Latest Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research Latest 100 Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research https://jor.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:55:12 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://jor.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research https://jor.pensoft.net/ New records of Oecanthus species (Orthoptera, Oecanthidae) in the Madeira archipelago https://jor.pensoft.net/article/113947/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 95-102

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.113947

Authors: Hugo Miguel Silva, Laura Avivar-Lozano, Gonçalo Gomes, Howon Rhee, Thomas Dellinger, Dora Aguín-Pombo

Abstract: The Madeira and Porto Santo Islands have both witnessed substantial habitat loss since their initial colonization. Despite their small size and the degradation of their natural habitats, they harbor a rich diversity of terrestrial invertebrates, including a significant number of endemic species. While research on Orthoptera fauna has predominantly focused on the largest island of Madeira, the smaller island of Porto Santo has remained relatively understudied. Fieldwork on both islands has led to the discovery of Oecanthus dulcisonans Gorochov, 1993 in the Madeira archipelago (Porto Santo and Madeira) for the first time. This species was described based on specimens collected in Tenerife and the Arabian Peninsula. However, its distribution, which includes parts of Africa, Western Asia, and some localities in Southern Europe, remains poorly understood. Oecanthus dulcisonans is morphologically very similar to Oecanthus pellucens (Scopoli, 1763), the only species of this genus previously recorded for the island of Madeira. Due to this resemblance, doubts have arisen regarding which of these two species is present in Madeira. By examining new material of O. pellucens, we have confirmed the presence of this species on Madeira as well. These new findings highlight the fact that, for these species, the Madeira archipelago represents the western limit of their distributional ranges in the Palearctic region.

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Research Article Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:08:54 +0200
Illustrated review of Mormon cricket Anabrus simplex (Tettigoniidae, Tettigoniinae) embryonic development https://jor.pensoft.net/article/98763/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 87-93

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.98763

Authors: Robert B. Srygley, Laura B. Senior

Abstract: Mormon crickets Anabrus simplex Haldeman, 1852 are a pest of crops and rangeland in the western United States, but little is known about their development in the egg stage. Mormon crickets have multiple states at which they may diapause and thus affect population growth. Consequently, a series of photographs of Mormon cricket embryonic stages was organized using published research on Old World katydids. Earlier stages were more difficult to distinguish without removing the chorion. However, where possible, features that can be seen through the chorion are indicated with the expectation that these will be useful in characterizing development in living embryos. As with other Orthoptera, the timing of development varied greatly among individuals, but at a minimum, embryos filled approximately half the egg in six weeks, whereas they required 12 weeks from oviposition to reach the final stage before their obligate winter diapause.

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Research Article Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:05:12 +0200
Temperature-dependent phototaxis in overwintering adults of the grasshopper Patanga japonica (Orthoptera, Acrididae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/102749/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 71-86

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.102749

Authors: Seiji Tanaka

Abstract: In central Japan, adult Patanga japonica (Bolívar) grasshoppers overwinter as adults while in reproductive diapause. At this local, February nights fall as low as -7°C, whereas days can exceed 16°C. Adults respond to the diel thermal cycle with daily vertical movements out of and back into leaf litter. This paper documents and discusses the significance of this interesting winter behavior. Temperature strongly influenced the daily vertical movements. Time of morning emergence, duration of aboveground occupancy, and number of adults emerging all highly correlated with current and maximum daily temperatures. In January, adults were immobile at < -1°C but could stand up when their body temperatures reached ~3.7°C. In contrast, adults held outdoors in semi-natural conditions emerged from the litter at ~14°C, suggesting threshold temperatures of ~14°C for morning emergence. The numbers of adults emerging or hiding varied over the winter season. Light also influenced movements. Adults held in horizontal transparent tubes, each with half covered with black paper (D-area) and the other half exposed to light (L-area), moved into the L-area during the day and returned to the D-area in the afternoon. In both cases, movement was into a colder microhabitat, implying that the direction of daily movements was possibly via phototaxis, not thermotaxis. Further experiments suggested that increasing temperatures elicited positive phototaxis, and decreasing temperatures elicited negative phototaxis and that the phototaxis was controlled by the direction, magnitude, and absolute range of the temperature change in P. japonica.

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Research Article Fri, 1 Mar 2024 08:07:28 +0200
Eupholidoptera kekrops sp. nov. (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), new bush-cricket from Greece https://jor.pensoft.net/article/103790/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 67-70

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.103790

Authors: Sotiris Alexiou

Abstract: Eupholidoptera kekrops sp. nov. belonging to the E. prasina group, is described from mainland Greece. The new species is the first known member of this group from mainland Greece and mainland Europe. Differentiating morphological characteristics, mainly of the subgenital plate and titilator, are presented.

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Research Article Fri, 9 Feb 2024 17:47:08 +0200
Studies on chevron crickets: Tryposoma gen. nov. (Orthoptera, Anostostomatidae), a new genus from Tanzania https://jor.pensoft.net/article/115670/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 59-66

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.115670

Authors: Oscar J. Cadena-Castañeda, Claudia Hemp

Abstract: A new genus, Tryposoma gen. nov., is introduced to accommodate two African anostostomatid species formerly classified under the genus Libanasa Walker (Tryposoma kilomeni (Hemp & Johns) comb. nov. and Tryposoma brachyurum (Karny) comb. nov.). This taxonomic revision includes a key of the species. Detailed discussions on the genital structure of the newly described genus are also provided.

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Research Article Mon, 5 Feb 2024 09:50:10 +0200
Parasitoid flies (Diptera, Tachinidae) in true crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea): New host records from Brazil, identification key to parasitoids, and revision of host-parasitoid interactions https://jor.pensoft.net/article/108456/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 41-58

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.108456

Authors: Filipe Macedo Gudin, Lucas Denadai de Campos, Darlan Rutz Redü, Francisco de Assis Ganeo de Mello

Abstract: True crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea) are often parasitized by tachinid flies (Diptera, Tachinidae). However, the diversity of these parasitoids and their oviposition strategies remain unclear. Although some flies are specialized in locating crickets by their calling songs, such as the phonotactic fly Ormia ochracea (Bigot, 1889), a large portion of the tachinids that attack true crickets show different host search strategies and are adapted to parasitize other orthopteroid insects as well. However, these parasitoids have a complex and challenging taxonomy that precludes further improvement in the understanding of Tachinidae-Orthoptera interactions. Here, we described and illustrated seven new host records in Gryllidae and Phalangopsidae species from Brazil, including notes on the diagnostic characters of each parasitoid and host. An illustrated identification key to Tachinidae genera recorded in Grylloidea is also provided. Finally, all published records of Tachinidae parasitism in true crickets were revised and are presented in an annotated catalog in order to understand the host range and different oviposition strategies of each parasitoid lineage.

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Research Article Mon, 22 Jan 2024 14:01:30 +0200
Geographic variation in body size of the migratory locust Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera, Acrididae): Masaki’s cline and phase polyphenism https://jor.pensoft.net/article/107242/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 27-40

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.107242

Authors: Seiji Tanaka

Abstract: Adults of the migratory locust Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758) were collected in the Japanese Archipelago, which extends from the Ryukyu subtropical region to the Hokkaido cool-temperate region, covering more than 2,500 km. A saw-toothed pattern was observed in body size along the latitudinal or annual mean temperature gradient, which is similar to Masaki’s clines initially described for crickets. The latitudinal cline of locusts was also observed in the laboratory, suggesting that this cline was primarily due to genetic variation. In the northern univoltine zone, locust body size increased toward the south. The latitudinal size trend was reversed in the transitional zones where the voltinism shifted from univoltine to bivoltine and from bivoltine to trivoltine life cycles. These patterns may be explained by changes in the length of the growing season for development and reproduction. Body size varied with growth efficiency but not with the variable lengths of nymphal development. Larger females had more ovarioles and produced fatter egg pods containing more eggs per pod. The morphometric ratio, F/C (hind femur length/head width), tended to decrease with latitude, but this characteristic could be primarily due to phylogenetic differences between the northern and southern clades. It was confirmed that F/C ratio decreased when the locusts were reared in a group. The sexual size dimorphism, or SSD, tended to increase as the mean body sizes of populations increased, converse to Rensch’s rule. The relative body size of females and males correlated with latitude and was greatly reduced when the insects were reared in a group. The smaller rate of increase at higher latitudes may be related to male–female associations and predation pressure.

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Research Article Tue, 9 Jan 2024 10:59:44 +0200
A new long-winged pygmy grasshopper in Eocene Baltic amber raises questions about the evolution of reduced tegmenula in Tetrigidae (Orthoptera) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/105144/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 21-26

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.105144

Authors: Josip Skejo, Niko Kasalo, M. Jared Thomas, Sam W. Heads

Abstract: Extant pygmy grasshoppers (Tetrigidae) that possess wings have the forewings reduced into scale-like tegmenula, while hind wings remain fully developed. Rusmithia gorochovi gen. et sp. nov. (Tetrigidae, Batrachideinae, Rusmithini trib. nov.) is described based on a single adult female holotype from Lithuanian Baltic amber, from the Bartonian-Priabonian age, some 40 million years ago, and this is the only known tetrigid in which tegmenula or tegmina (the forewings) extend as far as half the length of the hind femur. Besides this very unique trait, other characters of Rusmithia gen. nov. indicate similarity with extant and especially fossil Batrachideinae (genus Danatettix Thomas, Skejo & Heads, 2019). Because of the strong differences this genus and Danatettix have with American Batrachideinae, they are assigned to a new tribe, European Batrachideinae or Rusmithini trib. nov. Acrydium bachofeni (Zeuner, 1937) might belong to this or a sibling genus based on its very long tegmenula or Succinotettix chopardi Piton, 1938, based on its 19-segmented antennae; neither species is tranferred as their types could not be examined.

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Research Article Tue, 9 Jan 2024 10:59:44 +0200
Factors related to sound production by the Chinese grasshopper Acrida cinerea during escape https://jor.pensoft.net/article/100865/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 13-19

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.100865

Authors: Tatsuru Kuga, Eiiti Kasuya

Abstract: Many grasshopper species produce conspicuous sounds while escaping from approaching predators; however, they occasionally escape without producing sounds. The Chinese grasshopper, Acrida cinerea, often exhibits noisy escape behavior. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted using A. cinerea to identify factors related to the production of sound during escape. This study utilized a predator model with an investigator approaching A. cinerea three times. We examined the relationship between the production of sound during escape and the following factors: ambient temperature and relative humidity as environmental factors; sex, body length, body weight, and limb autotomy as prey traits; and the repeated approach as a predator trait. The relationships between noisy escape and flight initiation distance (i.e., predator-prey distance when the prey initiates the escape), distance fled (i.e., distance the prey covered during the escape), and the mode of locomotion during escape (i.e., flying or jumping) were also examined. Noisy escape was observed only in males that escaped by flying, whereas the females and males that escaped by jumping invariably escaped silently. Among males that flew, noisy escape was related to ambient temperature, limb autotomy, and distance fled. The proportion that produced sound increased in parallel with the ambient temperature and distance fled. This proportion was lower among individuals that had autotomized one of their hind legs. These results indicate that noisy escape behavior is most frequent in healthy male A. cinerea under warm conditions.

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Research Article Tue, 9 Jan 2024 10:59:27 +0200
Environmental and hormonal control of body-color polyphenism in Patanga japonica (Orthoptera, Acrididae): Effects of substrate color, crowding, temperature and [His7]-corazonin injection https://jor.pensoft.net/article/98133/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 33(1): 1-12

DOI: 10.3897/jor.33.98133

Authors: Seiji Tanaka, Takumi Kayukawa

Abstract: Patanga japonica (Bolívar) shows various body colors in the field. Most nymphs are green in the summer, but some develop non-green colors, such as yellow, white, brown, reddish, and black, in the fall. Nymphs individually reared in white, yellow-green, and black containers showed green, light-green, white, and reddish body colors, and the substrate color significantly influenced the proportions of green nymphs. A few individuals developed black spots and patterns, and such individuals were most frequently observed in the black containers. Nymphs with distinct black patterns were observed when reared in a group of five individuals per container, and the proportion of such individuals varied slightly depending on the brightness of the substrate color. Singly kept nymphs that were allowed to see five other nymphs in another container turned darker than those that were only allowed to see an empty container, suggesting that visual stimuli without mechanical stimulation induced black patterns. In outdoor cages, nymphs tended to develop more pronounced black patterns during their last instar when the hatching date was delayed and the temperature during the later stages of development was decreased. The effect of temperature during the late stadia was tested by transferring a group of third-stadium nymphs from outdoor cool conditions to a high temperature, while other nymphs were continuously maintained outdoors. Markedly melanized individuals were observed in the outdoor cage, whereas the appearance of such individuals was strongly suppressed at a high temperature. Green nymphs injected with synthetic [His7]-corazonin developed black patterns after ecdysis to the following instars and to the adult stage, and some looked indistinguishable in body color from group-reared nymphs. Nymphs injected with this hormone developed black patterns even at a high temperature. Adults looked similar in body coloration with some variation. Their hindwings turned reddish after overwintering. These results demonstrate that P. japonica exhibits body-color pholyphenism.

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Research Article Tue, 9 Jan 2024 10:59:15 +0200
Geographic variation in phenotypic divergence between two hybridizing field cricket species https://jor.pensoft.net/article/90713/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 189-200

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.90713

Authors: Amy R. Byerly, Clara Jenck, Alexander R. B. Goetz, David B. Weissman, David A. Gray, Charles L. Ross, Luana S. Maroja, Erica L. Larson

Abstract: Patterns of morphological divergence across species’ ranges can provide insight into local adaptation and speciation. In this study, we compared phenotypic divergence among 4,221 crickets from 337 populations of two closely related species of field cricket, Gryllus firmus and G. pennsylvanicus, and their hybrids. We found that these species differ across their geographic range in key morphological traits, such as body size and ovipositor length, and we directly compared phenotype with genotype for a subset of crickets to demonstrate nuclear genetic introgression, phenotypic intermediacy of hybrids, and essentially unidirectional mitochondrial introgression. We discuss how these morphological traits relate to life history differences between the two species. Our comparisons across geographic areas support prior research suggesting that cryptic variation within G. firmus may represent different species. Our study highlights how variable morphology can be across wide-ranging species and the importance of studying reproductive barriers in more than one or two transects of a hybrid zone.

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Research Article Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:02:21 +0300
Mantodea of Iran: A review-based study https://jor.pensoft.net/article/97388/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 177-188

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.97388

Authors: Mahmood Kolnegari

Abstract: Scattered taxonomic data can be used to determine the geographic distribution of arthropods such as Mantodea (mantids). The distribution of mantids is not well known in Iran and not readily determined because the literature has been published in a mix of Persian-language and non-Persian-language scientific references, including books, journals, annual congress proceedings, and final reports of academic projects. To create a national checklist of mantids in Iran, I reviewed 35 Persian and non-Persian (English, German, and Italian) publications. I recorded 57 praying mantid species from 9 families described from localities across Iran. I identified 18 species—Ameles decolor, Ameles heldreichi, Ameles picteti, Ameles spallanzania, Elaea marchali, Empusa pennata, Eremiaphila andresi, Eremiaphila cerisy, Eremiaphila turcica, Geomantis larvoides, Iris coeca, Iris pitcheri, Oxyothespis wagneri, Pareuthyphlebs palmonii, Pseudoyersinia paui, Rivetina baetica, Severinia nigrofasciata, and Severinia turcomaniae—with records in Iran that may be incorrect based on geographic ranges that do not include Iran and similarity to other species that do occur in Iran. In the proposed checklist comprising 39 species, the family Rivetinidae, with 9 species, and the 2 families Amorphoscelidae and Nanomantidae, with 1 species each, comprised the greatest and least diversity, respectively. This checklist can facilitate future studies on Iran’s mantodeans.

