186,507 research outputs found
Lanista africana Naskrecki & Guta 2019, stat. rev.
No full textLanista africana (Walker, 1871) stat. rev. http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:16016 (Figs. 10C, D) Pseudorhynchus africanus Walker, 1871: 38. Kirby (1906) synonymized, without presenting an explicit justification, Pseudorhynchus africanus Walker, 1871 with Conocephalus annulicornis Walker, 1869. However, the holotype of C. annulicornis from Durban (“Pt. Natal) differs significantly from that of P. africanus from W. Africa in the shape of the fastigium of vertex (proportionally smaller in L. africana), its proportion to the size of the head, the convexity of the frons (frons distinctly more convex in L. africana), and the shape of the pronotum (Figs. 10C, D). Since the former is a male specimen and the latter a female one, a comparison of relevant stridulatory and reproductive structures is not possible. However, the differences in the head and thoracic characters are consistent across a series of specimens of Lanista that originate from southern and West Africa (Guinea and Ghana), respectively. For this reason, P. africanus is reinstated here as a valid species. Material examined (10 specimens). West Africa: female (holotype) (BMNH); Ghana: Eastern Region, Atewa Range, Asiakwa, main road, elev. 817 m (6.25019 -.56492), 7–11.xii.2007, coll. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and N. Jengre— 1 female, 1 male; Guinea: Simandou Mts., Camp 1, nr. Pic du Fon, elev. 1300 m (8.51667 -8.9355), 27–30.xi.2002, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 2 males; Guinee Forestiere, Foret Classee Dere, elev. 440 m (7.62333 -8.27), 17–19.xi.2003, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; Mt. Bero, elev. 630 m (8.133333 -8.566667), 2–6.xii.2003, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male; Simandou Mts., nr. Banko, Camp 2, elev. 590–700 m (8.51667 -8.93333), 3–7.xii.2002, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male (MCZ).Published as part of Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, pp. 1-119 in Zootaxa 4682 (1) on page 23, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/347278
Adapantus affluens Naskrecki, 2008, sp. n.
No full text18. Adapantus affluens sp. n. (Figs. 3 C, F, H, K; 8 A–B; 13 A–B) Type locality. — GUINEA: Guinee Forestiere, Mt. Bero (8 ° 8 ' 21 ''N, 8 ° 34 ' 24 ''W), 630 m, 2–6.xii. 2003, leg. P. Naskrecki—male holotype (ANSP) Differential diagnosis. — Similar in size and general appearance to A. bardus Karsch, but differs in the lack of a distinct mirror on the left part of the male stridulatory area (left mirror well developed in A. bardus) and the shape of the male cercus. General. — Body of medium size, slender (figs. 13 A–B). Head. — Antennae more than twice as long as body; fastigium of vertex triangular, reaching apex of antennal sockets, grooved dorsally; frons flat. Scapus with small apical spine. Thorax. — Humeral sinus of pronotum absent; lateral lobe wider than high; metazona flat; posterior edge of prozona straight; pronotum surface smooth to weakly granulate. Prosternum armed with two short spines. Legs. — Genicular lobes of front femur armed with spines on outer side only; genicular lobes of hind femur armed on both inner and outer sides; mid tibia unarmed dorsally. Wings. — Tegmen distinctly surpassing apex of abdomen; vein Rs branching off in apical third of tegmen; veins Sc and R converging towards apex of tegmen; left stridulatory area coriaceous, without mirror (fig. 8 A); right stridulatory area with small, circular mirror (fig. 8 B). Stridulatory file weakly bent, flat, with 119 lamelliform teeth, 1.45 mm long, 0.15 mm wide (fig. 3 K). Hind wing as long as tegmen. Abdomen. — Cercus unarmed, bent in apical fourth; apex of cercus slightly thickened (fig. 2 C); subgenital plate with small, triangular apical incision; stylus cylindrical, more than 3 times as long as wide; subgenital plate narrowly triangular, with small apical incision (fig. 3 F); supraanal plate small, triangular. Ovipositor. — Ovipositor slightly curved, shorter than hind femur (ratio hind femur/ovipositor 1.18–1.29), dorsal edge of upper valvula slightly convex in middle; apex pointed, with upper valvula minutely dentate, lower valvula smooth (fig. 3 H). Coloration. — Coloration straw brown to dark brown, sometimes mottled; face light brown, without darker markings; occiput with dark band continuous with band on dorsal surface of pronotum; tegmen often with posterior edge lighter or darker then rest of wing (figs. 13 A–B); hind wing fumose. Measurements (8 males, 7 females). — body w/wings: male 32–35 (33.6 ± 1.1), female 39–42 (40.5 ± 1); body w/o wings: male 29–32 (30 ± 1.2), female 26.5–31 (28.9 ± 1.8); pronotum: male 5.5–6 (5.9 ±. 2), female 6– 7 (6.3 ±. 4); tegmen: male 25–27 (26.2 ±. 7), female 25–29 (27.1 ± 1.3); hind femur: male 18–20 (18.9 ±. 6), female 19–22 (20.3 ± 1); ovipositor: female 16–17 (16.5 ±. 5) mm. Material examined. — Ghana: Eastern Region, Atewa Range, Asiakwa (North), elev. 769 m (6 ° 16 ' 16.4 ''N, 0° 33 ' 52.8 ''W), 16–24.vi. 2006, leg. P. Naskrecki (Camp 3)— 3 females, 3 males (6 paratypes) (ANSP); Asiakwa (South), elev. 690 m (6 ° 15 ' 44.3 ''N, 0° 33 ' 18.8 ''W), 11–16.vi. 2006, leg. P. Naskrecki (Camp 2)— 6 females, 12 males (18 paratypes) (ANSP); Atiwiredu, elev. 795 m (6 ° 12 ' 24.7 ''N, 0° 34 ' 37.2 ''W), 6– 10.vi. 2006, leg. P. Naskrecki (Camp 1)— 6 females, 1 male (paratypes) (ANSP); Guinea: Guinee Forestiere, Foret Classee Dere, elev. 440 m (7 ° 36 ' 14 ''N, 8 ° 12 ' 42 ''W), 17–19.xi. 2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype) (ANSP); Foret Classee Diecke, Camp 1, elev. 450 m (7 ° 35 ' 45 ''N, 8 ° 52 ' 19 ''W), 21–25.xi. 2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 2 females (2 paratypes) (ANSP); Foret Classee Diecke, Camp 2, nr. Yossono, elev. 460 m (7 ° 29 ' 40 ''N, 8 ° 49 ' 54 ''W), 26–29.xi. 2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 2 males (3 paratypes) (ANSP); Mt. Bero, elev. 630 m (8 ° 8 ' 21 ''N, 8 ° 34 ' 24 ''W), 2–6.xii. 2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 3 males (holotype, 4 paratypes) (ANSP, MCZ); Simandou Mts., nr. Banko, Camp 2, elev. 590–700 m (8 ° 31 ' 29 ''N, 8 ° 56 ' 12 ''W), 3– 7.xii. 2002, leg. P. Naskrecki— 3 females, 5 males (8 paratypes) (ANSP). Etymology. — The specific epithet affluens (= abounding, Lat.) refers to the high abundance of this new species observed in the lowland forests of Guinea and Ghana. Natural history. — This species is one of the most common sylvan katydids in the lowland forests of Guinea and Ghana, being present in both primary, undisturbed forests, and heavily disturbed, secondary forests. It can be found on low understory vegetation, feeding on leaves and flowers.Published as part of Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008, Sylvan katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae) of the Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot: an overview and descriptions of new species, pp. 1-41 in Zootaxa 1712 on pages 9-10, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18095
Enyaliopsis iaculator Naskrecki & Guta 2019, sp. n.
