Phlesirtes kilimontanus Hemp

Hemp, Claudia & Heller, Klaus-Gerhard, 2017, The genus Phlesirtes Bolivar, 1922 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae, Conocephalini; Karniellina), a review of the genus with data on its bioacoustics and the description of new species, Zootaxa 4244 (4), pp. 451-477 : 466

Phlesirtes kilimontanus Hemp n. sp.

( Fig. 12 A; Fig. 16 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:496068

Holotype male. Tanzania, Mt Kilimanjaro, Oloitokitok Route , upper montane zone, grasslands, 2650 m, September 2009. Depository MfN.

Paratypes. 1 female, same data as holotype. Depository MfN.

Additional material examined. All Tanzania, Kilimanjaro, northern slopes, Oloitokitok Route. 1 male, 2 females, 1 female nymph, same data as holotype but July 2007 . 2 female, forest clearing 2130 m, July 2002. 1 female, grassland 2550 m July 2002. Collection C Hemp.

Description. Male. Mix of brown and green but with generally more green. Abdomen. Last abdominal tergite with median depression. Inner branch of male cerci twisted at tip, tip long and acute. Space between processes of 10th abdominal tergite rhombic ( Fig. 12 A).

Female. Ovipositor typical for Phlesirtes , straight and about body length. Subgenital plate shield-like, similar as in P. chyuluensis n. sp. or P. elgonensis n. sp.

Measurements male (mm) (N=2). Length of body 7.5–8.5, length of pronotum 3.6–3.9, length of anterior femur 8.2–9.0, length of posterior femur 1.8–2.2, visible part of elytra from above 0.8–0.9.

Measurements female (mm) (N=3). Length of body 9.0–9.5, length of pronotum 2.9–3.2, length of anterior femur 9.2–9.8, length of posterior femur 2.0–2.2, ovipositor 9.2–9.5.

Diagnosis. The smallest Phlesirtes species at present. Characterized by a median depression on the 10th abdominal tergite. This character is shared with P. merumontanus which is larger though and generally has a pattern of more brown and less green. The posterior margin of the subgenital plate is roundly incised in P. merumontanus while it is almost straight in P. kilimontanus n. sp. P. timboroa n. sp. also has a median depression on the 10th abdominal tergite. The posterior margin of the subgenital plate is v-shaped incised in this species and it is restricted to the Kenyan highlands around Eldoret. Fig. 12 gives an overview of P. merumontanus from different localities in northern Tanzania and P. kilimontanus n. sp. only found in the upper montane and subalpine zone of Mt Kilimanjaro.

Habitat and distribution. Montane and subalpine grasslands on the northern slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro in altitudes between 2600 m and 2800 m.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Abdominal apices of male P. kilimontanus n. sp. (A) and P. merumontanus from different localities in northern Tanzania B. Siha, 1800 m, western side Mt Kilimanjaro C. Mosha Farm, 1800 m, northern slopes Mt Kilimanjaro D. Mt Meru, upper montane zone 2500 m.

FIGURE 16. Distribution of Phlesirtes species in East Africa with major mountains and mountain ranges indicated.