Orthoptera Tettigoniidae as indicators of biodiversity hotspots in the Guinean Forests of Central and West Tropical Africa Author Massa, Bruno 0000-0003-2127-0715 Department of Agriculture, Food and Forest Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale Scienze 13, 90128 Palermo, Italy (retired). bruno. massa @ unipa. it; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 2127 - 0715 bruno.massa@unipa.it text Zootaxa 2021 2021-05-21 4974 3 401 458 journal article 6215 10.11646/zootaxa.4974.3.1 f4836c21-a062-4226-8865-1c2fbbbbbbe3 1175-5326 4778159 D830FF11-A538-4FDB-80C0-E32DE3D10D43 Tettigoniidae as indicators of biodiversity hotspots Probably, while in the northern emisphere, the biodiversity crisis and the decline of insects appear to be due to climate change and to use of pesticides in agriculture, in the tropical forests of Africa, the decline of insects may depend mainly on the forest destruction. Sánchez-Bayo & Wyckhuys (2019) , consulting 73 papers that deal with the decline of insects, have observed a sharp decline that can lead to the extinction of 40% of insects in the world in the next few decades. Most of studies used by them are located in the North Europe and North America, only single papers concern tropical areas. In particular, in terrestrial ecosystems butterflies (Lepidoptera), bees and bumblebees ( Hymenoptera ) and coprophagous beetles ( Coleoptera Scarabaeidae ) were the most vulnerable species, while the major groups of aquatic insects (Odonata, Trichoptera and Ephemeroptera) have already lost a considerable amount of species. Only a small number of species are increasing; they are arthropods with a wide ecological niche and very adaptable, generalists that live in many ecosystems, adapting to different ecological niches. Guinean forest of West Africa represent one of the world areas containing the highest number of endemic species. Table 1 lists all the species of Tettigoniidae of the subfamilies Pseudophyllinae , Conocephalinae , Hexacentrinae , Phaneropterinae , Mecopodinae and Hetrodinae that have been recorded in the concerned African areas. The total number of Tettigoniidae of the subfamilies here considered amounts to 332 in the area of Guinean forests plus Central African Republic and Gabon ; 242 of them live in the Cameroon-Nigeria subregion plus Central African Republic and Gabon , 216 in the subregion of Upper Guinea . In the Upper Guinean subregion 87 (40.3%) species resulted to be endemic, while in the Cameroon-Nigeria plus Central African Republic and Gabon 87 (35.9%) species are endemic ( Table 1 ); in both cases the occurrence of endemic taxa resulted higher than in plants and vertebrata (only except for amphibians), which, following Mittermeier et al . (2011) are: plants 20%, mammals 14.9%, birds 9.4%, reptiles 25.2%, amphibians 38.4%, freshwater fishes 27.9%. Out of 332 species, 122 (36.7%) have a wide distribution, covering West and Central Africa, and 32 (9.6%) species living in the Cameroon-Nigeria subregion, but not in the Upper Guinean subregion, are also distributed in other areas of central or east Africa, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo . However, Tettigoniidae living in Tropical Africa have the highest richness in the central-eastern and southern countries; for example some tribes are absent in the Guinean forests [the tribe Agraeciini Redtenbacher, 1891 of the subfamily Conocephalinae is present with only one species, Anthracopsis gigliotosi Karny, 1907 ; the tribe Eugastrini Karsch, 1887 of the subfamily Hetrodinae has only one representative, Spalacomimus liberianus (La Baume, 1911) ] and some genera of Phaneropterinae , represented by many species, are only restricted to the eastern and southern Africa. The only exception seems to be that of the subfamily Pseudophyllinae , which, following Orthoptera Species File online ( Cigliano et al . 2021 ), in tropical Africa consists of 118 species (subspecies are here excluded), 71 (60.2%) of them only present in Central-West tropical Africa. However, from the biogeographical point of view, in tropical Africa an east-west species impoverishment occurs, with the lowest values of species richness just in the isolated West Guinean forests, but also a high percentage of endemism occurrence in West forests. The number of Tettigoniidae species in single hotspots resulted very high, also compared with similar studies (cf. Table 1 ): Mt. Tonkoui ( Côte d’Ivoire ): 81 (present study); Taï National Park ( Côte d’Ivoire ): 88 (present study); Dzanga-Ndoki National Park ( Central African Republic ): 134 (Massa et al . 2020, present study); Miombo Woodlands ( Tanzania ): 56 ( Hemp & Heller 2019 ); Gorongosa Park ( Mozambique ): 55 ( Naskrecki & Guta 2019 ). This is the probable result of intense researches carried out with the aid of the light trap. TABLE 1. List of species presently known in the Central Africa (Guinean forests of the subregion Nigeria-Cameron plus biodiversity hotspots of Gabon and Central African Republic) and West Africa (Guinean forests of subregion upper Guinea) (References: Massa 2013 , 2016 , 2017, 2020, 2021a, 2021 b, Hemp & Massa 2017 , 2021, Massa et al . 2018 , 2020); * = endemic taxa (species living in a geographically confined territory). Nd = species found in the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, Central African Republic; Ta = species found in the Taï Forest National Park, Côte d’Ivoire; To = species found in the hotspot of Mt. Tonkoui, Côte d’Ivoire.

