Prionotropis appula (O.G. Costa, 1836)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:42811

Material examined. Italy, Basilicata, Campomaggiore (Potenza) 14.VII.1974 (1♂, 1♀); Italy, Campania, Naples (ex Costa) (2♀); Italy, Apulia, Otranto (ex Costa) (1♂, 2♀) (MNCN); Italy, Campania, Naples (ex Costa, ex Brunner, 1891, ex Pantel) (2♂, 2♀); Italy (coll. Azam) (4♂, 2♀); Italy, Apulia, Mt. S. Angelo 28.VII.1929, C. Confalonieri (1♂, 1♀); Italy, Basilicata, Matera 18.VI.2003, Delobel (2♂, 1♀) (MNHN); Italy, Apulia, Mt. S. Angelo 28.VII.1929, C. Confalonieri (23♂, 23♀); Italy, Apulia, Manfredonia 29.VII.1929, C. Confalonieri (3♂, 2♀); Italy, Apulia, Altamura VI.1909, A. Andreini (2♂, 2♀); Italy, Apulia, Foggia VII.1917 (1♂, 1♀); Italy, Apulia, Otranto 12.VI.1929, C. Confalonieri (6♂, 2♀); Italy, Basilicata, Melfi (1♀) (MSNG); Italy, Calabria 1892 (1♂); Italy, Apulia, Masseria Resecata 12.VI.2007, B. Massa (1♂, 2♀); Italy, Apulia, Manfredonia 14.VI.2007, B. Massa (1♂); Italy, Apulia, Altamura 12.VI.2007, B. Massa (1♂); Italy, Apulia, Alberobello 6.VII.1970 (1♀); Italy, Molise, Macchiav. Fontane (Campobasso) 30.VI.1997, Mancini (1♀) (BMCP).

Remarks. P. appula differs from P. hystrix by the pronotal shape, the colour of the hind tibia and inner side of the hind femur and the length and the shape of the wings (Figs 8, 10, 16, 18, 24, 26, 32, 34); differences from P. willemsorum n. sp. are reported below. The epiphallus has a longer apex than in P. willemsorum n. sp., but penis valves are very similar (Figs 37, 39, 44, 46, 52, 53).

Distribution. P. appula occurs in Latium, Molise, Campania, Apulia, Basilicata and Calabria (Fontana et al. 2005, Massa et al. 2012). It was recorded from Greece by Brunner von Wattenwyl (1882), and recovered in the area of Epirus (Ioannina) by Foucart & Ponel (1999) and Willemse & Willemse (2008). Previous authors did not find differences between Italian and Greek specimens, but a more careful comparison allowed us to find unique characteristics in the Greek population, and we describe it here as a new taxon (see below). In particular, in P. appula the pronotum and tegmina are shorter and posterior edge of epiphallus is longer than in P. willemsorum n. sp.

Measurements. see Table 1. Biometric ratios show that the two species of Italy and Greece are related, and we may consider the Italian P. appula of transjonian origin (Figs 65–68).