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Research Article Mon, 25 Sep 2023 08:02:10 +0300
A new record of a winged stick insect (Phasmatodea) from Mexico, with a checklist and key to the species of the family Pseudophasmatidae from continental North America https://jor.pensoft.net/article/98203/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 171-176

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.98203

Authors: Manuel de Luna, Roberto García-Barrios, Gerardo Cuéllar-Rodríguez, Ulises López-Mora

Abstract: The winged stick insect Metriophasma iphicles (Redtenbacher, 1906) (Phasmatodea: Pseudophasmatidae) is recorded for the first time from Mexico (state of Veracruz), making this the northernmost record of both the species and genus. A checklist of species in the family Pseudophasmatidae from Mexico and the USA is presented, and a key to the species listed is proposed. With the current record, the number of continental North American species of Phasmatodea increases to 108, and the number of genera in the region increases to 23.

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Research Article Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:01:25 +0300
Geographic variation in the calling songs and genetics of Bartram’s round-winged katydid Amblycorypha bartrami (Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae) reveal new species https://jor.pensoft.net/article/96295/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 153-170

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.96295

Authors: Timothy G. Forrest, Micaela Scobie, Olivia Brueckner, Brittania Bintz, John D. Spooner

Abstract: Previous work on Bartram’s round-winged katydid, Amblycorypha bartrami Walker, found inconsistencies in song variation across the species’ range. Individuals of purported populations of A. bartrami from sandhills across the southeastern US were collected, recorded, and their genes were sequenced to better understand their population structure and evolution. Significant differences in songs, morphology, and genetics were found among populations from Alabama (AL), Georgia (GA), North Carolina (NC), and South Carolina (SC), and they differed from those of individuals collected from the type locality in Florida (FL). Males from all populations produced songs composed of a series of similar syllables, but they differed in the rates at which syllables were produced as a function of temperature. At temperatures of 25°C, the calling songs of males from populations in northern AL and GA were found to have the highest syllable rates, those from SC had the lowest rates, and those from NC were found to produce songs with doublet syllables at rates that were intermediate between those of males from FL and those of AL and GA. These song differences formed the basis for cluster analyses and principal component analyses, which showed significant clustering and differences in song spectra and morphology among the song morphs. A Bayesian multi-locus, multi-species coalescent analysis found significant divergences from a panmictic population for the song morphs. Populations from GA and AL are closely related to those of A. bartrami in FL, whereas populations from NC and SC are closely related to each other and differ from the other three. Large river systems may have been important in isolating these populations of flightless katydids. Based on the results of our analyses of songs, morphology, and genetics, three new species of round-winged katydids from the southeastern coastal plain and piedmont are described.

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Research Article Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:58:16 +0300
A replacement name for Bostra Stål (Insecta, Phasmida, Diapheromeridae), a junior homonym of Bostra Walker (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/97047/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 149-152

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.97047

Authors: Martin H. Villet

Abstract: Bostra Stål (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae) is a junior homonym of Bostra Walker (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae). The replacement name Bostranova Villet nomen nov. is proposed for Bostra Stål, and new combinations are proposed for the species-group names currently included in that phasmid genus.

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Short Communication Fri, 8 Sep 2023 08:59:49 +0300
Alien mantids in a tropical paradise: First record of the giant mantis Sphodromantis viridis (Insecta, Mantodea) for the Canary Islands (Spain) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/96183/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 143-147

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.96183

Authors: Antonio Fasano, Alessio De Martino

Abstract: The presence of adults, nymphs, and oothecae of the African giant mantis Sphodromantis viridis Forsskål is for the first time recorded on the island of Tenerife, the largest and most populated of the Canary archipelago, an autonomous Spanish community in the Atlantic Ocean. The discovery took place in a popular water park rich in non-native plants in the municipality of Costa Adeje. It is possible that anthropogenic movements, particularly the massive movement of tourists and goods that continually cross this small archipelago, aided the dispersal to the area of this mantis, which for some years has also been expanding in many areas of the Mediterranean basin. A hypothesis on the ecological impact and the possible invasiveness of this extremely adaptable species is discussed and supported by the large number of sightings of oothecae and specimens that are, fortunately, still confined within the west coast of the island.

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Short Communication Fri, 1 Sep 2023 16:01:44 +0300
A new Floritettix (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Melanoplinae) from the Bombing Range Ridge, Florida, U.S.A. https://jor.pensoft.net/article/94990/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 133-142

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.94990

Authors: JoVonn G. Hill

Abstract: Floritettix are endemic to the North American Coastal Plain. Here I describe a new species, Floritettix phlox sp. nov., from the Bombing Range Ridge in central Florida. This species appears to be restricted to the heavily burned scrub habitat on this small ridge. This species is described based on morphological and biogeographical evidence.

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Research Article Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:12:12 +0300
A new species of Neoleva (Caelifera, Acridoidea, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae) from Central Tanzania https://jor.pensoft.net/article/91581/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 127-131

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.91581

Authors: Claudia Hemp

Abstract: A new species of Neoleva Jago, N. magna sp. nov. is described from Central Tanzania. A key to all species of Neoleva is presented.

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Research Article Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:18:18 +0300
Sexual dimorphism in the badlands cricket (Orthoptera, Gryllinae, Gryllus personatus) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/93513/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 119-126

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.93513

Authors: Esperance M. Madera, Kevin A. Judge

Abstract: Sexual dimorphism (SD) is a common phenomenon in sexual species and can manifest in a variety of ways. Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is commonly investigated, but it can be confounded with sexual shape dimorphism (SShD) if multivariate measures of size are not used. Univariate studies may also overestimate the prevalence or direction of SSD when the sexes are strikingly different in shape, which may be an issue in taxa such as Orthoptera and other terrestrial arthropods where maximum body size is strongly constrained. Here we tested for the occurrence of both SSD and SShD in the badlands cricket Gryllus personatus (Orthoptera, Gryllinae). We measured four body size dimensions—maxillae span, head width, pronotum length, and mean hind femur length—and used multivariate methods to test whether male and female adult badlands crickets were sexually dimorphic in size and/or shape. All the univariate dimensions were sexually dimorphic, with males having wider heads and maxillae than females and females having longer pronota and hind femora than males, which indicates SShD. However, multivariate methods failed to detect SSD, instead confirming that the sexes primarily differ in body shape. We show how a simple ratio of head width to pronotum length captures SShD in badlands crickets and apply it to iNaturalist, a citizen science platform, to broaden our findings. We propose that orthopterists studying SD minimally measure head width, pronotum length, and hind femur length as a standard that will allow a more repeatable and generalizable assessment of the prevalence and direction of both SSD and SShD.

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Research Article Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:02:11 +0300
Acrida bara, synomymous with A. sulphuripennis (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Acridinae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/93481/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 115-117

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.93481

Authors: Claudia Hemp

Abstract: The male holotype of Acrida bara Steinmann, 1963 from the Budapest collection (HNHM) was studied and found to be identical to Acrida sulphuripennis (Gerstaecker, 1869). Consequently, Acrida bara syn. nov. is synonymized with A. sulphuripennis.

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Research Article Mon, 5 Jun 2023 11:03:03 +0300
The role of community science in orthopteran research https://jor.pensoft.net/article/90444/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(2): 109-114

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.90444

Authors: Amy R. Byerly, Thomas J. Firneno Jr., Riley Beard, Erica L. Larson

Abstract: Orthopterans are commonly encountered in rural, suburban, and urban landscapes and have charismatic songs that attract the public’s attention. These are ideal organisms for connecting the public with science and critical concepts in ecology and evolution, such as habitat conservation and climate change. In this review, we provide an overview of community science and review community science in orthopterans. Best practices for orthopteran community science are provided, with a focus on audio recordings and highlighting new ways in which scientists who study orthopterans can engage in community science. Before the modern era, scientific discovery was commonly made by people who were not scientists by profession (Brenna 2011, Miller-Rushing et al. 2012). This began to change in the middle of the nineteenth century when science became highly academic, with greater “gatekeeping” of knowledge, and data collection became increasingly expensive. As a result, much of the knowledge gained during that time has been effectively withheld from non-scientists in difficult-to-obtain scientific journals, and there were few opportunities for the public to directly engage with scientific research. In recent years, there has been a concerted effort from the scientific community to change the way we engage with the public. These “citizen” or “community” science projects are filling gaps in the modern approach to scientific inquiry (Jordan et al. 2012, Toomey and Domroese 2013, Johnson et al. 2014). Here, we provide an overview of community science and highlight the exciting and unique role that community science can play in orthopteran research. We focus on how acoustic surveys can be used to study orthopteran biodiversity, provide best practices for orthopteran community science, and suggest future avenues for research.

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Review Article Wed, 10 May 2023 10:20:14 +0300
Biology of Patanga japonica (Orthoptera, Acrididae): Nymphal growth, host plants, reproductive activity, hatching behavior, and adult morphology https://jor.pensoft.net/article/95753/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 93-108

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.95753

Authors: Seiji Tanaka

Abstract: The biology of Patanga japonica (Bolívar, 1898), including seasonal nymphal growth, host plants, mating, oviposition, hatching, and adult morphology, was studied under outdoor and indoor conditions in central Japan. A field census showed that this grasshopper had a univoltine life cycle and overwintered in the adult stage. Body size was found to increase with a delay in the time of adult emergence in females but not in males, and protandry was observed. The insects were mainly associated with a few plant species. Feeding tests showed that at least one of the 5 test nymphs molted to the second stadium on 37 plant species, and more than 50% did so on 23 plant species. Mating was frequently observed in April and May under outdoor conditions, and the daily maximum number of copulating pairs was positively correlated with air temperature. Copulatory behavior, including stridulation, is described in detail. Oviposition was frequently observed in May and June under outdoor conditions. Larger females produced more eggs per pod, and a negative relationship was observed between egg lengths and the number of eggs per pod, showing a trade-off. On average, female adults had 124 ovarioles. Egg hatching occurred at different times during the daytime, but the eggs from each pod hatched synchronously. Synchronous hatching was also observed in eggs kept in groups of 2, 4, and 10, but hatching occurred earlier in larger group sizes. Eggs achieved synchronous hatching by either delaying or advancing hatching time. Two eggs separated by several millimeters hatched less synchronously than those kept in contact with one another. However, similarly separated eggs restored hatching synchrony when connected by thin wire, suggesting the involvement of vibrational signals in embryo–embryo communication. Morphometric analysis suggested that P. japonica adults change some morphometric ratios in response to crowding. Variation in pronotum shape was not significantly affected by crowding.

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Research Article Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:08:00 +0300
A new species of the genus Skejotettix (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae) from Nepal https://jor.pensoft.net/article/97276/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 81-92

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.97276

Authors: Madan Subedi

Abstract: This paper describes a new species of Skejotetix Subedi, 2022, S. kasalo sp. nov., from the temperate forests of Bajung, Parbat, Nepal. The genus was known only from the subtropical regions of Nepal. The new species and its different life stages were observed in the natural habitat. It was found to have many colors that match perfectly with the surroundings. The genus Skejotettix was considered brachypronotal until now, but a macropronotal form was also found alongside the typical brachypronotal form in S. kasalo sp. nov. The macropronotal form is an important piece of the puzzle in determining the relationship between Skejotettix and Ergatetttix Kirby, 1914.

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Research Article Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:27:15 +0300
Aryalidonta itishreea, a new genus and species of Thoradontini (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae) from Nepal honors the Emperor of Laughter https://jor.pensoft.net/article/94918/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 63-80

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.94918

Authors: Madan Subedi, Niko Kasalo

Abstract: Aryal’s Ten Avatar Groundhopper, Aryalidonta itishreea gen. et sp. nov., named in honor of the late Bhairav Aryal, an iconic Nepali satirist, is a new genus and species of Tetrigidae described as a part of the tribe Thoradontini. The species is native to Nepal, a country with a rich tetrigid fauna in need of taxonomic revisions. This monotypic genus can be easily separated from other Thoradontini genera by its enlarged proximal halves of middle femora, a peculiar lateral lobe morphology (small caudal protrusion in its caudal part and a sharp lateral tip), a triangular, anteriorly narrowing vertex, and by its unique head morphology. The species was observed in its natural habitat. It was found to harbor many color variations that are cryptic in nature. It feeds on detritus, algae, lichen, and moss. Specimens heavily infested by mites were found, as well as those in interaction with wasps (possibly Eulophidae), but the nature of the latter could not be determined.

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Research Article Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:26:48 +0300
Towards a better understanding of the genus Scelimena (Orthoptera, Tetrigidae, Scelimeninae): New insights and notes on the taxonomy, ecology, and physiology of the genus in Peninsular Malaysia https://jor.pensoft.net/article/91153/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 55-62

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.91153

Authors: Amira Aqilah Muhammad, Maks Deranja, Karmela Adžić, Nurul Ashikin Abdullah

Abstract: One of the two Scelimena Serville, 1838 species described from Peninsular Malaysia, Scelimena gombakensis Muhammad, Tan & Skejo, 2018 occupies a wide distributional range across the country, contrary to the range described in the original description of the species. Extended research has shown that the species occurs in many localities in Peninsular Malaysia, which is interesting given that such findings are uncommon in the study of Tetrigidae. This paper provides new distribution localities, some ecological and physiological notes, and photographs of living specimens of Scelimena gombakensis. Other species synonymized here include Scelimena razalii Mahmood, Idris, & Salmah, 2007 syn. nov. of species Falconius dubius Günther, 1938.

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Research Article Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:26:19 +0300
Notes on the distribution, ecology, and life history of Maotoweta virescens (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae, Macropathinae) and a comparison of two survey methods https://jor.pensoft.net/article/86076/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 43-53

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.86076

Authors: James M. H. Tweed, Michael Wakelin, Bruce McKinlay, Tara J. Murray

Abstract: When described in 2014, Maotoweta virescens was believed to be one of New Zealand’s rarest cave wētā (Rhaphidophoridae). Here, we present new information about the distribution, ecology, and life history of the species. M. virescens has now been recorded from indigenous forest sites throughout the length of the western South Island, where it can occur in relatively high abundance. M. virescens shows a close association with arboreal mosses, particularly Weymouthia mollis, roosting within them during the day and feeding on them at night. The wētā has also been documented feeding on lichens and dead insects. The species is hypothesized to have a lifecycle of approximately one year, closely linked to season. Eggs are thought to hatch out relatively quickly after being laid in summer and early autumn, with the species overwintering as nymphs and maturing the following late spring through to early-autumn. Further work is required to fully understand its biology. A comparison was made between active night searching and vegetation beating as two different methods for the detection and monitoring of M. virescens. Beating of W. mollis and other suitable M. virescens microhabitats was found to be significantly more effective than night searching. Our results show that M. virescens is widespread and can occur at relatively high densities within South Island temperate forests, with the species’ perceived rarity to date largely owing to a lack of survey effort and the past use of ineffective sampling methods.