No full text<i>Enyaliopsis iaculator</i> sp. n. <p>http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:506811</p> <p>(Figs. 3A, 4E, 5B, 18 A–F, 19A, D–G, K–P, 49I–L)</p> <p>urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 41FECAA2-F832-4764-B141-55FF43A0B0E4</p> <p> <i>Type locality.</i> Mozambique: Sofala, GNP, Chitengo Camp (-18.98194, 34.35122), 29 m, 11–25.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo—male holotype (EOWL)</p> <p> <i>Differential diagnosis.</i> Unmistakable among Gorongosa katydids, this large, flightless insect can be identified by the combination of its heavily armed, spiny pronotum and head, the lack of visible wings (males’ short yet overlapping tegmina are completely hidden under the pronotum, while those of females are reduced to minute, non-overlapping cuticular folds), and an extremely short ovipositor in the female. <i>E. iaculator</i> belongs to the <i>petersi</i> Group of species, as defined by Glenn (1991). From <i>E. petersi</i> (Schaum, 1853), a species described from an unknown location in Mozambique, it differs in the armature of the pronotum, with a significantly shorter, less extended anterior “rack of spines <i>s1</i> and <i>s2</i> on the anterior edge of the prozona; shorter spines <i>s8</i> on the posterior corners of the metazoan; and the shape of the titillator (simple, undivided tip in E. <i>petersi</i> <i>,</i> divided in <i>E. iaculator</i>) (Figs. 18B, H). From <i>E. nyala</i> Glenn, 1991 from Malawi it differs in having shorter forward-facing spines <i>s1</i> of the frontal “rack, spines <i>s6</i> distinctly longer than <i>s7</i>, and shorter spines <i>s8</i> on the posterior corners of the metazoan; the structure of the titillator (strongly divided and dilated apically in <i>E. nyala</i>) (Figs. 19C, I); and the pattern of male song (syllable length in <i>E. nyala</i> <0.25 s, with 7–8 impulses; syllable length in <i>E. iaculator</i> ~ 0.4 s, with 11 impulses) (Figs. 49 I–L). From <i>E. mulanje</i> Glenn, 1991, a species endemic to the Mulanje Massif in Malawi, it differs in the same aspects of the pronotal armature as mentioned above, the shape of the titillator (Fig. 19J), and the pattern of the song (syllable length in <i>E. mulanje</i> ~ 0.75 s, with 13 impulses).</p> <p> <i>General.</i> Body large, robust; male brachypterous, female squamipterous (Figs. 18 A–C).</p> <p> <i>Head.</i> Antennae shorter than body; antennal scapus unarmed; eyes globular, strongly protruding; fastigium of vertex long, spur-shaped, 3–3.2 mm long; frons flat, vertical; ocelli absent.</p> <p> <i>Thorax.</i> Pronotum surface rugose; pronotum armed with strong, sharp spines; metazona weakly convex. Anterior “rack with forward-facing spines <i>s1</i> as long as or shorter than sideways-facing ones <i>s2;</i> spine <i>s4</i> positioned distinctly in front of <i>s5</i> and spine <i>s6</i> almost twice as long as <i>s7</i> (Figs. 19D, E).</p> <p> <i>Legs.</i> Legs short, robust; hind legs non-saltatorial; front tibia with 5 anterior and 5 posterior spines; mid tibia with 5 anterior and 4 posterior spines; hind tibia with 5 anterior and 19–21 posterior spines.</p> <p> <i>Wings.</i> Tegmen reduced, completely hidden under pronotum, approximately rounded and about as long as wide, tegminal venation strongly reduced (Figs. 19F, G); stridulatory file weakly sinuous, 2.9–3.1 mm long, 0.14–0.2 mm wide, with 53–60 teeth (Fig. 19A).</p> <p> <i>Abdomen.</i> Cercus strongly reduced, in a form of short, thick peg. Subgenital plate broadly rounded; styli absent (Fig. 18E); titillator anchor-shaped, with long, straight middle arm, its apex thickened, weakly bilobed (Figs. 19 K–P). Ovipositor very short, dorsal and ventral valvulae divergent at apex, narrowly pointed (Fig. 18F).</p> <p> <i>Coloration.</i> Mottled brown, occasionally with green elements on pronotum, abdomen, and hind legs. Metazona of pronotum with narrowly triangular dark brown patches, lateral lobes of pronotum nearly black; legs often lighter brown or green, outer surfaces of hind femur often marked with darker spots (Figs. 18 A–C).</p> <p> <i>Bioacoustics.</i> The call of <i>E. iaculator</i> is a continuous train of short but distinctly separate syllables, with syllables produced at the rate of only 2/sec (at 26°C); mean syllable duration is 0.04264 (SD=0.13340, n=790), with the frequency peak at 11.7–14.6 kHz (Figs. 49 I–L); each syllable consists on average of 11 impulses (SD=2.101, n=104). The call is loud and readily audible to the human ear from several meters.</p> <p>Males usually start calling shortly after sunset from dense bushes, often very low to the ground (from a few centimeters to about 3 meters above the ground.) While calling, the male invariably hangs upside down on a thin branch and is relatively oblivious to disturbance. Calling males appear to be territorial and are spaced regularly by at least 10 m; the same tree or bush never has more than one calling male.</p> <p>The population in the northeastern part of the Cheringoma Plateau is unusual in that the males often sing throughout the day, including noontime. This population, however, shows no statistically significant differences from the populations elsewhere in the Gorongosa region in either the parameters of the call or their morphological characters.</p> <p> <i>Distribution and natural history.</i> This new species is currently known only from the Gorongosa region albeit it is likely to occur throughout suitable lowland miombo habitats in the coastal region of central Mozambique between rivers Save and Zambezi. The record of 2 female specimens of <i>E. nyala</i> from Beira, listed as being in the collection of the Iziko Museum in Cape Town by Glenn (1991) (but currently missing from the museum’s holdings), is highly doubtful and likely represents the new species.</p> <p> <i>E. iaculator</i> is found primarily in the understory of <i>Brachystegia</i> miombo woodland, at elevations between 20 and 250 m. These katydids prefer shaded, dense bushes, where adults hide during the day by clinging to branches. In contrast, nymphs often spend the day under rocks and logs on the ground or in crevices of tree bark. They are primarily predaceous, capable of catching and devouring even relatively very fast prey, such as grasshoppers <i>Zonocerus elegans</i> Thunberg, 1815. They also eat plant material, such as flowers and fruits.