Aphonoides hippocrepis, Ma, 2025

Aphonoides hippocrepis sp. nov. Ma

( Figs. 1 View FIGURE 1 , 2 View FIGURE 2 )

Chinese name: ḶḆẗãñ

Type material. Holotype. ♂. China: Leyi, Hechi , Guangxi, 25°04'58.8" N / 107°52'58.8" E, 19-viii-2023, Jianhua Huang coll. ( SNNU). GoogleMaps

Etymology. The specific epithet hippocrepis is derived from the Greek words hippos (horse) and crepis (shoe or hoof-shaped), referring to the horseshoe-like shape of the lateral lobe of the epiphallus in lateral view ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ).

Diagnosis. Occiput concave, hairy, and wider than pronotum. Frontal rostrum wide at base, narrow at apex, length subequal to antennal scape. Median ocellus elongate, lateral ocelli rounded and larger. Pronotum with posterior margin wider than anterior margin; anterior margin straight, posterior margin strongly convex and medially elevated. Internal tympanum elongate-oval and significantly larger than oval external tympanum. Epiphallus proximally narrower than apex and lateral lobe horseshoe-shaped in lateral view. Middle ectoparamere with robust, nearly rectangular protrusion and the dorsal with sharply pointed apex.

Description (male). Median sized for the genus. Occiput concave, hairy, wider than pronotum, frontal rostrum wide at the base, narrow at the apex, and almost equal to the length of antennal scape. Eyes large, prominent, and occupy approximately half of the occiput. Cheeks broad and flat, with the lower part being shiny. Terminal segment of the maxillary palpus sickle-shaped, thick, and significantly longer than the third segment; the terminal segment of the labial palp horseshoe-shaped and approximately as long as the previous two segments combined. Median ocellus long, lateral ocelli more rounded and bigger. Posterior margin of pronotum wider than the anterior margin; anterior margin straight, posterior margin distinctly convex, and the center slightly raised. Wings extend beyond the tip of the abdomen, cross-veins connecting the longitudinal veins. Exposed part of the wings approximately one-quarter of the tegmina. All three pairs of legs patterned; internal tympanum long and oval, the external tympanum oval, and the internal tympanum significantly larger than the external tympanum. The upper half of the hind tibia lacks dorsal spurs, while the lower half having spines between the dorsal spurs (six internal ones and four external ones).

Genitalia. Base of epiphallus narrower than its apex in lateral view, and its lateral lobe somewhat horseshoe-like. Ectoparamere well-developed. In lateral view, the ectoparamere near the ventral surface armed with a footlike protrusion at its apex, while the middle ectoparamere possessing a robust, nearly rectangular protrusion. The ectoparamere near the dorsal surface having a sharp protrusion at its apex.

Female. Unknown.

Coloration. Body brown, with darker patterns on its tegmina and legs. Eyes dark brown.

Measurements (mm). Male (n=1). BL 10.31, HL 1.11, HW 2.40, PL 2.09, PW 2.81, FWL 12.31.

Remarks. Species of the genus Aphonoides are morphologically similar, with the most significant differences lying in male genitalia. The new species closely resembles Aphonoides medvedevi Gorochov, 1985 and Aphonoides rufescens Ichikawa, 2001 in the general structure of the epiphallus and ectoparamere ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ). However, it can be distinguished by the following features: (1) the lateral lobe of the epiphallus is horseshoe-shaped in lateral view ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ); (2) the ectoparamere exhibits a dorsally protruding, blunt apex and a ventrally sharper apex ( Fig. 2B View FIGURE 2 ). Based on these diagnostic characters, we describe this taxon as a new species.