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Subfamily Pseudophyllinae Burmeister, 1838
Adapantus ( Adapantus ) bardus Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X
Adapantus ( Adapantus ) longipennis Beier, 1954	X*
Adapantus ( Adapantus ) osorioi (Bolívar, 1886)	X	X (Ta)
Adapantus ( Adapantus ) transmarinus (Krauss, 1890)	X*
Adapantus ( Neoadapantus ) affluens Naskrecki, 2008	X* (To, Ta)
Adapantus ( Neoadapantus ) angulatus Naskrecki, 2008	X* (Ta)
Adapantus ( Neoadapantus ) marmoratus Chopard, 1954	X* (To)
Adapantus ( Neoadapantus ) nitens ( Chopard, 1954 )	X* (To, Ta)
Adapantus ( Neoadapantus ) pragerorum Naskrecki, 2008	X*
Adenes albifrons Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X*
Adenes gravidus Karsch, 1891	X*
Adenes obesus Karsch, 1891	X	X
Batodromeus herinaceus (Karsch, 1896)	X*
Batodromeus richardi ( Griffini, 1908 )	X* (To, Ta)
Batodromeus subulo (Karsch, 1893)	X*
Chondrodera notatipes Karsch, 1890	X
Chondrodera ocellata Beier, 1954	X (Nd)	X (To)
Chondrodera subvitrea Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)
Chondrodera vittifer (Walker, 1871)	X	X (Ta)
Cymatomera argillata Karsch, 1891	X	X (To, Ta)
Cymatomera chopardi Naskrecki, 2008	X*
Desaulcya ampulla Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X* (Nd)
Desaulcya pictipennis Bolívar, 1906	X*
Habrocomes lanosus Karsch, 1891	X* (Ta)
Habrocomes marmoratus (Bolívar, 1906)	X*
Habrocomes p. personatus (Sjöstedt, 1901)	X* (Nd)
Hoplidostylus argillatus Karsch, 1893	X*
Hoplidostylus borrei ( Griffini, 1908 )	X*
Lagarodes facetus Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Lichenochrus crassipes Karsch, 1890	X	X (To, Ta)
Lichenochrus decoloratus (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895)	X
Lichenochrus marmoratus Sjöstedt, 1901	X	X (Ta)
Lichenochrus congicus Rehn, 1914	X	X
Lichenochrus servus Beier, 1954	X*
Liocentrum aduncum Karsch, 1891	X	X (To, Ta)
Liocentrum hancocki Bolívar, 1906	X	X (Nd)

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Liocentrum rubripes Bolívar, 1906	X	X
Micta spinosula Karsch, 1896	X*
Mormotus alonsae Naskrecki, 2008	X* (To, Ta)
Mormotus angustus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X	X
Mormotus clavaticercus Karsch, 1891	X* (To, Ta)
Mormotus curvicauda Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X*
Mormotus erectistylus Karsch, 1896	X*
Mormotus montesi (Bolívar, 1886)	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Mormotus obtusatus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X*
Mormotus ornatus Beier, 1973	X* (To)
Mormotus rastricercus Karsch, 1891	X* (Ta)
Mormotus scapularis Bolívar, 1906	X	X
Mustius afzelii Stål, 1873	X (Nd)	X
Mustius eurypterus Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (To)
Mustius inversus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X*
Mustius serrulatus Bolívar, 1906	X	X
Mustius superbus Sjöstedt, 1902	X (Nd)	X (To)
Opisthodicrus cochlearistylus Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Oxyaspis senegalensis (Bolívar, 1886)	X*
Oxyaspis congensis Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895	X	X (To)
Pantecphylus cerambycinus Karsch, 1891	X	X
Pantecphylus kamerunus Schmidt, 2003	X*
Paralichenochrus turpis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895)	X*
Paralichenochrus villosipes ( Griffini, 1908 )	X
Perteus pellucidus Bolívar, 1906	X*
Polyglochin peculiaris Karsch, 1891	X* (To)
Rhinodera spinifrons Beier, 1955	X* (Nd)
Stenampyx annulicornis Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Stizoscepa basinotata Karsch, 1896	X	X
Stizoscepa severini Griffini, 1908	X*
Tomias ( Semiophygas ) arescus (Karsch, 1896)	X	X
