Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique
Author
Naskrecki, Piotr
Author
Guta, Ricardo
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-10-04
4682
1
1
119
journal article
25307
10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1
3981e1e7-9d35-4f45-857c-da0bca835157
1175-5326
3472787
430B98EF-BFCB-4608-A562-DEFA9539C8B2
Oxyecous lesnei
Chopard, 1935
http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid:
Orthoptera
.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:11093
(
Figs. 36
A–G, 54G–I)
Diagnostic remarks.
A medium-sized katydid that exhibits a distinct sexual dimorphism. Males have long, nearly translucent tegmina and hind wings that surpass the tip of the abdomen by over half their length whereas in the female the wings surpass the tip of the abdomen by only about a fifth of their length (
Figs. 36D, E
). Males of
O. lesnei
are easily identifiable by the presence of conspicuous cuticular folds (auriculae) on the inner sides of the tympana; these folds are much smaller but still noticeable in the females. The costal and median fields of the male tegmen have reduced venation, resulting in large, membranous areas in the proximal half of the wing (
Fig. 36A
).
Bioacoustics.
O. lesnei
, along with
Debrona cervina
Walker, 1870
, are unique among known katydids in being able to stridulate in flight. This interesting behavior, its mechanism, and potential adaptive advantage will be discussed in an upcoming publication (Naskrecki, in prep.). The in-flight stridulation usually has a different temporal pattern than the stationary stridulation, which the males engage in later at night. While stationary on tall bushes and lower branches of trees, the males produce long series of single syllables every 0.38–
0.60 s
, which are occasionally followed by a short series of 2-syllable echemes; mean syllable duration is
0.067 s
(SD=0.0267, n=44); the peak frequency of the call is 5.9–7.6 kHz (
Figs. 54
G–I), making it easily audible from a distance of several meters.
Distribution and natural history.
Originally described from
Mozambique
,
O. lesnei
has been recorded also from
the Democratic Republic of the Congo
,
Zambia
,
Zimbabwe
(
Ragge 1956b
),
Malawi
, and
South Africa
(material examined). In
Mozambique
it has been recorded from the
Tete
,
Manica
, and
Sofala
provinces. This species is associated primarily with tall miombo woodlands, from low elevations to about
900 m
a.sl. In
Mozambique
and
South Africa
adults are seen only during a relatively narrow period between March and early May when the humidity is high. During that time males can be seen flying at dusk along forest edges and above the canopy, whereas flightless females can be seen on low vegetation.
Measurements (
3 males
,
3 females
).
: male 45–49 (46.32.3), female 36–38 (371);: male 22–24 (231), female 20–24 (22.32.1);: male 8–9 (8.3.6), female 7–8 (7.7.6);: male 32–35 (33.71.5), female 28–29 (28.3.6);: male 24–25 (24.7.6), female 21–24 (231.7);:, female 9–10 (9.7.6) mm.
Material examined
(
39 specimens
).
Malawi
:
Lengwe National Park
, elev.
170 m
(-16.26667, 34.65),
28.iii.1986
, coll.
Otte
,
Glenn
&
Ruffin
(170)—
1 male
(
ANSP
)
;
Mozambique
:
Manica
, near
Vila Pery
[Chimoio], region du mont
Malenge
(
Vandouzi
), (-19.1, 33.4),
1–31.iii.1928
, coll.
M.P.
Lesne—
1 male
(
holotype
) (
MNHN
)
;
Sofala
,
Coutada
12, along road, (
-18.223932
,
35.299300
),
25–26.iii.2017
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 male
;
Coutada
12,
Inhamitanga Forest
,
Camp
1, elev.
210 m
(
-18.23835
,
35.33015
),
9–14.iv.2018
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
3 males
;
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 female
,
1 male
;
Coutada
12, main road to
Marromeu
, elev.
250 m
(
-18.22393
,
35.29930
),
26.iii.2017
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
(
Flysong
)—
1 male
;
same locality,
26.iii.2017
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
(A13)—
1 male
;
Coutada
12, road to
Marromeu
, elev.
218 m
(
-18.21613
,
35.31432
),
28.iii.2017
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 male
;
Coutada
12, road to railway, elev.
201 m
(
-18.30323
,
35.33324
),
29.iii.2017
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
& J. Guyton—
7 males
(
EOWL
)
;
Nhagutua
, road to ranger station, elev.
269 m
(
-18.68283
,
34.81786
),
19.iv.2013
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 female
(
MCZ
)
;
nr.
Codzo
(
Khodzue
), cave and nearby, elev.
216 m
(
-18.564
,
34.872222
),
14–25.iv.2017
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 female
,
2 males
(
EOWL
)
;
Gorongosa
, GNP,
Bela Vista
ranger outpost, elev.
26 m
(
-18.69470
,
34.20853
),
5–12.v.2015
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
3 females
,
4 males
(
EOWL
,
MCZ
)
;
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 males
(
EOWL
,
MCZ
)
;
GNP,
Mt.
Gorongosa
, campsite above
Murombodzi Waterfall
, elev.
943 m
(
-18.482953
,
34.044936
),
30.iii.2018
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 male
;
Gorongosa
Dist.
,
Between Bunga
camp and
Bunga
inselberg, elev.
139 m
(
-18.59973
,
34.34301
),
21.iv.–5.v.2015
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
and R. Guta—
1 male
(
EOWL
)
;
Tete
,
Songo
(accampamento),
Cahora Bassa
, (
-15.5958333
,
32.7647222
),
iii.1974
, coll.
M.C. Ferreira
& G.V. Ferreira—
1 male
(
UEMM
)
;
same locality,
iv.1973
, coll.
M.C. Ferreira
& G.V. Ferreira—
1 male
(
UEMM
)
;
Republic of South Africa
:
KwaZulu Natal
,
Lake Sibaya
,
Baya Camp
, (
-27.38333
,
32.66667
),
24.i.1990
, coll. S. van Noort—
1 male
(
SAMC
)
;
Tongaland
,
Manzengwenya
,
Lake Sibaya
, (
-27.29722
,
32.70111
),
5–7.v.1976
, coll. H.D. Brown—
1 male
(
SANC
)
;
Zambia
:
Chongwe
, (
-15.359431
,
28.446256
),
14.v.2015
, coll. W. van Niekerk—
1 male
;
Zimbabwe
:
Lundi
, (
-20.8994444
,
30.7861111
),
13–16.iii.1964
, coll.
Vari
& van Son—
1 male
(
TMSA
)
.