</p> <p> In addition to the defense provided by the hard and spiny pronotum these katydids respond to threats by squirting a powerful jet of hemolymph from a small opening on the dorsal surface of the connective membrane between the coxa and trochanter of the mesothoracic leg (Fig. 17D). The jet is powerful enough to reach the eyes of a person (and presumably other attackers) and it has a strong smell, similar to that produced by some leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae). The actual composition of the liquid and its chemical properties are still unknown, but it presumably contains compounds that predators find distasteful or toxic. In the experience of the authors the katydid hemolymph does not seem to have a discernible effect on the human skin albeit there are anecdotal cases of people having an allergic reaction following a contact with <i>Enyaliopsis</i> katydids. Strangely, despite having powerful mandibles, these katydids never attempt to bite the attacker.</p> <p>Both nymphs and adults occur throughout the year, including the dry season, and males call virtually every day of the year. In captivity adults lived for more than two years. Mating takes place on branches and lasts for approximately an hour, during which time the male produces a large spermatophylax, approximately the size of 1/3 of his abdomen (Fig. 3B); the female subsequently consumes the spermatophylax. Since the male cerci are non-functional, the male secures his position on the underside of the female by holding her with all his legs (Fig. 3B). The male refraction period is unknown but males mate multiple times, most likely throughout the year. Females lay eggs in the soil (Fig. 4E) by digging a hole with their short ovipositor and subsequently carefully cover the hole with soil. Eggs laid in captivity underwent a 2-year diapause before hatching. Nymphs of all stages resemble the adults in their general appearance and, unlike other Hetrodinae whose nymphs are often green, have brown, mottled coloration (Fig. 5B).</p> <p> <i>Etymology.</i> The specific epithet of this species, <i>iaculator</i> (“shooter in Latin), refers to the defensive behavior of this species, during which the insects spray the attacker with a jet of their own hemolymph.</p> <p> <i>Measurements (7 males, 6 females).</i> body: male 40.6–51 (45.53.3), female 44–59.5 (52.35.2); pronotum: male 18.7–22 (20.11.4), female 18.2–20 (19.1.6); tegmen: male 6.9–7.8 (7.4.4); hind femur: male 16.8–20 (18.41.3), female 18.1–22.2 (19.81.4); ovipositor: 6–8.4 (7.2.8) mm.</p> <p> <i> <i>Material examined</i> (67 specimens).</i> <b>Mozambique</b>: Sofala, Coutada 12, Inhamitanga Forest, Camp 1, elev. 210 m (-18.23835, 35.33015), 9–14.iv.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males (incl. 1 paratype); same locality, 13.iv.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL); Coutada 12, Nyago hunting camp, elev. 70 m (-18.660767, 35.455603), 8–16.iv.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki & J. Guyton— 1 male; Cheringoma, Coutada 12, Chironde camp, elev. 156 m (-18.32780, 35.35799), 25.iii.–4.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki, J. Guyton & M. Castene— 1 male; nr. Codzo (Khodzue), cave and nearby, elev. 216 m (-18.564, 34.872222), 8–9.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype) (MCZ); same locality, 14–25.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male, 1 nymph (paratype); Gorongosa, GNP, Chitengo, elev. 38 m (-18.981067, 34.351983), 11–31.x.2014, coll. R. Guta—1 nymph male; Coutada 12, Camp 2, 7km north of Pawue Village, (-18.43151, 035.35499), 13.iv.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype); GNP, Bela Vista rang- er outpost, elev. 26 m (-18.69470, 34.20853), 5–12.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype); GNP, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 31.xii.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males (incl. 2 paratypes); GNP, Chitengo, nr. Pungue River, elev. 39 m (-18.993972, 34.349694), 22.v.2016, coll. M. Castene—1 nymph; GNP, dense miombo between Bunga outpost and Chiuata, elev. 126 m (-18.57054, 34.34510), 29.iv.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL); turn-off on path from Chitengo to Pungwe river, bush dinner spot, (-18.985517, 34.353064), 25.vii.2015, coll. B. Woo— 1 male; Gorongosa Dist., Archway Gorge, campsite, elev. 63 m (-18.95336, 34.61089), 22–29.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male, 1 nymph (paratype) (MCZ); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 38 m (-18.982867, 34.35185), 1–18.ix.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL); Claud’s Waterfall campsite, elev. 94 m (-19.03011, 34.67592), 1–6.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype); Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo, (-18.97775, 34.351333), 21.vii.–8.viii.2015, coll. B. Woo—1 nymph; GNP, Chitengo, elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 30.vii.2011, coll. Joel Sartore—1 nymph (MCZ); same locality, 9.v.–29.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki—4 nymphs, 4 females, 7 males, 6 nymphs (incl. 11 paratypes); same locality, 17.iii.–5.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 2 males, 1 nymph (paratypes); same locality, 17–31.iii.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 2 males (incl. 4 paratypes) (EOWL, MCZ); same locality, 6–31.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males, 1 nymph (paratypes) (MCZ); same locality, 1–19.ix.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL); same locality, 4.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki, R. Guta & F. Artur— 1 female (paratype) (EUMM); same locality, 11–25.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo— 1 female, 2 males (incl. holotype, 2 paratypes) (EOWL, EUMM); GNP, Explore Gorongosa camp, elev. 23 m (-18.92092, 34.36575), 14.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male, 2 nymphs (incl. 1 paratype); GNP, humid woodland, elev. 30 m (-18.96414, 34.38644), 12.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males (incl. 2 paratypes); GNP, on Rd. 11, elev. 22 m (-19.00469, 34.41064), 4.vi.-25.vii.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 5 males, 1 nymph (paratypes); GNP, on Rt. 2, elev. 18 m (-18.95386, 34.42897), 20.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype) (MCZ); Nhambu, elev. 35 m (-18.992778, 34.326944), 22.vii.2014, coll. M. Prager & R. Guta— 1 male (paratype); GNP, nr. Nhascuvo outpost, (-19.062639, 34.232194), 24–28.vi.2014, coll. G. Daniel, I. Nganhane & R. Guta— 1 female, 1 male (paratypes) (EOWL).</p>Published as part of <i>Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, pp. 1-119 in Zootaxa 4682 (1)</i> on pages 41-46, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3472787">http://zenodo.org/record/3472787</a>
Eurycorypha parkeri Naskrecki & Guta 2019, sp. n.
