Bioacoustics of Safrina

Description . Adult. Length: excluding mandibles, 14–26 mm ; including mandibles 15−28 mm . Upper surface black to reddish brown, often with metallic green reflection, dull or shiny, smooth or rugose. Body oval with relatively small head. Head with sparse, erect, simple setae; most visible around median tubercles and on genal lobes; dorsal surface of pronotum (except margins) glabrous; elytra glabrous, except minute sparse stubble laterally and apically in S. jugularis ( Westwood, 1863 ) and S. parallela ( Deyrolle, 1881 ) . Ventral setae simple. Head. Eyes completely divided by canthus, dorsal segment of eye much smaller than ventral, separated by at least height of dorsal segment in lateral view; head strongly punctured; sides of head with prominent genal lobe; head tuberculate between eyes, and with a deep lunate pit at base; antennae geniculate, with 10 antennomeres, antennomeres 1–4 sparsely setose and symmetrical, antennomeres 5–10 densely setose and asymmetric, forming a loose club; mandibles short, length less than width of head, strongly punctured, inner faces setose but without a dense brush, with multiple blunt tubercles (intraspecifically variable and often asymmetric); mentum relatively small, semicircular, punctate and sclerotised; pregular area thickened, strongly transversely raised, with convergent sides; gap between pregular ridge and base of mandible forming a groove for retention of maxillary palp. Thorax. Pronotum transverse, quadrangular or broader at base, anterior angles rounded (produced in males), posterior corners strongly concave, forming distinct posterolateral angle; disc with depressed midline (broad and shallow in S. parallela ) and lateral foveolate depressions (intraspecifically variable and often asymmetric); at least posterior corners and anterior of pronotum without bevelled margin; lateral margins of pronotum usually feebly (male) or strongly (female) crenulate; anterior half of hypomeron smooth with sparse trichobothria; prosternum smooth, with scattered trichobothria, most species almost glabrous; prosternal process a level, unarched, ridge hidden between procoxae, which are almost touching; elytra parallel-sided at basal 2/3 to strongly ovate, narrowly elevated at sutural margin, flat and explanate at lateral margins; scutellum semicircular; wings variable, from fully formed to reduced to a short narrow strip half length of elytra; mesoventrite process anteriorly excavate, without a tubercle between mid coxae; meso- and metathoracic ventral sclerites closely punctured and pubescent; legs gracile; profemora much thicker than other femora, anteriorly ridged, the ridge with a preapical excavation (inner edge of excavation toothed in larger males); tibiae not carinate; number of tibial teeth intraspecifically variable and often asymmetric, protibiae with at least 4 large external teeth, mesotibiae with at least 2 small external teeth, metatibiae with or without external teeth; inner margin of protibia slightly excavate and usually with median teeth; tarsal empodium short, hardly projecting beyond ventral apex of fifth tarsomere, much less than half length of claws. Abdomen. Ventrites not laterally ridged, without a deep basal groove. Aedeagal endophallus everted, unbranched; male tergite IX (paraproct) membranous at dorsal midline, split into two sclerites (laterotergites); male sternite IX with basal (anterior) elongate lobe and truncate setose apex; dorsal edge of parameres not notched, apices with membranous flange; proctiger of ovipositor triangular with long apical spine (4 species examined); female paraproct split into 2 sclerites; vaginal palp reduced to a flat strongly sclerotised plate with long setae at apex; spermatheca present, globular. Larva. The following diagnostic description is based on mature specimens (instars unknown) of five species ( S. grandis ( Lea, 1915 ) , S. jugularis , S. laticeps , S. moorei new species , and S. polita ), identified by their association with adults. Length 23−40 mm (when roughly straightened); third antennomere produced or truncate at apex; mandible with 1 apical tooth plus 5 internal subapical (scissorial) teeth; mesocoxal stridulatory file present as a fine line of coarse rounded granules, without basal area of finer granules; metatrochanteral stridulatory file present as a single ridge of 15−23 sparse, transverse granules; tibiotarsus not reduced, length about 3 times width at base; 10th abdominal segment dorsally foreshortened, with raster of moderately dense, short setae, at sides laterally directed, at middle posteriorly to inwardly directed, raster with fringe of short to very long setae; no dorsal anal lobe, lateral lobes with large well-defined oval pads, which are margined, smooth, and glabrous. Notes . Safrina is easily distinguished from Ryssonotus , differing by at least 13 adult and two larval characters: adult: upper surface without mottled colour pattern ( Fig. 2 ); ventral setae simple, not multifid; head with prominent genal lobes ( Fig. 20 ); eyes separated widely in lateral view ( Fig. 39 ); antennal club with six partly densely setose antennomeres ( Fig. 38 ); inner face of mandibles not densely setose ( Fig. 20 ); posterior corners of pronotum deeply concavely excavate ( Fig. 2 ); prosternal process flat, hidden between coxae ( Fig. 45 ); lateral margins of elytra broadly explanate ( Fig. 2 ); male paraprocts not fused ( Fig. 51 ); proctiger of ovipositor triangular with long apical spine ( Fig. 62 ); female paraproct split into two sclerites; vaginal palp reduced to a flat strongly sclerotised plate with long setae at apex; spermatheca hard, globular; larva: tibiotarsus elongate, length 3x breadth ( Fig. 66 ); raster with inner setae apically or inwardly directed ( Fig. 67 ).