Lepocranus and Valalyllum gen. nov. (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae, Cladonotinae), endangered Malagasy dead-leaf-like grasshoppers

Abstract

Only two leaf-like pygmy grasshopper species and specimens are known from Madagascar: the Leatherback Pygmy Grasshopper (Lepocranus fuscus Devriese, 1991) —which has a relatively low median carina of the pronotum; and the Malagasy Litterhopper (Valalyllum folium gen. et. sp. nov.), herein described — which has a high median carina. Lepocranus fuscus is known from the rainforests around Tampolo, Manakambahiny, and Mahavelona (Foulpointe). The new taxon, Valalyllum folium gen. et. sp. nov. is known only from the Belanono forest. Both species inhabit northeastern Madagascar. The new species could be rare or not-easy-to-spot in the rainforest leaf litter, where it most probably lives. A new tribe, Valalyllini trib. nov., is described for the two mentioned genera because its members are different from the Caribbean leaf-like Choriphyllini Cadena-Castañeda & Silva, 2019, from the African leaf-like Xerophyllini Günther, 1979, and from the Asian leaf-like Cladonotini Bolívar, 1887. A tabular key to the tribes of Cladonotinae with leaf-like representatives is provided, together with photographs of type specimens of both species belonging to the newly described tribe. The holotype of the new species belongs to the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle Orthoptera collection, Paris.