Research Article |
Corresponding author: Claudia Hemp ( claudia.hemp@uni-bayreuth.de ) Academic editor: Corinna S. Bazelet
© 2017 Claudia Hemp.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Hemp C (2017) Review of the genus Lunidia Hemp (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) and the description of a new species from the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa. Journal of Orthoptera Research 26(2): 85-89. https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.26.20107
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The genus Lunidia Hemp is reviewed and more data on its distribution and habitat provided. A new species, Lunidia bicercata sp. n., from the Uluguru Mountains, is newly described. A key to males of Lunidia is provided.
Eastern Arc Mountains, Ensifera , speciation, taxonomy, taxonomic key
The Uluguru Mountains in Tanzania belong to a series of mountain ranges, the so-called Eastern Arc Mountains. Stretching from southern Tanzania to southern Kenya, these mountain blocks are geologically old, thought to be more than 30 million years old (
The genus Lunidia Hemp was erected on L. viridis from Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. L. viridis is a forest dependent species common in the submontane and lower montane zone.
Bushcrickets (a.k.a. katydids; Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea) were collected by searching, by light trapping or acoustically. Submontane forest above Morningside in the Uluguru Mountains was surveyed in February, March, April, June, August and November 2016 and February 2017.
The Orthoptera specimens were identified either with available literature or with the help of the Orthoptera Species File (
This manuscript includes ‘hyperlinks’ to the Orthoptera Species File (OSF) online (http://orthoptera.speciesfile.org) (
Measurements of body length include male genitalia but not the ovipositor of the female.
MfN: Museum für Naturkunde, Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin.
Fastigium slightly narrower than first antennal segment; forming a finger-like projection ending slightly before scapus when looked at from above. This projection either blunt and conus-like (L. viridis, L. bicercata sp. n.) or more acute (L. acuticercata). Met from below by a conus-like projection of the face, leaving gap between both tips. Eyes circular, prominent. Thorax: Smooth surface, without lateral or median carinae. Fore coxae with spine. Fore and mid femora unarmed. Fore tibiae with open tympanum on each side.
Wings: Wings fully developed, hind wings protruding some mm beyond fore wings. Veins Sc and R either contiguous or separating at their distal ends.
Male, Tanzania, Uluguru Mountains, submontane forest above Morningside, February 2016. Depository MfN. Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype. Depository MfN.
Further paratype material: 4 females, same data as holotype but November 2016 and February 2017. Collection C. Hemp.
Male.General habitus and color: Uniformly green with dark marking at base of left tegmen (Figs
Female. Body size and color pattern as male but without brown patch on left tegmen but with two dark patches at bases of tegmina (Fig.
Measurements, male (mm) (n=1): Total length of body 22.5; Length of pronotum 5.2; Length of hind femur 20.2; Length of elytra 25.
Measurements, females (mm) (n=4): Total length of body 22.0-23.0; Length of pronotum 5.4-5.6; Length of hind femur 21.0-21.7; Length of elytra 25-26.5; Length of ovipositor 6.6-7.0.
A typical Lunidia species from its size and habitus. Males of the three species can easily be distinguished when comparing the subgenital plate (Fig.
Female Lunidia species may be distinguished by comparing the subgenital plates (Fig.
Submontane forest.
Single oval and black eggs are deposited between the tissue layers of leaves. Adults and nymphs were only collected in January and February suggesting a similar cycle as for L. viridis (see below).
Named with reference to the bidentate male cerci.
At present only known from the Uluguru Mountains of central Tanzania.
Morphological details of Lunidia bicercata sp. n. A, B. Semilateral view on male abdominal apex; C. Ovipositor of female; D. Stridulatory area on left tegmen of male; E. Male stridulatory file, inner side left tegmen; F. Mirror on right tegmen of male. A, C, D, F. Scale bars: A, B. 1 mm D, E. 0.5 mm C, F. 2 mm.
Since its description, further populations of this species were found in northern Tanzania. Thus L. viridis is a common inhabitant of montane forests on Mt Meru at around 1700 m. Adults were exclusively found in November and December (2013, 2014 and 2015). It also occurs in montane forest on the North Pare Mountains at elevations of 1750-1800 m at the lower border of the forests on Mt Kindoroko. Also, here it was only collected in November and December. On the South Pare Mountains, a small population was detected on the isolated mountains Umari at the western end of the South Pare Mountains and here also at elevations of 1700-1800 m in December 2017. Lutindi forest at the southern end of the West Usambara Mountains also harbors a population of L. viridis but here in submontane elevations at about 1250 m. The song could not yet be recorded for this population and further studies have to be conducted to verify species status, although morphologically specimens caught in this area agree with specimens from Mt Kilimanjaro. Also Mazumbai Forest Reserve, West Usambara Mountains, harbors L. viridis in montane elevations at about 1600-1700 m, but the male cerci are stouter suggesting that this population is isolated. The song recorded is typical for L. viridis though. Thus L. viridis occurs in montane forests throughout northern Tanzania (Fig.
In addition to feeding on leaves, L. viridis also feeds on dead insects, also attacking individuals of its own species when caged together. L. viridis hatches with the onset of the short rains from October onwards. Adults are usually found from November/December to March/April. This same pattern was seen in all known populations of northern Tanzania. Thus L. viridis produces only one generation per year.
1 | Subgenital plate deeply bilobed. Cerci stretched downwards embracing subgenital plate. Coastal Tanzania and Morogoro District | L. acuticercata Hemp |
– | Subgenital plate not bilobed, cerci not embracing subgenital plate | 2 |
2 | Subgenital plate broadly u-shaped incised with lateral finger-like processes. Cerci spoon-like expanded at tips. Northern Tanzania | L. viridis Hemp |
– | Subgenital plate with median incision thus forming two shallow broad lobes at posterior end. Cerci with subapical dent. Tanzania, Uluguru Mountains | L. bicercata sp. n. |
I gratefully acknowledge grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and thank the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology and the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute for permitting research. Part of the research received support from the Synthesys Project http://www.synthesys.info/ which is financed by the European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP6 ‘Structuring the European Research Area Programme’ enabling me to visit the Natural History Museum London, U.K., the Naturkunde Museum of Vienna, Austria and the collection of the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen, Denmark.