Sterea Ellas: Attiki / Biotia (Boeotia), Mt. Kitheron, 1400m, 20 VI 2015, 2♀.

A species common on the eastern half of the Greek mainland (Willemse 1984). New for Mt. Kitheron.

Sterea Ellas: Biotia (Boeotia), Mt. Kitheron, c.1400m, 19 V 2013, 1♂; 20 VI 2015, 8♂, 1♀. Fig. 1A–E.

New for Biotia and Mt. Kitheron. The male cerci (Fig. 1B) and the female basal fold of our material agrees with the figures published in Willemse (1982, 1986). This is the first member of this genus to be collected from Mt. Kitheron. This mountain ridge forms the borders between Attiki and Biotia. The collection locality is on the northern slope of the mountain summit, which belongs to Biotia (Fig. 1D). Poecilimon propinquus is endemic to CE mainland Greece (Attiki and NE Peloponnisos), Evvia and some offshore island (Egina, Spetses, Makronisos) (Fig. 2). The species is known from several localities of Attiki (Parnitha, Imittos, Sounion, Boula), most of them on the north and eastern side (Willemse 1984, 1985). The only, yet unpublished, locality from W Attiki, is at Aigosthena, 5 km east of Porto Germenos, not far from Mt. Kitheron (Lehmann and Lehmann unpubl. 2002, A. Lehmann pers. comm. 2017). This is the fourth member of the genus known so far from Biotia, the other three being P. gerlindae Lehmann, Willemse and Heller, 2006, P. obesus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 and P. zimmeri Ramme, 1933, occurring mostly on the west side of Biotia, Mt. Parnassos.

Poecilimon gerlindae was described from Domokos, Nomos Pthiotidos and it belongs to the P. propinquus group. Its southernmost known locality is Aliartos and Ipsilantis at the heart of Biotian valley. Our locality, only a few km to the south, is obviously situated on, or very close to, the borderline of these two closely related species. Although morphologically very similar, P. propinquus can easily be separated by the shape of the male cerci and female basal fold (Lehmann et al. 2006).

The population of Mt. Kitheron seems to be localized. This is the situation also on Mt. Imittos, the type locality of the species, where P. propinquus is also found in single sites (Lehmann et al. 2014). Several attempts, in several years, by the author to locate more populations were in vain. All the specimens were collected from an area of a few square meters, a rocky slope dominated by Daphne oleoides shrubs, facing the famous Biotian valley (Fig. 1D). All insects were found on the Daphne shrubs, except for a female found moving on the ground.

Figure 1. 

Poecilimon propinquus, Sterea Ellas, Mt. Kitheron, 19 V 2013. A. pronotum, B. tip of abdomen, C. habitus, D. collection locality with scattered bushes of Daphne, E. habitus.

Macedonia: Mt. Vrondous (Lailias): 1500m, 20 VIII 2016, 1♂; 1850m, 20 VIII 2016, 2♂, 1♀. Fig. 3.

Anterastes serbicus is a mountainous species, with isolated, patchy distribution on summits of mountains of Balkan and W. Turkey (Çiplak et al. 2015, Mol et al. 2016). In Greece, it is known from the high elevation of seven mountains, Olimpos, Ossa, Pieria, Bermio, Barnous, Pangeo and Falakro (Willemse 1984) (Fig. 4).

Mt. Vrondous is a well visited mountain mainly because of the road that leads to the ski resort. It is situated just north of the town of Serres. On Mt. Vrondous, A. serbicus was collected from the plateau of the ski center at 1500m, inside dense grass vegetation. The species was most abundant above timberline, at the summit area (1850m), on dry rocky ground with very sparse vegetation. It should be noted that compared to specimens from Mt. Pangeo, those of Mt. Vrondous are 25% smaller, with a body length of 11–13 mm.

Figure 2. 

Total known distribution of Poecilimon propinquus (• literature localities, ▲ new locality).

Figure 3. 

Anterastes serbicus, lateral view (scale bar: 5 mm).

Figure 4. 

Distribution of Anterastes serbicus in Greece (• literature localities, ▲ new locality).

Sterea Ellas: Attiki, Vravrona, wasteland, 11 VI 2013, 1♂. Fig. 5A–C.

New for Attiki. This is a recently described, small sized Eupholidoptera, endemic to the west Kikladic islands of Andros, Tinos and Kea (Tzia) (Çiplak et al. 2009) (Fig. 6). Our location is the first mainland population of this species. The specimen collected agrees perfectly with the description regarding small size, coloration (Fig. 5A), cerci (Fig. 5B) and subgenital plate. It was collected from Sarcopoterium spinosum, a small, thorny bush, typical of dry coastal habitats of Mediterranean Greece. Measurements (length, in mm): body 18, pronotum 8, hind femur 15.5.

