A new species of Gryllotalpa (Orthoptera, Gryllotalpidae) from northwestern China, with notes on its mitochondrial genome

A new species of mole cricket, Gryllotalpa xinjiangica Gu & Miao, sp. nov., is described from Xinjiang, northwestern China, based on morphological characters and molecular data. The new species belongs to the G. gryllotalpa species complex and represents the second confirmed species of this complex known from East Asia. It can be distinguished from related species by the absence of inner subapical spurs on the hind tibiae, tegminal venation, and the structure of the male phallic complex.

The complete mitochondrial genome of G. xinjiangica Gu & Miao, sp. nov. was sequenced, revealing a novel tRNA gene rearrangement (trnE-trnN-trnS 1). Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial cox 1 gene support the distinctiveness of the new species and recover it as sister to the G. gryllotalpa + G. vineae clade. An identification key to the known Chinese species of Gryllotalpidae is provided.