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Research Article Fri, 24 Mar 2023 11:34:26 +0200
The effects of rearing density on growth, survival, and starvation resistance of the house cricket Acheta domesticus https://jor.pensoft.net/article/86496/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 25-31

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.86496

Authors: Siyumi Mahavidanage, Tamara M. Fuciarelli, Xiaobing Li, C. David Rollo

Abstract: Alternative food sources have become an important focus of research due to increased food demand coupled with reductions in traditional food productivity. In particular, substitutes for protein sources have been of increasing interest due to the unsustainability of traditional protein sources. Insects have been identified as a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources, as they are easy to produce and contain essential proteins, fats, and minerals. However, mass-rearing insects requires similar considerations as farming traditional protein sources. To increase productively, growth and survival must be maximized at the highest possible densities while minimizing disease and food requirements. Here, we use the house cricket Acheta domesticus, a highly cultivated insect species, to investigate optimal densities for mass rearing at 14 days of age (4th instar). Nymphs were separated into density groups of 0.09, 0.19, 0.47, and 0.93 cricket/cm2 and monitored for growth and survival. Multiple regression revealed sex (p < 0.0001), density (p < 0.0001), and sex*density interaction (p = 0.0345) as predictors of growth rate. Survival to maturation was significantly reduced in both 0.47 (31%) and 0.93 (45%) cricket/cm2 groups compared to the controls. A second experiment was then conducted to investigate the starvation resistance of adult crickets reared from 14 days of age at 0.09, 0.19, 0.93, and 1.86 cricket/cm2. A second multiple regression analysis revealed only density (p < 0.0001) and to a lesser extent sex (p = 0.0005) to be predictors of starvation resistance. These results indicate that mass-rearing house crickets is most optimal at densities < 0.93 cricket/cm2, where impacts on survival and starvation are minimal. Although these results have implications for cricket mass rearing, research on other endpoints, including reproduction and the synergistic effects of other environmental factors, such as temperature and humidity, should be conducted.

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Research Article Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:10:20 +0200
Probability of a Central American locust Schistocerca piceifrons piceifrons upsurge in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico https://jor.pensoft.net/article/73824/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 33-42

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.73824

Authors: Mario A. Poot-Pech

Abstract: From ancient times to the present, infestations of the Central American locust (CAL) [Schistocerca piceifrons piceifrons (Walker, 1870)] have occurred periodically and with varying intensities in the Yucatan Peninsula (YP), Mexico. Despite efforts to survey the recession zone, an upsurge is still difficult to predict and prevent, and high economic costs are incurred in controlling this pest. For this study, two models were developed to determine the probability of an upsurge in the YP. The first was the Markov chain (MC) with transition probability matrix, which estimates probability by determining the proportion of times that the system moved from one state to another (n2) over 71, 33, and 24 years in Yucatan, Campeche, and the Quintana Roo States, respectively, divided into different periods; a correlation of the matrix and probability (n2) of the next period was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the estimation. The other method is the classic probabilistic (CP) model, which uses the number of times the upsurge could happen and the number of possible events. In the MC model, great variation was found in CAL upsurge probabilities between periods, with a similar number of upsurges from the past to the present but with varying intensity. In recent years, the treated area with insecticides has been less than that of the past. The CP model revealed that the locust population reached its maximum peak every four years, with the migration of swarms to neighboring states at the end/start of the year. Validation of the MC and CP models was performed considering information on areas treated in 2019 and 2020, and good accuracy was obtained. Both models provide information on the probability of an upsurge in the YP. This information can be incorporated into economic models to improve management decisions, such as when to announce early warnings, and to implement preventive control strategies.

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Research Article Tue, 21 Feb 2023 16:10:09 +0200
The calling songs of some katydids (Orthoptera, Tettigonioidea) from the tropical forests of Southeast Asia https://jor.pensoft.net/article/84563/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 32(1): 1-24

DOI: 10.3897/jor.32.84563

Authors: Ming Kai Tan, Jacob Duncan, Rodzay bin Haji Abdul Wahab, Chow-Yang Lee, Razy Japir, Arthur Y. C. Chung, Jessica B. Baroga-Barbecho, Sheryl A. Yap, Fernando Montealegre-Z

Abstract: Katydids produce sound for signaling and communication by stridulation of the tegmina. Unlike crickets, most katydids are known to sing at ultrasonic frequencies. This has drawn interest in the investigation of the biophysics of ultrasonic sound production, detection, evolution, and ecology (including predator–prey interactions) of these katydids. However, most of these studies are based on species from the Neotropics, while little is known about katydid species from the hyperdiverse region of Southeast Asia. To address this, a concerted effort to document, record, and describe the calling songs of Southeast Asian katydids, especially species that call at ultrasonic frequencies, was made. A study spanning two years (2018–2020) in the Malay Peninsula (Singapore and Malaysia), Borneo (Brunei Darussalam and Sabah), and the Philippines revealed previously unknown calls of 24 katydid species from four subfamilies. The calling songs of Southeast Asian katydid species are highly diversified in terms of time and frequency. Call structure can range from isolated syllables (e.g., Holochlora), continuous trills (e.g., Axylus philippinus), to short pulse-trains (e.g., Euanisous teuthroides) and complex echemes (e.g., Conocephalus spp.), with 87.5% of species having ultrasonic peak frequencies and 12.5% being considered extreme ultrasonic callers (peak frequency >40 kHz). The call spectrum ranges from tonal (e.g., spectral entropy is 6.8 in Casigneta sp. 2) to resonant (entropy is 8.8 in Conocephalus cognatus). Of the 24 species whose calls are described here, we imaged and described the sound-producing structures of 18. This study provides a preliminary overview of the acoustic diversity of katydids in Southeast Asia, and the authors hope to inspire further investigation into the bioacoustics of little-known katydids from these areas. Amassing a database of calling songs and sound-producing organ illustrations from different species is important to address taxonomic impediments while advancing our knowledge about the bioacoustics of Southeast Asian katydids.

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Research Article Mon, 16 Jan 2023 20:08:12 +0200
Allometric effect of body size and tegmen mirror area on sound generator characters in Euconocephalus pallidus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Copiphorini) from Singapore https://jor.pensoft.net/article/81126/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 191-196

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.81126

Authors: Ming Kai Tan

Abstract: Acoustic communication, including allometry of secondary sexual traits and body size, can differ among katydid species from different parts of the world. However, Neotropical species tend to be better studied than their Southeast Asian relatives. This is true for the tribe Copiphorini (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae). To allow for future comparative studies of Neotropical and Palaeotropical Copiphorini, the allometric relationships between sound generator characters and body size of Euconocephalus pallidus from Singapore were examined. Five sound generator characters–tegmen length, stridulatory file length, tooth width, teeth density, and mirror area–were correlated with pronotum length as the proxy for body size. Stridulatory file length, tooth width, and teeth density were also correlated with the mirror area. The relationships were subsequently tested for difference between scaling slope and isometry based on 29 male adults from a single population. All sound generator characters except teeth density exhibited significant positive correlations with pronotum length, whereas teeth density exhibited significant negative correlation with pronotum length. Among them, only tooth width and teeth density scaled hyperallometrically, while the other characters scaled isometrically. As males produce a continuous buzzing call over long durations, larger teeth (i.e., larger tooth width and lower teeth density to accommodate larger teeth) are probably more resistant to age-related abrasion. This may imply that males with larger teeth can produce calls recognized and/or favored by the females over a longer part of the males’ adult lifespan. File length and mirror area exhibited isometric scaling. This suggests a stabilizing selection driven by their function in dictating carrier frequency, which females tend to rely on to recognize conspecific males.

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Research Article Tue, 1 Nov 2022 14:01:45 +0200
A new species of tree cricket (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Oecanthinae) from Chihuahuan Desert gypsum dunes in the United States and a key to the nigricornis species group https://jor.pensoft.net/article/79036/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 181-189

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.79036

Authors: Nancy Collins, David C. Lightfoot

Abstract: A new species of tree crickets, Oecanthus beameri sp. nov., is described from the gypsum dunes of White Sands National Park in New Mexico, United States. The new species is currently known only from the type locality, where it appears to be specific to the gypsophile plant hoary rosemary mint (Poliomintha incana). This new species has the narrowed tegmina and calling song that are found in the nigricornis species group. Although it has morphological similarities to O. quadripunctatus and O. celerinictus, there are differences in the subgenital plates, tegminal measurements, coloring, tibial markings, song frequency, and song pulse rate. This new species has been given the common name White Sands tree cricket. We provide a key to all species in the nigricornis group. Video and song recordings are available online as Suppl. materials 1–8.

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Research Article Tue, 1 Nov 2022 14:01:31 +0200
First record of Myrmecophilus (Myrmecophilus) quadrispinus for Peru and South America (Orthoptera, Myrmecophilidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/84157/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 197-200

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.84157

Authors: Nicolás Naveda Yuan, Thomas Stalling

Abstract: The first record of the ant cricket Myrmecophilus (Myrmecophilus) quadrispinus Perkins, 1899 for Peru and South America is presented. This species was discovered in the city of Lima in the nests of the ant species Brachymyrmex cordemoyi Forel, 1895, and Pheidole sp. Westwood, 1939 under a square brick and a stone in two urban gardens.

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Research Article Tue, 1 Nov 2022 11:19:59 +0200
Estimation of katydid calling activity from soundscape recordings https://jor.pensoft.net/article/73373/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 173-180

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.73373

Authors: Laurel B. Symes, Shyam Madhusudhana, Sharon J. Martinson, Ciara E. Kernan, Kristin B. Hodge, Daniel P. Salisbury, Holger Klinck, Hannah ter Hofstede

Abstract: Insects are an integral part of terrestrial ecosystems, but while they are ubiquitous, they can be difficult to census. Passive acoustic recording can provide detailed information on the spatial and temporal distribution of sound-producing insects. We placed recording devices in the forest canopy on Barro Colorado Island in Panamá and identified katydid calls in recordings to assess what species were present, in which seasons they were signaling, and how often they called. Soundscape recordings were collected at a height of 24 m in two replicate sites, sampled at three time-windows per night across five months, spanning both wet and dry seasons. Katydid calls were commonly detected in recordings, but the call repetition rates of many species were quite low, consistent with data from focal recordings of individual insects where calls were also repeated rarely. The soundscape recordings contained 6,789 calls with visible pulse structure. Of these calls, we identified 4,371 to species with the remainder representing calls that could not be identified to species. The identified calls corresponded to 24 species, with 15 of these species detected at both replicate sites. Katydid calls were detected throughout the night. Most species were detected at all three time points in the night, although some species called more just after dusk and just before dawn. The annotated dataset provided here serves as an archival sample of the species diversity and number of calls present in the forest canopy of Barro Colorado Island, Panama. These hand-annotated data will also be key for evaluating automated approaches to detecting and classifying insect calls. In changing forests and with declining insect populations, consistent approaches to insect sampling will be key for generating interpretable and actionable data.

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Research Article Tue, 4 Oct 2022 12:43:20 +0300
Orthoptera in the early stages of post-arable rewilding in south-east England https://jor.pensoft.net/article/82317/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 163-172

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.82317

Authors: Tim Gardiner, Dorothy Casey

Abstract: The ideal aim of rewilding is to restore natural processes to create ‘self-willed’ ecosystems involving the creation of large areas of habitat subject to stochastic disturbance, connected by favorable corridors for species to disperse along. Reversion of arable farmland to grassland and scrub habitats on Black Bourn Valley nature reserve in Suffolk (south-east England) through non-intervention allowed succession to occur largely unmanaged. Fields in the early stages of rewilding (4–14 years) are found at Black Bourn Valley, while pond creation has been extensive since 2010, creating water edge habitat and heterogeneity to the re-establishing grassland. Monitoring of Orthoptera revealed statistical evidence that species diversity/richness and field grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus (Thunberg, 1815), meadow grasshopper Pseudochorthippus parallelus (Zetterstedt, 1821), common groundhopper Tetrix undulata (Sowerby, 1806) and slender groundhopper Tetrix subulata (Linnaeus, 1758) were in higher abundance in fields ≥8 years since arable cropping ceased compared to those 4 years post reversion. Fields ≥8 years old were probably favorable due to the presence of microhabitats for basking and egg-laying orthopterans that included ant hills, sparsely vegetated pond edge and open swards with an abundance of fine-leaved grasses (Agrostis and Festuca spp.) and a low abundance of leaf litter. Lagomorph grazing by wild brown hare Lepus europaeus and rabbit Oryctoloagus cuniculus was critical in maintaining exposed soil for Orthoptera in the older fields, while deer paths appeared to create microhabitats that may be utilized by Orthoptera. We postulate that rewilding schemes on arable farmland should use a Rewilding Max approach and avoid the frequent usage of domestic livestock, relying on wild lagomorph and ungulate grazers to maintain an open mosaic habitat structure with only intermittent cattle, horse, or sheep grazing.

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Commentary Fri, 30 Sep 2022 15:26:39 +0300
New species of awl-head katydids, Cestrophorus and Acanthacara, from the Andes of Ecuador (Orthoptera, Conocephalinae, Cestrophorini) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/82306/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 143-156

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.82306

Authors: Holger Braun, Glenn K. Morris

Abstract: The Cestrophorini are small katydids of Ecuador’s montane rainforest bearing a prominent awl-shaped fastigium verticis. They are unusual among Conocephalinae in lacking pre-tympanic ear chambers: their eardrums are exposed on their fore tibiae. There are presently two genera, Cestrophorus Redtenbacher, 1891 and Acanthacara Scudder, 1869. Awl-head habitat includes both climax forest and anthropogenically disturbed areas (e.g., pastures, roadsides) on lower slopes in the drainage of the volcanoes Aliso, Chiles and Tungurahua. At night, males perch on low vegetation and stridulate to attract females. To three extant species, we add a further seven, two in Cestrophorus and five in Acanthacara. Male calling songs were recorded and analyzed for all three Cestrophorus species and for three of the Acanthacara spp. We describe and discuss the waveforms of their sinusoid and transient sound pulses in time and frequency domains.

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Research Article Fri, 30 Sep 2022 15:26:28 +0300
Hillside lagomorph grazing and its influence on Orthoptera https://jor.pensoft.net/article/78462/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 157-162

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.78462

Authors: Tim Gardiner

Abstract: The effects of lagomorph grazing on the Orthoptera of a small hill in Mistley (southeast England) were studied during the summer of 2020. Transect counts of Orthoptera revealed low sward height with abundant bare earth due to high wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus grazing on the high slopes. This intensive grazing led to only field grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus (Thunberg, 1815) adults being found in any number on the high slopes, perhaps utilizing the short swards and bare earth as basking and egg-laying habitat. Aspect was also important, with significantly more grasshopper nymphs and C. brunneus adults on the south-facing slope than on the northern slope. Soil slippage areas seem like valuable micro-habitats on the south-facing slope, with these ‘sun traps’ providing excellent basking habitat for nymphs and C. brunneus. This study confirms that lagomorph grazing alters hill summit habitats for Orthoptera, benefiting C. brunneus and, to a lesser extent, the meadow grasshopper Pseudochorthippus parallelus (Zetterstedt, 1821). However, overgrazing of higher hill slopes can exclude tall grass species, such as long-winged conehead Conocephalus fuscus (Fabricius, 1793), and reduce assemblage diversity.

