Colossopus redtenbacheri ( Brongniart, 1897 )

Ünal, Mustafa & Beccaloni, George W., 2017, Revision of the Madagascan genera Oncodopus Brongniart and Colossopus Saussure (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Euconchophorini), with description of Malagasopus gen. nov., Zootaxa 4341 (2) : 218-220

Colossopus redtenbacheri ( Brongniart, 1897)

( Figs. 6 , 87–97 , 111 , 128 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:15117

Oncodopus redtenbacheri: Brongniart 1897: 208 ; Kirby 1906: 270; Otte 1997: 32.

Colossopus (Oncodopus) redtenbacheri: Saussure 1899: 628 .

Colossopus redtenbacheri: Karny 1912: 39 ; Otte 1997: 27.

Type locality. Madagascar. Lectotype male (in alcohol) (MNHN), here designated.

Redescription. Body size is intermediate between the other two members of the genus ( Table 4 ). Fastigium of vertex ( Fig. 87, 88 ) with three-pronged horn; upper 2 arms short and equal, slightly upcurved; lower one longer and situated between the upper arms; 1.4 times narrower than diameter of eye; its basal part 1.1 times wider than antennal scape. Fastigium of frons ( Fig. 88 ) with a large spiniform tooth. Face almost flattened with distinct tubercles some of which are like short spines. Pronotum ( Fig. 87, 88 ) slightly longer than wide, 3.4 times longer than its height; anterior margin convex, posterior margin with a deep angular median incision; prozona 1.5 times longer than metazona. Tegmina ( Fig. 87, 88 ) wavy, clearly visible from above, reaching 4/5 of the way down metanotum. Prothoracic auditory spiracle ( Fig. 90 ) almost rounded, almost fully covered by lateral lobes of pronotum. Mesothoracic auricle ( Fig. 90 ) oval, visible in lateral view, longer than wide, without ventral lobe; its inner gap long and elliptical. Prosternum with two, V-shaped spines, their apices not reaching to level of ventral margin of fore coxa. Fore coxa with a short dorsal spine. Fore femur ( Figs. 6 , 87 ) with a large inner spine on anterio-lateral margin; with a large inner and a large outer apical spine ventrally; with 5–6 additional ventral spines on inner side. Fore tibia ( Fig. 87 ) with 5 inner and 4–7 outer spines ventrally, inner ones larger. Mid femur with 2– 4 and hind femur with 1–3 outer spines ventrally. Hind tibia with 5–7 dorsal spines on inner side, with a single inner apical spur dorsally; with 4 apical spurs ventrally, inner two slightly shorter than outer ones. Last abdominal tergite ( Fig. 91 ) twice as wide as its length, posterior margin with a deep narrow incision. Cercus ( Fig. 92 ) short, basal part broad, end of basal part with a distinct projection on inner margin; apical part narrower and slightly incurved, apex blunt, slightly rounded, with a small apical tooth. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 93 ) almost as long as its width, its styli slightly longer than depth of posterior incision of plate.

Female: Head as in male. Fastigium of vertex ( Figs. 94, 95 ) 1.4 times narrower than diameter of eye, 1.3 times wider than antennal scape. Pronotum ( Figs. 94, 95 ) with long, narrow prozona and wide, short metazona; prozona 1.4 times narrower and 4.3 times longer than metazona; anterior margin convex, posterior margin strongly concave. Tegmina strongly reduced to very small scale-like projections. Prothoracic auditory spiracle almost concealed by lateral lobe of pronotum. Mesothoracic auricle smaller than that of male, its inner gap narrow elliptical, not covered by pronotum. Fore tibia ( Fig. 94 ) with 5–6 ventral spines on outer side; mid femur with 1–4 and hind femur with 1– 4 outer spines ventrally; hind tibia with 6–7 dorsal spines on inner side, with an inner apical spur dorsally and 4 apical spurs ventrally. Last abdominal tergite broad and narrow, posterior margin with a small distinct median incision. Cercus short, conical, its apical part slightly incurved, pointed at apex. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 97 ) 3.5 times broader than long, with a broad rectangular median carina; lateral lobes with many transverse ridges. Ovipositor ( Fig. 96 ) straight, 1.5–1.6 times longer than hind femur and slightly longer than abdomen; apical part of ventral valve with small teeth.

