Latest Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research Latest 21 Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research https://jor.pensoft.net/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 17:52:08 +0200 Pensoft FeedCreator https://jor.pensoft.net/i/logo.jpg Latest Articles from Journal of Orthoptera Research https://jor.pensoft.net/ 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The floriphilic katydid, Phaneroptera brevis, is a frequent flower visitor of non-native, flowering forbs https://jor.pensoft.net/article/33063/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(1): 21-26

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.33063

Authors: Ming Kai Tan, Hui Lee, Hugh Tiang Wah Tan

Abstract: Distribution of consumers in a patch of vegetation can be predicted by resource availability and explained by the resource-concentration and optimal-foraging hypotheses. These hypotheses have not been explored for flower-visiting Orthoptera because they are deemed less economically or ecologically important. Some flower-visiting orthopterans can provide pollination services, which warrants more attention. We studied a Singaporean, floriphilic katydid, Phaneroptera brevis, to investigate the following questions: 1) how frequently does P. brevis visit flowers compared to other flower visitors and 2) what factors predict the abundance of P. brevis? We collected abundance data for P. brevis and other flower-visiting arthropods and quantified seven environmental parameters, including flower abundance and host-plant species richness. We found that P. brevis frequents flowers significantly more often than some common and expected flower visitors such as hoverflies. In line with the prediction of the resource-concentration hypothesis, the abundance of P. brevis was positively correlated with a higher flower abundance. Owing to the limited information on unexpected wild flower visitors and pollinators, especially from the understudied tropics of Southeast Asia, we propose that P. brevis can be a model organism for future studies to answer fundamental questions on flower visitation.

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Research Article Fri, 17 May 2019 18:59:02 +0300
Epigenetic and genetic variation between two behaviorally isolated species of Neoconocephalus (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea) https://jor.pensoft.net/article/28888/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 28(1): 11-19

DOI: 10.3897/jor.28.28888

Authors: Gideon Ney, Johannes Schul

Abstract: Epigenetic variation allows for rapid changes in phenotypes without alterations to nucleotide sequences. These epigenetic signatures may diverge over time among isolated populations. Epigenetic incompatibility following secondary contact between these populations could result in the evolution of reproductive isolating mechanisms. If epigenetic incompatibility drove the evolution of species isolating mechanisms, we expect to see significant epigenetic differentiation between these species. Alternatively, epigenetic variation could be the result of predominantly environmental variables and not align along species boundaries. A methylation sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed on individuals of the closely related katydid species Neoconocephalus robustus and N. bivocatus. We observed significant variation in total methylation levels between species. However, genetic differentiation remained larger than epigenetic differentiation between species groups. We measured a significant correlation between the epigenetic and genetic distance between individuals. Epigenetic differentiation is therefore likely the result of an interaction between genetic and epigenetic loci and not a mechanism for species differentiation. We therefore did not find evidence to support our hypothesis of an epigenetically mediated mechanism for speciation between N. robustus and N. bivocatus.

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Research Article Fri, 17 May 2019 18:59:01 +0300
Paraplangia sinespeculo, a new genus and species of bush-cricket, with notes on its biology and a key to the genera of Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea) from Madagascar https://jor.pensoft.net/article/24243/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 27(2): 143-153

DOI: 10.3897/jor.27.24243

Authors: Klaus-Gerhard Heller, Claudia Hemp, Bruno Massa, Maciej Kociński, Elżbieta Warchałowska-Śliwa

Abstract: Madagascar is a well-known hotspot of biodiversity. However, many Orthoptera, and especially the Tettigonioidea, belong to little-studied groups. Here we describe a new genus and species of bush-cricket reared from field-collected eggs. Paraplangia sinespeculo gen. nov., sp. nov. belongs to Phaneropterinae and shares diagnostic characteristics with members of the tribe Amblycoryphini and its African subtribe Plangiina stat. nov. Paraplangia, which has a chromosome number of 31 X0, differs from other African members of the tribe and subtribe such as Eurycorypha and Plangia, which both have 29 X0. In addition to morphology, we describe the male calling song, female acoustic response, and mating behavior. As calling song, the male produces two series of short syllables. At the end of the second series the female responds with signals of similar duration and spectral composition as the male sounds (peak about 8-9 kHz). To make future identification easier, a key to all genera of Phaneropterinae found in Madagascar is presented.