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Short Communication Fri, 30 Sep 2022 15:26:15 +0300
Three new species of Amblyrhethus (Orthoptera, Grylloidea, Gryllidae, Paroecanthini) from Brazil https://jor.pensoft.net/article/84135/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 131-141

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.84135

Authors: Lucas Denadai de Campos, Francisco de Assis Ganeo de Mello

Abstract: Amblyrhethus Kirby, 1906 is a genus of arboreal, undergrowth, and shrub crickets comprising, at present, seven species: one from Panama, one from Peru, two from Colombia, two from Brazil, and one with an unprecise locality. These crickets are seldom found in regular active collecting at night, although males produce a rather loud calling song. Unfortunately, their songs have never been recorded, and there is no ecological information for this genus so far. Here, we describe three new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

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Research Article Tue, 23 Aug 2022 02:32:31 +0300
Pylaemenes gulinqingensis sp. nov., a new species of subfamily Dataminae (Phasmida, Heteropterygidae) from Yunnan Province, China https://jor.pensoft.net/article/79783/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 125-129

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.79783

Authors: Hao-Ran Gao, Chong-Xin Xie

Abstract: Pylaemenes gulinqingensis sp. nov., from Gulinqing Nature Reserve, Maguan County, Yunnan, China, is described for the first time from two females and six eggs. The types of the new species are deposited in Southwest Forestry University (SWFU), China, as well as in the first author’s collection.

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Short Communication Fri, 22 Jul 2022 21:25:43 +0300
First record of Sanaa regalis (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Pseudophyllinae) from the central Himalayas https://jor.pensoft.net/article/81760/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 119-124

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.81760

Authors: Sajan K.C., Anisha Sapkota

Abstract: A female individual of Sanaa regalis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895) was collected in the Tanahun district of Central Nepal in September 2021. This katydid had been reported prior from India in the East Himalayas and Chhattisgarh in Central India. This is the first record of this species from the Central Himalayas, Nepal. The female of this species differs from its congenerics S. imperialis (White, 1846) and S. intermedia Beier, 1944 in its ovipositor being distinctly black at the base.

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Short Communication Fri, 22 Jul 2022 21:25:15 +0300
Extension of the phasmid genus Presbistus to Cambodia with a new species and notes on genitalia and captive breeding (Phasmida, Aschiphasmatidae, Aschiphasmatinae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/78520/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(2): 105-117

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.78520

Authors: Joachim Bresseel, Jérôme Constant

Abstract: A new species of Presbistus Kirby, 1896, Presbistus vitivorus sp. nov., is described from Cambodia based on both sexes, nymphs, and eggs. Male genitalia and vomer are described and figured. Illustrations of adults, nymphs, specimens in situ, host plants, a distribution map and records on biology and breeding in captivity are provided. The host plants of the species belong to the family Vitaceae. The genus Presbistus and the family Aschiphasmatidae are recorded from Cambodia for the first time. The species diversity and the distribution of the genus are discussed, and it is shown that the genus is restricted to Sundaland. A nomenclature for the morphology of the dissected vomer is proposed and tries to homologize the previously used terms.

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Research Article Tue, 5 Jul 2022 17:17:31 +0300
Relationships among body size components of three flightless New Zealand grasshopper species (Orthoptera, Acrididae) and their ecological applications https://jor.pensoft.net/article/79819/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 91-103

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.79819

Authors: Fabio Leonardo Meza-Joya, Mary Morgan-Richards, Steven A. Trewick

Abstract: Body size is perhaps the most fundamental property of an organism and is central to ecology at multiple scales, yet obtaining accurate estimates of ecologically meaningful size metrics, such as body mass, is often impractical. Allometric scaling and mass-to-mass relationships have been used as alternative approaches to model the expected body mass of many species. However, models for predicting body size in key herbivorous insects, such as grasshoppers, exist only at the family level. To address this data gap, we collected empirical body size data (hind femur length and width, pronotum length, live fresh mass, ethanol-preserved mass, and dry mass) from 368 adult grasshoppers of three flightless species at Hamilton Peak, Southern Alps, New Zealand. We examined the relationships among body size components across all species using linear and non-linear regression models. Femur length and preserved mass were robust predictors of both fresh mass and dry mass across all species; however, regressions using preserved mass as a predictor always showed higher predictive power than those using femur length. Based on our results, we developed species-specific statistical linear mixed-effects models to estimate the fresh and dry masses of individual grasshoppers from their preserved mass and femur length. Including sex as an additional co-variate increased model fit in some cases but did not produce better estimates than traditional mass-to-mass and allometric scaling regressions. Overall, our results showed that two easy-to-measure, unambiguous, highly repeatable, and non-destructive size measures (i.e., preserved mass and femur length) can predict, to an informative level of accuracy, fresh and dry body mass across three flightless grasshopper species. Knowledge about the relationships between body dimensions and body mass estimates in these grasshoppers has several important ecological applications, which are discussed.

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Research Article Thu, 16 Jun 2022 09:10:11 +0300
Description of two new species of Turanogryllini crickets (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Gryllinae) from Cameroon, with identification keys for African species https://jor.pensoft.net/article/73389/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 83-89

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.73389

Authors: Philene Corinne Aude Um Nyobe, Tony Robillard, Sevilor Kekeunou, Libin Ma, Marcelle Mbadjoun Nzike, Charles Felix Bilong Bilong

Abstract: During a Gryllidae survey in the Southern Cameroonian Plateau, two new species of the tribe Turanogryllini Otte, 1987 were discovered and described, namely Turanogryllus zamakoensis Um Nyobe, Kekeunou & Bilong Bilong sp. nov. and Neogryllopsis gorochovi Um Nyobe, Kekeunou & Ma sp. nov. This finding extends the known distribution of the genera Turanogryllus Tarbinsky, 1940 and Neogryllopsis Otte, 1983. New environments are also recorded for these crickets, and an identification key for African species is proposed for these two genera.

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Research Article Wed, 1 Jun 2022 20:12:04 +0300
Citizen scientists track a charismatic carnivore: Mapping the spread and impact of the South African Mantis (Miomantidae, Miomantis caffra) in Australia https://jor.pensoft.net/article/79332/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 69-82

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.79332

Authors: Matthew G. Connors, Honglei Chen, Haokun Li, Adam Edmonds, Kimberley A. Smith, Colin Gell, Kelly Clitheroe, Ishbel Morag Miller, Kenneth L. Walker, Jack S. Nunn, Linh Nguyen, Luke N. Quinane, Chiara M. Andreoli, Jason A. Galea, Brendon Quan, Katrina Sandiford, Brendan Wallis, Matthew L. Anderson, Elizabeth Valeria Canziani, Jade Craven, Roi R. C. Hakim, Rod Lowther, Cindy Maneylaws, Bastian A. Menz, John Newman, Harvey D. Perkins, Alistair R. Smith, Vanessa H. Webber, Dylan Wishart

Abstract: The recent integration of citizen science with modern technology has greatly increased its applications and has allowed more people than ever to contribute to research across all areas of science. In particular, citizen science has been instrumental in the detection and monitoring of novel introduced species across the globe. This study provides the first records of Miomantis caffra Saussure, 1871, the South African Mantis, from the Australian mainland and uses records from four different citizen science and social media platforms in conjunction with museum records to track the spread of the species through the country. A total of 153 wild mantises and oothecae were observed across four states and territories (New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Victoria, and Western Australia) between 2009 and 2021. The large number of observations of the species in Victoria and the more recent isolated observations in other states and territories suggest that the species initially arrived in Geelong via oothecae attached to plants or equipment, likely from the invasive population in New Zealand. From there it established and spread outwards to Melbourne and eventually to other states and territories, both naturally and with the aid of human transport. We also provide a comparison of M. caffra to similar native mantises, specifically Pseudomantis albofimbriata (Stål, 1860), and comment on the potential impact and further spread of the species within Australia. Finally, we reiterate the many benefits of engaging directly with citizen scientists in biodiversity research and comment on the decision to include them in all levels of this research investigation.

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Research Article Thu, 19 May 2022 08:00:03 +0300
The pet mantis market: a first overview on the praying mantis international trade (Insecta, Mantodea) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/71458/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 63-68

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.71458

Authors: Roberto Battiston, William Di Pietro, Kris Anderson

Abstract: Praying mantises have recently gained popularity as domestic pets. Moreover, they are increasingly being bred and sold in fairs and pet markets or collected in the wild and reared by amateurs or professional marketers for the hobbyist community. This market is not well known, and its implications on the biology and conservation of these insects are complex and difficult to predict. For this study, a comprehensive survey was submitted to various hobbyists within this community to evaluate their knowledge of these insects and to assess their preferences for certain species characteristics (such as shape, color, behaviors, dimensions, ease of breeding, and rarity) over others. The aggregation of this data allowed for the generation of a formula that is herein proposed to predict targets and developments within the market in order to help identify conservation issues for vulnerable species. Both problems and opportunities of the pet mantis market are discussed, such as the absence of specific regulations or the potential for a stronger collaboration between the market community and scientists.

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Research Article Thu, 19 May 2022 08:00:02 +0300
First records of three exotic giant mantid species on the Croatian coast https://jor.pensoft.net/article/76075/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 55-61

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.76075

Authors: Matea Martinović, Sebastian Ćato, Marko Lengar, Josip Skejo

Abstract: Some giant mantid species of the genera Sphodromantis Stål, 1871 and Hierodula Burmeister, 1838 have been found spreading their distribution through the Palearctic, but none of the species have been recorded from the Adriatic coast of Croatia, where numerous local species already co-exist, such as Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) and Iris oratoria (Linnaeus, 1758). In this study, we present the first records of the giant African mantis (Sphodromantis viridis (Forskål, 1775)), the Indochina mantis (Hierodula patellifera Serville, 1839), and the giant Asian mantis (Hierodula tenuidentata Saussure, 1869) from Croatia. A small population of S. viridis was observed in the southernmost county of Croatia (Dubrovnik); a single record of H. patellifera comes from the westernmost part of the country (Istria), while the first two specimens of H. tenuidentata were observed in the central part of the Croatian coast (Šibenik). These alien species represent three new taxa for the mantid fauna of Croatia, which now counts 9 or 10 species (depending on inclusion of Ameles heldreichi Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1882). The fast spreading of these species in Europe proves their adaptation to regions where they have arrived; thus, future monitoring of the species must be conducted in order to determine their impact on native fauna.

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Research Article Thu, 19 May 2022 08:00:01 +0300
Nemobius sylvestris (Orthoptera, Trigonidiidae, Nemobiinae) in North America https://jor.pensoft.net/article/72082/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 47-53

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.72082

Authors: Brandon Woo

Abstract: The wood cricket Nemobius sylvestris (Bosc, 1792) is herein reported in North America for the first time. The species is currently known to be established in the vicinity of Rochester, New York, and Seattle, Washington, indicating two separate introductions. It is unclear when the species was first introduced to the region, nor what its potential ecological effects may be. The presence of this species in the USA was first noted via photos posted to iNaturalist, highlighting the value of citizen/community science platforms in detecting novel introductions.

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Research Article Tue, 12 Apr 2022 14:43:25 +0300
A field study on Saga pedo (Ensifera, Tettigoniidae, Saginae): Spatial behavior of adult specimens https://jor.pensoft.net/article/69425/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 41-46

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.69425

Authors: Luca Anselmo

Abstract: Despite its large size, the protected predatory bush-cricket Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) is difficult to study in the field. This is mainly due to its strong mimicry, prevalent night activity, and low population density. The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial behavior of some adult individuals through the use of luminescent tags and recording their occurrences at night. The monitored individuals moved considerably during the oviposition period and were found more frequently in small sections of the study area. Two models for count data were implemented to try to explain this behavior. The results indicate that their spatial behavior was predominantly related to the prey availability in the available environment. In addition, predation on the Hymenoptera Sphex funerarius Gussakovskij, 1934 is reported for the first time.

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Research Article Tue, 15 Mar 2022 02:07:24 +0200
Rugabinthus, a new genus of Lebinthina (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Eneopterinae) from New Guinea https://jor.pensoft.net/article/73800/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 9-40

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.73800

Authors: Ming Kai Tan, Tony Robillard

Abstract: Brachypterous crickets from the monophyletic group of Lebinthina were traditionally grouped under the genus Lebinthus. However, the morphology and calling song are highly diversified, prompting the erection of numerous genera to reclassify the species. Based on the strong characteristic fold carrying the diagonal vein of the male forewing, a new genus of cricket from the subtribe Lebinthina is described: Rugabinthus gen. nov. This brachypterous genus is endemic to the island of New Guinea and nearby islands. We redescribe the type species Rugabinthus leopoldi (Chopard, 1931) comb. nov. and describe 12 new species, R. manokwari sp. nov., R. kencana sp. nov., R. maoke sp. nov., R. nabire sp. nov., R. albatros sp. nov., R. karimui sp. nov., R. yayukae sp. nov., R. biakis sp. nov., R. mamberamo sp. nov., R. tariku sp. nov., R. faowi sp. nov., and R. baduri sp. nov. We also transferred R. newguineae (Bhowmik, 1981) comb. nov. and provide a key to all known species of Rugabinthus gen. nov.

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Research Article Mon, 21 Feb 2022 08:37:44 +0200
A new species of Burttia Dirsh (Caelifera, Acridoidea, Acrididae, Catantopinae) from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania https://jor.pensoft.net/article/70565/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 31(1): 1-7

DOI: 10.3897/jor.31.70565

Authors: Claudia Hemp, C.H.F. Rowell

Abstract: A new species of Burttia Dirsh, B. caerulea sp. nov., is described from the Nguru Mountains of Tanzania. It is the second species in the genus, both being restricted to Tanzanian localities. Both B. sylvatica, known only from the Uluguru Mountains, and B. caerulea sp. nov. are morphologically very similar in habitus and outer morphology, suggesting a recent speciation.

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Research Article Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:05:08 +0200
Rediscovering the rare short-winged unicorn katydid Toledopizia salesopolensis (Piza) (Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae) from South and Southeastern Brazil: First description of male and bioacoustics https://jor.pensoft.net/article/72513/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 193-200

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.72513

Authors: Marcos Fianco, Phillip Watzke Engelking, Gustavo Costa Tavares

Abstract: Toledopizia Chamorro-Rengifo & Braun, 2010 is a poorly known monotypic genus of Copiphorini. The only known specimen is the female type of T. salesopolensis (Piza, 1980). In this contribution, we present an updated description of this species, describing the unknown male, and provide biological and bioacoustic data. We also describe color variation, update the distribution data, and extend the known distribution of the species to two localities in Paraná State and another two in São Paulo State.

