A new South American genus of Phaneropterinae
T. KARABAG
Ankara
Dr. B. P. Uvarov has drawn my attention that the genus Isophya Br.-W. with a large number of species occuring mainly in the eastern Mediterranean Region, includes also several species described from South America. He suggested that the latter species should be re-examined in order to see whether they are really congeneric with the Old World ones.
The following specimens in the British Museum (Natural History) have been studied:
1 male, 1 female from Sapucay, Paraguay, labelled I. hamata G. T.
3 females, same locality. 5.iii.l905 (Foster), labelled I. borellii G. T.
2 males, 1 female Brazil, Matto Grosso, nr. Corumlea, Urucumia, 6500 ft. 21.iv. 1927 (Miss Longfield), not determined.
The original descriptions of both I. hamata and I. borellii by Giglio-Tos are so brief and general that it is quite impossible to decide whether the specific determinations of the specimens, made by some unkown authority, are correct, but there is no doubt that they belong to the South American genus believed to be Isophya by previous authors. The genus, however, is abundantly distinct from the Old World Isophya and is more like Lepiophyes.
As I was unable to study the types of any described South American species, I offer here detailed illustrations of the species labelled as I. hamata which I propose to regard as the type of the new genus described below. Should this species prove to be different from I. hamata G. T., its name can be changed, but I should like to make it clear that the genus is based on the pair of specimens from Sapucay bearing that name in the British Museum, and not on the name.
Anisophya gen. nov.
(Figs. 1-10.)
Superficially similar in the general appearance to Leptophyes Fieber rather than to Isophya Br. W., but differs from both by the following main characters:
male. Head very narrow. Fastigium of vertex depressed, much wider than first antennal segment, not sulcate above, its lateral edges almost parallel, contiguous with fastigium of frons in a straight line.
Pronotum very small, almost cylindrical, with a median carina on the last-half of metazona; lateral carinae distinct, parallel and close to each other in prozona, outcurved and widely distant in metazona; posterior margin very obtusely angular, with straight sides; typical sulcus strongly curved in the middle; lateral lobes longer than wide, with distinct elongated irregular wrinkles. Elytra longer than pronotum 2nd anal (v. plicata) and subcosta very distinct. Last tergite with a median sulcus. Cercus without basal appendage, hook-shaped. Supra-anal plate triangular, with fine spines and obliquely rising elongate tubercle armend with dense and fine spines. Subgenital plate without styli; elongate; without median carina, but with a small elongate swelling at the middle of posterior margin, which is broadly excised. Legs very slender. Female subgenital plate with the base very wide, then suddenly narrowed; lateral lobes of its basal part swollen. Ovipositor strongly compressed, apically acute and with fine serration.
The finely serrate ovipositor at once separates this genus from Isophya, while the spinose male supraanal plate is not found either in Isophya or in Leptophyes. Wrinkled lateral pronotal lobes are also very peculiar.
