Tachycines (Gymnaeta) Lianhuaensis, 1902

Tachycines (Gymnaeta) Lianhuaensis View in CoL sp. nov.

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

Description. Male. Body small size ( Figs. 1A–C View FIGURE 1 ). Vertex of head not divided into two conical tubercles, ocellar disappearance ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Eyes slightly reduced ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Anterior margin of pronotum straight, posterior margin protruding caudad, ventral margin arcshaped ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ); posterior margin of mesonotum protruding caudad; posterior margin of metanotum protruding caudad.

Legs long and slender. Coxae with small medial projections. Fore femur about 2.6 times longer than the pronotum, ventrally unarmed, internal genicular lobe with 1 small spine, external genicular lobe with 1 long spine; fore tibia ventrally with 1 inner spine and 2 outer spines, apex with 1 small outer spine on dorsal surface and 1 pair of long spines on ventral surface, between the paired ventral spines with 1 small spine. Middle femur ventrally unarmed, internal and external genicular lobes with 1 long spine respectively; middle tibiae ventrally with 1 inner spine and 1 outer spine, apex with 1 pair of dorsal spines and 1 pair of ventral spines, between the paired ventral spines with 1 small spine. Hind femur ventrally unarmed; hind tibia dorsally with 23–25 inner spines and 22–23 outer spines, arrange in groups, ventral and dorsal surface with a pair of small subapical spines respectively, apex with 1 pair of long dorsal spines and 1 pair of long ventral spines; the longest dorso-apical spine not exceeding the dorso-apical spine of hind metatarsus ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ). Hind metatarsus keeled beneath.

Abdominal sternites with short ventral projections. Epiphallus of male genitalia like the shape of “H”; median lobe of genitalia with 1 pair of apical lobules, divided by a shallow notch; paired lateral sclerites small; dorsal and ventral pairs of lateral lobes almost equal in length ( Figs. 1G, H View FIGURE 1 ).

Female. General appearance similar to that of male ( Figs. 2A–C View FIGURE 2 ). Ovipositor longer than half the length of hind femur; base of ovipositor broad, narrowing to apex; apex pointed and slightly curved upwards; almost indistinct denticles on ventral edge of distal part of inferior valves ( Fig. 2D View FIGURE 2 ). Subgenital plate with 3 nearly triangular lobes, median lobe rather large and paired lateral lobes small ( Fig. 2E View FIGURE 2 ).

Coloration. Body yellowish brown, mottled with dark brown blotches. Face without distinct stripes. Legs with light brown annular stripes.

Material examined. Holotype: 1♂, Lianhua Cave, Puding County, Anshun City , Guizhou Province, 7.IX.2024, coll. Jie Xiao, Zhengxue Zhao & Xueli Feng. Paratypes: 5♂, 5♀, same data as the holotype .

Measurements (mm). Body: ♂ 10.40–15.32, ♀ 9.58–12.36; pronotum: ♂ 3.84–4.02, ♀ 3.74–4.34; fore femur: ♂ 10.10–10.64, ♀ 9.32–9.68; hind femur: ♂ 16.84–17.06, ♀ 16.58–17.32; ovipositor: ♀ 9.02–9.10.

Distribution. China (Guizhou).

Discussion. The new species resembles most species in the subgenus Tachycines (Gymnaeta) in terms of the shape of the male genitalia (approximately“H”), yet it is clearly distinguishable by the vestigial conical tubercles on the vertex of the head and the vestigial eyes.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the Lianhua Cave where this species occurs.