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Research Article Thu, 16 Dec 2021 03:39:49 +0200
Establishing the nutritional landscape and macronutrient preferences of a major United States rangeland pest, Melanoplus sanguinipes, in field and lab populations https://jor.pensoft.net/article/61605/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 163-172

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.61605

Authors: Deanna Zembrzuski, Derek A. Woller, Larry Jech, Lonnie R. Black, K. Chris Reuter, Rick Overson, Arianne Cease

Abstract: When given a choice, most animals will self-select an optimal blend of nutrients that maximizes growth and reproduction (termed “intake target” or IT). For example, several grasshopper and locust species select a carbohydrate-biased IT, consuming up to double the amount of carbohydrate relative to protein, thereby increasing growth, survival, and migratory capacity. ITs are not static, and there is some evidence they can change through ontogeny, with activity, and in response to environmental factors. However, little research has investigated how these factors influence the relative need for different nutrients and how subsequent shifts in ITs affect the capacity of animals to acquire an optimal diet in nature. In this study, we determined the ITs of 5th instar (final juvenile stage) Melanoplus sanguinipes (Fabricius, 1798), a prevalent crop and rangeland grasshopper pest in the United States, using two wild populations and one lab colony. We simultaneously collected host plants to determine the nutritional landscapes available to the wild populations and measured the performance of the lab colony on restricted diets. Overall, we found that the diet of the wild populations was more carbohydrate-biased than their lab counterparts, as has been found in other grasshopper species, and that their ITs closely matched their nutritional landscape. However, we also found that M. sanguinipes had the lowest performance metrics when feeding on the highest carbohydrate diets, whereas more balanced diets or protein-rich diets had higher performance metrics. This research may open avenues for studying how management strategies coincide with nutritional physiology to develop low-dose treatments specific to the nutritional landscape for the pest of interest.

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Research Article Tue, 14 Dec 2021 23:55:19 +0200
Discovering insect species based on photographs only: The case of a nameless species of the genus Scaria (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/65885/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 173-184

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.65885

Authors: Niko Kasalo, Maks Deranja, Karmela Adžić, Roberto Sindaco, Josip Skejo

Abstract: A heated debate on whether a new species should be described without a physical specimen, i.e., by designating a photographed specimen to serve as a holotype, has been ongoing for a long time. Herewith, without nomenclatural actions, a new species of the Batrachidein pygmy grasshoppers belonging to the genus Scaria Bolívar, 1887 is identified from the Andean rainforest in Peru. This species is clearly different from all its congeners by morphology and coloration. Two individuals of this peculiar species are known only from the photographs found on iNaturalist. The species has not been observed since 2008 when the photographs were taken. A short historical overview of the topic is given, illustrating the pros and cons of photograph-based species description. The concepts of names, holotypes, research effort, and conservation are discussed and related to the problem at hand. The current state of the taxonomic community’s beliefs regarding this issue is reflected by the authors’ three unsuccessful attempts to name this new species.

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Research Article Tue, 14 Dec 2021 20:52:10 +0200
Substrate-borne vibrations used during acoustic communication and the existence of courtship songs in some species of the genus Anaxipha (Saussure) (Orthoptera: Trigonidiidae: Trigonidiinae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/70990/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 185-191

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.70990

Authors: Wilbur L. Hershberger

Abstract: Anaxipha (Saussure, 1874) are small, swordtail crickets found in much of eastern North America. Many species within the genus Anaxipha were only recently described and their calling songs characterized. However, little is known about their courtship songs or use of substrate-borne communication (drumming). This study is the first documentation of the existence of courtship songs and substrate-borne vibrational communication in the genus. Courtship songs and substrate-borne vibrational communication were first detected in the following species: Anaxipha exigua (Say, 1825), A. tinnulacita Walker & Funk, 2014, A. tinnulenta Walker & Funk, 2014, and A. thomasi Walker & Funk, 2014. When in the presence of a conspecific female, males of all four species perform courtship songs that are distinctly different in pattern of echeme delivery and syllable details compared to their respective calling songs. Additionally, males of all four species exhibited drumming behavior during courtship singing and variably during calling songs. Examination of video recordings of males drumming during courtship singing showed that they are apparently using the sclerotized portion of their mandibles to impact the substrate on which they are perched to create vibrations. Courtship song and drumming bout characteristics were statistically different among the four species studied here, although A. tinnulacita and A. tinnulenta were similar in some measurements. Drumming during calling songs was common only in A. tinnulacita, where drumming occurs predominately during the first forty percent and last twenty percent of the long echemes of calling songs. Additional study is needed to further explore the use of substrate-borne vibrational communication in this genus.

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Review Article Tue, 14 Dec 2021 03:33:51 +0200
Limited evidence for learning in a shuttle box paradigm in crickets (Acheta domesticus) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/65172/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 155-161

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.65172

Authors: Kiri Li N. Stauch, Riley J. Wincheski, Jonathan Albers, Timothy E. Black, Michael S. Reichert, Charles I. Abramson

Abstract: Aversive learning has been studied in a variety of species, such as honey bees, mice, and non-human primates. Since aversive learning has been found in some invertebrates and mammals, it will be interesting to know if this ability is shared with crickets. This paper provides data on aversive learning in male and female house crickets (Acheta domesticus) using a shuttle box apparatus. Crickets are an ideal subject for these experiments due to their well-documented learning abilities in other contexts and their readily quantifiable behaviors. The shuttle box involves a two-compartment shock grid in which a ‘master’ cricket can learn to avoid the shock by moving to specific designated locations, while a paired yoked cricket is shocked regardless of its location and therefore cannot learn. Baseline control crickets were placed in the same device as the experimental crickets but did not receive a shock. Male and female master crickets demonstrated some aversive learning, as indicated by spending more time than expected by chance in the correct (no shock) location during some parts of the experiment, although there was high variability in performance. These results suggest that there is limited evidence that the house crickets in this experiment learned how to avoid the shock. Further research with additional stimuli and other cricket species should be conducted to determine if house crickets and other species of crickets exhibit aversive learning.

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Short Communication Mon, 29 Nov 2021 17:28:35 +0200
The 2019–2020 upsurge of the desert locust and its impact in Pakistan https://jor.pensoft.net/article/65971/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 145-154

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.65971

Authors: Riffat Sultana, Santosh Kumar, Ahmed Ali Samejo, Samiallah Soomro, Michel Lecoq

Abstract: The recent upsurge of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (Forskål, 1775) has had an impact on East Africa and the Middle East as far as India. It has affected and slowed down many aspects of the Pakistani economy. Swarms of locusts have infested many areas and caused immense damage to all types of crops. Both farmers and economists are concerned and are trying to get the most up-to-date information on the best strategy to manage this pest. This paper is an attempt to (i) provide insight into the dynamics of this upsurge internationally as well as in the various regions of Pakistan, (ii) briefly assess its local impact and locust control measures, and (iii) clarify the role of the various stakeholders in the management, both nationally and internationally, suggesting various improvements for the future.

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Research Article Thu, 7 Oct 2021 16:29:23 +0300
A new species of pygmy mole cricket (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) from the Lake Wales ridge of Florida and new records of Ellipes eisneri from the northern Brooksville ridge https://jor.pensoft.net/article/65603/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 131-143

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.65603

Authors: Brandon Woo

Abstract: Pygmy mole crickets (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) are usually associated with the edges of ponds and streams, but in the sandy uplands of Florida, at least two lineages of these insects have evolved to live in xeric scrub and sandhill habitats. Very little work has been done with scrub tridactylids since they are tiny and often difficult to collect. In this paper, the pygmy mole cricket Ellipes deyrupi sp. nov. is described from the northern Lake Wales Ridge of Florida. It is sympatric at all known locations with another scrub tridactylid, Neotridactylus archboldi Deyrup & Eisner, but has not been found co-occurring with the closely related Ellipes eisneri Deyrup. The habits of this new species are convergent with both N. archboldi and E. eisneri. In addition, new records of Ellipes eisneri are presented, extending this species’ known distribution to the Northern Brooksville Ridge. Both species of scrub Ellipes are found in restricted geographic ranges and suffer from a lack of study and recognition. Conservation implications for these two species are discussed.

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Research Article Mon, 27 Sep 2021 11:35:59 +0300
Perception and knowledge of grasshoppers among indigenous communities in tropical forest areas of southern Cameroon: Ecosystem conservation, food security, and health https://jor.pensoft.net/article/64266/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 117-130

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.64266

Authors: Charly Oumarou Ngoute, David Hunter, Michel Lecoq

Abstract: The increased attention given to health, food security, and biodiversity conservation in recent years should bring together conventional scientists and indigenous people to share their knowledge systems for better results. This work aims to assess how grasshoppers are perceived by the local people in southern Cameroon, particularly in terms of food, health, and landscape conservation. Villagers were interviewed individually using a rapid rural assessment method in the form of a semi-structured survey. Nearly all people (99%) declared that they are able to identify local grasshoppers, generally through the color of the insect (80%). Crop fields were the most often cited landscape (16%) in terms of abundance of grasshoppers, with forest being less mentioned (8%). In general, villagers claimed that grasshopper abundance increased with forest degradation. Grasshoppers were found during all seasons of the year but noted to be more abundant during the long dry seasons. People found grasshoppers both useful and harmful, the most harmful reported being Zonocerus variegatus, an important crop pest. Cassava is the most attacked crop with 75–100% losses. Industrial crops, such as cocoa, coffee, and bananas, were not cited as being damaged by grasshoppers. The most effective conventional method cited for the control of pest grasshoppers is the use of pesticides (53%) with, in most cases (27%), a 75–100% efficiency. The traditional method of spreading ash was also often cited (19%), with an estimated efficiency of 25–75%. Biological methods were neither cited nor used by the villagers. Most of them (87%) declared that they eat grasshoppers; some sold these insects in the market (58%) and some used them to treat diseases (11%).

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Research Article Fri, 27 Aug 2021 14:39:28 +0300
Embryo-to-embryo communication facilitates synchronous hatching in grasshoppers https://jor.pensoft.net/article/63405/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 107-115

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.63405

Authors: Seiji Tanaka

Abstract: Synchronous hatching within single egg clutches is moderately common in locusts and other insects and can be mediated by vibrational stimuli generated by adjacent embryos. However, in non-locust grasshoppers, there has been little research on the patterns of egg hatching and the mechanisms controlling the time of hatching. In this study, the hatching patterns of six grasshoppers (Atractomorpha lata, Oxya yezoensis, Acrida cinerea, Chorthippus biguttulus, Gastrimargus marmoratus, and Oedaleus infernalis) were observed under various laboratory treatments. Under continuous illumination and a 25/30°C thermocycle, the eggs of these grasshoppers tended to hatch during the first half of the daily warm period. Eggs removed from egg pods and cultured at 30°C tended to hatch significantly earlier and more synchronously when kept in groups vs. singly. In general, eggs hatched earlier when egg group size was increased. Egg hatching was stimulated by hatched nymphs in some species, but not in others. In all species, two eggs separated by several millimeters on sand hatched less synchronously than those kept in contact with one another, but the hatching synchrony of similarly separated eggs was restored if they were connected by a piece of wire, suggesting that a physical signal transmitted through the wire facilitated synchronized hatching. In contrast, hatching times in the Emma field cricket, Teleogryllus emma, which lays single, isolated eggs, were not influenced by artificial clumping in laboratory experiments. These results are discussed and compared with the characteristics of other insects.

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Research Article Mon, 9 Aug 2021 00:12:50 +0300
Neoxabea mexicana sp. nov. (Gryllidae: Oecanthinae): A new species from Mexico and a key for Neoxabea in North and Central America https://jor.pensoft.net/article/62000/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(2): 99-106

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.62000

Authors: Nancy Collins, Carlos Gerardo Velazco-Macias

Abstract: A new species of tree cricket, Neoxabea mexicana sp. nov., is described from northeast Mexico. Although it has morphological similarities to two other species found in Mexico, there are distinguishing characters, such as a well-developed tubercle on the pedicel, black markings on the maxillary palpi, one of the two pairs of spots on the female wings positioned at the base of the wings, stridulatory teeth count, and the pulse rate of the male calling song. The calling song description and pre-singing stuttering frequencies are provided. Character comparisons that rule out other species in the genus are presented. The common name given to this new species is Mexican tree cricket. Sound recordings and video are available online. We also make some clarification of the status of Neoxabea formosa (Walker, 1869), described as Oecanthus formosus, and present a key of Neoxabea in North and Central America.

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Research Article Thu, 17 Jun 2021 23:44:07 +0300
A new subspecies of the mantis Hierodula patellifera (Mantodea: Mantidae) from the Daito Islands, the Ryukyus, Japan https://jor.pensoft.net/article/62022/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 95-98

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.62022

Authors: Kazuyuki Oshima

Abstract: A new subspecies of the Asian mantis Hierodula patellifera (Audinet-Serville, 1839), Hierodula patellifera daitoana ssp. nov., is described based on specimens collected from the Daito Islands, the Ryukyus, Japan. This new subspecies is distinguished from the nominotypical subspecies H. patellifera patellifera in adulthood by the relatively larger body size, the larger number of antennal segments, the presence of a white marking along the dorsal-inner surface on the procoxa, and marginal spines of the procoxa comprising two large and several small tooth-like projections.

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Short Communication Thu, 3 Jun 2021 04:11:29 +0300
Revision of the tusked bush-crickets (Tettigonioidea: Pseudophyllinae: Dicranostomus) with description of the hitherto unknown sexes https://jor.pensoft.net/article/62170/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 87-94

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.62170

Authors: Klaus-Gerhard Heller, Matthias Helb

Abstract: The genus Dicranostomus belongs to the very few Orthoptera with elongated mandibular processes, here called tusks. However, it is also one of the least studied genera from whose two species only one female and two males have been known so far. We present additional material from both species and sexes that confirms that the males have the relatively longest (2–2.8 times pronotal length) tusks of all Orthoptera. Surprisingly, the females of both species differ in this character: females of D. monoceros have tusks and those of D. nitidus do not. Based on a comparison with other species, we hypothesize that the species use holes that males can defend and use to monopolize the females.

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Research Article Thu, 3 Jun 2021 00:13:48 +0300
First observations of the Atlantic beach cricket, Pseudomogoplistes vicentae (Grylloidea: Mogoplistidae), in the Basque autonomous community, Spain https://jor.pensoft.net/article/52634/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 67-71

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.52634

Authors: Laurent Pelozuelo

Abstract: The Atlantic beach cricket Pseudomogoplistes vicentae Gorochov, 1996 (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Mogoplistidae) is among the rare Orthoptera species that live exclusively in coastal habitats. It inhabits cobble beaches from North Africa to Great Britain, with populations known in Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Channel Islands, Wales and England. P. vicentae was found on the Spanish continental coast for the first time in 2018, in Asturias. The discovery of three populations in the Basque autonomous community (Northern Spain) is reported here, and useful information for increasing its detection and monitoring its populations is provided.

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Short Communication Wed, 12 May 2021 16:50:56 +0300
Calling and courtship songs of the rare, robust ground cricket, Allonemobius walkeri https://jor.pensoft.net/article/63692/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 81-85

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.63692

Authors: Wilbur L. Hershberger

Abstract: In the original description of Allonemobius walkeri Howard & Furth, 1986, the authors describe the species’ calling songs in a table that included trill length, length of the interval between trills, pulse rate, and carrier frequency for four individuals. Further investigation of the acoustics of this species reveals that the calling songs are composed of syllables organized into echemes composed of a varying number of syllables, and organized into groups of echemes, of variable length. The echemes are separated by intervals of various lengths. The calling song is pleasing to the ear, with ~27 syllables per second and a carrier frequency of ~7.7 kHz at 25°C. The characteristics of the echemes and echeme intervals are significantly different when the cricket is singing in sunlight compared to darkness. In sunlight, echemes are shorter, but echeme intervals are longer. There is no effect on calling bout lengths. Courtship songs are quieter than calling songs, with a random delivery of soft and loud chirps in addition to fainter, rhythmic sounds randomly distributed between the chirps. Courtship songs are interspersed with long bouts of calling songs with displays lasting hours.

