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Issue: Vol. 5796 No. 1: 20 Apr. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-04-20
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5796.1.3
Page range: 51-79
Abstract views: 127
PDF downloaded: 10

Revision of the wingless pygmy grasshopper Potua Bolívar, 1887 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) from Southeast Asia

Institute of Biological Sciences; Faculty of Science; Universiti Malaya; Kuala Lumpur 50603; Malaysia
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum; Faculty of Science; National University of Singapore; 2 Conservatory Drive; Singapore 117377; Singapore
Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum; Faculty of Science; National University of Singapore; 2 Conservatory Drive; Singapore 117377; Singapore
eDNAture Ltd; Sinbuk 26; HR-10000 Zagreb; Croatia
Ivanjska ulica; HR-10000 Zagreb; Croatia
Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; 16 Science Drive 4; Singapore 117558; Republic of Singapore
Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; 16 Science Drive 4; Singapore 117558; Republic of Singapore
Forest Research Centre (Sepilok); Sabah Forestry Department; PO Box 1407; 90715 Sandakan; Sabah; Malaysia
Forest Research Centre (Sepilok); Sabah Forestry Department; PO Box 1407; 90715 Sandakan; Sabah; Malaysia
Forest Research Centre (Sepilok); Sabah Forestry Department; PO Box 1407; 90715 Sandakan; Sabah; Malaysia
Sarawak Museum Department; Annex Building; P. Ramlee Road; 93400 Kuching; Sarawak; Malaysia
Entomology Section; Research and Education Division; Kinabalu Park Office; Ranau; 89300 Kota Kinabalu; Sabah; Malaysia
Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research; Universiti Brunei Darussalam; Jalan Universiti; BE1410; Brunei Darussalam
Institute of Biological Sciences; Faculty of Science; Universiti Malaya; Kuala Lumpur 50603; Malaysia
Evolution Lab; Department of Biology; Faculty of Science; University of Zagreb; Horvatovac 102a; HR-10000 Zagreb; Croatia
Orthoptera taxonomy species delimitation new species COI barcoding Malay Peninsula Borneo

Abstract

Potua Bolívar, 1887, a genus currently assigned to Xerophyllini (Cladonotinae), requires taxonomic revision because its type species, P. coronata Bolívar, 1887, is poorly defined. It exhibits huge variability in the pronotum among type specimens and longstanding confusion with P. morbillosa (Walker, 1871). To resolve the issue, we performed morphometric analyses and sequenced a fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to reassess species boundaries. Integrating the morphological and genetic data, we synonymise P. coronata Bolívar, 1887, syn. nov. with P. morbillosa (Walker, 1871) and prove that specimens with different pronotal morphology, previously regarded as intraspecific variations, represent different species. Genetic variations within each morphotype are also very low. Here, we describe three new species—P. bulbosa Muhammad, Adžić & Tan, sp. nov. from the Malay Peninsula; P. kinabalu Muhammad & Tan, sp. nov.; and P. sepilok Tan & Muhammad, sp. nov. from Borneo. We also provide an annotated diagnostic table to distinguish each of the four species from Southeast Asia.

 

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How to Cite

Muhammad, A.A., Tan, M.K., Puniamoorthy, J., Adžić, K., Deranja, M., Neo, I., Loh, R.K., Damit, D.F.B.A., Japir, R., Chung, A.Y., Suhaili, A.S.N.A., Gunsalam, G., Wahab, R.B.H.A., Abdullah, N.A. & Skejo, J. (2026) Revision of the wingless pygmy grasshopper Potua Bolívar, 1887 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) from Southeast Asia. Zootaxa, 5796 (1), 51–79. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5796.1.3