Friday, June 30, 2017

[Entomology • 2017] Zorotypus asymmetricus • A New Species (Insecta: Zoraptera) from Brunei Darussalam, Borneo


Zorotypus asymmetricus Kocarek, 2017


Abstract
A new species of Zoraptera from Borneo is described and figured. Zorotypus asymmetricus sp. nov. was discovered in lowland mixed dipterocarp forest in Ulu Temburong, Brunei Darussalam. The species represents the third known species occurring on Borneo and it can be easily distinguished from others by the asymmetrical cerci: the right cercus is strongly enlarged and curved.

Keywords: Zoraptypus, Zoraptera, Zorotypidae, new species, Borneo, Indomalayan region

Zorotypus asymmetricus sp. nov. 
1, male habitus of living specimen; 17, living apterous male; 18, rotting logs in Sungai Esu stream valley where Z. asymmetricus sp. nov. was collected.

Diagnosis. The new species is similar to Zorotypus sinensis Hwang, 1974, Z. medoensis Hwang 1976, Z. impolitus Mashimo, Engel, Dallai, Beutel & Machida 2013 and Z. weiwei (Hwang 1974, 1976; Mashimo 2013; Wang et al. 2016), but it can be easily distinguished from them by the asymmetrical cerci, with the right cercus noticeably enlarged and sickle-shaped (Figs. 9–11), the species-specific shape of the male genitalia (Fig. 13), and the presence of 7‒8 stout, long spines on the ventral surface of metafemur. The body is typically matte dark brown with the exception of pale yellowish gray tibiae and tarsi on all legs and antennomeres VI‒IX.

Etymology. The name refers to the asymmetrical cerci and asymmetrical abdominal sternite S9 in males.

 Distribution and occupied habitat. Zorotypus asymmetricus sp. nov. was collected under the bark of rotting logs in shade in the valley of Sungai Esu stream (Fig. 18). The species is currently known only from Ulu Temburong National Park in Brunei Darussalam, but we expect its occurrence in similar habitats throughout Borneo.

 Petr Kočárek, Rodzay A. Wahab and Siti R. A. Kahar. 2017. Zorotypus asymmetricus sp. nov. from Brunei Darussalam, Borneo (Insecta: Zoraptera).
 Zootaxa. 4286(2);  285–290. DOI:  10.11646/zootaxa.4286.2.11