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Short Communication Wed, 12 May 2021 03:00:58 +0300
Aspects of the life history and ecology of two wingless grasshoppers, Eremidium armstrongi and Eremidium browni (Lentulidae), at the Doreen Clark Nature Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa https://jor.pensoft.net/article/59153/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 73-80

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.59153

Authors: Reshmee Brijlal, Akeel Rajak, Adrian J. Armstrong

Abstract: Most grasshopper species have simple and similar life cycles and histories; however, different environmental and ecological factors have different effects on their distribution, sexes, and developmental stages, with effects varying among species. If we are to conserve grasshoppers, we need to understand their ecology and life histories. The aim of this study was to investigate aspects of the life histories and ecology of two recently described co-occurring, congeneric species of wingless grasshoppers, Eremidium armstrongi (Brown, 2012) and Eremidium browni Otte & Armstrong, 2017, at the Doreen Clark Nature Reserve near Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. These two species have limited extents of occurrence, only being known from an endangered forest type in parts of the midland area of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, and therefore may need conservation action to ensure their long-term survival. No significant differences in the abundances of the two Eremidium grasshoppers were found, but their phenologies differed, with the adults of E. armstrongi being present before the adults of E. browni, with some overlap in presence over time. The Eremidium grasshoppers were only found in the forest and were more abundant in the forest margin. The Eremidium grasshoppers fed on soft plants from several families. Information on dietary differences between the species is required to determine whether there is potential competition between them. An adult E. browni female kept in an ex situ terrarium laid eggs in the soil, and nymphs took approximately two months to hatch.

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Research Article Wed, 12 May 2021 02:47:22 +0300
Substrate-borne vibration in Pacific field cricket courtship displays https://jor.pensoft.net/article/47778/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 43-50

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.47778

Authors: E Dale Broder, Aaron W. Wikle, James H. Gallagher, Robin M. Tinghitella

Abstract: While thought to be widely used for animal communication, substrate-borne vibration is relatively unexplored compared to other modes of communication. Substrate-borne vibrations are important for mating decisions in many orthopteran species, yet substrate-borne vibration has not been documented in the Pacific field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. Male T. oceanicus use wing stridulation to produce airborne calling songs to attract females and courtship songs to entice females to mate. A new male morph has been discovered, purring crickets, which produce much quieter airborne calling and courtship songs than typical males. Purring males are largely protected from a deadly acoustically orienting parasitoid fly, and they are still able to attract female crickets for mating though typical calling song is more effective for attracting mates. Here, we document the first record of substrate-borne vibration in both typical and purring male morphs of T. oceanicus. We used a paired microphone and accelerometer to simultaneously record airborne and substrate-borne sounds produced during one-on-one courtship trials in the field. Both typical and purring males produced substrate-borne vibrations during courtship that temporally matched the airborne acoustic signal, suggesting that the same mechanism (wing movement) produces both sounds. As previously established, in the airborne channel, purring males produce lower amplitude but higher peak frequency songs than typical males. In the vibrational channel, purring crickets produce songs that are higher in peak frequency than typical males, but there is no difference in amplitude between morphs. Because louder songs (airborne) are preferred by females in this species, the lack of difference in amplitude between morphs in the substrate-borne channel could have implications for mating decisions. This work lays the groundwork for investigating variation in substrate-borne vibrations in T. oceanicus, intended and unintended receiver responses to these vibrations, and the evolution of substrate-borne vibrations over time in conjunction with rapid evolutionary shifts in the airborne acoustic signal.

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Research Article Fri, 7 May 2021 19:58:30 +0300
New species and records of the genus Lipotactes (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Lipotactinae) from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand https://jor.pensoft.net/article/58095/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 51-65

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.58095

Authors: Sigfrid Ingrisch

Abstract: Six new species of the genus Lipotactes Brunner, 1898 are described: three species from Vietnam – L. serratus sp. nov., L. angulatus sp. nov., L. productus sp. nov.; two species from Cambodia – L. discus sp. nov. and L. samkos sp. nov.; and one species from Thailand – L. saengeri sp. nov. The diagnostic characters are illustrated. Additional records are reported for L. vietnamicus Gorochov, 1993 and L. azureus Gorochov, 1996. The striking azure blue color of the alive male of L. azureus that contrasts with the green and white museum specimen is documented. An updated key to the species of Lipotactes from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand is provided.

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Research Article Fri, 7 May 2021 03:58:29 +0300
Conservation possibilities of Isophya costata (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) based on frequency, population size, and habitats https://jor.pensoft.net/article/59262/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 35-41

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.59262

Authors: Zoltán Kenyeres, Norbert Bauer

Abstract: Isophya costata Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878, commonly called the Keeled Plump Bush-cricket, is an endemic Natura 2000 species in the Carpathian Basin and is included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened species. We used extensive data collection from Hungary retrieved between 2004 and 2019 from 700 sampling sites spread over an area of 12,700 km2 to examine the occurrence of the species in different regions in grasslands of similar structure but different origin, naturalness, and character. The results confirmed that I. costata currently occurs with the highest number of populations and highest density in regularly mowed, mesophilic hayfields rich in dicotyledonous plants (Arrhenatheretalia). The species also appears in smaller numbers in grasslands adjacent to hayfields, such as wetland meadows (Molinion coeruleae), marsh meadows (Deschampsion caespitosae, Alopecurenion pratensis), and edge habitats dominated by herbaceous plants. However, the results show that the extension of these habitats has a negatively significant correlation with both the occurrence of the species and its density. Isophya costata occurs in steppe meadows much less frequently than in mesophilic hayfields. The species is endemic to the Pannonian Steppe, and the key to their conservation is by maintaining stocks of hayfields in the species’ area of distribution. According to this study, overseeding of mowed grasslands leads to the decline of the species. To preserve I. costata, it is necessary to eliminate trampling in its areas of occurrence (prohibition of grazing) and encourage late-season mowing adapted to the phenology of the species (not as early as mid-July) or, if this is not feasible, mosaic-type treatment leaving unmown patches (e.g., 1/3 of the plot).

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Research Article Mon, 26 Apr 2021 17:27:47 +0300
The luring mantid: Protrusible pheromone glands in Stenophylla lobivertex (Mantodea: Acanthopidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/55274/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 31-33

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.55274

Authors: Christian J. Schwarz, Frank Glaw

Abstract: The hitherto unknown pheromone gland of female Stenophylla lobivertex Lombardo, 2000, a poorly understood praying mantis distributed in the Neotropics, is described and figured. In contrast to other mantodeans, this species has a protrusible, bifurcated (Y-shaped) gland of 6 mm length. It is protracted by sexually receptive females during nighttime and only when undisturbed. The significance of this morphological and behavioral adaptation is discussed in light of the reproductive strategy of the species and its assumed rarity in the natural habitat.

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Short Communication Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:47:04 +0300
Description and photographs of cricket parental care in the wild https://jor.pensoft.net/article/52079/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 27-30

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.52079

Authors: Darin J. McNeil, Bettina Erregger

Abstract: Although certain forms of parental care are relatively widespread phenomena among insects, within Orthoptera, parental care is rare. Short-tailed burrowing crickets (Anurogryllus spp.) are among the few members of this order for which extensive parental care has been documented. However, accounts of parental care in Anurogryllus have been largely under laboratory conditions, and observations of this behavior in the wild are rare. Herein we present photographic observations from a mountain slope in Honduras where we discovered an active Anurogryllus brood chamber where an adult female was tending her brood. We present these results in the context of parental care in insects and compare our observations with those reported in past literature published on Anurogryllus crickets’ parental behavior.

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Short Communication Tue, 23 Mar 2021 16:38:47 +0200
Life history of the false flower mantid (Harpagomantis tricolor Linnaeus, 1758) (Mantodea: Galinthiadidae) and its distribution in southern Africa https://jor.pensoft.net/article/52816/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 17-26

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.52816

Authors: Bianca Greyvenstein, Hannalene du Plessis, Johnnie Van den Berg

Abstract: The false flower mantid is the common name for the Mantodea species Harpagomantis tricolor (Linnaeus, 1758). This species uses camouflage as a defense mechanism. Limited information (Kaltenbach 1996, 1998) exists on its distribution in southern Africa or about its life history. This species, and Mantodea to an extent, are not usually included in biodiversity studies from this region. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of this species in southern Africa based on museum collection records and to study the biology of Harpagomantis tricolor under captive breeding conditions. The distribution of Harpagomantis and its morphological variety, i.e., discolor, were determined utilising the historical insect collection records of seven national museums throughout South Africa. Field collected H. tricolor males and females were mated and reared under laboratory conditions to record their life history parameters of nymphal duration, oothecae structure, size and incubation duration, adult longevity, and sex ratio. The results of this study indicate that the mean duration of the lifecycle of H. tricolor is 191.33 ± 37.96 days. All but three H. tricolor individuals had five nymphal instars, and the mean duration of the nymphal stage was 140.20 ± 31.03 days. The mean duration of copulation was six hours, while the average incubation period of oothecae was 144.71 ± 9.33 days. These results indicate that oothecae of H. tricolor probably overwinter under field conditions and that males of this species have evolved various mechanisms to increase the likelihood of ensuring their own genetic offspring. This study bridges the gap in rudimental research in which Mantodea, in general, has been overlooked and establishes a basis on which ecological interactions, habitat preferences, and imminent threats to H. tricolor can be established.

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Research Article Thu, 18 Feb 2021 03:09:04 +0200
Oecanthus rohiniae sp. nov. (Gryllidae: Oecanthinae): A new chirping tree cricket of the rileyi species group from Mexico https://jor.pensoft.net/article/50039/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 7-16

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.50039

Authors: Nancy Collins, Isabel Margarita Coronado-González, Aurora Y. Rocha-Sánchez, Bruno Govaerts, Wilbur Hershberger

Abstract: A new species of Oecanthus is described from Mexico. Oecanthus rohiniae sp. nov. occurs in central Mexico in the understory of tropical deciduous forest and is currently known only from Mexico. This new species has the coloring, antennal markings, slightly widened tegmina, and calling song that are found in the rileyi species group. Although morphologically very similar to Oecanthus fultoni, the shapes of the distal hooks on the male copulatory blades differ between the two species. There are also differences in the song pulse patterns and chirp rate response to temperature. This new species has been given the common name Cri-Cri tree cricket. Video and song recordings are available online.

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Research Article Thu, 18 Feb 2021 02:56:14 +0200
A new species of Physocrobylus (Caelifera: Acridoidea: Acrididae: Coptacrinae), with notes on the phenology and habitat of the genus https://jor.pensoft.net/article/53375/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 30(1): 1-6

DOI: 10.3897/jor.30.53375

Authors: Claudia Hemp

Abstract: A new species of Physocrobylus, P. venetus sp. nov., is described from the Nguru Mountains of Tanzania. It is the third species in the genus restricted to Tanzanian localities. While P. venetus sp. nov. and P. tessa Hochkirch prefer moister forest communities from lowland to submontane forest in the East Usambara and Nguru Mountains, P. burtti Dirsh is an inhabitant of Miombo woodlands.

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Research Article Tue, 2 Feb 2021 18:23:23 +0200
Corrigendum of Masson MV, Tavares WS, Alves JM, Ferreira-Filho PJ, Barbosa LR, Wilcken CF, Zanuncio JC (2020) Bioecological aspects of the common black field cricket, Gryllus assimilis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) in the laboratory and in Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) plantations. Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 83–89. https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.29.48966 https://jor.pensoft.net/article/58469/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(2): 203-203

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.58469

Authors: Marcus Vinicius Masson, Wagner de Souza Tavares, Jacyr Mesquita Alves, Pedro José Ferreira-Filho, Leonardo Rodrigues Barbosa, Carlos Frederico Wilcken, José Cola Zanuncio

Abstract:  

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Corrigenda Fri, 4 Dec 2020 14:53:22 +0200
Calling songs of Neotropical katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Panama https://jor.pensoft.net/article/46371/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(2): 137-201

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.46371

Authors: Hannah M. ter Hofstede, Laurel B. Symes, Sharon J. Martinson, Tony Robillard, Paul Faure, Shyam Madhusudhana, Rachel A. Page

Abstract: Understanding the ecology and evolution of animal communication systems requires detailed data on signal structure and variation across species. Here, we describe the male acoustic signals of 50 species of Neotropical katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Panama, with the goal of providing data and recordings for future research on katydid communication, evolution, ecology, and conservation. Male katydids were recorded individually using an ultrasound-sensitive microphone and high-sampling rate data acquisition board to capture both audible and ultrasonic components of calls. Calls varied enormously in duration, temporal patterning, peak frequency, and bandwidth both across and within subfamilies. We confirm previous studies showing that katydid species within the subfamily Pseudophyllinae produced short calls (<250 ms) at long intervals and we confirm that this is true for species in the subfamily Phaneropterinae as well. Species in the Conocephalinae, on the other hand, typically produced highly repetitive calls over longer periods of time. However, there were exceptions to this pattern, with a few species in the Conocephalinae producing very short calls at long intervals, and some species in the Phaneropterinae producing relatively long calls (1–6 s) or calling frequently. Our results also confirm previous studies showing a relationship between katydid size and the peak frequency of the call, with smaller katydids producing higher frequency calls, but the slope of this relationship differed with subfamily. We discuss the value of documenting the diversity in katydid calls for both basic studies on the ecology, evolution, and behavior of these species as well as the potential conservation benefits for bioacoustics monitoring programs.

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Research Article Fri, 4 Dec 2020 08:58:51 +0200
Presence of the four-spined pygmy devil, Arulenus validispinus (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae), confirmed in Bukidnon region on the island of Mindanao, Philippines https://jor.pensoft.net/article/53718/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(2): 133-136

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.53718

Authors: Alma B. Mohagan, Romeo R. Patano Jr., Mescel S. Acola, Daniel O. Amper, Fulgent P. Coritico, Victor B. Amoroso

Abstract: The four-spined pygmy devil (Arulenus validispinus Stål, 1877) is an endemic species to the Philippines. It was described more than 140 years ago from a single female specimen. Since its description, only a single new record was known, reported by Skejo from the Lanao region in 2017 and based on a specimen from eBay. Here, we record the species from the Bukidnon Mountains. We present measurements of a male and a female we collected, with the description of the species morphology and habitat. This species differs from its congeneric Mia’s pygmy devil (A. miae Skejo & Caballero, 2016) by the sharp dorsal and lateral spines.

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Short Communication Mon, 30 Nov 2020 02:33:34 +0200
New records of exotic crickets in Europe: Homoeogryllus species (Orthoptera: Gryllidea: Phalangopsidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/50387/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(2): 121-125

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.50387

Authors: Przemysław Żurawlew, Laure Desutter-Grandcolas, Paweł Szymański, David Billy Herman

Abstract: This short note lists new records of exotic crickets belonging to the genus Homoeogryllus (Orthoptera: Gryllidea: Phalangopsidae) in Europe (Poland and Belgium) and discusses the most probable scenarios of their arrival from tropical regions. Photographs and stridulation spectrograms of these crickets are provided. The report concludes that handling terminals and warehouses with tropical plants are the most common sites in Europe where exotic species of different taxa are recorded. The species Homoeogryllus longicornis (Walker, 1869) is also reclassified to the genus Meloimorpha Walker, 1870.