Eupholidoptera kykladica belongs to E. prasina-group, a group of Aegean and Anatolian species, mostly with localized distribution. The locality reported here represents the first documented presence of a member of this group on mainland Greece, an area otherwise dominated by members of E. chabrieri-group (Çiplak et al. 2009).

The presence of E. kykladica on Attiki, or the east mainland in general, is no surprise. The zoogeographical connection of west Kikladic islands with mainland Greece is well documented. Two other orthopteran species that have a similar distribution pattern are Rhacocleis werneri F. Willemse, 1982, described from Evvia and since then found on east Attiki and Andros island and Leptophyes lisae Heller and Willemse, 1989, occurring at E Peloponnisos and Andros (Willemse and Willemse 2008).

The genus Eupholidoptera is rare in the area of Attiki. Antonatos et al. (2014) were the first to report members of the genus from Attiki. In particular, they report Eupholidoptera sp₁. from the area of the Athens International Airport, which is located at the lowland, near Vravrona, and Eupholidoptera sp₂. from Mt. Parnitha. In both locations, Eupholidoptera were rare, less than 1% of the sampled specimens. In particular, Eupholidoptera sp₁, which could prove to be E. kykladica, represented only 0.002% of the collected specimens, over a period of two years, while Eupholidoptera sp₂., from the mountain location, represented 0.94%, respectively. On the other hand, Lehmann et al. (2014), in their acoustic monitoring of orthopterans on Mt. Imittos, did not report any Eupholidoptera species. We collected members of this genus from Mt. Imittos (VI 2014, 1♀) and Mt. Kitheron (VIII 2014, 1♀; 20 VI 2015, 1♀). All collected specimens are females of small body size (less than 15 mm). Since Eupholidoptera species are recognized mainly by male genital morphology, we hesitate to assign them to a particular species until further field research results in collection of male specimens.

Figure 5. 

Eupholidoptera kykladica, Attiki, Vravrona, 11 VI 2013. A. habitus, B. last abdominal segment, dorso-lateral view, C. lateral view (scale bar: 1 cm).

Figure 6. 

Total known distribution of Eupholidoptera kykladica (• literature records, ▲ new record).

Kiklades: Andros, 18 VI 2015, 2♀. Figs 7A, 8A.

New for Kiklades. This circum-Mediterranean subspecies is common on mainland Greece. It has also been recorded from Kriti and few island. On Andros it was found by the road to Chora, on short grass. This is the second member of this genus recorded from Kiklades, after P. intermedia intermedia (Serville, 1839), which is common in this area (Willemse 1984).

Figure 7. 

A. Platycleis affinis affinis, female, Kiklades, Andros (scale bar: 10 mm), B. Platycleis grisea, female, Mt. Kitheron (scale bar: 10 mm), C. Platycleis escalerai escalerai, female, Attiki, Vravrona (scale bar: 10 mm), D. Incertana incerta, female, Attiki, Vravrona (scale bar: 5 mm).

Figure 8. 

Female, VII and VI sternites, subgenital plate and ovipositor, lateral view A. Platycleis affinis affinis (scale bar: 10 mm), B. Platycleis grisea (scale bar: 5 mm), C. Platycleis escalerai escalerai (scale bar: 5 mm), D. Incertana incerta, (scale bar: 2 mm).

Sterea Ellas: Mt. Kitheron, VIII 2014, 1♀. Figs 7B, 8B.

New for Mt. Kitheron. A mountain taxon, reported from several mountains of mainland.

Sterea Ellas: Attiki, Vravrona, wasteland. VI 2013, 1♀. Figs 7C, 8C.

New for Attiki. This East Mediterranean subspecies is known from mainland Greece and the islands of Kriti and Rhodos. On Vravrona it was collected from a wasteland, dominated by thorny bushes of Sarcopoterium and Coridothymus.

Sterea Ellas: Attiki, Vravrona, VII 2014, 1♀; Schinias, II 2013, 1♂. Figs 7D, 8D.

New for Attiki. This East Mediterranean species is known from mainland Greece and several Aegean islands.

Macedonia: Mt. Pangeo, 2000m, 7 VIII 2016, 1♂, 1♀. Fig. 9.

New for Mt. Pangeo. Known Greek localities for this central- and south-European species are Mt. Falakro, Mt. Vrondous, Mt. Cholomon, Paleokastron Chalkidikis, Mt. Barnous, Velvedos, Mt. Olimbos (Willemse 1984) and Mt. Athos (Tilmans et al. 1989).

