Phlesirtes merumontanus ( Sjöstedt, 1909 ), Sjostedt, 1909

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 : 470-471

Phlesirtes merumontanus ( Sjöstedt, 1909)

( Fig. 1 ; Fig. 5 . J; Fig. 12 B–D; Fig. 13 C, D; Fig. 14 ; Fig. 16 ) http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:16427

Type: Xiphidion merumontanum , male. Depository : Naturhistoriska Rjiksmuseum, Stockholm, Sweden . Locality: Tanzania, Mt Meru (Ngabana).

Measurements male (mm) (N=6). Length of body 9.0–12.8 (mean: 10.0), length of pronotum 4.4–5.1 (mean: 4.7), length of anterior femur 2.1–2.6 (mean: 2.3), length of posterior femur 9.0–10.0 (mean: 9.6), visible part of elytra from above 0.6–1.2 (mean: 1.0).

Measurements female (mm) (N=6). Length of body 9.3–12.8 (mean: 11.9), length of pronotum 3.8–4.4 (mean: 4.1), length of anterior femur 2.5–2.7 (mean: 2.6), length of posterior femur 10.0–11.0 (mean: 10.4), ovipositor 10.4–10.6 (mean: 10.5).

Habitat. Colline to montane zone on Mt Meru ( Sjöstedt 1909); on forest clearings and along forest paths from about 1700 m up to 2700 m in grassy patches within shrubland on the eastern slopes of Mt Meru. Montane grasslands and forest clearings on the Monduli Range. Montane grasslands on Mt Kitumbeine. Montane grasslands and forest clearings on southern, western and northern slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro at altitudes of 1700–2000 m. Reaches sometimes very high abundancies on montane meadows.

Diagnosis. Predominantly with light and dark brown colour pattern, pronotal lobes and part of the legs green ( Fig. 14 A–C), a typical colour pattern of many Phlesirtes species. One of three Phlesirtes species with a median depression on the 10th abdominal tergite. Differentiated by the posterior margin of the subgenital plate which is roundly incised while it is straight in P. kilimontanus n. sp. and v-shaped incised in P. timboroa n. sp. (see key). Females of P. merumontanus ( Fig. 14 C) with a shield-like subgenital plate as typical for many Phlesirtes species ( Fig. 5 J). Nymphs already with typical colour pattern of Phlesirtes ( Fig. 14 D) but more black and white striped which is also seen in most other nymphs of Phlesirtes species.

Distribution. Tanzania, Mt Meru ( Sjöstedt 1909), Mt Kitumbeine, Monduli Range, Mt Kilimanjaro.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Oscillograms of 1 - s-sections of the song of continuously singing Phlesirtes species.

FIGURE 5. Subgenital plates of female Phlesirtes species A – N and O. Lateral view on ovipositor of P. gladiolus n. sp. A. P. chyuluensis n. sp. B. P. elgonensis n. sp. C. P. gladiolus n. sp. D. P. hanangensis n. sp. E. P. keniensis n. sp. F. P. kinangopa n. sp. G. P. laikipiaensis n. sp. H. P. limuru n. sp. I. P. melanocercus n. sp. J. P. merumontanus, northern Kilimanjaro K. P. ngongensis n. sp. L. P. ngorongoroensis n. sp. M. P. nou n. sp. N. P. timboroa n. sp.

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 13. Detail images of last abdominal tergites and cerci of male Phlesirtes species. A, B. P. melanocercus n. sp. C, D. P. merumontanus, Monduli Range E, F. P. ngongensis n. sp. G, H. P. ngorongoroensis n. sp. I, J. P. nou n. sp. K, L. P. timboroa n. sp.

FIGURE 14. Phlesirtes merumontanus (Sjöstedt) A. Male from grasslands of the montane zone on the southern slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro, Machame area B, C. Male (B) and female (C) from the northern slopes at 1800 m on the northern slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro, Mosha Farm D. Last instar of male P. merumontanus, Mosha Farm, northern slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro.

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