Lichenochrus servus Beier, 1954

Naskrecki, Piotr, 2008, Sylvan katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae) of the Guinean Forests of West Africa hotspot: an overview and descriptions of new species, Zootaxa 1712, pp. 1-41 : 15-16

41. Lichenochrus servus Beier, 1954

Known only from the female holotype collected at Hó, Ghana, a locality that has since suffered significant loss of the forest coverage.

42. Mormotus alonsae sp. n. ( Figs. 4 A–H; 9A–B; 14G–H)

Type locality. — GUINEA: Guinee Forestiere, Simandou Mts., nr. Banko, Camp 2 (8°31'29''N, 8°56'12''W), 590–700 m, 3–7.xii.2002, leg. P. Naskrecki—male holotype ( ANSP)

Differential diagnosis. — Similar to M. ornatus Beier in general appearance and coloration, but differs in the shape of male cercus (apex distinctly bent downwards in M. alonsae ), the coloration of the subgenital plate and abdominal sterna in both sexes (the subgenital plate and sterna with distinct, dark markings in M. alonsae ; no markings in M. ornatus ), and the shape of the ovipositor, which is distinctly more slender in M. alonsae than M. ornatus . From M. clavaticercus it differs in the shape of the male cercus and distinctly more slender appearance.

General. — Body of medium size, slender (figs. 14G–H).

Head. — Antennae about twice as long as body; antennal scapus with apical spine. Fastigium of vertex triangular, not reaching apex of antennal sockets; grooved dorsally. Frons flat.

Thorax. — Humeral sinus of pronotum absent; lateral lobe wider than high; metazona flat; posterior edge of metazona straight; pronotum surface weakly granulate. Prosternum armed with two short, widely spaced spines.

Legs. — Front tibia unarmed dorsally; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed; genicular lobes of mid femur armed on inner side; mid tibia with 2 small spines dorsally; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed.

Wings. — Hind wing as long as tegmen; left stridulatory area coriaceous, without mirror (fig. 9A); right stridulatory area with small, roughly circular mirror (fig. 9B); stridulatory file nearly straight, bent in proximal forth, flat, with 147–160 lamelliform teeth, 1.73–2.1 mm long, 0.14–0.17 mm wide (n=2) (fig. 4E); tegmen distinctly surpassing apex of abdomen; vein Rs branching off slightly past middle of tegmen; veins Sc and R parallel along their entire length (fig. 4H).

Abdomen. — Supraanal plate small, triangular; cercus unarmed, bent invards (fig. 4B) and downwards (fig. 4C) in apical fourth, apex slightly thickened; subgenital plate with small, triangular apical incision (fig. 4D). Stylus cylindrical, about 4 times as long as wide. Female subgenital plate narrowly triangular, with small apical incision (fig. 4G).

Ovipositor. — Apex with upper valvula dentate, lower valvula smooth, pointed; dorsal edge of upper valvula sligthly convex in middle; ovipositor straight, slightly shorter than hind femur (ratio hind femur/ovipositor 1.06) (fig. 4F).

Coloration. — Coloration brown, elytra with dark blotches along R and M; stridulatory area of male dark brown, distinctly darker than rest of tegmen; face with dark markings (fig. 4A); genae sometimes dark; hind wing fumose; occiput without markings; tegmen with posterior edge lighter then rest of wing (figs. 14G–H); abdominal sterna with posterior edge black or dark brown; subgenital plate with dark markings in central portion (fig. 4G).

Measurements (3 males, 2 females). — body w/wings: male 36.5–38 (37.3±.8), female 47; body w/o wings: male 30–34 (32.7±2.3), female 32–33 (32.5±.7; pronotum: male 6–6.2 (6.1±.1), female 6.5; tegmen: male 28.2–29.5 (29.1±.8), female 31–32 (31.5±.7); hind femur: male 18–20.5 (19.2±1.3), female 18–20 (19±1.4); ovipositor: female 17–18 (17.5±.7) mm.

Material examined. — Guinea: Guinee Forestiere, Foret Classee Diecke, Camp 1, elev. 450 m (7°35'45''N, 8°52'19''W), 21–25.xi.2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 1 female ( MCZ); Foret Classee Diecke, Camp 2, nr. Yossono, elev. 460 m (7°29'40''N, 8°49'54''W), 26–29.xi.2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 1 male ( MCZ); Mt. Bero, elev. 630 m (8°8'21''N, 8°34'24''W), 2–6.xii.2003, leg. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 2 males (3 paratypes) ( MCZ); Simandou Mts., nr. Banko, Camp 2, elev. 590–700 m (8°31'29''N, 8°56'12''W), 3– 7.xii.2002, leg. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male (holotype, paratype) ( ANSP).

Etymology. — This species is named in honor of Dr. Leeanne Alonso, a prominent conservationist and entomologist, and the head of the Rapid Asessment Program (RAP) of Conservation International.

Natural history. — Individuals of this species were found in both primary and secondary lowland forest, foraging at night on understory vegetation.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Mormotus alonsae sp. nov.: A. female face; B. male cercus, dorsal view; C. male cercus, lateral view; D. male subgenital plate; E. stridulatory file; F. ovipositor; G. female subgenital plate; H. male left tegmen; I. M. clavaticercus Karsch, male cercus; J. M. rastricercus Karsch, male cercus; K. M. ornatus Beier, male cercus.