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 1A, 2D), a few dark spots on tegmina and the tympana marked brownish. Venter of abdomen white (Fig. 1A). Head and antennae: Antenna thin, slightly longer than flexed tegmina. Fastigium verticis elongated, surface smooth. Conus-like projection of the face running to fastigium verticis acute and thin. Thorax: Fore coxae with slender, slightly curved spine. Fore and mid femora unarmed. Hind femora at posterior narrow part ventrally with double row of few spines. Wings: Tegmina oval, rounded at tip; hind wings hyaline except area protruding beyond tegmina, which have the same color as the tegmina. Sc and R contiguous. Stridulatory file contiguous (Fig. 2E), mirror of right tegmen as in Fig. 2F. Abdomen: Last abdominal tergite broad with median depression at posterior margin (Fig. 2A, B). Cerci stout with bidentate tips (Fig. 2B). Subgenital plate elongated, surpassing cerci, v-shaped incised at posterior margin (Fig. 3C).

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. 1B). Wing venation and spination of the legs as in male. Ovipositor with sclerotized margins along the serration of the valves (Fig. 2C). Subgenital plate triangular with indentation at tip (Fig. 4B).

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. 3). L. viridis has an elongated and narrow subgenital plate forming two finger-like processes at its posterior end (Fig. 3A). L. acuticercata also has an elongated subgenital plate which is however deeply split into two rounded lobes (Fig. 3B). L. bicercata sp. n. has a shorter and broader subgenital plate, v-shaped incised at its posterior end (Fig. 3C). Further, the cerci of all three species differ considerably in their morphology: long and stout with a ridge at its tips in L. viridis (Fig. 3A), stout with inflated base, acute tips embracing the subgenital plate in L. acuticercata (Fig. 3B) and stout and curved with bi-dentate tips in L. bicercata sp. n. (Fig. 3C).

Female Lunidia species may be distinguished by comparing the subgenital plates (Fig. 4). L. viridis has a broad wing-like subgenital plate with a posterior broad indentation (Fig. 4A) while L. acuticercata has a stout subgenital plate forming two broad evenly rounded lobes at the posterior end (Fig. 4C). L. bicercata sp. n. has an almost tri-angular subgenital plate with a short indentation at its posterior tip (Fig. 4B). However, L. viridis and L. bicercata sp. n. females are morphologically very similar. L. viridis only occurs in northern Tanzania while L. bicercata sp. n. seems to be restricted to the Uluguru Mountains. L. acuticercata is a species of lowland wet forest and probably occurs along the Tanzania coast in suitable habitats and further inland in lowland forest.

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.

Figure 1. 

Lunidia bicercata sp. n., Uluguru Mountains. A. Male; B. Female.

Figure 2. 

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.

Figure 3. 

Subgenital plates of male Lunidia species. A. L. viridis; B. L. acuticercata; C. L. bicercata sp. n. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 4. 

Subgenital plates of female Lunidia species. A. L. viridis; B. L. bicercata sp. n.; C. L. acuticercata. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 5. 

Distribution of Lunidia species in East Africa.

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. 5).

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.