No full textEurycorypha parkeri sp. n. http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:506815 (Figs. 43 A–G, 56D–F) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 303930BC-4C54-457C-B09A-2B83358132EA Type locality. MOZAMBIQUE: Sofala Province, GRP, E.O. Wilson Lab Chitengo (-18.9783, 34.3514) 9.ii.– 4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta—male holotype (EOWL) Differential diagnosis. This new species is similar to E. varia Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1891, sharing a similar, unmodified structure of the male 10 th tergite and a simple, apically blunt cercus, albeit in E. parkeri the apex of the cercus is more strongly bent inwards (Fig. 43E). However, the calls of these two species are dramatically different, and the ovipositor of E. varia is distinctly shorter and blunter than in E. parkeri. From E. pseudovaria Hemp, 2017 the new species differs in the shorter, blunter cercus, and the morphology of the ovipositor. Head. Antennae shorter than body; antennal scapus unarmed; eyes oval, moderately protruding. Fastigium of vertex very wide, about 3.5 times as wide as scapus, flat dorsally. Fastigium of frons touching equally wide fastigium of vertex; frons flat, vertical; smooth; frontolateral carinae well developed. Thorax. Pronotum surface smooth, anterior margin of pronotum flat, straight; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded; lateral carinae of pronotum well developed, forming smooth, sharp edges; nearly straight when seen from above, weakly converging towards anterior margin; humeral sinus of pronotum present. Thoracic auditory spiracle narrowly oval, completely hidden under pronotum; auditory swelling absent. Legs. Front coxa armed with distinct, downward pointing spine; front femur distinctly shorter and more robust than middle femur, armed on anterior margin with 5 small spines; front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 7 spines on anterior and 5 on posterior ventral margin; apex of front tibia 1 pair of ventral spurs and single dorsal spur on posterior margin; tympanum bilaterally open, oval, about twice as long as wide. Mid coxa unarmed; mid femur armed with 3 spines on anterior ventral margin; mid tibia unarmed dorsally, with 6 spines on posterior and 9 on anterior ventral margin; apex of mid tibia with 1 pair of dorsal and 1 pair of ventral spurs. Hind femur armed on both ventral margins in distal half with 3–4 small spines; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed; hind tibia armed on both dorsal and ventral margins; dorsal spines of hind tibia consecutive spines of similar size; apex of hind tibia 1 pair of ventral spurs and single dorsal spur on posterior margin. Wings. Right stridulatory area with large, fully developed mirror; mirror narrowly triangular (Fig. 43B); left stridulatory area coriaceous, without mirror (Fig. 43A); stridulatory file weakly sinuous, flat, 2.85 mm long, 0.15 mm wide, with 122 teeth (Fig. 43C); veins Sc and R very close together, parallel along their entire length, slightly separated near apex of tegmen but still parallel; hind wing slightly longer than tegmen, with transversely folded apical field (Fig. 43G). Abdomen. Tenth tergite with posterior edge straight, unmodified (Fig. 43E). Epiproct unmodified; paraprocts unmodified. Cercus long and slender, narrowed towards apex, bent inwards; straight when seen from side; apex truncated, with minute spines (Fig. 43E, F). Phallus entirely membranous, without sclerotized elements. Subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, with narrow incision apically; styli absent (Fig. 43F). Ovipositor. Ovipositor slightly curved, as long as 1/2 of hind femur; apex pointed, dorsal edge of upper valvula straight, distinctly serrated along its entire length; ventral edge of lower valvula serrated only in apical fifth (Fig. 43D). Coloration. Coloration uniformly green; face pale green; eyes with vertical yellow band continuous with that on face and pronotum, antennae unicolored. Legs mottled green; abdominal terga without markings. Tegmen without markings; major veins somewhat lighter than rest of wing (Fig. 43G). Bioacoustics. The call of E. parkeri is divided into two distinct acoustic elements. The first part of the call is a single, prolonged syllable that is produced by dragging the nearly entire length of the stridulatory file across the scraper; the mean duration of the long syllable is 0.106 s (SD=0.0094, n=21) and the syllable contains 70–79 individual tooth strikes. The second part of the call consists of a much shorter syllable lasting on average only 0.026 s (SD=0.00236, n=88) and containing 32–44 individual tooth strikes, followed immediately by a single impulse, most likely produced by dragging only 1–3 teeth over the scraper. The peak frequency of the call is 8.7–14.0 kHz (Figs. 56 D–F) and the call is easily heard from a distance of a few meters. Distribution and natural history. E. parkeri has so far been recorded only from Gorongosa and adjacent areas. Within the national park it is a common, frequently encountered species that can be heard from the crowns of deciduous trees in the woodland savanna. Adults are seen mostly between February and June. Etymology. This species is named in honor of Mr. Christopher M. Parker, a dedicated supporter of conservation and development efforts in Gorongosa National Park. Measurements (3 males, 2 females). body w/wings: male 38–40 (391), female 36–38 (371.4); body w/o wings: male 21–24 (22.71.5), female 17–22 (19.53.5); pronotum: male 5–6 (5.7.6), female 6; tegmen: male 31–34 (321.7), female 29–32 (30.52.1); hind femur: male 18–19 (18.3.6), female 16–20 (182.8); ovipositor: 7–11 (92.8) mm. Material examined (51 specimens). Mozambique: Sofala, Gorongosa, GNP, Chitengo, elev. 40 m (-18.9806, 34.351567), 1–25.i.2017, coll. R. Guta— 4 males (incl. 4 paratypes); Massiabosa, Swanepoel Concession, elev. 240 m (-18.55157, 35.03004), 10–14.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype) (EOWL); GNP, Bunga Inselberg, Camp 1, nr. Bunga ranger outpost, elev. 75 m (-18.59989, 34.33686), 21.iv.–5.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male (paratypes) (MCZ); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 96 m (-18.97708, 34.34898), 23.x.–6.xi.2017, coll. D. Amade & M. Castene— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL); GNP, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 9.ii.–4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki and R. Guta— 4 males (incl. 4 paratypes) (MCZ); Gorongosa Dist., Center for Environmental Conservation, elev. 119 m (-18.95472, 34.1775), 19.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo (212)— 1 male (paratype); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 38 m (-18.978808, 34.352606), 20–30.v.2014, coll. R. Guta— 1 female, 1 male (paratypes); same locality, 20–30.v.2014, coll. R.Guta— 1 male (paratype); Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo, (-18.97775, 34.351333), 19–28.ii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males (incl. 2 paratypes) (EOWL); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 9.v.–29.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype) (MCZ); same locality, 17–31.iii.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males (incl. 2 paratypes); same locality, 17.iii.–5.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females, 9 males (incl. 12 paratypes) (EOWL, MCZ); same locality, 6–31.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype); same locality, 30.i.–13.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki— 5 males (incl. 5 paratypes) (MCZ); same locality, 4.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki, R. Guta & F. Artur— 3 males (incl. 3 paratypes); Gorongosa Distr., Chitengo, (-18.981944, 34.351222), 2–28.ii.2015, coll. R. Guta— 2 males (incl. 2 paratypes); GRP, E.O. Wilson Lab Chitengo, (-18.9783, 34.3514), 9.ii.–4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 5 males (incl. holotype, 4 paratypes); same locality, 29.ii.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype); same locality, 26–31.iii.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype) (EOWL).Published as part of Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, pp. 1-119 in Zootaxa 4682 (1) on pages 98-100, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/347278
Eulioptera carrolli Naskrecki & Guta 2019, sp. n.
