Sylvan katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae) of the Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot: an overview and descriptions of new species
Author
Naskrecki, Piotr
text
Zootaxa
2008
1712
1
41
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.180953
5984bcf3-3c61-45ce-9b73-1bc865f0577c
1175-5326
180953
51.
Mormotus
(?)
erectistylus
Karsch, 1896
(
Figs. 1
F–I; 6E–F; 13C–D)
This species has a somewhat confusing taxonomic history. Karsch (1896), described
Mormotus erectistylus
based on single male specimen from
Togo
. Griffini (1908) described a new species
Tympanocompus erectistylus
based on a specimen from
Cameroon
, and stated
“[…]Non ho allontanato da me il dubbio che questa specie non possa essere quella descritta, pure su di un esemplare [male] da Karsch, col nome di
Mormotus
erctistylus.
"
(“[…] I have no doubt that this species cannot be the one, described from a male specimen by Karsch under the name
Mormotus erectistylus
.
”) Despite this statement, and obvious morphological differences included in Griffini’s description,
Beier (1962)
synonymized both species under the name
Tympanocomus erectistylus
(Karsch)
, and appeared to have based his description on Griffini’s specimen (the most significant difference being the degree of the development of male’s stridulatory organs.) I have not had a chance to examine Griffini’s
type
specimen of
T. erectictylus
, but have done so with Karsch’s
type
of
M. erectistylus
, and the individuals I collected in
Ghana
are clearly conspecific with the latter. Until I have a chance to examine the former, I abstain from making any taxonomic changes, and merely redescribe the male based on the new material, and describe the female of
Mormotus erectistylus
Karsch
for the first time.
Description
General. —
Body of medium size, robust (figs. 13C–D).
Head. —
Antennae about twice as long as body; antennal scapus with apical spine. Eyes globular, strongly protruding. Fastigium of vertex triangular, usually not reaching apex of antennal sockets; grooved dorsally. Frons flat.
Thorax. —
Anterior margin of pronotum flat; unarmed. Humeral sinus of pronotum absent; lateral lobe wider than high; marginal fold of pronotum smooth; metazona flat, unarmed; posterior edge of metazona straight. Pronotum surface densely granulate. Prosternum with two, widely spaced protuberances; sternum flat.
Legs. —
Front tibia unarmed dorsally; front femur armed on anterior margin with 2–3 small spines; tympanum bilaterally closed, with narrow, forward facing slits; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed. Mid tibia unarmed dorsally; slightly thickened in proximal half. Mid femur armed with 3–4 spines on anterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of mid femur armed on inner side. Dorsal spines of hind tibia of equal size on both edges.
Hind
femur with 5 spines on anterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed.
Wings. —
Left stridulatory area coriaceous, without mirror (fig. 6E); right stridulatory area with small, circular mirror (fig. 6F); stridulatory file nearly straight, bent in proximal fourth, flat,
1.62–1.8 mm
long,
0.175 mm
wide, with 114–123 teeth. Tegmen distinctly surpassing apex of abdomen; vein Rs branching off in apical third of tegmen; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length.
Hind
wing as long as tegmen.
Abdomen. —
Cercus long and slender, bent inwards, unarmed, apex tapered (fig. 1G); 10th tergite enlarged, bulbous and strongly sclerotized; supraanal plate strongly sclerotized and fused with 10th tergite (fig. 1F). Subgenital plate elongate, narrowly trapezoidal; with small, triangular apical incision. Styli thickened apically, distinctly divergent apically (fig. 1H). Female subgenital plate widely triangular, with small, triangular apical incision; posterior lobes acute (fig.
1I
).
Ovipositor. —
Ovipositor slightly curved, dorsal edge of upper valvula convex in middle, apex pointed; ovipositor shorter than hind femur, apex with upper valvula minutely dentate, lower valvula smooth.
Coloration. —
Coloration uniformly light brown; antennae concolorous; eyes with median, horizontal, lighter band; face without darker markings; occiput without markings; pronotum without markings; tegmen without distinct markings; hind wing slightly fumose; femora brown, with green knees, all tibiae green (figs. 13C–D); abdominal sterna without markings; subgenital plate without markings.
Measurements (
4 males
,
4 females
). —
body w/wings: male 35–36 (35.3±.5), female 38–45 (42.3±3.1); body w/o wings: male 31–33 (31.8±1), female 28–34 (31.6±2.8); pronotum: male 5–6.5 (6±.7), female 6–7 (6.8±.5); tegmen: male 21–27 (25.1±2.8), female 25–28 (26.3±1.3); hind femur: male 17–18 (17.6±.5), female 17.5–21 (19.2±1.8); ovipositor: 15–17 (16.4±.9) mm.
Material examined. —
Ghana
: Eastern Region, Ajenjua Bepo Forest Reserve, elev.
300–320 m
(
6°22'2.3''N
,
1°1'58''W
),
26–30.viii.2006
, leg. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and M. Bakowski (Camp 1)—
2 females
,
1 male
(
MCZ
); Mamang Forest Reserve, elev.
130 m
(
6°15'1.4''N
,
1°2'25.4''W
),
30.viii–5.ix.2006
, leg. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and M. Bakowski (Camp 2)—
1 female
,
1 male
(
MCZ
); Atewa Range, Asiakwa (South), elev.
690 m
(
6°15'44.3''N
,
0°33'18.8''W
),
11–16.vi.2006
, leg. P. Naskrecki (Camp 2)—
1 female
,
2 males
(
ANSP
);
Togo
: Misahöhe, (
6°57'N
,
0°35'0''E
),
6/7/1894
—
1 male
(
holotype
) (
ZMHB
).