A new genus of African Acrometopini (Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) based on morphology, chromosomes, acoustics, distribution, and molecular data, and the description of a new species
Author
Hemp, Claudia
Author
Voje, Kjetil Lysne
Author
Heller, Klaus-Gerhard
Author
Warchałowska-Śliwa, Elżbieta
Author
Hemp, Andreas
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2010
2010-01-31
158
1
66
82
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00542.x
journal article
10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00542.x
0024-4082
10114837
ALTIHORATOSPHAGA HANANGENSIS
SP. NOV.
Holotype
:
Male
:
Tanzania
,
Mbulu District
,
Mt Hanang
, lower border of disturbed montane forest (
Fig. 7D
), herbaceous vegetation and low bushes,
1950 m
a.s.l.
, UTM zone 36M 07 69 816 E, 95 05 197 S,
May 2006
,
C. Hemp
coll.; depository,
MNB
.
Paratypes
:
All
Tanzania
:
one female
, same collection data as holotype; depository,
MNB
;
one male
, same collection data as holotype; depository,
NHML
.
One
female, same collection data as holotype; depository,
NHML
.
One
male, same collection data as holotype; depository,
EDNMK
.
Additional
paratype
material examined:
All from
Tanzania
, all
C. Hemp
coll.,
seven males
, same data as
holotype
; three nymphs, on herbs in grass/scrubland at edge of strongly disturbed forest,
2600 m
a.s.l.,
January 2008
.
Description:
Male: colour dark green, stridulatory area of right tegmen, margins of tegmina, and anterior margin of pronotum bordered yellow (
Fig. 7A
). In preserved insects the colour fades to a dull green or to near tawny in colour. Head and antennae: antennae dark with annulate dark markings every few segments; length of antennae about three times as long as the length of the insect. Cuticle of head smooth, fastigium of vertex sulcate between eyes, and elevated ridge medially on dorsal head; in front of eyes conus. Eyes small and circular. Thorax: pronotum without lateral carinae; verrucose pronotal disc, with dark dorsal markings (
Fig. 8A, I
). Tegmina and wings: tegmina surpassing body by about one third, length to width ratio about 3.3. Venation of right forewings as in
Figure 9I
; irregular black spots present all over the tegmina. Alae much reduced, hidden under tegmina, about 3.5-mm long. Legs: tympanic auricles conchate. Fore femora with six small ventral spines posteriorly, mid and hind femora with between six and 12 spines ventrally, in two rows, with anterior row of spines black tipped; fore and mid tibiae with between eight and 12 minute spinules, in two rows ventrally, and hind tibiae with numerous small spinules in four rows. Genitalia: subgenital plate incised posteriorly (
Figs 8E
,
9E
), with a median ridge ventrally. Tenth abdominal tergite unmodified. Cerci slender, with incurved tips (
Figs 8E
,
9A
).
Female: general facies, colour dark green, yellow lines not as apparent as in males. Thorax: pronotum dorsally broader than in male, and without darkbrown marking. Tegmina broader along whole length compared with male, and rounded at apex, venation faint. Legs: as in male. Genitalia: subgenital plate broad and heart shaped (
Fig. 9J
). Ovipositor slender, upcurved, and serrated at apex. Cerci slender and straight (
Figs 8J
,
9K
).
Measurements, male (N = 9):
Total length of body:
16–20 mm
(mean
18.6 mm
). Median length of pronotum:
5.2–5.7 mm
(mean
5.4 mm
). Length of hind femur:
22–27 mm
(mean
24.4 mm
). Length of tegmina:
17–20 mm
(mean
18.7 mm
).
Measurements, female (N = 5):
Total length of body:
29–38 mm
(mean
33.6 mm
). Median length of pronotum:
5.5–6.7 mm
(mean
6.1 mm
). Length of hind femur:
22–25 mm
(mean
23.8 mm
). Length of tegmina:
17–23 mm
(mean
20.8 mm
). Length of ovipositor:
12–15 mm
(mean
13.6 mm
).
Diagnosis:
Altihoratosphaga hanangensis
sp. nov.
is closely related to both
A. montivaga
(
Fig. 7C, F
) and
A. nou
(
Fig. 7B, E
). All three species have verrucose pronotal discs, dark spots on the forewings, and a very similar habitus. Clear differences are to be found only in the male genitals (see
Fig. 8E–H
,
Table 3
, and the key).
For characters to differentiate between other flightless
Horatosphaga
species
, see
Hemp (2006a)
.
Song:
See above (
Figs 3
,
4
).
Habitat:
Altihoratosphaga hanangensis
sp. nov.
inhabits herbaceous vegetation along the montane forest edge and degraded scrubland at the lower forest border of Mt Hanang. It was collected at altitudes of about
1850–2600 m
a.s.l.
Co-occurring Saltatoria species:
At the lower border of the heavily disturbed montane forest of Mt Hanang,
A. hanangensis
sp. nov.
lives syntopically with the following species:
Acanthacris ruficornis
(Fabricius, 1787)
,
Amytta
sp.
,
Gymnobothrus temporalis flexuosus
(Schulthess, 1898)
,
Odonturoides
sp.
,
Parepistaurus
sp.
,
Phaeocatantops
sp.
,
Phaneroptera sparsa
Stål, 1857
, and
Taphronota calliparea
(Schaum, 1853)
.