnologia da PUCRS ( MCTP) .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Parque Natural Municipal Saint’Hilaire, where these grasshoppers were first sampled.

Diagnosis. (i) subtriangular epiproct with very pronounced V-shaped protrusion in the basal and distal regions; (ii) furculae separate and rounded; (iii) cerci enlarged in basal and apical region narrowed and sclerotized; (iv) epiphallus with plan bridge; (v) anchorae larger than anterior projections; (vi) lophi sclerotized and with pointed inner ends.

Description. Male Holotype ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A–G View FIGURE 7 ). Body medium in size (15 mm length). integument pilosus. Micropterous. Head. small, eyes globose, narrow interocular space. Straight anterior edge of the eyes ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ). Front oblique and marked ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ). Antennae filiform, with 19 antennomeres. Fastigium of the vertex prominent with decline and not depressed between the eyes, subtriangular, shorter, with apex of vertex slightly rounded ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ). Thorax. Pronotum cylindrical, posteriorly little dilated, without median and lateral carina ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ); metazona shorter than prozona; pronotum with sparsely marked transverse sulci; anterior and posterior edges with slight emargination; lower edge of non-emarginated side lobes ( Figs 7B–C View FIGURE 7 ). Prosternal process spiniform. Mesosternal lobes subrounded. Tegmen short, lobuliform, reaching to the second abdominal segment ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A View FIGURE 7 , 8A View FIGURE 8 ). Legs. Hind femur slender, the upper keel smooth, the end of lower knee lobes rounded ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A View FIGURE 7 , 8A View FIGURE 8 ). Hind tibiae pubescent with 7 outer and 8 inner dorsal spines. Abdomen. Tympanum large. Prosternal tubercle acute. Subtriangular epiproct with very pronounced V-shaped protrusion in the basal and distal regions; furculae digitiform, separate and rounded; cerci enlarged in basal and apical region narrowed and sclerotized ( Figs 7D–E View FIGURE 7 ); internal lobes of pallium developed ( Fig. 7D View FIGURE 7 ). Phallic complex. Cingulum with long apodemes, arch developed; gonopore with a rectangular ventral projection ( Fig. 7F View FIGURE 7 ); aedeagus long with upper and lower valves of the same size; sclerites of aedeagus covered by the wide ectophallic sheath ( Fig. 7F View FIGURE 7 ). Epiphallus with plan bridge; anchorae larger than anterior projections; lophi sclerotized with pointed inner ends ( Fig. 7G View FIGURE 7 ).

Coloration

Body brown ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A View FIGURE 7 , 8A View FIGURE 8 ). Head mostly brown with lateral black retro-ocular bands that take part of the genae and continue in the dorsal half of the pronotum ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ); lobes, tegmina, pleural and sides of the abdomen with ivory coloration ( Fig. 6A View FIGURE 6 ). Antennae brown. Fastigium of the vertex brown ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ). Dorsally brown spots in pronotum and narrow ivory-colored dorsal band across the entire length of the head and pronotum ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ). Lateral lobes of the pronotum with an ivory band on the lower abdomen ( Fig. 7C View FIGURE 7 ). Tegmen brown with a narrow ivory band surrounding the dorsal portion of the wing ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Genicular lunules black ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Legs I, II and II green, with tarsus tip, arolium and claws red; genicular lobe black; tibiae III blue green ( Figs 6A View FIGURE 6 , 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Lateral segments of the abdomen with dark black spots.

Female. Larger in size to male, robust (body length 18 mm) ( Figs 6B View FIGURE 6 , 7H View FIGURE 7 , 8B View FIGURE 8 ). Body light brown; fastigium more prominent and interocular space wider than in males and with brown color ( Fig. 7I View FIGURE 7 ). Head and pronotum in lateral view bearing a well-marked longitudinal whitish strip slightly outlined in black, and in dorsal view two parallel thin whitish strips that run from the head to the end of abdomen ( Figs 7I, 7J View FIGURE 7 ). Pronotum dorsally light brown, with several punctures ( Fig. 7H View FIGURE 7 ). Lateral lobes of the pronotum with an ivory band, from upper to lower portion more salient ( Fig. 7J View FIGURE 7 , 8B View FIGURE 8 ). Pronotum dorsally with several punctures and brown dark spots ( Figs 7H–I View FIGURE 7 ). Tegmen with brown veins and a narrow white band to the full extent of the dorsal portion of the wing. Legs I and II green with tarsus greenish, tibiae III blue green ( Figs 6B View FIGURE 6 , 7H View FIGURE 7 ). Genicular lunules light brown ( Figs 6B View FIGURE 6 , 7H View FIGURE 7 ). Thorax ventrally brown ( Fig. 7H View FIGURE 7 ). Lateral abdomen sclerites yellowed from the second segment until to the end of the abdomen ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 , 8B View FIGURE 8 ).

Dorsal portion of abdominal tergites 3 to 7 light brown, and lateral inferior portion of 3 to 10 segments yellowish. Dorsally with spots along the entire extension ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ) and ventrally yellowish. Ovipositor valves short in lateral view and serrated margins ( Fig. 7K View FIGURE 7 ); dorsal valve of the ovipositor robust and apical tooth of the external ventral valve of ovipositor little prominent ( Fig. 7K View FIGURE 7 ). Hind edge of the female subgenital plate without lobes ( Fig. 7L View FIGURE 7 ). Cerci short, conical, not reaching the epiproct tip ( Fig. 7L View FIGURE 7 ). Subtriangular epiproct with median sulcus well marked, interrupted transversely in the median region and with dark spots ( Fig. 7L View FIGURE 7 ).

Habitat and Habits. Individuals of Neopedies sainthilairensis sp. nov. were collected in the forest border with grasses and mainly Dodonaea sp. ( Sapindaceae ) ( Fig. 8C View FIGURE 8 ), but no individual was seen feeding on the plant. Males were found on branches and leaves of this plant, between 50 and 100 cm from the ground. Females were found only near on the ground being active between 1 and 3 pm.

Measurements (mm): Male (n = 4): BL = 15.1 (14.8–15.1); PL = 0.3 (0.2–0.3); FL3 = 0.7 (0.6–0.7); TL = 0.3 (0.2–0.3). Female (n = 6): BL = 17.3 (16.8–17.3); PL = 0.5 (0.4–0.5); FL3 = 0.9 (0.8–0.9); TL = 0.4 (0.3–0.4).

Type material. Holotype ♂. Paratypes 3 ♂ and 6 ♀ ( MCTP). BRAZIL: Rio Grande do Sul, municipality of Viamão, Parque Natural Municipal Saint’Hilaire, 21.x.2023, Acosta , R. C. leg . Holotype condition: genitalia were extracted and maintained in holotype’s tube.