Systematic Study On Subfamily Meconematinae From China (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

The subfamily Meconematinae belongs to Tettigoniidae, Orthoptera, Insecta. Currently, there are 814 species of 120 genera which attributed to 3 tribes worldwide. Meconematinae insect usually small sized, inhabited critically, hardly relevant from production and practice of human, but widespread and diverse according to recent studies so that is very important to phylogenetic study of Tettigoniidae and Orthoptera, intensive study of its phyletic classification is increasingly prominent. The south west of China are regions with rich diversity of Meconematinae, by far,2 tribes,42 genera and 212 species are recorded from China, almost a quarter of Meconematinae population all over the world. Recently, new taxa of Meconematini were often reported but phylogenetic and faunal study were rarely seen.This research based on conclusion of research results worldwide, referenced a great deal of original literature, dealt with all Meconematinae insects from China. A morphologically taxonomic revision involving 220 species of 42 genera attributing to 2 tribes was conducted, and the keys to genera and species were also provided. Besides, we constructed cladograms of 42 Chinese genera by morphological feature using Phylip 3.695 package, and discussed the relationships among those genera. The phylogenetic reconstruction of partial species representing their genera were conducted by using Maximum Parsimony (MP), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) methods, and provided some basic information of molecular data in Meconematinae insects. The results of morphological revision were also discussed according to phylogenetic trees. In addition, based on distribution of all Chinese species and distribution information from Orthoptera Species File website, we discussed the distribution pattern of Chinese species and differentiation of species around world as well. Draw conclusions below:1) Taxonomic terminology mainly adopted from the works of Bey-Bienko, Gorochov, Rentz, Xingbao Jin, Xianwei Liu. Materials are dry specimens and live specimens collected from habitat, which were accumulated and identified during the study period. We organized all the Meconematinae insects from China involving 220 species of 2 tribes and 42 genera, described and listed citation, synonyms and combinations in detail for each species. Precise measurement, distribution and materials examination were also provided. All the species and genera were keyed. Feature graph of species which have been examined during research were redrew. All those species include 31 new species,8 new genera or subgenera,24 new combinations,1 new record species,8 synonymic species and 1 synonymic genus.34 new species:Allocyrtopsis ornata Wang & Liu,2012; Allocyrtopsis parva Wang & Liu,2012; Allocyrtopsis platycerca Wang & Liu,2012; Allocyrtopsis tibetana Wang & Liu,2012; Athaumaspis tibetanus Wang & Liu,2014; Neocyrtopsis (Neocyrtopsis) fallax Wang & Liu,2012; Nicephora (Eunicephora) dianxiensis Wang & Liu,2013; Phlugiolopsis carinata Wang, Li & Liu,2012; Phlugiolopsis chayuensis Wang, Li & Liu,2012; Phlugiolopsis longicerca Wang, Li & Liu,2012; Phlugiolopsis montana Wang, Li & Liu,2012; Phlugiolopsis punctata Wang, Li & Liu,2012; Phlugiolopsis ventralis Wang, Li & Liu,2012; Pseudothaumaspis furcocercus Wang & Liu,2014; Xizicus (Paraxizicus) fallax Wang, Jing, Liu & Li,2014; Xizicus (Zangxizicus) quadrifascipes Wang, Jing, Liu & Li,2014; Xizicus(Zangxizicus) tibeticus Wang, Jing, Liu & Li, 2014; Meconemopsis paraquadrinotata Wang Liu & Li,2015; Neocyrtopsis? unicolor Wang, Liu & Li,2015; Sinothaumaspis damingshanicus Wang, Liu & Li,2015; Aphlugiolopsis punctipennis Wang, Liu & Li,2015; Eoxizicus (Eoxizicus) curvicercus Wang, Liu & Li,2015; Xiphidiopsis (Dinoxiphidiopsis) expressa Wang, Liu & Li, 2015.Meconemopsis beybienkoi sp. nov.Holotype(♂),Paratype4♂♂2♀♀, Bomi, Medog, Xizang,2200m,2011.