Colour (dry specimens). Body with different shades of brown, mostly milky and light brown. Face darker, reddish brown; clypeus and labrum yellowish brown. Metazona of pronotum darker with reddish brown, prozona light brown. Fore tibia, anterior part of fore femur, knees of mid and hind legs and tarsi reddish brown, remaining parts of legs milky brown. Male tegmina yellowish brown. Abdominal tergites reddish brown, with a very narrow black stripe on hind margin in female. Basal part of ovipositor milky brown, its apical part light reddish brown.

Diagnosis. This species differs from C. grandidieri in the structure of the pronotum, male cercus, shorter ovipositor, the ratios of ovipositor/hind femur and ovipositor/abdomen, clearly lighter body colour and smaller size. It differs from C. parvicavus sp. nov. by the shape of the male pronotum, prothoracic auditory spiracle (which has a wide opening), the presence of ventral spines on the hind femur, and the ratios of ovipositor/hind femur and ovipositor/abdomen.

Material examined. Madagascar, 1867, 1 male (Lectotype) , 1 female (Paralectotype) (leg. M. Grandidier) ( MNHN). Toliara Province, Andohahela National Park: Tsimelahy parcel, (-24.93, 46.65) [24 ° 55'48'' S, 46 ° 38'60'' E], 1.12.2004 , Coll. leg. G.W. Beccaloni, 1 male, 1 female ( NHMUK). Madagascar, Toliara Prov., Parc Nat. d’Andohahela, Forét d’Ambohibory, 1.7 km 61 ENE Tsimelahy, 36.1 km 308 NW Tolagnaro , 16 – 20.1.2002, 24 ° 55'48" S, 46 ° 38'44" E, 2 males, 1 female (Fisher, Griswold et al.), tropical dry forest; Castlot 0 0 6432 [locality unknown], 3 males, 3 females, 1 male nymph ( CAS).

Measurements (mm). Lectotype (male): Body length: 40; pronotum length: 10.6; width of pronotum: 10; fore femur length: 12.9; width of fore femur: 4.6; fore tibia length: 10.3; hind femur length: 14.4. See Table 4 for the range of measurement of the other specimens including females.

Distribution. South-eastern Madagascar ( Fig. 111 ). Toliara Province: Toliara, Andohahela.

Habitat. This species has been found in transitional tropical dry forest. The specimens collected by the second author were found under loose dead bark.

Phenology. Adults have been found in December and January.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Fastigium of vertex from above. 1 Oncodopus zonatus, 2 Malagasopus desutterae, 3 Colossopus grandidieri. Figs. 4 – 6. apical half of left fore femur, inner view. 4 Oncodopus zonatus, 5 Malagasopus desutterae, 6 Colossopus redtenbacheri. Figs. 7 – 9. apical part of left hind tibia from above. 7 Oncodopus zonatus, 8 Malagasopus desutterae, 9 Colossopus grandidieri. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 87 – 97. Colossopus redtenbacheri. Male: 87 forelegs, head and pronotum, dorsal view, 88 head and pronotum, lateral view, 89 habitus, dorso-lateral view, 90 prothoracic auditory spiracle and mesothoracic auricle, 91 last abdominal tergite, 92 cercus, 93 subgenital plate. Female: 94 forelegs, head and pronotum, dorsal view, 95 head and pronotum, lateral view, 96 habitus, dorso-lateral view, 97 subgenital plate. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 109 – 111. Maps. 109 map of Madagascar, 110 distributions of Oncodopus spp., 111 distributions of Malagasopus spp. and Colossopus spp.

FIGURES 120 – 129. Living specimens. 120 Colossopus grandidieri, older (swollen) egg. Captive stock. © G. J. N. González, 121 Colossopus grandidieri, recently hatched 1 st instar nymph. Captive stock. © G. J. N. González, 122 Colossopus grandidieri, late instar male nymph. Captive stock. © G. J. N. González, 123 Colossopus grandidieri, final instar female nymph. Captive stock. © G. J. N. González, 124 Colossopus grandidieri, adult female. Captive stock. © G. J. N. González, 125 Colossopus grandidieri, threat display of adult female, near village of Mangily, Toliara Province. 15.3. 2015. © M. Bader, 126 Colossopus grandidieri, adult male, near village of Mangily, Toliara Province. 19.11. 2004. © G. W. Beccaloni, 127 frontal view of head of the previous individual. © G. W. Beccaloni, 128 Colossopus redtenbacheri, adult female, Berenty Private Reserve, Toliara Province, 4.12. 2004. © G. W. Beccaloni, 129 Spiny forest near village of Mangily, Toliara Province in November 2004, close to where the second author collected Colossopus grandidieri and Oncodopus brongniarti. © G. W. Beccaloni.