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Short Communication Mon, 14 Sep 2020 20:42:08 +0300
Two new species of the tribe Meconematini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from China and male song characters of Pseudocosmetura yaoluopingensis sp. nov. https://jor.pensoft.net/article/49821/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(2): 115-120

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.49821

Authors: Tao Wang, Fuming Shi

Abstract: This paper describes two new species of the tribe Meconematini from China, Acosmetura longielata sp. nov. and Pseudocosmetura yaoluopingensis sp. nov. Data on the male song characters of Pseudocosmetura yaoluopingensis sp. nov. are also provided. The type specimens of all new species are preserved in the Museum of Hebei University.

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Research Article Mon, 14 Sep 2020 01:19:46 +0300
Initial impact of a soil disturbance technique (disc harrowing) on Orthoptera in a grass heath in Breckland, UK https://jor.pensoft.net/article/51900/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(2): 127-131

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.51900

Authors: Tim Gardiner

Abstract: On a Breckland grass heath in eastern England, soil disturbance methods such as disc harrowing employed to benefit endangered plants such as tower mustard, Arabis glabra, could also create exposed ground for localized insects, specifically the mottled grasshopper, Myrmeleotettix maculatus. Orthoptera of disc-harrowed strips on a grass heath at Santon Warren in Norfolk, UK, were monitored in 2018 and 2019. Data analysis focused on two target species, field grasshopper, Chorthippus brunneus, and M. maculatus, which are likely to respond positively to the creation of early successional habitat. Of the two species, M. maculatus was found in significantly high abundance on the disc-harrowed strips, whereas C. brunneus was not. The species richness of Orthoptera did not appear affected by harrowing, although three species at this location (lesser marsh grasshopper, Chorthippus albomarginatus, long-winged conehead, Conocephalus fuscus, and Roesel’s bush-cricket, Roseliana roeselii) need taller vegetation than was present on the disc-harrowed strips.

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Short Communication Mon, 14 Sep 2020 01:11:30 +0300
Studies on neotropical Phasmatodea XXII: Two new species of Taraxippus (Phasmatodea: Cladomorphinae: Hesperophasmatini) and the first record of the genus from Central America https://jor.pensoft.net/article/51328/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 101-114

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.51328

Authors: Oskar V. Conle, Frank H. Hennemann, Pablo Valero

Abstract: Two new species of Taraxippus Moxey, 1971 are described and illustrated: T. samarae sp. nov. from Costa Rica and Panama and T. perezgelaberti sp. nov. from the Dominican Republic. Both sexes and the previously unknown eggs are described. The genus is recorded from Central America for the first time. A distribution map and a discussion of the distributional pattern of Taraxippus are provided.

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Research Article Fri, 29 May 2020 15:06:47 +0300
Oecanthus salvii sp. nov. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae: Oecanthinae): A new tree cricket species from Modoc County in northeast California https://jor.pensoft.net/article/50400/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 91-99

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.50400

Authors: Nancy Collins, Ken R. Schneider

Abstract: A new species of Oecanthus is described from extreme northeast California. Oecanthus salvii sp. nov. is currently known only from Lake Annie in Modoc County, California, and occurs on sagebrush (Artemisia) and rabbitbrush (Ericameria). It has the narrow tegmina, antennal markings, metanotal gland configuration, and trilling song found in the Oecanthus nigricornis species group. Song details and morphology, including the shape of the subgenital plate and copulatory blades, are provided in this paper. This new species has been given the common name of sage tree cricket.

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Research Article Fri, 29 May 2020 06:26:38 +0300
Bioecological aspects of the common black field cricket, Gryllus assimilis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) in the laboratory and in Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae) plantations https://jor.pensoft.net/article/48966/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 83-89

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.48966

Authors: Marcus Vinicius Masson, Wagner de Souza Tavares, Jacyr Mesquita Alves, Pedro José Ferreira-Filho, Leonardo Rodrigues Barbosa, Carlos Frederico Wilcken, José Cola Zanuncio

Abstract: The common black field cricket, Gryllus assimilis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), damages young plants of red cedar, Juniperus virginiana (Cupressaceae); strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa (Rosaceae); sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum (Poaceae); teak, Tectona grandis (Lamiaceae); upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum (Malvaceae); and, mainly, Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae). The objective of this study was to investigate the biological and behavioral parameters of this insect in the laboratory and in Eucalyptus spp. plantations in Inhambupe, Bahia State, Brazil. The incubation period and the viability of G. assimilis eggs were 11.87 days and approximately 22%, respectively. The duration of the nymphal stage was 62.34 days with approximately 60% of the nymphs obtained in the laboratory being females. The average number of egg batches per female, eggs per female, and eggs per batch per female of this insect were 25.50, 862.17, and 34.65, respectively. G. assimilis females lived for 76.50 days in the adult stage, and 138.34 days in total, from egg through nymph to adult. Males produced three characteristic sounds: one for the marking of territory, one for courtship, and one when alone. G. assimilis fed primarily on weeds but, in their absence, it damaged young Eucalyptus spp. plants. This paper presents important data on the biology and behavior of G. assimilis; this information may encourage additional biological research, laboratory rearing, and integrated management of this pest.

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Research Article Fri, 29 May 2020 05:11:47 +0300
Consequences of advanced maternal age on reproductive investment by male offspring https://jor.pensoft.net/article/39228/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 71-76

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.39228

Authors: Jacob D. Wilson, Sophia C. Anner, Shannon M. Murphy, Robin M. Tinghitella

Abstract: Maternal age can have contrasting effects on a variety of offspring fitness traits. While the effects of maternal age on offspring traits that are not sex-specific, such as body size and growth rate, as well as on traits specific to females, have been well researched, traits that are specific to male offspring have been understudied. Across taxa, male reproductive investment is a particularly salient component of fitness, especially when females mate with several males. We tested whether maternal age affects the reproductive traits of their male offspring by comparing the investment made by male field crickets, Teleogryllus oceanicus, from ‘young’ and ‘old’ maternal age treatments. Female T. oceanicus mate with several males, and sperm competition is a fair lottery, so male reproductive investment is important for fitness in this system. After two generations of mating young and old females, we measured the testes mass, spermatophore mold mass, and sperm viability of their male offspring. Despite differences in maternal and grand-maternal age and the demonstrated effects of advanced maternal age on egg number and offspring immunocompetency in this system, the male offspring of young and old females did not differ in reproductive tissues and sperm viability. This study is one of the first to examine the effect of maternal age on fitness-related traits specific to male offspring, and we encourage future research that tests the effects of maternal age on male offspring in other species.

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Research Article Thu, 14 May 2020 18:59:36 +0300
Grasshopper populations respond similarly to multiple moderate intensity livestock grazing treatments https://jor.pensoft.net/article/46966/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 67-69

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.46966

Authors: David H. Branson

Abstract: Livestock grazing frequently affects grasshopper populations, but no prior studies have simultaneously examined a wide range of moderate intensity livestock grazing treatments in the Northern Great Plains. Grasshopper densities varied significantly between years, but five moderate grazing treatments, including both rotational and continuous grazing treatments, did not differentially affect grasshopper densities or species composition. Grasshopper populations appear resilient to different types of moderate grazing at this Northern Great Plains mixed-grass prairie site.

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Short Communication Thu, 14 May 2020 15:54:55 +0300
Influence of cold temperature and exposure time on egg overwintering survival in the white-whiskered grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acrididae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/46967/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 63-65

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.46967

Authors: David H. Branson

Abstract: The effect of cold temperatures and exposure time on egg survival and hatching success were examined in the white-whiskered grasshopper, Ageneotettix deorum. Temperature treatments ranged from 4°C to -35°C, with treatment times ranging from 48 to 240 hours. Both decreasing temperatures and exposure time negatively affected egg survival, with a temperature below -25°C being lethal. Similar lethal temperatures are known for several North American grasshopper species. The relatively shallow location of A. deorum egg pods would result in increased vulnerability of eggs to cold temperatures in the absence of snow.

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Short Communication Thu, 14 May 2020 02:50:05 +0300
Microhabitats of planted sea wall strips used by pollinators and Orthoptera https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34452/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 77-82

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.34452

Authors: Tim Gardiner, Kimberley Fargeaud

Abstract: As part of an Urban Buzz scheme, strips of teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) and greater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) have been established along a sea wall flood defense in the UK to provide a corridor of flower-rich habitat for pollinators such as bees and butterflies. The cutting of tall grassland and planting of dicotyledons also created a suitable short sward environment (c. 30 cm height) for Orthoptera nymphs in the establishment year (2018). However, by 2019, the grassland in the pollinator strips was taller (c. 75 cm) and suboptimal for grasshoppers; in contrast to Roesel’s bush-cricket (Roeseliana roeselii), which inhabited the taller vegetation in greater abundance. The progression to established grassland with flowering D. fullonum saw the pollinator strips attract significantly higher numbers of bees and butterflies than the floristically poor control strips. This small-scale study illustrates that pollinator strips can have multi-functional benefits for ecosystems beyond pollination, with Orthoptera of tall grassland (R. roeselii) likely to persist alongside planted wildflowers.

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Research Article Thu, 14 May 2020 02:22:58 +0300
Review of the tribe Amorphopini (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Metrodorinae): Pygmy moss-lichen tetrigids from the Amazon rainforest https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33717/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 45-62

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.33717

Authors: Oscar J. Cadena-Castañeda, Daniela Santos Martins Silva, Diego Matheus De Mello Mendes, Marcelo Ribeiro Pereira, Fernando Campos De Domenico, Carlos Frankl Sperber

Abstract: The tribe Amorphopini Günther, 1939 is reviewed. It consists of two genera: Amorphopus Seville, 1838 and Eomorphopus Hankock, 1907 with three Neotropical species: Amorphopus notabilis Serville, 1838, Eomorphopus antennatus (Bolívar, 1887), and Eomorphopus granulatus Hancock, 1907. Two species are transferred from Amorphopus to the genera Metrodora Bolívar, 1887 and Crimisus Bolívar, 1887, and two new combinations are proposed: Metrodora gibbosula (Walker, 1871), comb. nov. and Crimisus humeralis (Walker, 1871), comb. nov. New synonyms are proposed: Amorphopus notabilis Serville, 1838 = Amorphopus griseus Bolívar, 1887, syn. nov.; Metrodora gibbosula (Walker, 1871) = Platytettix reticulatus Hancock, 1906, syn. nov.; and Crimisus humeralis (Walker, 1871) = Allotettix bolivianus Brunner, 1913, syn. nov. Neotypes of Amorphopus notabilis and Eomorphopus antennatus as well as the lectotype of E. granulatus are designated. The description of Amorphopus testudo Saussure, 1861 is based on an immature specimen and we considered it as nomen dubius and the type depository of Eomorphopus purpurascens is unknown so we considered it, too, as nomen dubius. The tribe Amorphopini and all included taxa were redescribed and illustrated. A key to the genera and species is provided. Data on distribution, behavior, camouflage with lichens, polychromy, as well as ecological aspects of the species are reported.

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Research Article Mon, 30 Mar 2020 03:08:56 +0300
Squatting (squatter) mantis man: A prehistoric praying mantis petroglyph in Iran https://jor.pensoft.net/article/39400/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 41-44

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.39400

Authors: Mahmood Kolnegari, Mohammad Naserifard, Mandana Hazrati, Matan Shelomi

Abstract: A 14-cm motif of a six-legged creature with raptorial forearms was discovered in the Teymareh rock art site in central Iran (Markazi Province) during a 2017 and 2018 survey of petroglyphs or prehistoric stone engravings. In order to identify it, entomologists and archaeologists compared the motif to local insects and to similar motifs and geometric rock art from around the world. The inspected motif resembles a well-known ”squatter man” motif based on aurora phenomena and found all over the world, combined with a praying mantid (Mantodea), probably a local species of Empusa. The petroglyph proves that praying mantids have been astounding and inspiring humans since prehistoric times.

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Short Communication Fri, 13 Mar 2020 02:36:44 +0200
Mating behavior of the Persian boxer mantid, Holaptilon brevipugilis (Mantodea: Mantidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/37595/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 35-39

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.37595

Authors: Mahmood Kolnegari

Abstract: The Persian boxer mantid, Holaptilon brevipugilis, is the mantid most recently described from Iran. Here, I present some aspects of the courtship display and mating behavior of this species. I conducted 28 mating trials, quantified the relative frequency of all mating behaviors, and estimated the pre-copulation, copulation, and post-copulation periods. I also compared the effects of frontal vs. lateral approaches of the male for mating success, since frontal approach increases the risk that the male will be seen and cannibalized by the female. In 64% of trials, the male approached the female immediately, regardless of whether the female could see him or not. Copulation was successful in 61% of trials. Male courtship consisted of dorsoventral bending of the male’s abdomen and occurred in 10% of all trials, but only when the female was facing the male. In contrast, trembling of the forelimbs was not associated with copulation, occurred in 10% of all trials, and was always followed by the male moving away from the female. I observed one female cannibalizing a male post-copulation. The Persian boxer mantid might be sexually cannibalistic, but confirming this hypothesis would require further studies, including a focus on female hunger level as a determining factor in sexual cannibalism and in male courtship behaviors.

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Research Article Fri, 13 Mar 2020 02:26:39 +0200
Effect of anthropogenic pressure on grasshopper (Orthoptera: Acridomorpha) species diversity in three forests in southern Cameroon https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33373/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 25-34

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.33373

Authors: Charly Oumarou Ngoute, Sévilor Kekeunou, Michel Lecoq, Armand Richard Nzoko Fiemapong, Philène Corine Aude Um Nyobe, Charles Félix Bilong Bilong

Abstract: Grasshoppers are highly diversified in tropical rainforests and considered of both ecological and conservation importance. The population dynamics of central African grasshoppers, however, and the structure of their communities remain poorly studied. We report here on the impact of human activities on the diversity of grasshopper species from three localities in southern Cameroon: Ongot, more anthropized forest; Zamakoe, moderately anthropized forest; and Ngutadjap, less anthropized forest. Data were collected using sweep nets, quadrats, and pitfall traps. We analyzed how pressures from human activities affected the grasshopper species compositions using five statistical methods: (1) two non-parametric estimators for specific richness, (2) abundance, (3) abundance distribution model, (4) α diversity index, and (5) β diversity index. The results showed no significant differences in species richness between the sites (nine species at Zamakoe, seven each at Ongot and Ngutadjap). Among these species, one was specific to Ongot and Zamakoe, while one, two, and three species, respectively, were found only in Ongot, Ngutadjap, and Zamakoe. Abundance and species diversity of grasshoppers increased with anthropogenic pressure on the forests. We noticed a great similarity between the grasshopper communities of the two localities under the greatest anthropogenic pressure (Ongot and Zamakoe) compared to that of the less anthropized locality of Ngutadjap. The most common grasshopper species, Mazea granulosa, was most abundant where deforestation was highest. Species diversity was highest in the more and moderately anthropized forests, and the diversity index showed greater similarity between these two grasshopper communities compared with that of the less anthropized forest. This work enables us to better understand how the parameters of these insect communities reflect the degree of forest degradation in southern Cameroon.