Tomias ( Semiophygas ) gerriesmithae Naskrecki, 2008	X*
Tomias ( Semiophygas ) hadrus (Karsch, 1896)	X	X
Tomias ( Tomias ) stenopterus Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X
Tympanocompus acclivis Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X
Tympanocompus erectistylus (Karsch, 1896)	X*
Zabalius albifasciatus (Karsch, 1896)	X*
Zabalius apicalis (Bolívar, 1886)	X	X (Ta)
Zabalius aridus (Walker, 1869)	X	X (Ta)
Zabalius girardi Beier, 1973	X*

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Zabalius lineolatus (Stål, 1873)	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Zabalius robustus Beier, 1954	X
Subfamily Conocephalinae Burmeister, 1838
Anthracopsis gigliotosi Karny, 1907	X*
Clasma parcispinosa Karsch, 1893	X*
Conocephalus ( Conocephalus ) conocephalus (Linnaeus, 1767)	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Conocephalus ( Anisoptera ) armatipes (Karsch, 1893)	X*
Conocephalus ( Anisoptera ) brevicercus (Karsch, 1893)	X*
Conocephalus ( Anisoptera ) iris (Serville, 1838)	X (Nd)
Conocephalus ( Anisoptera ) maculatus (Le Guillou, 1841)	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Conocephalus ( Anisoptera ) meadowsae Harz, 1970	X*
Conocephalus ( Chloroxiphidion ) laetus (Redtenbacher, 1891)	X
Euconocephalus afer afer (Karny, 1907)	X	X
Lanista africana (Walker, 1871)	X (Nd)	X (To)
Lanista affinis Bolívar, 1906	X*
Lanista crassicollis Bolívar, 1906	X*
Plastocorypha nigrifrons (Redtenbacher, 1891)	X*
Plastocorypha vandikana Karsch, 1896	X	X
Pseudorhynchus crosskeyi Ragge, 1969	X*
Pseudorhynchus lanceolatus (Fabricius, 1765)	X	X (To)
Pseudorhynchus pungens (Schaum, 1853)	X	X (To)
Pseudorhynchus raggei nomen novum	X* (To)
Ruspolia baileyi Otte, 1997	X*
Ruspolia basiguttata (Bolívar, 1906)	X	X
Ruspolia differens (Serville, 1838)	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Ruspolia fuscopunctata (Karny, 1907)	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Ruspolia jaegeri (Roy, 1971)	X*
Thyridorhoptrum baileyi Pitkin, 1977	X	X
Thyridorhoptrum carbonarium (Redtenbacher, 1891)	X* (To, Ta)
Thyridorhoptrum senegalense (Krauss, 1877)	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Subfamily Hexacentrinae Karny, 1925
Hexacentrus alluaudi Bolívar, 1906	X*
Hexacentrus dorsatus Redtenbacher, 1891	X* (Nd)
Hexacentrus inflatus Redtenbacher, 1891	X*
Subfamily Phaneropterinae Burmeister, 1838 , with open tympana
Bueacola cornigera Sjöstedt, 1912	X*
Catoptropteryx afra (Karsch, 1889)	X*
Catoptropteryx ambigua Huxley, 1970	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Catoptropteryx apicalis Bolívar, 1893	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Catoptropteryx capreola Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Catoptropteryx extensipes Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Catoptropteryx guttatipes Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Catoptropteryx lineata n. sp.	X*
Catoptropteryx nana Huxley, 1970	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Catoptropteryx naevia Huxley, 1970	X	X (To, Ta)
Catoptropteryx neutralipennis Karsch, 1896	X	X (Ta)
Catoptropteryx occidentalis Huxley, 1970	X (Nd)	X
Catoptropteryx punctulata ( Karsch, 1890 )	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Catoptropteryx ramulosa Huxley, 1970	X
Corycomima camerata (Karsch, 1889)	X* (Nd)
Dannfeltia nana Sjöstedt, 1902	X (Nd)	X (To)
Diogena fausta (Burmeister, 1838)	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Dithela acuticercus Sjöstedt, 1912	X*
Dithela rectiloba Karsch, 1890	X*
Ducetia crosskeyi Ragge, 1961	X	X
Ducetia fuscopunctata Chopard, 1954	X* (To)
Ducetia loosi Griffini, 1908	X (Nd)
Eulioptera atypica Massa, 2021	X*
