Taurotettix (Taurotettix) beckeri ( Fieber, 1885 )

Tishechkin, Dmitri Yu., 2021, Review of the genus Taurotettix Haupt, 1929 (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Cicadulini): morphology, acoustic signals, and geographical variability, Zootaxa 5082 (2), pp. 191-199 : 192

Taurotettix (Taurotettix) beckeri ( Fieber, 1885)

Figs. 1, 3 , 16–17 , 40–42, 54–57

Description. Green or yellowish green, forewings semitransparent ( Fig. 3 ).

Aedeagal shaft with widened lobe-like apex laterally ( Fig. 16 ). Gonopore subapical, with two basal processes. Style with asymmetrical apophysis strongly bent outwards ( Fig. 17 ).

Body length (including tegmina): ♂, 3.7–4.1 mm; ♀, 4.8–5.2 mm.

Hosts. In steppes and semi-deserts, on Agropyron spp.

Calling signal. Signals of seven males from the environs of Altynemel Village , 45 km east of Zharkent along the road to Saryozek, Southern Kazakhstan were recorded on 11. VI. 2019 at 22 oC .

Calling signal has a duration of about 7–15 s and is a succession of syllables following each other with a period of 1– 1.5 s ( Figs. 40–42 ). Each syllable begins with a succession of short pulses repeating at a rate of about 70–80/s in our recordings ( Figs. 54–57 ). Then 5–8 longer pulses repeating at a rate of about 20–25/s follow. Pulses are often merged with each other and are partially indistinguishable.

Distribution. Described from Southern European Russia, Sarepta, presently, environs of Volgograd, Lower Volga Region ( Fieber, 1885). Widespread in steppes and semi-deserts of Southeastern Europe, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia.

Figures

FIGURES 1–15. Taurotettix spp., subgenital plates (1–2) and lateral view (3–15). 1, 3―T. (T.) beckeri, 4–7―T. (C.) modesta, 2, 8–11―T. (C.) elegans elegans, 12–15―T. (C.) elegans subornata. 3–8, 10–12, 14–15―males, 9, 13―females. Localities are given under the figures for taxa distributed in multiple regions.

FIGURES 16–39. Taurotettix spp., male genitalia. 16–17―T. (T.) beckeri, 18–27―T. (C.) modesta, 28–33―T. (C.) elegans elegans, 34–39―T. (C.) elegans subornata. 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38―penis, lateral view, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39―style, dorsal view. Localities are given under the figures for taxa distributed in multiple regions.

FIGURES 40–53. Taurotettix spp., male calling signal oscillograms, general view at low speed. 40–42―T. (T.) beckeri, 43– 48―T. (C.) modesta, 49–53―T. (C.) elegans elegans. Faster oscillograms of the parts of signals indicated as “54–69” are given under the same numbers. Scale mark at the bottom is the same for all oscillograms.

FIGURES 54–69. Taurotettix spp., male calling signal oscillograms, parts of signals at high speed. 54–57―T. (T.) beckeri, 58–62―T. (C.) modesta, 63–69―T. (C.) elegans elegans. Scale mark at the bottom is the same for all oscillograms.