No full textEulioptera carrolli sp. n. http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:506817 (Figs. 27 A–H, 51A–C) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3B886544-8520-4E41-8593-72E94CD21651 Type locality. Mozambique: Sofala, Gorongosa, GNP, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 15–30.ix.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki—male (holotype) (EOWL). Differential diagnosis. E. carrolli sp. n. is related to E. montana Ragge, 1980 and E. monticola Ragge, 1980, with which it shares a similar structure of the male cercus (Fig. 27D) and subgenital plate (Fig. 27E) as well as the presence of a distinct lobe at the base of the lower valvula of the ovipositor (Fig. 27G). From E. monticola it can be differentiated by the longer, dramatically more strongly curved cercus and the shape of the basal lobe of the ovipositor (lobe narrow, pointing back in E. monticola) and from E. montana it differs in the shape of the cercus, the lack of conspicuous dilatation of the posterior lobes of the subgenital plate present in that species, and the shape of the basal lobe of the ovipositor. E. carrolli is also unique in the structure of its stridulatory file (Fig. 27C). General. Body large for the genus, slender, macropterous; legs elongate (Fig. 27H). Head. Frons vertical, slightly convex, smooth; antennae 1.5 times as long as body; antennal scapus unarmed. Fastigium of frons touching fastigium of vertex; fastigium of vertex triangular, blunt apically, as wide as 1/2 of antennal scapus, barely reaching base of scapus, grooved dorsally; eyes globular, moderately protruding; lateral ocelli circular; median ocellus oval. Thorax. Lateral lobe about as high as long; humeral sinus of pronotum present, anterior margin of pronotum flat, straight; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded; lateral carinae of pronotum absent. Thoracic auditory spiracle large, narrowly oval, its upper half hidden under pronotum. Legs. Legs slender. Front coxa unarmed, front femur armed with 5–8 spines on anterior and 3–4 spines on posterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed; front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 4 spines on posterior and 5 on anterior ventral margin; apex of front tibia with 1 pair of ventral spurs and single posterior dorsal spur; tympanum bilaterally open, oval, about twice as long as wide. Mid femur armed with 4–5 spines on posterior and 6–7 spines on anterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of mid femur unarmed. Mid tibia unarmed dorsally, with 8–9 spines on posterior and 12–13 on anterior ventral margin; apex of mid tibia with 1 pair of ventral spurs and single posterior dorsal spur, hind femur armed on both ventral margins with 2–3 small spines below knee; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed; dorsal spines of hind tibia with alternating size, smaller and larger; apex of hind tibia with 1 pair of dorsal and 2 pairs of ventral spurs. Wings. Tegmen distinctly surpassing apex of abdomen; hind wing longer than tegmen, exceeding them by about 1/6 of tegmen length; tegmen with cells between major and minor veins translucent; right stridulatory area with large, fully developed, narrowly elliptical mirror (Fig. 27B); stridulatory file straight, 1.3 mm long mm long, 0.045 mm wide, with 97 teeth (Fig. 27C). Abdomen. Tenth tergite unmodified; epiproct narrowly triangular, unmodified. Cercus strongly bent inwards; apex with small apical spine positioned on posterior surface of cercus (Fig. 27D); straight when seen from side. Phallus entirely membranous, without sclerotized elements. Subgenital plate strongly narrowed posteriorly, with deep, narrow incision dividing posterior half of subgenital plate into two narrow lobes, styli absent (Fig. 27E); female subgenital plate with posterior part diverging into two small triangular lobes (Fig. 27F). Ovipositor. Ovipositor about as long as 1/3 of hind femur, strongly curved, with distinct triangular lobe at base of lower valvula, dorsal edge of upper valvula with minute serration mid-length; apex blunt, with minute dentitions on both lower and upper valvulae (Fig. 27G). Coloration. Coloration light green, with dense punctation of small, black dots over most of body except for tegmina. Legs green; front tibia with tympanal area brown; face pale green, lighter than rest of body; tegmen green, stridulatory area dark, posterior margin of tegmen black and brown, forming distinct line when wings are folded. Bioacoustics. The call of E. carrolli consists of series of 9–12 syllable echemes; mean syllable duration is 0.01125 s (SD=0.002013, n=45); the peak frequency of the call is 24.0–31.6 kHz (Figs. 51 A–C). Distribution and natural history. This species is common in lowland woodland savanna of Gorongosa. Adults are found mostly during the rainy season, between January and April. Etymology. This species is named in honor of Dr. Sean B. Carroll, an eminent evolutionary biologist and an ardent supporter of the Gorongosa Restoration Project. Measurements (3 males, 3 females). body w/wings: male 38–39 (38.5.7), female 36–37 (36.3.6); body w/o wings: male 21–22 (21.5.7), female 18–20 (191); pronotum: male 4–5 (4.7.6), female 4–5 (4.7.6); tegmen: male 29–30 (29.5.7), female 26–28 (271); hind femur: male 19–20 (19.3.6), female 19–20 (19.7.6); ovipositor: 5–6 (5.7.6) mm. Material examined (14 specimens). Mozambique: Sofala, Cheringoma, Coutada 12, Chironde camp, elev. 156 m (-18.32780, 35.35799), 25.iii.–4.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki, J. Guyton & M. Castene— 1 male (paratype); Gorongosa, GNP, Chitengo, elev. 40 m (-18.9806, 34.351567), 1–25.i.2017, coll. R. Guta— 1 male (paratype) (EOWL); GNP, Bunga Inselberg, Camp 1, nr. Bunga ranger outpost, elev. 75 m (-18.59989, 34.33686), 21.iv.–5.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females (incl. 2 paratypes); GNP, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 9.ii.–4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki and R. Guta— 2 males (incl. 2 paratypes) (MCZ); GNP, Chitengo, Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 15–31.xii.2017, coll. N. Vicente— 1 male (paratype); same locality, 1–15.i.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki & N. Vicente— 1 male (paratype); GNP, on Picada 2, elev. 44 m (-18.963833, 34.382306), 12.ii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta (226)— 1 female (paratype); Gorongosa Dist., Center for Environmental Conservation, elev. 119 m (-18.95472, 34.1775), 19.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo (212)— 1 male (paratype) (EOWL); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 9.v.–29.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype); same locality, 6–31.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (paratype); same locality, 30.i.–13.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (holotype) (MCZ); same locality, 4.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki, R. Guta & F. Artur— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL) .Published as part of Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, pp. 1-119 in Zootaxa 4682 (1) on pages 66-67, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/347278
Meconematini Naskrecki & Guta, 2019, gen. n.
No full textMeconematini: Acilacridina <p> Naskrecki (1996) revised southern African Meconematinae and described several new taxa, including species in the genera <i>Acilacris</i> Bolivar, 1890 and <i>Aroegas</i> Peringuey, 1916. Recently Gorochov (2017) suggested, based on the similarity of the male genitalic structures in these two genera, that the latter should be demoted to the status of a subgenus within <i>Acilacris.</i> He also proposed the creation of a new subtribe Acilacridina to accommodate genera <i>Acilacris,</i> <i>Paracilacris</i> Chopard, 1955, and <i>Africariola</i> Naskrecki, 1996, which all share similar pronotum and ovipositor morphologies. One of the species described by Naskrecki (1996) was <i>Acilacris (A.) incisus</i> Naskrecki, 1996, at that time known from only the female holotype collected at Mt. Selinda in eastern Zimbabwe. A recent survey in the Mozambican section of the Chimanimani Mountains, close to the type location of <i>A. incisus,</i> led to the discovery of a thriving population of this species in Mozambique. This allows us to redescribe this species based on new material, including the first description of the male, and a description of the species’ acoustic behavior. Moreover, the ability to examine the male genitalic characters in this and a closely related new species from Mt. Gorongosa (described below), made it obvious that <i>A. incisus</i> shares little with other species of <i>Acilacris</i> (Figs. 13 A–L), and for this reason it is here transferred to a new genus, <i>Ovonotus</i> gen. n. The new genus is placed in the subtribe Acilacridina based on the similarity to other taxa in the subtribe in its thoracic structures (pronotum and tegmina) and the shape of the ovipositor.</p>Published as part of <i>Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, pp. 1-119 in Zootaxa 4682 (1)</i> on page 35, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3472787">http://zenodo.org/record/3472787</a>
Eriolus penicillus Naskrecki, sp. n.