Eulioptera iolandae Massa, 2021	X*
Eulioptera crosskeyi Ragge, 1968	X*
Eulioptera disparidens Ragge, 1980	X*
Eulioptera incisa Ragge, 1980	X*
Eulioptera spinulosa Ragge, 1956	X
Eulioptera umbilima Ragge, 1980	X*
Eurycoplangiodes sanghaensis Massa, 2020	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Eurycorypha adicra Karsch, 1892	X*
Eurycorypha aequatorialis Krauss, 1890	X*
Eurycorypha canaliculata Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)
Eurycorypha aff. cuspidata Krauss, 1901	X	X (To, Ta)
Eurycorypha flavescens (Walker, 1869)	X	X (To)
Eurycorypha klaptoczi Karny, 1917	X* (To)
Eurycorypha montana Sjöstedt, 1902	X
Eurycorypha mutica Karsch, 1891	X	X
Eurycorypha ndokiensis Massa, 2016	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Eurycorypha ornatipes Karsch, 1890	X	X (Ta)
Eurycorypha spinulosa Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)
Eurycorypha sp. 1	X* (Nd)
Eurycorypha sp. 2	X* (Nd)
Eurycorypha sp. 3	X* (Nd)
Eurycorypha sp. 4	X* (To)

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Eurycorypha sp. 5	X* (Ta)
Eurycorypha sp. 6	X* (Ta)
Eurycorypha sp. 7	X*
Eurycorypha strangulata (Walker, 1869)	X*
Eurycorypha sudaniensis Giglio-Tos, 1907	X
Eurycorypha stylata Stål, 1873	X	X (To, Ta)
Eurycorypha velicauda Karsch, 1893	X	X (To)
Eurycorypha zebrata Bruner, 1920	X*
Gabonella cothurnata (Bolívar, 1906)	X	X
Gelotopoia bicolor Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1891	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Griffinipteryx mukonja ( Griffini, 1908 )	X*
Monteiroa nigricauda Ragge, 1980	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Oxygonatium huxleyi Ragge, 1980	X (Nd)	X
Paraeulioptera emitflesti Massa, 2020	X* (Nd)
Paraeurycorypha ocellata Massa et Annoyer, 2020	X* (Nd)
Phaneroptera abdita Massa, 2021	X*
Phaneroptera maculosa Ragge, 1956	X (Nd)	X
Phaneroptera magna Ragge, 1956	X
Phaneroptera sparsa Stål, 1857	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Pigalua insularis ( Ragge, 1980 )	X*
Plangia astylata n. sp.	X* (Nd)
Plangia chopardi n. sp.	X*
Plangia deminuta Griffini, 1908	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Plangia karschi Chopard, 1954	X* (To, Ta)
Plangia nebulosa Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X
Plangia villiersi Chopard, 1954	X	X
Pleothrix conradti (Bolívar, 1906)	X*
Pseudoplangia laminifera (Karsch, 1896)	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Scolocerca fusciala Ragge, 1980	X*
Scolocerca thomasi Massa, 2021	X* (Ta)
Tropidophrys amydra Karsch, 1896	X*	X
Subfamily Phaneropterinae Burmeister, 1838 , with closed tympana
Arantia ( Arantia ) angustipennis Chopard, 1954	X* (To)
Arantia ( Arantia ) brevipes Chopard, 1954	X* (To, Ta)
Arantia (Arantia) fatidica (Stål, 1873)	X	X
Arantia ( Arantia ) gretae Massa, 2020	X* (Nd)
Arantia ( Arantia ) hydatinoptera Karsch, 1889	X	X
Arantia ( Arantia ) ivoriana Hemp et Massa, 2017	X* (Ta)
Arantia ( Arantia ) leptocnemis Karsch, 1890	X*
Arantia ( Arantia ) manca Bolívar, 1906	X (Nd)	X

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Arantia ( Arantia ) marginata Massa, 2021	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Arantia ( Arantia ) quinquemaculata Hemp & Massa, 2017	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Arantia ( Arantia ) simplicinervis Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) bispinosa Hemp et Massa, 2017	X* (Ta)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) congensis Griffini, 1908	X (Nd)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) excelsior Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) fasciata (Walker, 1869)	X	X