Figure 9. 

Ephippiger ephippiger ephippiger, male, Macedonia, Mt. Pangeo, 7 VIII 2016.

Macedonia: Serres, Mt. Vrondous, 600m, IV 2016, 1♀.

New for Nomos Serron. A west Palearctic species, known from mainland Greece and the east Aegean islands of Limnos and Kos. Other Macedonian localities are Mt. Falakro, Pisoderi Florinas, Velvendos Kozanis and Mt. Pieria (Willemse 1984).

Sterea Ellas: Attiki, Vravrona, Erasinos river, 1 nymph, X 2012; Biotia (Boeotia), entrance of cave Kopaida, XI 2014, 3 nymphs. Fig. 10A, B.

New for Attiki and Sterea Ellas, this widespread Mediterranean species has been recorded from a few localities all over Greece and the islands. Our specimens were collected from under stones, in wet places, close to the margin of cultivations. At the first locality, it was found in syntopy with Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer, 1773. Identification of our material was achieved through the details of the head (Fig. 10A) as summarized in Cordero et al. (2007).

Figure 10. 

Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis bordigalensis, Attiki, Vravrona, Erasinos river, X 2012. A. frontal view of the head, B. lateral view (scale bar: 5 mm).

Macedonia: Serres, Strimon river, 25 V 2016, 2 ♂. Fig. 13A.

New for Nomos Serron. Already known from other rivers of Macedonia, like Nestos. Found in syntopy with X. pfaendleri.

Figure 13. 

Xya species, Macedonia, Strimon river, 25 V 2016. A. X. variegata, B. X. pfaendleri.

Macedonia: Serres, Strimon river, 25 V 2016, 1 ♀, 1 nymph. Fig. 13B.

New for Nomos Serron. Already known from other rivers of Macedonia, like Axios and Nestos. Found in syntopy with X. variegata.

Macedonia: Mt. Vrondous (Lailias): 1000m, 16 IV 2016, 2 ♂; 19 V 2016, 1 ♀. Figs 14–15.

New to Macedonia. This species was described from the extreme southeast Bulgaria, the eastern foothills of Rhodopi mountain, close to the Greek-Bulgarian borders. In 2001 it was reported as new to the Greek fauna, from several localities of Evros, Thraki (Kati and Willemse 2001) (Fig. 16). Its habitat was described as Quercus sp. forest, sometimes mixed with Pinus brutia and/or P. nigra, commonly with dead leaf litter in which the animal was frequently found, and at an altitude of 200-900m a.s.l.

Pamphagids of the Balkan Peninsula, Paranocarodes I. Bolívar, and the related Nocaracris Uvarov, 1928 (Paranocaracris Mistshenko, 1951 was synonymized with Nocaracris by Ünal 2016), are ancient relicts, remnants of a thermophilous Tertiary fauna and have restricted ranges (Popov 2007). The locality of Mt. Vrondous is isolated from the populations in Thraki. Our specimens were collected from a meadow with a few scattered bushes, mainly Juniperus sp., bordering dense Pinus nigra forest, at an altitude of c. 1000m. The males were found very close to each other and were noticed from a distance by their strong stridulation. The female was noticed crossing the asphalt road from the same meadow towards the forest. No other specimen could be found despite several efforts. Apparently nymphs overwinter and adults appear in early spring, which may explain how such an obvious and impressive insect has gone unnoticed for so long on a well accessible mountain. According to L. Willemse (pers. comm. 2016), nymphs of what could be members of Paranocarodes have been observed from a couple of adjacent localities of N. Greece.

The male phallic complex is one of the main diagnostic characters used to distinguish the genera of pamphagids (Ünal 2016). A study that took place at Bolu by Ünal on the phallic complex of specimens sent to him confirmed our identification: this specific characteristic is almost the same as the one of the type specimen, kept provisionally at Bolu. Other morphological characteristics, such as the shape of the pronotum and coloration, are also identical with the type specimen. The tympanum size though of our specimen is much smaller than the typical P. chopardi, but a variation of this character has been documented in other pamphagids as well (Ünal pers. comm. 2017).

Figure 14. 

Paranocarodes chopardi, habitus, female, Macedonia, Mt. Vrondous, 19 V 2016.

Figure 15. 

Paranocarodes chopardi, habitus, male, Macedonia, Mt. Vrondous, 16 IV 2016, lateral view (scale bar, 10 mm).

Figure 16. 

Total known distribution of Paranocarodes chopardi (• literature records, ▲ new record).