No full textEriolus penicillus Naskrecki, sp. n. Figs. 32 A-D, 37C, 50F, Map 16 Type locality: Costa Rica: Heredia Prov., La Selva Biological Station; type depository: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia – holotype male Diagnostic description.— Body small, slender, with wings in both sexes extending beyond apices of hind femora by about half of their length (Fig. 37 C). Fastigium of vertex conical, with well developed ventral keel, as long as 1.5 eye diameter. Prosternum unarmed. Male stridulatory file weakly sinusoidal, 1.2 mm long, 76 μm wide, with 146 closely spaced and relatively narrow teeth (Fig. 50 F); stridulatory area on male wings strongly projecting, approximately triangular in shape; mirror triangular; secondary veinlet next to AA1 present, parallel; stridulatory area of left wing devoid of secondary venation. Tenth tergite in both sexes with two, somewhat converging, long and narrow, apically rounded lobes; male cercus about twice as long as thick, with thin, finger-like, subapical spine (Fig. 32 A); female cercus simple, elongately conical, somewhat curved. Male titillators in the form of a tuft of thin, cuticular threads, their basal parts hidden in sheath of phallic membrane (Figs. 32 C- D). Male subgenital plate with small apical incision and long styli; female subgenital plate approximately triangular, with minute, triangular lobe on its hind margin. Ovipositor long, saber-shaped, distinctly longer than half of hind femur (ratio ovipositor/hind femur 0.77-0.93) (Fig. 32 B). Coloration.— General coloration pale green (Fig. 37 C); clypeus and mandibles purple; pronotum in both sexes with two thin, yellow stripes on dorsal edges of pronotum; posterior edge of metazona in male without additional markings; tegmina with irregularly distributed, numerous small, black dots. Measurements.— Table 23. Distribution.— E. penicillus is known only from the northeastern Atlantic portion of Costa Rica (Map 16). Material examined.— COSTA RICA: Heredia Prov., Finca Naranjo Valenciana, 2 km S Pueblo Nuevo, Sarapiquí, elev. 90 m, 9 - 30 September 1992 (coll. M. Ortiz) - 1 female (paratype) (INBio); same locality, elev. 90 m, 22 December 1992 (coll. M. Ortiz) - 1 female (paratype) (INBio); Puerto Viejo, La Selva Biological Station, elev. 50 - 150 m, 10° 26' N, 84° 1' W, 5 May 1993 (coll. ALAS) - 1 male, 1 female (paratypes) (ALAS); same locality, 1 - 30 November 1993 (coll. ALAS) - 2 males (paratypes) (ALAS); same locality, 1 - 4 April 1994 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 female (paratype) (PN collection); same locality, 7 October 1995 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 female (allotype) (ANSP); same locality, 10 - 15 November 1995 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 female (paratype) (PN collection); same locality, 10-25 January 1999 (coll. D.L. Wagner) – 1 male (holotype) (ANSP); Limón Prov., Río Sardinas, R.N.F.S. Barra del Colorado, 12 November 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 female (paratype) (INBio).Published as part of Piotr Naskrecki, 2000, Katydids of Costa Rica / Vol. 1, Systematics and bioacoustics of the cone-head katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae sensu lato)., Philadelphia, PA :The Orthopterists Society at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, on page 117, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27003
Amyttosa insectivora Naskrecki, 2008, n. sp.
No full textAmyttosa insectivora n. sp. (Figs. 1 G–K; 4 H, R; 5 D, E; 7 G) Differential diagnosis. This species is most closely related to A. mutillata (Karsch), but can be distinguished by the combination of a unique shape of the male cercus (Fig. 1 I –K), the length of the tegmina (tegmina clearly exceeding apices of hind knees in A. mutillata, not reaching the hind knees in A. insectivora), and the shape of the female subgenital plate (subgenital plate with two elongate, apical lobes in A. mutillata.) From A. nimbana Chopard it differs in the shape of the male cerci (cercus straight and strongly narrowed apically in A. nimbana), and from A. brevipennis Beier this new species differs in the development of wings (in A. brevipennis tegmina do not reach the middle of the abdomen) and the shape of the male cerci. Description. General. Body small, relatively robust; macropterous (Fig. 7 G). Head. Fastigium of vertex triangular, blunt apically, not reaching apex of antennal sockets, flat dorsally; antennae about twice as long as body; frons flat, vertical; eyes circular, weakly protruding. Thorax. Lateral lobe about as long as wide; humeral sinus of pronotum absent; anterior margin of pronotum flat; metazona weakly convex; posterior edge of metazona narrowly rounded. Legs. Legs slender. Front tibia unarmed dorsally, with 5 spines on posterior and 4 on anterior ventral margin; tympanum bilaterally open; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed; front femur unarmed ventrally. Mid tibia unarmed dorsally; thickened in proximal 3 / 4. with 4 spines on posterior and 5 on anterior ventral margin; mid femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of mid femur unarmed. Hind femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed. Wings. Tegmen slightly surpassing apex of abdomen but not reaching apex of hind femur; anterior margin straight; hind wing slightly longer than tegmen. Costal field wide, evenly narrowing towards wing tip; veins Sc and R slightly diverging towards apex of tegmen; vein Rs branching off in middle of tegmen, with 2 apical branches; right stridulatory area with small but well developed mirror; left stridulatory area with small, roughly rectangular mirror (Fig. 4 R). Stridulatory file elevated on thickened vein, straight, with 73 teeth, very short, only 0.27 mm long, 0.03 mm wide (Fig. 4 H). Abdomen. Tenth tergite with posterior edge sclerotized, slightly raised, and with small, triangular incision. Cercus with large, flat, almost rectangular inner lobe, bent inwards; apex slightly flattened dorso-ventrally (FigS. 1 I, J); paraprocts forming large, paired structure, with upper, bulbous, and lower, finger-like parts (Fig. 1 K); epiphallus not sclerotized. Subgenital plate unmodified, broadly trapezoidal and slightly convex apically; styli cylindrical, about 4 times as long as wide, parallel (Fig. 1 I). Female subgenital plate wide, with broad, shallow apical incision (Fig. 1 H). Ovipositor. Ovipositor strongly reduced; straight, only as long as 1 / 4 of hind femur; apex blunt, with both valvulae smooth, dorsal edge of upper valvula convex in middle (Fig. 1 G, H). Egg. Egg nearly spherical one end slightly flattened), about 1mm in diameter, with paired, collar-like capitula on both ends; chorion densely reticulate, its surface covered with regularly distributed, small tubercles (Figs. 5 D, E). Coloration. Coloration light green; antennae with dark annulation; eyes uniformly colored; face without darker markings; occiput without markings; pronotum without markings; prozona green; tegmen without markings; without any markings; hind wing hyaline; hind legs uniformly colored; abdominal sterna and subgenital plate without markings. Measurements (2 males, 6 females). body w/wings: male 16, female 17.5–20.5 (18.6 ± 1.3); body w/o wings: male 14, female 15–17.5 (16.4 ±. 9); pronotum: male 5, female 4.5–5.5 (5 ±. 3); tegmen: male 11–11.5 (11.3 ±. 4), female 12.3–15.5 (13.6 ± 1.4); hind femur: male 10.5–11.5 (11 ±. 