Tmethis pulchripennis asiaticus Uvarov, 1943

Massa, Bruno, 2013, Pamphagidae (Orthoptera: Caelifera) of North Africa: key to genera and the annotated check-list of species, Zootaxa 3700 (3), pp. 435-475 : 441-442

[ Tmethis pulchripennis asiaticus Uvarov, 1943 ]

Material examined. Israel: Arad 19. V.65, 1 ♂, 1♀ (MSNT); Dead Sea 1. IV.87, 1 ♂; Beer Sheva 28. III.87, 5 ♂, 1♀ (BMCP); Syria: Palmyra 27. IV.82, 1 ♂ (MSNT); Jordan: Raf En Naqb 21. IV.95, 2 ♀; Schaubak 24. V.68, 1 ♀; Amman 11. V.66, 1 ♀, 27. IV.67, 2 ♀; Tafile 14. V.68, 1 ♂, 1♀; Dana Reserve 21. IV.95, 7 ♂, 3♀, 6. V.95, 2 ♀; Dana Reserve, El Rummanah 23. IV.95, 1 ♂, 2♀, 9. IV.95, 1 ♂, 1♀; Dana Reserve, El Barrah 23. IV.95, 1 ♂, 8. V.95, 3 ♂, 1♀; Dana Camp Site 20. IV.95, 1 ♂, 3♀, 6. V.95, 1 ♂; Dana Reserve, Jebel Sarab 8. IV.95, 2 ♂, 1♀; Dana Reserve, Wadi Dahel 7. V.95, 1 ♀; Wadi Dana 17. V.95, 1 ♂; End of Wadi Dana 5. IV.95, 5 ♂, 3♀, 3. V.95, 1 ♀ (MZR); Dana Reserve 26. V.99, 5 ♂; Karak 23. IV.00, 1 ♀; Madaba 23. IV.00, 2 ♂, 1♀ (BMCP); Lebanon: Baalbeck, 1♀ (MNCN); Hermel (Bekaa Valley) 21. IV.10, 2 ♂, 4♀; Lake Quaraoun 17. V.10, 1 ♀ (BMCP).

According to Uvarov (1943) it is characterized by larger size than the nominate taxon and yellow hind tibiae and edges of inner hind femurs. As above reported, specimens of Middle East resulted to be of smaller size than those of North Africa. I may confirm only the character of the hind legs, that however has been detected also in some North African specimens. Thus, also considering the high variability of T. pulchripennis , I believe that it is unjustified the taxonomic division of this taxon into subspecies.

and its populations. Total length has been measured from the vertex to the apex of hind femurs. In parenthesis sample size:

males/females.

Species/sex Total length Length of Height of Length of hind Height of hind Length of tegmina

pronotum pronotum femurs femurs ♂♂ ♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀

) 29.7±1.4 41.7±2.5 8.3±0.8 12.4±1.1 8.3±0.7 11.4±1.6 15.5±0.9 21.8±1.6 5.3±0.5 8.1±0.6 24.1±1.1 33.2±1.7

16

cisti (/ 19

26.5±0.1 38.6±2.7 7.2±0.6 11.1±0.5 7.0±0.8 10.8±0.6 14.5±0.1 20.5±1.1 4.5±0.1 7.1±0.9 24.4±0.6 35.8±2.0

clavelii 17 11) / (

25.7±0.9 39.8±0.5 7.2±0.1 10.6±0.2 6.8±0.1 9.7±0.1 13.6±0.1 20.7±0.4 4.0±0.1 6.6±0.1 22.4±0.8 33.6±0.1

mozabiticus 3) 7 (/

algericus 7 /) 8 (28.7±0.8 44.0±1.5 7.9±1.0 12.8±1.0 7.7±0.5 11.9±0.8 15.1±0.5 22.1±0.9 5.0±0.3 7.4±0.6 25.8±1.3 35.9±1.2 ......continued on the next page

harterti 10 10 / ()

27.5±0.6 36.9±1.0 8.6±0.5 11.5±0.5 7.9±0.4 10.4±0.5 14.4±1.1 20.2±0.8 5.3±0.4 7.8±0.4 22.1±0.9 22.0±0.8

maroccanus 7) (7 /

pulchripennis 10 / (Africa N 10) 28.8±1.1 42.1±1.1 8.5±0.1 11.1±0.4 8.5±1.0 11.1±0.6 14.8±1.2 20.9±0.8 4.5±0.2 7.1±0.3 25.0±1.4 32.6±0.7 25.6±2.7 36.1±2.3 7.6±0.9 10.2±0.9 7.3±0.8 9.8±0.6 13.4±1.0 16.8±0.8 4.2±0.2 5.8±0.4 21.9±1.5 31.4±2.1

asiaticus 35 41) (/