Arantia ( Euarantia ) griffinii Hemp & Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) incerata Karsch, 1893	X	X
Arantia ( Euarantia ) latifolia Karsch, 1890	X	X (Ta)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) marmorata Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) melanota Sjöstedt, 1902	X (Nd)	X (To)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) rectifolia Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) regina Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) retinervis Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) scurra Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) syssamagalei Massa et Annoyer, 2020	X* (Nd)
Arantia ( Euarantia ) tibiaspinosa Hemp et Massa, 2017	X* (Ta)
Arantia ( Goetia ) dimidiata (Bolívar, 1906)	X (Nd)	X
Arantia ( Goetia ) galbana (Karsch, 1891)	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Arantia ( Goetia ) purpurea ( Massa, 2013 )	X* (Nd)
Azamia biplagiata Bolívar, 1906	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Bongeia brevicauda Ebner, 1943	X*
Bongeia puncticollis Sjöstedt, 1902	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Brycoptera lobata Ragge, 1981	X (Nd)	X (To)
Buettneria maculiceps Karsch, 1889	X
Cestromoecha tenuipes ( Karsch, 1890 )	X (Nd)	X
Cestromoecha longicerca Massa, 2013	X* (Nd)
Dapanera brevistylata Massa, 2020	X (Nd)	X
Dapanera falxcercata Massa, 2017	X*
Dapanera genuteres Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Dapanera irregularis Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Dapanera occulta Massa, 2015	X* (Nd)
Drepanophyllum corrosifolium Karsch, 1896	X*
Drepanophyllum marmoratum Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)
Enochletica ostentatrix Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Gravenreuthia saturata Karsch, 1892	X*
Horatosphaga crosskeyi Ragge, 1960	X	X
Horatosphaga inclusa Karsch, 1893	X*
Itokiia sylvarum Sjöstedt, 1902	X* (Nd)

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Japygophana peloti Carl, 1921	X*
Leiodontocercus angustipennis Chopard, 1954	X* (Ta)
Leiodontocercus condylus Ragge, 1962	X (Nd)
Leiodontocercus malleus Ragge, 1962	X*
Leiodontocercus muticus Massa, 2020	X*
Leiodontocercus philipporum Massa, 2020	X*
Leiodontocercus spinicercatus Massa, 2020	X* (Nd)
Leiodontocercus vicii Massa, 2020	X* (Nd)
Mangomaloba angustipennis Chopard, 1958	X*
Mangomaloba latipennis Chopard, 1954	X* (Ta)
Mangomaloba monticola Sjöstedt, 1902	X*
Mangomaloba royi Chopard, 1954	X*
Morgenia angustipinnata Massa, 2018	X* (Nd)
Morgenia hamuligera Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Morgenia melica Karsch, 1893	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Morgenia modulata Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Morgenia plurimaculata Massa et Moulin, 2018	X (Nd)	X
Morgenia rubricornis Sjöstedt, 1913	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Morgenia spathulifera Griffini, 1908	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Myllocentrum stigmosum (Karsch, 1896)	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Myllocentrum raggei Massa, 2013	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Paraporeuomena signata Massa, 2018	X* (Nd)
Phlaurocentrum elegans Massa, 2013	X* (Nd)
Phlaurocentrum latevittatum Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Phlaurocentrum maculatum Ragge, 1962	X (Nd)
Phlaurocentrum mecopodoides Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)
Phlaurocentrum morettoi Massa, 2013	X* (Nd)
Phlaurocentrum paratuberosum Massa, 2013	X* (Nd)
Phlaurocentrum tuberosum Ragge, 1962	X (Nd)
Physocorypha politurata Karsch, 1896	X*
Plangiola herbacea Bolívar, 1906	X* (Nd)