Ⅷ.31, leg.BI Wenxuan.Remarks:This new species resembles to Meconemopsis borellii Karny of Indonesia, but with 2 stripes near front edge of pronotum and bearing large dorsal lobe in apical half of male cerci.Tamdaora curvicerca sp. nov.Holotype(♂), Zayu, Xizang,1900m,2011.Ⅶ.7, leg. BI Wenxuan. Remarks:This species similar to Tamdaora magnifica Gorochov,1993, but tegmina much shorter, epiproct with 2 pairs of upper process and male cerci rectangularly incurved.Microconema yunnanica sp. nov.Holotype (♀), Zixi mountain, Chuxiong, Yunnan,2010.X.22, leg. GUO Jiangli. Remarks:This new species resembles to Microconema clavata (Uvarov,1933), but differ in short tegmina, longitudinal groove absent in female subgenital plate and 3 subapical teeth in female ovipositor.Microconema brachyptera sp. nov.Holotype (♀), Paratypel(♀), Weining, Guizhou,1980.X.17, leg. LIAN Zhenmin. Remarks:Most of legs of this new species damaged, very similar to Microconema yunnanica sp. nov., but tegmina even shorter and bearing very different subgenital plate.Xiphidiopsis(Haploxiphidiopsis) longiplata sp. nov.Holotype(♂), between Kongdang and Longyuan, Dulong village, Gongshan, Yunnan,1500m,2006.IX.27, leg. HE Zhengjun; Paratypel(?), Gaoligong Mountain,700m,1958.VIII.25, leg. LI Chuanlong. Remarks:This species similar to type species, but abdomen terminal of male is very different.Sinoxizicus carinatus sp. nov.Holotype(♀), Ani bridge, Medog, Xizang,1250m,1979.VII.20, leg. JIN Gentao & WU Jianyi.Remarks:This species generally resembles to type species, but with very different subgenital plate of female.Cyrtopsis furcicerca sp. nov.Holotypec(♂), paratype(♀), Qingliang peak, Lin’an, Zhejiang,800-950m, 2014.VI.13, leg. BI Wenxuan.Remarks:This species very close to Cyrtopsis bivittala, but differ in shape of male 10th abdominal tergite process and genitalia, tip of male cerci branched.Leptoteratura (Leptoteratura) bilobata sp. nov.Holotype (♀), Xichang, Sichuan, leg. unknown.Remarks:This species generally resembles to type species, but subgenital plate of female is different in shape. 8 new genera or subgenera:Allocyrtopsis Wang & Liu,2012; Athaumaspis Wang & Liu,2014; Neocyrtopsis (Paraneocyrtopsis) Wang, Liu & Li,2013; Xizicus (Haploxizicus) Wang, Jing, Liu & Li,2014; Xizicus (Zangxizicus) Wang, Jing, Liu & Li,2014; Sinothaumaspis Wang, Liu & Li,2015; Aphlugiolopsis Wang, Liu & Li,2015. Xiphidiopsis (Haploxiphidiopsis) subgen. n.Remarks:This subgenus different from other subgenera of Xiphidiopsis in symmetric abdomen terminal and normal subgenital plate of male.Type species:Xizicus (Eoxizicus) ikonnikovi Gorochov,1993Raised generic status of 3 subgerera:Megaconema Gorochov,1993 stat. nov. and Macroteratura Gorochov,1993 stat. nov.; Microconema Liu,2005 stat. nov..1 new record species:Xiphidiopsis (Dinoxiphidiopsis) jacobsoni Gorochov,1993.2) According to morphological data, we using Phylip 3.695 package (program pars), adopted 45 morphological characters to reconstruct phylogeny of 42 genera from China. The result indicated that genera of different tribes were properly distinguished, and Pseudothaumaspis, Abaxinicephora and Sinothaumaspis were more primitive. Rest genera divided into two clades. Major clade was divided into 2 groups based on wing length, then subdivided by number of apical spines on hind tibial terminal. Minor clade was all brachypterous type. Branches near the base were largely determined by wing length and number of paired hind apical spurs. Teratura and Megaconema, Leptoteratura and Shoveliteratura, Sinocyrtaspis and Allicyrtaspis were closely related respectively. The status rise of Eoxizicus was supported well. The result of morphological cladistics analysis supported stability of wing morph and spur morph, and result generally matched view of classical taxonomy.3) This study sampled 31 species of Meconematinae insects attributed to 24 genera (subgenera), and 2 outgroups