7), female 10.5–14 (12 ± 1.5); ovipositor: 2.5–4.5 (3.3 ±. 8) mm. Material examined. GHANA: Eastern Region, Atewa Range, Asiakwa, main road, elev. 817 m (6 ° 15 '. 7 ''N, 0° 33 ' 53.7 ''W), 7–11.xii. 2007, coll. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and N. Jengre - 1 male (holotype) (ANSP), 3 females (paratypes) (ANSP, MCZ); Asiakwa (North), elev. 769 m (6 ° 16 ' 16.4 ''N, 0° 33 ' 52.8 ''W), 16–24.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 3) - 1 female (paratype) (MCZ); Asiakwa (South), elev. 690 m (6 ° 15 ' 44.3 ''N, 0° 33 ' 18.8 ''W), 11–16.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 2) - 8 females, 2 males (incl. 9 paratypes) (ANSP, MCZ); Atiwiredu, elev. 795 m (6 ° 12 ' 24.7 ''N, 0° 34 ' 37.2 ''W), 6–10.vi. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki (Camp 1) - 1 female (paratype) (MCZ); Ajenjua Bepo Forest Reserve, elev. 300–320 m (6 ° 22 ' 2.3 ''N, 1 ° 1 ' 58 ''W), 26–30.viii. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and M. Bakowski (Camp 1) - 1 female; Mamang Forest Reserve, elev. 130 m (6 ° 15 ' 1.4 ''N, 1 ° 2 ' 25.4 ''W), 30.viii. – 5.ix. 2006, coll. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and M. Bakowski (Camp 2) - 1 female (paratype) (MCZ). Etymology. Named after the insectivorous feeding behavior of this species.Published as part of Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008, New species of arboreal predatory katydids from West Africa (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae), pp. 1-28 in Zootaxa 1732 on pages 9-10, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18135
Griffiniana capensis Naskrecki 1994
No full text<i>Griffiniana capensis</i> Naskrecki, 1994 <p>(Figs. 1 A; 2C, D; 3B, J, M; 4A, B)</p> <p> Naskrecki 1994: 295 >> <i>Griffiniana capensis</i></p> <p> <b>Type locality.</b> REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape, vic. of Teekloof, Pass (32°10'60''S, 21°37'0''E) 25.ii.1974, coll. D.C.F. Rentz & K.R. Brodey—male holotype (ANIC)</p> <p> <b>Diagnostic description (male, except where specified).</b> General characteristics as for the genus, diagnostic characters listed below. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the development of the tegmina, which in both sexes are reduced, less than twice as long as pronotum (Figs. 1 A, 3A); the non-stridulatory area of the tegmen is about 2/3 as long as mirror (Fig. 2 C). The call of the male consists of a series of echemes lasting about 1 s each, separated by gaps of approximately equal length (Figs. 4 A, B.)</p> <p> <i>Legs.</i> Front femur armed with 0–3 spines on anterior and unarmed on posterior ventral margin; front tibia with anterior dorsal margin with 4–6, posterior one with 8–9 minute spines. Mid femur unarmed on posterior and 1–3 spines on anterior ventral margin; mid tibia not noticeably thickened in basal part, with 17 small spines on anterior dorsal and 11 on posterior dorsal margin. Hind femur armed with 4–6 spines on anterior and 2–4 spines on posterior ventral margin</p> <p> <i>Wings.</i> Tegmen reduced, 16–2.0 times as long as pronotum; non-stridulatory area of tegmen about 2/3 as long as mirror; tegmen distinctly narrowed towards apex; anterior margin rounded. Costal field relatively wide, strongly narrowed only at apex; vein Rs very short, in apical fifth; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length, joint in apical fifth; mirror large, shape as in Fig. 2 C. Stridulatory file flat, straight, with 77–88 teeth (including minute teeth of anterior end of file), 1.0– 1.1 mm long, 0.1 mm wide (Fig. 2 D); hind wing reduced, half as long as tegmen.</p> <p> <i>Abdomen.</i> Cercus cylindrical, straight, narrowing towards apex; with small, subapical, inner tooth; paraprocts weakly sclerotized, with small but distinct apical hook; styli cylindrical, about 3 times as long as wide (Fig. 3 M.) Female subgenital plate broadly trapezoidal, with very shallow apical incision, posterior lobes rounded (Fig. 3 J.)</p> <p> <b>Bioacoustics.</b> Males of <i>G. capensis</i> call from terminal branches of small, widely spaced bushes, usually sitting no higher than 50 cm above the ground. They begin their acoustic activity shortly after dark and continue until approximately midnight. The call (Figs. 4 A, B) consists of repeating echemes lasting 0.6– 1.26 s (0.94± 0.458 s, n=52), separated by silence lasting approximately as long as the echeme (0.6– 1.2 s, occasionally longer); males from Tankwa Karoo National Park produced longer echemes (1.05– 1.41 s, 1.26± 0.39 s, n=26, at 20°C) than those from Karoo National Park (0.53– 1.37 s, 0.59± 0.21 s, n=25 at 22°C.) Each echeme consists of 7–35 syllables (16.57± 8.18, n=35.) The absolute range of frequencies of the call was not measured due to the limitation of the equipment, but within the recorded range of 0–48 kHz the energy peak appeared around 28 kHz, with the secondary peak within audible part of the spectrum, at around 8–10 kHz. An ultrasonic detector registered acoustic signal within the call above 100 kHz, but the relative strength of this part of the call could not be measured.</p> <p> <b>Measurements (17 males, 2 females).</b> Body: male 11–15 (12.6±1), female 20–24 (22±2.8); pronotum: male 2–3 (2.6±.4), female 2.5–3 (2.8±.4); tegmen: male 3–5 (4.1±.7), female 3; hind femur: male 12–15 (13.5±1.2), female 15; ovipositor: 10.5 mm.</p> <p> <b>Material examined (26 specimens). Republic of South Africa</b>: <i>Eastern Cape</i>, 20 km S Aberdeen, (32°37'33.43''S, 24°11'26.57''E), 16.xii.1960, coll. Brown, Fürst & Haacke— 1 female (SANC); <i>Northern Cape</i>, Tankwa Karoo Nat. Park, 500 m S off main road, elev. 531 m (32°12'1.7''S, 20°1'42.2''E), 25.i.2011, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet— 1 male (MCZ); Tankwa Karoo Nat. Park, Elandsberg Cottages, elev. 583 m (32°10'31.4''S, 19°58'40.8''E), 23.i.2011, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet— 5 males (MCZ); Tankwa Karoo Nat. Park, Gannaga Pass, elev. 863 m (32°7'36.2''S, 20°5'55.2''E), 24.i.2011, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet— 1 male (MCZ); Teekloof Pass, 30 km S Fraserburg, (32°10'60''S, 21°37'0''E)—coll. H.D. Brown— 1 male (SANC); vic. of Teekloof, Pass, elev. 1160 m (32°10'60''S, 21°37'0''E), 25.ii.1974, coll. D.C.F. Rentz & K.R. Brodey— 1 female, 3 males (incl. holotype, 2 paratypes) (ANIC); <i>Western Cape</i>, Karoo National Park, elev. 950 m (32°19'48.8''S, 22°30'9.8''E), 28.xi.2006, coll. P. Naskrecki & D. Otte— 2 males (MCZ); same locality, 21-22.xi.2009, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet— 1 female, 3 males, 1 nymph female (MCZ); same locality, 22.i.2011, coll. P. Naskrecki & C. Bazelet— 1 female, 5 males (MCZ).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> The distribution of this species falls within Lower Karoo Bioregion, Nama-Karoo Biome) and Rainshadow Valley Karoo Bioregions (Succulent Karoo Biome) (Fig. 5 B.) It is associated with arid vegetation types, in areas where mean annual precipitation usually ranges from 70 to 100 mm (Mucina and Rutherford 2006.)</p>Published as part of <i>Naskrecki, Piotr & Bazelet, Corinna S., 2012, A revision of the southern African katydid genus Griffiniana Karny (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Mecopodinae), pp. 47-58 in Zootaxa 3218</i> on pages 52-56, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/209710">10.5281/zenodo.209710</a>
Parapyrrhicia guytonae Naskrecki & Guta 2019, sp. n.
