Guentheracris Skejo, Tumbrinck et Pushkar 2024, gen. nov.

Genus Guentheracris Skejo, Tumbrinck et Pushkar, gen. nov. Zoobank ID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F45A1561-E5EC-4ECB-9BB3-E96D5B1830C9 Vernacular name: Ile-Ile Pygmy Devils (Figs. 1, 14–15, 22) Historical mentions: Under Hirrius Günther 1937: 177; 1938: 303; Blackith 1992; Under Zvierckia Skejo 2017: 193; unavailable according to Article 13.1 of the Code (ICZN, 1999). Type species Hirrius scrobiculatus Günther, 1937, here designated. Etymology. Named after Klaus Günther, a famous German entomologist, zoologist, anthropologist, and philologist. Günther is one of the fathers of modern tetrigidology, who described three tribes, 43 genera (38 valid today), and 246 species (226 valid today). The generic name is composed of Guenther and acris, Latinized Greek word (ἀκρίς) for a grasshopper, and is of feminine gender (because of ἡ ᾰ̓κρῐ́ς, τῆς ᾰ̓κρῐ́δος). Composition and distribution. Monotypic, endemic to northern Sulawesi (Ile-Ile Mts.) (Fig. 22D). Diagnosis. New genus may be distinguished from Hirrius from Mindanao by the wide vertex, by the shape of the antennae, and by the wavy pronotal discus; from Parahirrius gen. nov. it distinguished by the widened antennal segments, by the wider vertex, and by the presence of the alae; it can also be easily separated from Zvierckia gen. nov. from Sulawesi by the higher position of the antennal grooves, different shape of the widened segments of the antennae (lacking saw-like margins in the new genus). The new genus is assigned to the proposed here Melainotettix genus group because of the shape of the head, especially in frontal view, which is very similar to Melainotettix and Camelotettix, and because of the wavy pronotum and elongated legs, also shared among Melainotettix genus group members. New genus may be easily separated from Melainotettix and Camelotettix, Guentheracris gen. nov. by the covered tegmina, by the short pronotum, and the very wide vertex. Description. Genus with smooth, black, and moderately large and slender species of wavy pronotum and with tegmina fully covered by pronotum. Antennae. Long, with widened subapical segments. With 15 antennomeres, smooth. 1 st massive scapus, 2 nd large pedicel, 3 rd to 8 th basal segments, elongated. 9 th antennomere elongated and widened; 10 th antennomere strongly widened. 11 th antennomere small, but widened. Antennomeres 12 th to 15 th reduced and fused. Head. Eyes in frontal view elliptical. Vertex in the level of pronotum. In frontal view, vertex almost plain, very slightly elevated in the middle. Vertex not visible in lateral view. In dorsal view, vertex slightly indrawn. Lateral carinae of the vertex weakly elevated. Vertex two times as wide as an eye. Anterior margin of the vertex truncated, without convexity. Medial carina of the vertex visible in the upper third only. Fossulae deep. Lateral and transverse carinae forming wide C-shape. Frontal costa long, bifurcating just between the compound eyes. Frontal costa weakly produced in lateral view. Dorsal margins of the antennal grooves situated between the lower third of the compound eyes. Lateral ocelli situated slightly below the frontal costa bifurcation, in the lower half of the compound eyes height. Maxillary palps small. Occipital area visible. Pronotum. Pronotum covering whole abdomen. Pronotum smooth, finely granulated. Median carina of the pronotum continuous, except in the connection of prozona and metazona, where it is indistinct in dorsal view. Pronotal discus undulated, wavy, with two large depression, first depression just above the tegmina and second just before the pronotal apex. Prozonal and interhumeral carinae indistinct. Humeroapical carina very weak. The only distinct carinae are median and internal lateral one. Tegminal sinus almost nonexistent, ventral sinus deep. Infrascapular area narrow and decurved. Pronotum without any projections. Lateral lobes projected sidewards, with truncated apex. Wings. Tegmina almost fully covered by pronotum. Hindwings visible, almost reaching the tip of the pronotum. Legs. Fore and mid femora smooth, with almost straight carinae, and without teeth. Hind femur with 7 transverse ridges on the outer surface. Dorsal carina of the hind femur finely granulated and with a convexity just before the antigenicular tooth. Antegenicular and genicular teeth short and sharp. Hind tibia margins finely serrated and with 5 larger spines. First and third tarsal segment almost equal in length. First two tarsal pulvilli smaller than the third, oblique, smooth and almost rounded; while the third pulvillus longer and more angular. Note. Günther (1937) already noted that Guentheracris scrobiculata comb. nov. has many differences from Zvierckia members (Hirrius montanus and Hirrius sarasinorum sensu Günther 1937), but did not recognize new genus.