Plangiopsis adeps Karsch, 1896	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Plangiopsis foraminata Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Plangiopsis semiconchata Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Poreuomena africana Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878	X*
Poreuomena crassipes Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X
Poreuomena duponti Griffini, 1908	X*
Poreuomena forcipata Sjöstedt, 1902	X* (Nd)
Poreuomena huxleyi Massa, 2013	X	X
Poreuomena ivoriana Hemp et Massa, 2021	X* (Ta)
Poreuomena laeglae (Massa, 2015)	X* (To)

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Poreuomena lamottei Chopard, 1954	X*
Poreuomena magnicerca ( Massa, 2013 )	X* (Nd)
Poreuomena matthaei Hemp et Massa, 2021	X*
Poreuomena sanghensis Massa, 2013	X* (Nd)
Poreuomena wilverthi Griffini, 1908	X
Preussia lobatipes Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Symmetrokarschia africana (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878)	X
Stenamblyphyllum dilutum Karsch, 1896	X* (Nd)
Tapiena minor Bolívar, 1906	X*
Tetraconcha annoyeri Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha aristophanousi Massa, 2017	X* (To, Ta)
Tetraconcha danflousi Massa, 2017	X* (Ta)
Tetraconcha fenestrata Karsch, 1890	X	X
Tetraconcha longipes (Bolívar, 1893)	X*
Tetraconcha loubesi Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha fijalkowskii Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha fusca Massa, 2021	X*
Tetraconcha morettoi Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha ndokiensis Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha omonomai Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha perezi Massa, 2017	X* (Nd)
Tetraconcha ruzzieri Massa, 2017	X* (To, Ta)
Tetraconcha smaragdina Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878	X (Nd)
Tetraconcha stichyrata Karsch, 1890	X (Nd)	X (Ta)
Tylopsis farrowi Ragge, 1972	X*
Tylopsis irregularis Karsch, 1893	X	X
Tylopsis rubrescens Kirby, 1900	X
Vossia obesa Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1891	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Weissenbornia praestantissima Karsch, 1888	X (Nd)	X (To)
Zeuneria biramosa Sjöstedt, 1929	X	X
Zeuneria longicercus Sjöstedt, 1929	X (Nd)
Zeuneria melanopeza Karsch, 1889	X (Nd)	X (To, Ta)
Subfamily Mecopodinae Walker, 1871
Acridoxena hewaniana Smith, 1865	X (Nd)
Afromecopoda austera (Karsch, 1893)	X* (To, Ta)
Afromecopoda frontalis (Walker, 1871)	X (Nd)	X
Afromecopoda monroviana (Karsch, 1886)	X*
Afromecopoda preussiana (Karsch, 1891)	X*
Anoedopoda erosa Karsch, 1891	X (Nd)
Apteroscirtus denudatus Karsch, 1891	X* (Nd)
Corycoides abruptus (Krauss, 1890)	X	X

...Continued on the next page TABLE 1. (Continued)

Taxa	Guinean Forest hotspots
Subregion Nigeria-Cameroon + Central African Republic and Gabon	Subregion Upper Guinea
Corycoides intermedius (Redtenbacher, 1892)	X*
Corycoides jurinei (Saussure, 1892)	X*
Corycoides karschi (Krauss, 1890)	X* (Nd)
Corycoides kraussi (Kirby, 1906)	X*
Corycoides paradoxus (Bolívar, 1893)	X*
Corycoides siccifolius (Sjöstedt, 1902)	X*
Euthypoda acutipennis (Karsch, 1886)	X* (Nd)
Euthypoda bicolor (Bolívar, 1893)	X*
Euthypoda brevipennis (Redtenbacher, 1892)	X*
Euthypoda brunneotestacea Chopard, 1954	X* (To)
Euthypoda kanguroo (Pictet, 1888)	X	X
Leproscirtus brunneri Karny, 1919	X*
Leproscirtus granulosus apterus Karny, 1919	X*
Subfamily Hetrodinae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878
Cosmoderus erinaceus (Fairmaire, 1858)	X (Nd)
Cosmoderus femoralis (Sjöstedt, 1902)	X*
Cosmoderus maculatus (Kirby, 1896)	X*
Gymnoproctus abortivus (Serville, 1838)	X*