for DNA extraction. We amplified partial 28SrDNA gene of the nuclear genome and complete COI gene of the mitochondrial genome for molecular systematics, and reconstructed phylogenetic relationships of partial species representing their genera by using Maximum Parsimony (MP), Maximum Likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI) methods. According to the results, low resolution was showed in single gene data set especially in 28SrDNA. Resolution of MP method was lowest among 3 methods. There were consistence in tree topological structure of the combined data set via ML and BI methods but different in approval rating of some nodes. Basically all species separated into 2 clades and 6 sister groups were well supported in all constructed trees. Length of tegmina and number of paired apical spurs in hind tibiae were not homologous characters within subfamily; apical spines of hind femoral genicular lobe were not homologous character of genus Cyrtopsis, but patches and stripes of dorsal head and pronotum were supported well as homologous characters of Xizicus and Phlugiolopsis; Phlugiolopsis was mostly a part of Xizicus; 2 species of subgenus Haploxizicus were closely related without forming sistergroup, supported revision of this research about subgeneric status of Haploxizicus; Euxiphidiopsis was closed to Xizicus, which was in consist with morphologic study; that subgenus Eoxizicus and Axizicus in the same clade but not sister group supported the generic status of genus Eoxizcus; Grigoriora cheni located in another clade distant from Eoxizcus, which supported its new combination in morphological study, but not in one clade with Grigoriora kweichowensis, which is not in consistent with morphology revision; the new combination and the new species of genus Cyrtopsis were very far from each other in phylogenetic tree, which was also inconsistent with morphology revision; Neocyrtopsis? unicolor became sister group with Paracosmetura cryptocerca instead of Neocyrtopsis(Neocyrtopsis) variabilis, which confirmed its heterogeneity from genus Neocyrtopsis.4) Based on statistics of distribution from Orthopter Species File Online, distributed statistics of this research about Chinese groups, and life period of amber fossil species, we discussed geographical distributed pattern of Meconematinae. The result indicated that Meconematini ought to originated in mid-east region of Gondwana, widely distributed before old land disintegration, but type genus originated separately in Laurasia; Phisidini largely originated in east area of Gondwana, but the group in Neotropical realm might originated separately; Phlugidini originated simultaneously in east and west area of Gondwana. The population of Meconematinae maximized in Oriental realm, spread to Palearctic realm immediately adjoining it, and followed by Neotropical realm, where Phlugidini are mainly distributed; Meconematinae also prosperous in Ethiopian realm, the west of Palearctic realm adjacent to it is the type genus group distributed; Nearct realm is hardly distributed by Meconematinae. Oriental group was the main body of Meconematinae population domestic, concentrate on Southern China region and the Southwest region, only few of them distributed in Northern China region of Palearctic realm, and no record of the other region. Upon that, the humid climate, low latitude and primitive complex habitats which existed in south and southwest of China are best living condition of Meconematinae, indicating that those areas are the differentiation center of Meconematinae in China, and for Oriental realm the differentiation center is Indo-China Peninsula and Malay archipelago. Urbanization, agriculturalizing, escalating latitude, simple habitat, interference and arid climate restricted the distribution of Meconematinae. Generally, Meconematinae insect demanding high complexity of habitat, omnivory is the key to thriving in the proper habitat of those insect.