No full text<i>Parapyrrhicia guytonae</i> sp. n. <p>http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:506819</p> <p>(Figs. 3A, 34 A–K, 55G–I)</p> <p> <i>Type locality.</i> MOZAMBIQUE: Sofala, GNP, Chitengo Camp (-18.98194, 34.35122), 29 m, 17.iii.–5.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki—male holotype (MCZ)</p> <p> <i> <i>Differential diagnosis.</i> P. guytonae</i> is identifiable among its congeners by the unique shape of the male cercus, which carries a distinct inner process near the base, and the strongly curved apical part with a characteristic, thin and nearly membranous expansion (Figs. 34 A–C). It also differs in the shape of the titillator (Figs. 34D, E) and the characteristics of the stridulatory apparatus. The frequency modulated call of this species appears to be unique. This new species is most closely related to <i>P. niloensis</i> Hemp, 2016 from East Usambara Mountains in Tanzania, sharing a similar general structure of the male cercus, but differs in the much smaller inner process, and more strongly curved and dilated apex of the cercus.</p> <p> <i>General.</i> Body of medium size, robust, cylindrical, macropterous; legs elongate (Figs. 34J, K).</p> <p> <i>Head.</i> Antennae slightly longer than body; antennal scapus unarmed; eyes globular, moderately protruding. Fastigium of frons small, separated from fastigium of vertex by small gap; fastigium of vertex triangular, blunt apically, as wide as 1/3 of antennal scapus, barely reaching base of scapus, concave dorsally; frons weakly convex; lateral carinae absent; lateral and median ocelli circular.</p> <p> <i>Thorax.</i> Anterior margin of pronotum straight, flat; metazona flat, posterior edge of metazona broadly rounded; lateral lobe about as high as long, humeral sinus of pronotum present; lateral carinae of pronotum absent. Pronotum surface smooth. Thoracic auditory spiracle large, narrowly oval, completely hidden under pronotum, without any setation on inner margin; sternum unarmed.</p> <p> <i>Legs.</i> Legs slender. Front coxa armed with distinct dorsal spine, front femur unarmed ventrally; genicular lobes of front femur armed with 2 spines on posterior and 1 spines on anterior side; front tibia with 1–3 spines on posterior dorsal margin, with 4–6 spines on posterior and 4–7 on anterior ventral margin; apex of front tibia 1 pair of ventral spurs and single dorsal spur on posterior margin; tympanum bilaterally open, oval, about twice as long as wide; subtympanal pits poorly developed. Mid coxa unarmed; mid femur armed with 3–4 spines on anterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of mid femur armed with two small spines on both sides; mid tibia with 4–5 spines on posterior dorsal margin; apex of mid tibia 1 pair of ventral spurs and single dorsal spur on posterior margin. Hind femur armed on both ventral margins; genicular lobes of hind femur armed with 2 spines on each side (lower spine minute); hind tibia armed on both dorsal and ventral margins; dorsal spines of hind tibia of equal size on both edges; consecutive spines of similar size; apex of hind tibia with 1 pair of dorsal and 2 pairs of ventral spurs.</p> <p> <i>Wings.</i> Tegmen surpassing apex of hind femur; veins Sc and R close together and parallel, diverging only towards apex of tegmen; mirror poorly developed, approximately triangular. Stridulatory file flat, weakly bent, 1.8 mm long, 0.1 mm wide, with 83 teeth (Fig. 33F); hind wing slightly longer than tegmen; posterior margin of female tegmen with 3 short stridulatory files.</p> <p> <i>Abdomen.</i> Tenth tergite unmodified. Epiproct unmodified; paraprocts unmodified. Phallus with well developed, strongly sclerotized titillators (Figs. 34D, E); titillators with apical part forming two serrated, divergent disks, clearly exposed in resting position (Figs. 34A, B). Cercus with apex strongly bent inwards, subapically with thin and nearly membranous expansion, with short inner process near base (Figs. 34A, B), straight when seen from side; subgenital plate distal end narrowed and forming two divergent lobes; apex distinctly bent upwards; styli absent (Fig. 34C). Female subgenital plate widely trapezoidal, posterior margin straight (Fig. 34I).</p> <p> <i>Ovipositor.</i> Ovipositor approximately as long as 1/2 of hind femur; slightly curved; apex rounded, with strong apical teeth on both valvulae (Fig. 34H).</p> <p> <i>Coloration.</i> Coloration light green with dense, fine punctation; face same color as rest of head; eyes with distinct vertical stripes, antennae unicolored; legs unicolored; abdominal terga green; abdominal sterna without markings; tegmen green with posterior edge contrastingly darker; stridulatory area light brown, bordered dark brown.</p> <p> <i>Bioacoustics.</i> The call of <i>P. guytonae</i> consists of a series of short, 2–5 syllable echemes and is unique in the frequency modulated aspect of the echemes; mean syllable duration is 0.0047 s (SD=0.00182, n=57) (Figs. 53G, H). Within each echeme the first syllable starts with the dominant frequency of 12.24–16.99 kHz (mean 14.88 kHz) and each successive syllable progressively increases its dominant frequency by approximately 2 kHz, with the last syllable reaching 18.16–22.26 kHz (mean 20.0 kHz) (Fig. 55I). It is possible that the function of such frequency shift is similar to that discussed by Heller & Hemp (2017) for <i>Gonatoxia helleri</i>, which apparently serves to mimic the call of a female in order to make it more difficult to locate her for other conspecific males. Females of <i>P. guytonae</i> have well developed stridulatory files on the posterior margin of the right tegmen, which implies a call-and-response behavior in this species. Unfortunately, the female call is yet unknown.</p> <p> <i>Distribution and natural history.</i> This species is common in lowland woodland savanna of central Mozambique and specimens of <i>P. guytonae</i> were also collected in Lengwe National Park in southern Malawi. It is usually found on dense bushes and in crowns of deciduous trees. Mating in this species has been observed in April; males produce a large spermatophylax that is subsequently eaten by the female (Fig. 3A).</p> <p> <i>Etymology.</i> This species is named in honor of Dr. Jennifer Guyton, a conservation biologist, an accomplished photographer, and the collector of some of the specimens of the new species.</p> <p> <i>Measurements (6 males, 6 females).</i> body w/wings: male 30–36 (34.52.3), female 31.5–36 (33.81.8); body w/o wings: male 20–24 (211.6), female 24–26.5 (25.31); pronotum: male 3–5.5 (4.4.9), female 3–5 (4.2.8); tegmen: male 22–30 (25.82.5), female 25–29 (26.31.5); hind femur: male 15.5–20 (18.31.7), female 17–20.5 (18.91.3); ovipositor: 7–10 (91.2) mm.</p> <p> <i> <i>Material examined</i> (44 specimens).</i> <b>Malawi</b>: Lengwe National Park, elev. 170 m (-16.26667, 34.65), 28.iii.1986, coll. Otte, Glenn & Ruffin (170)— 5 females, 2 males (paratypes) (ANSP); <b>Mozambique</b>: Sofala, Cheringoma, Coutada 12, road to Marromeu, elev. 218 m (-18.21613, 35.31432), 28.iii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype); Coutada 12, road to railway, elev. 201 m (-18.30323, 35.33324), 29.iii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki & J. Guy-ton— 2 females, 2 males (paratypes) (EOWL); Gorongosa, GNP, Bunga Inselberg, Camp 1, nr. Bunga ranger outpost, elev. 75 m (-18.59989, 34.33686), 21.iv.–5.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 8 females, 1 male (paratypes) (MCZ); GNP, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 9.ii.–4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki and R. Guta— 2 females (paratypes) (EOWL, MCZ); Gorongosa Dist., Archway Gorge, campsite, elev. 63 m (- 18.95336, 34.61089), 22–29.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male (paratypes); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 17.iii.–5.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 3 males (incl. holotype, 3 paratypes); same locality, 17–31.iii.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male (paratype) (MCZ); same locality, 11–25.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo— 2 males (paratypes) (EOWL); GNP, on Rt. 2, elev. 18 m (-18.95386, 34.42897), 20.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 1 male (paratypes); GNP, Picada 1, nr. P3, elev. 25 m (-18.94906, 34.37336), 6.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki, F. Artur & R. Guta (212)— 4 females, 3 males (paratypes) (MCZ); Gorongosa Distr., Chitengo, (-18.981944, 34.351222), 13–31.i.2015, coll. R. Guta— 1 female (paratype); GNP, E.O. Wilson Lab Chitengo, (- 18.9783, 34.3514), 12–31.i.2015, coll. R. Guta— 1 female (paratype) (EOWL).</p>Published as part of <i>Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, pp. 1-119 in Zootaxa 4682 (1)</i> on pages 77-81, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3472787">http://zenodo.org/record/3472787</a>
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