Spalacomimus liberianus (La Baume, 1911)	X*
Total No. of taxa	242	216
Total No. of endemic taxa (%)	87 (35.9%)	87 (40.3%)

Interestingly, putting the known species in four chronological categories of description date (before 1900, between 1901 and 1950, between 1951 and 2000, 2001-today) we may have an objective information on the fact that a high percentage of species (19.9%) has been discovered only in the present millennium ( Fig. 45 ). Thus, very likely the number of species will grow in the next years if further entomological surveys are carried out. Naskrecki (2008) pointed out that some tropical African Orthoptera are known only from the type material and some of them probably became extinct; further, the speed with which forest habitats change suggests that many species will become extinct before they are even discovered. Extinction is the gravest consequence of the biodiversity crisis, since it is irreversible, and generally it is preceded by the rarity. We may presume that the extinction rate among the still unknown species is higher than that of the known species, since they are mostly rare species, and generally rarity is synonymous with vulnerability. Very likely species recently described on single specimens are already threatened or in verge of extinction. Following Reid & Miller (1989) , biodiversity conservation is the management of human interactions with the variety of living forms and ecosystems, maximizing the benefits and maintaining their potential, in order to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations. However, this is possible when human populations live normally without risking their lives every day for war and disease. According to Turner et al . (2010) desperate human populations are driven toward further environmental degradation, and the forest decline is likely to be accelerated during the ongoing SARS-CoV pandemic in 2020-2021; further the Guinean area of Africa is known as one of the areas with the highest infant mortality due to malaria. The Gross Domestic Product is the single indicator considered by developed societies, the index of the “well-being” of a country. The path of continuous population growth has led us to the current frightening environmental and social situation which has caused an incredible devastation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, the alteration of fundamental biogeochemical cycles, the dramatic loss of biodiversity, climate change and a profound social inequality, to name just some of the most evident and widely documented phenomena. FIG. 45. Number of species of Tettigoniidae of the subfamilies Pseudophyllinae , Conocephalinae , Hexacentrinae , Phaneropterinae , Mecopodinae and Hetrodinae of central-west tropical Africa, described before 1900, between 1901 and 1950, between 1951 and 2000, and between 2001 and today. Human activities have elevated the rate of species extinctions to a thousand or more times the natural rate ( Pimm et al . 1995 ). The forest degradation makes fauna extremely vulnerable. In tropical Africa deforestation is the major threat to animal and plant species; plantation agriculture has been very significant in replacing forest in Côte d’Ivoire , parts of Ghana , southern Nigeria , western Cameroon and Bioko (Mittelmeier et al . 2011) and of course it is very difficult to establish how many species this deforestation has negatively involved. The breadth of the concept of biodiversity reflects the interrelationships between genes, species and ecosystems. Since genes are components of species and species of ecosystems, the alteration of the structure at each level of this hierarchy can modify the others.