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Research Article Mon, 23 Jul 2018 06:15:09 +0300
Review of the genus Lunidia Hemp (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) and the description of a new species from the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa https://jor.pensoft.net/article/20107/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 26(2): 85-89

DOI: 10.3897/jor.26.20107

Authors: Claudia Hemp

Abstract: The genus Lunidia Hemp is reviewed and more data on its distribution and habitat provided. A new species, Lunidia bicercata sp. n., from the Uluguru Mountains, is newly described. A key to males of Lunidia is provided.

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Research Article Fri, 13 Oct 2017 11:08:24 +0300
Adapting the Dragonfly Biotic Index to a katydid (Tettigoniidae) rapid assessment technique: case study of a biodiversity hotspot, the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa https://jor.pensoft.net/article/14552/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 26(1): 63-71

DOI: 10.3897/jor.26.14552

Authors: Aileen C. Thompson, Corinna S. Bazelet, Piotr Naskrecki, Michael Samways

Abstract: Global biodiversity faces many challenges, with the conservation of invertebrates among these. South Africa is megadiverse and has three global biodiversity hotspots. The country also employs two invertebrate-based rapid assessment techniques to evaluate habitat quality of freshwater ecosystems. While grasshoppers (Acrididae) are known indicators of terrestrial habitats, katydids (Tettigoniidae) could be as well. Here, we adapt a South African freshwater invertebrate-based rapid assessment method, the Dragonfly Biotic Index (DBI), for the terrestrial katydid assemblage, and propose a new assessment approach using katydids: the Katydid Biotic Index (KBI). KBI assigns each katydid species a score based on a combination of: 1) IUCN Red List status, 2) geographic distribution, and 3) life history traits (which consist of mobility and trophic level). This means that the rarer, more localized, specialized and threatened katydid species receive the highest score, and the common, geographically widespread and Least Concern species the lowest. As a case study, we calculated KBI across one of South Africa’s global biodiversity hotspots, the Cape Floristic Region (CFR). We then correlated KBI/Site scores of individual ecosystems with their ecosystem threat scores. The CFR’s katydid assemblage did not differ significantly from that of the overall South African katydid assemblage in terms of its species traits, threat statuses, or distribution among tettigoniid subfamilies. Likewise, KBI/Site scores did not differ significantly among ecosystem threat statuses. This may be explained by the coarse spatial scale of this study or by the lack of specialization of the CFR katydid assemblage. Nevertheless, the KBI holds promise as it is a relatively simple and non-invasive technique for taking invertebrate species composition into account in an assessment of habitat quality. In regions where katydid assemblages are well-known, acoustic surveys and KBI may provide an efficient means for assessing habitats.

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Research Article Wed, 28 Jun 2017 14:30:39 +0300
The genus Ectadia (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae) in East Asia: description of a new species, comparison of its complex song and duetting behavior with that of E. fulva and notes on the biology of E. fulva https://jor.pensoft.net/article/14548/ Journal of Orthoptera Research 26(1): 39-51

DOI: 10.3897/jor.26.14548

Authors: Klaus-Gerhard Heller, Sigfrid Ingrisch, Elżbieta Warchałowska-Śliwa, Chunxiang Liu

Abstract: The genus Ectadia is an East Asian genus of the tribe Elimaeini (Phaneropterinae) and is known for the complex stridulatory files of its members. The calling song was so far known from only one species, the relatively widespread Ectadia fulva. Here a new species from Yunnan, China, is described, which is morphologically similar to E. fulva except for the stridulatory file. In this character E. fulva deviates strongly from the new species and from all other Ectadia species by its high tooth number. The long lasting song (duration 30 to 60 seconds at 25°C) of the new species is very complex and differs widely from the much shorter song of E. fulva. Its spectral composition changes during stridulation. In the new species the females respond acoustically during gaps in the final part of the male song, whereas in E. fulva they answer typically after the male song. During mating Ectadia fulva males transfer small spermatophores without spermatophylax. All of its six nymphal stages are cryptically colored. In karyotype the new species being the first studied Ectadia species is similar to the related genera Elimaea and Ducetia (all 2n=29 chromosomes in the male).

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Research Article Wed, 28 Jun 2017 14:30:39 +0300