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Research Article Mon, 3 Feb 2020 21:35:41 +0200
Acridid ecology in the sugarcane agro-ecosystem in the Zululand region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34626/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 9-16

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.34626

Authors: Adrian Bam, Pia Addison, Desmond Conlong

Abstract: Grasshoppers and locusts are well known crop and pasture pests throughout the world. Periodically they cause extensive damage to large areas of crops and grazing lands, which often exacerbate food shortage issues in many countries. In South Africa, acridid outbreaks rarely reach economic proportions, but in sugarcane plantations, localized outbreaks of native acridid species have been reported for the last eight years with increasing frequency and intensity in certain areas. This study was undertaken from May 2012 to May 2013 to identify the economically important acridid species in the sugarcane agroecosystem in these outbreak areas, to monitor seasonal activity patterns, to assess sampling methods, and to determine the pest status of the major species through damage ratings. Five acridid species of particular importance were identified: Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serville), Petamella prosternalis (Karny), Ornithacris cyanea (Stoll), Cataloipus zuluensis Sjötedt, and Cyrtacanthacris aeruginosa (Stoll). All species are univoltine. Petamella prosternalis was the most abundant species and exhibited a winter egg diapause, while N. septemfasciata, the second most abundant species, exhibited a winter reproductive diapause. Petamella prosternalis and N. septemfasciata were significantly correlated with the damage-rating index, suggesting that these two species were responsible for most of the feeding damage found on sugarcane. This study, for the first time, identified the acridid species complex causing damage to sugarcane in the Zululand area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and documented their population characteristics and related damage. These data are important information on which to base sound integrated pest management strategies.

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Research Article Fri, 10 Jan 2020 18:40:49 +0200
Mopla guttata (Acrididae: Catantopinae) rediscovered in the Western Ghats, Kerala, India https://jor.pensoft.net/article/35664/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 17-23

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.35664

Authors: Dhaneesh Bhaskar, P.S. Easa, C.H.F. Rowell

Abstract: The endemic Catantopinae genus Mopla was described by Henry in 1940 from the Malabar region of South India. Henry described two species under this genus, M. guttata and M. rubra. The female type specimens of Mopla are deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, UK. There have been no further records of these two species since their description. Seventy-six years later, the first male specimen of the genus Mopla was discovered in the Western Ghats, Kerala, India, in 2016. This paper describes the specimen, thought to be of Mopla guttata, and reconsiders its systematic placement.

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Research Article Fri, 10 Jan 2020 02:05:42 +0200
First natural history observations of the canyon pygmy mole cricket, Ellipes monticolus (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33413/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 29(1): 1-7

DOI: 10.3897/jor.29.33413

Authors: Brandon Woo

Abstract: The first live photos of the canyon pygmy mole cricket, Ellipes monticolus Günther, are presented, with preliminary observations on the habitat and behavior of populations in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The species was previously known solely from the original description in 1977, which included only drawings of the structure of the genitalia and almost no natural history information. This paper provides the first look at this species’ biology and provides a framework for future studies on Tridactylidae of the southwestern United States.

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Research Article Fri, 10 Jan 2020 02:02:58 +0200
Response of orthopterans to macroclimate changes: A 15-year case study in Central European humid grasslands https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34102/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 187-193

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.34102

Authors: Zoltán Kenyeres, Gábor Takács, Norbert Bauer

Abstract: Orthoptera is a good indicator taxon of macroclimate changes. In our case study, we analyzed data of orthopterans, vegetation, and macroclimate collected yearly from 2002 through 2017 in Central European humid grasslands. During the study period, the annual mean temperature increased, while the relative abundance of moderately hygrophilic orthopteran species decreased significantly. On the other hand, the species richness and diversity of the assemblages increased due, mostly, to an increase of graminicole/thermophilic species. According to our results, the conservation of the hygrophilic orthopteran assemblages of Central European humid grasslands under global warming can only be ensured by adequate land management, which can at least mitigate the effects of climate change resulting in the warming and drying of humid habitats.

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Research Article Wed, 2 Oct 2019 17:36:11 +0300
What determines the number of auditory sensilla in the tympanal hearing organs of Tettigoniidae? Perspectives from comparative neuroanatomy and evolutionary forces https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33586/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 205-219

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.33586

Authors: Johannes Strauß

Abstract: Insects have evolved complex receptor organs for the major sensory modalities. For the sense of hearing, the tympanal organ of Tettigoniidae (bush crickets or katydids) shows remarkable convergence to vertebrate hearing by impedance conversion and tonotopic frequency analysis. The main auditory receptors are scolopidial sensilla in the crista acustica. Morphological studies established that the numbers of auditory sensilla are species-specific. However, the factors determining the specific number of auditory sensilla are not well understood. This review provides an overview of the functional organization of the auditory organ in Tettigoniidae, including the diversification of the crista acustica sensilla, a list of species with the numbers of auditory sensilla, and a discussion of evolutionary forces affecting the number of sensilla in the crista acustica and their sensitivity. While all species of Tettigoniidae studied so far have a crista acustica, the number of sensilla varies on average from 15–116. While the relative differences or divergence in sensillum numbers may be explained by adaptive or regressive changes, it is more difficult to explain a specific number of sensilla in the crista acustica of a specific species (like for the model species Ancistrura nigrovittata, Copiphora gorgonensis, Gampsocleis gratiosa, Mecopoda elongata, Requena verticalis, or Tettigonia viridissima): sexual and natural selection as well as allometric relationships have been identified as key factors influencing the number of sensilla. Sexual selection affects the number of auditory sensilla in the crista acustica by the communication system and call patterns. Further, positive allometric relationships indicate positive selection for certain traits. Loss of selection leads to evolutionary regression of the auditory system and reduced number of auditory sensilla. This diversity in the auditory sensilla can be best addressed by comparative studies reconstructing adaptive or regressive changes in the crista acustica.

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Review Article Wed, 2 Oct 2019 17:26:13 +0300
Effects of water extracts of frass from three locust species and various plants on oviposition and embryonic development in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34665/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 195-204

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.34665

Authors: Seiji Tanaka, Toyomi Kotaki, Yudai Nishide, Amel Ben-Hamouda, Khemais Abdellaoui, Mohamed Abdallahi Bahah Ebbe, Sidi Ould Ely

Abstract: The water extract of desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, frass collected in the wild had an oviposition inhibitory (OI) effect when mixed with sand and presented to adults. Likewise, the leaves of six plant species, as well as frass produced by desert locusts fed with these plants, exerted OI effects when compared with the control sand wetted with water alone. In general, frass extracts had a greater OI effect than the extracts of leaves. The OI effect was also observed when adult desert locusts were exposed to extracts of frass produced by two other locusts, the Bombay locust, Nomadacris succincta, and the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria, fed with rescue grass, Bromus catharticus. Among the three species of locust, desert locust and migratory locust frass exerted a greater OI effect than Bombay locust frass. Frass samples extracted with hot and cool water produced similarly high OI effects, indicating that bacterial involvement during extraction is unlikely. Hatching rates of desert locusts were significantly reduced by extracts of all of the above mentioned frass when the extracts were mixed with sand and used to incubate the eggs. In contrast, the lethal effects of leaf extracts on the hatching rates varied depending on the plant species. The embryos became deformed within four days when three-day-old eggs were incubated in sand containing frass extracts from desert locusts fed with rescue grass, whereas no apparent morphological changes were observed when seven-day-old eggs were similarly tested, although their hatching rate was significantly reduced.

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Research Article Wed, 2 Oct 2019 16:07:48 +0300
Discovery of an acoustically locating parasitoid with a potential role in divergence of song types among sympatric populations of the bush cricket Mecopoda elongata https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34115/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 181-186

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.34115

Authors: Rochishnu Dutta, Manjunatha Reddy, Tom Tregenza

Abstract: The bush cricket Mecopoda elongata provides a striking example of sympatric intraspecific divergence in mating signals. Five completely distinct song types are found in various parapatric and sympatric locations in South India. While there is convincing evidence that population divergence in M. elongata is being maintained as a result of divergence in acoustic signals, cuticular chemical profiles, and genital characters, the causes of the evolution of such divergence in the first place are unknown. We describe the discovery of a tachinid parasitoid with an orthopteroid hearing mechanism affecting M. elongata. This parasitoid may have a role in driving the extraordinary divergence that had occurred among M. elongata song types. Over two years we sampled individuals of three sympatric song types in the wild and retained individuals in captivity to reveal rates of parasitization. We found that all three song types were infected with the parasitoid but that there were significant differences among song types in their probability of being infected. The probability of tachinid parasitization also differed between the two sampling periods. Therefore, it is possible that parasitoid infection plays a role in song type divergence among sympatric bush cricket populations.

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Research Article Thu, 12 Sep 2019 20:47:57 +0300
Taxonomic and biogeographic revision of the genus Lamellitettigodes (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) with description of two new species and additional notes on Lamellitettix, Probolotettix, and Scelimena https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34605/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 167-180

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.34605

Authors: Josef Tumbrinck

Abstract: The genus Lamellitettigodes Günther, 1939 from Southeast Asia is reviewed. The genus currently includes seven species and is transferred to Tetriginae Rambur, 1838. Two new species are described: Lamellitettigodes novaeguineae sp. nov. from New Guinea and Lamellitettigodes karwinkeli sp. nov. from Yunnan, People’s Republic of China. Lamellitettigodes palawanicus Günther, 1939 stat. nov. is no longer regarded as a subspecies of L. contractus, but a separate species. Two species are transferred from Euparatettix Hancock, 1904 to Lamellitettigodes: Lamellitettigodes sagittatus (Bolívar, 1887) comb. nov. and Lamellitettigodes cultratus (Bolívar, 1898) comb. nov. One species is transferred from Tetrix Latreille, 1802 to Lamellitettigodes - Lamellitettigodes signatus (Bolívar, 1887) comb. nov. Xistra tricristata sumatrana Bolívar, 1898 syn. nov., Xistra tricristata Bolívar, 1898 syn. nov., and Probolotettix corticolus Blackith & Blackith, 1987 syn. nov. are synonymized with Lamellitettigodes contractus (Bolívar, 1887). Probolotettix kevani Blackith & Blackith, 1987 syn. nov. is synonymized with Euparatettix personatus (Bolívar, 1887). Additionally, in the genus Lamellitettix Hancock, 1904, Lamellitettix acutus Hancock, 1904 stat. rev. is retransferred from a subspecies of Lamellitettix gallinaceus (Stål, 1877) to a separate species status.

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Research Article Tue, 3 Sep 2019 17:14:39 +0300
Assemblages of orthopteroid insects along environmental gradients in central and southern Madagascar https://jor.pensoft.net/article/34055/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 155-166

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.34055

Authors: Anton Krištín, Klaus-Gerhard Heller, Milan Zemko, Jacques Rakotondranary, Benjamín Jarčuška

Abstract: Madagascar is one of the world hotspots for endemics, and its rapidly changing habitats accelerate the need for their study and conservation. Orthopterans, mantids, phasmids, and cockroaches were sampled in five main habitats (savanna and shrubland, semiarid spiny forest, rainforest, mountain grass- and shrubland, and cultivated habitats) in central and southern Madagascar (41 sites, 0–2250 m a.s.l.) with the aim of getting the first data on their diversity and distribution along environmental gradients shortly after the rainy period. Samples were collected primarily by sweeping herb and shrub vegetation along transects 100 m long and 1–2 m wide (5–8 transects/site) and supplemented using other techniques. Altogether 117 species of orthopteroid insects were found (94 Orthoptera, 7 Mantodea, 4 Phasmida, and 12 Blattodea), among them two katydid species which had been recently described as new to science (Mimoscudderia longicaudata Heller & Krištín, 2019, Parapyrrhicia leuca Hemp & Heller, 2019). High species diversity was documented: altogether 63 species (53.8%) were present at only one site, 14 (12%) at two sites, and 5 species (4.2%) at three sites. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis on species composition did not clearly separate the assemblages of the sampled sites. Species assemblages from four habitats overlapped due to their similarity. Only assemblages from the rainforest sites were partially separated from the other sites. Cultivated habitats were characterized by the most frequent (F > 50%) and abundant grasshopper species, such as Acorypha decisa, Aiolopus thalassinus rodericensis, Oedaleus virgula, Gelastorrhinus edax, Gymnobothrus spp,. and Acrotylus spp. We found a significant association between habitat management and species rareness, where the number of rare species was higher in natural/unmanaged habitats. However, we found no association between habitat management and the number of endemic species. For several species we provide the first detailed data on their localities and habitat.

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Research Article Tue, 3 Sep 2019 15:31:55 +0300
Morphology, development, and reproduction of Eyprepocnemis plorans ibandana (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in South Cameroon rainforests https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33370/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 145-154

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.33370

Authors: Alfiery Laurel Djomnang Nkwala, Franklin Simo Talla, Charly Oumarou Ngoute, Sévilor Kekeunou, Alain Christel Wandji, Marcelle Mbajoun Nzike, Alain Simeu Noutchom, Mpoame Mbida

Abstract: Eyprepocnemis plorans ibandana is a very common grasshopper species in open environments and agricultural systems of tropical Africa. It is a pest that significantly benefits from forest degradation in southern Cameroon, hence the need to study the bioecology of this subspecies. We studied the reproduction as well as the morphological characteristics and development times of the post-embryonic instars of E. p. ibandana. Sixty-one adult pairs were obtained from sixth instar nymphs caught in grassy vegetation in the Nkolbisson area (Yaoundé) and bred in the laboratory. After hatching, the first instar nymphs were individually placed in cages and fed every two days using fresh leaves of Manihot esculenta. The postembryonic development of E. p. ibandana took six instars in the male and six to seven instars in the female. Mean nymphal development took 79.16 ± 0.51 days in males, 89.93 ± 0.58 days in 6 instar females and 94.96 ± 1.22 days in 7 instar females. The survival rate of the first instar was low (53%). However, from the second instar on the survival rate was very high (> 87%). Sexual dimorphism is distinct in adults, fifth and sixth nymphal instars. Adults of E. p. ibandana took on average 32.57 ± 3.88 days to start mating, and mating lasted 2.12 h on average (1–3 h). Oviposition took place on average 52.03 ± 5 days after first mating; each female deposited one to eleven oothecae with an average of 34.93 ± 2.37 eggs per ootheca. Our study provides important information for the control of this subspecies in southern Cameroon.

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Research Article Tue, 3 Sep 2019 01:38:40 +0300
Oecanthus mhatreae sp. nov. (Gryllidae: Oecanthinae): A new species of tree cricket from Mexico, with an irregular song pattern and unique chirp-like trill configuration https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33781/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(2): 137-143

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.33781

Authors: Nancy Collins, Isabel Margarita Coronado González, Bruno Victor Alfons Govaerts

Abstract: A new species of Oecanthus is described from Mexico. Oecanthus mhatreae sp. nov. occurs in central Mexico in the understory of tropical deciduous forest. Oecanthus mhatreae sp. nov. is currently known only from the Corregidora area of the Mexican state of Querétaro. The widened tegmina and chirp-like brief trills song are consistent with some members of the rileyi species group; however, this new species of tree cricket is different in several aspects. The chirp-like brief trills are generally irregularly spaced, it does not have the expected grouping of the chirp pulses, and the colors of buff, light olive green, or light brown are vastly different than the four known pale green species in the rileyi species group of the Western Hemisphere. Morphology, habitat, and song details of this new species, with the common name of Otomi tree cricket, are provided in this paper. Video can be viewed at www.oecanthinae.com.

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Research Article Wed, 28 Aug 2019 03:21:30 +0300