Mormotus

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 : 18-19

51. Mormotus (?) erectistylus Karsch, 1896

( Figs. 1 F–I; 6E–F; 13C–D)

This species has a somewhat confusing taxonomic history. Karsch (1896), described Mormotus erectistylus based on single male specimen from Togo. Griffini (1908) described a new species Tympanocompus erectistylus based on a specimen from Cameroon, and stated “[…]Non ho allontanato da me il dubbio che questa specie non possa essere quella descritta, pure su di un esemplare [male] da Karsch, col nome di Mormotus erctistylus. " (“[…] I have no doubt that this species cannot be the one, described from a male specimen by Karsch under the name Mormotus erectistylus . ”) Despite this statement, and obvious morphological differences included in Griffini’s description, Beier (1962) synonymized both species under the name Tympanocomus erectistylus (Karsch) , and appeared to have based his description on Griffini’s specimen (the most significant difference being the degree of the development of male’s stridulatory organs.) I have not had a chance to examine Griffini’s type specimen of T. erectictylus , but have done so with Karsch’s type of M. erectistylus , and the individuals I collected in Ghana are clearly conspecific with the latter. Until I have a chance to examine the former, I abstain from making any taxonomic changes, and merely redescribe the male based on the new material, and describe the female of Mormotus erectistylus Karsch for the first time.

Description

General. — Body of medium size, robust (figs. 13C–D).

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

Thorax. — Anterior margin of pronotum flat; unarmed. Humeral sinus of pronotum absent; lateral lobe wider than high; marginal fold of pronotum smooth; metazona flat, unarmed; posterior edge of metazona straight. Pronotum surface densely granulate. Prosternum with two, widely spaced protuberances; sternum flat.

Legs. — Front tibia unarmed dorsally; front femur armed on anterior margin with 2–3 small spines; tympanum bilaterally closed, with narrow, forward facing slits; genicular lobes of front femur unarmed. Mid tibia unarmed dorsally; slightly thickened in proximal half. Mid femur armed with 3–4 spines on anterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of mid femur armed on inner side. Dorsal spines of hind tibia of equal size on both edges. Hind femur with 5 spines on anterior ventral margin; genicular lobes of hind femur unarmed.

Wings. — Left stridulatory area coriaceous, without mirror (fig. 6E); right stridulatory area with small, circular mirror (fig. 6F); stridulatory file nearly straight, bent in proximal fourth, flat, 1.62–1.8 mm long, 0.175 mm wide, with 114–123 teeth. Tegmen distinctly surpassing apex of abdomen; vein Rs branching off in apical third of tegmen; veins Sc and R close together, parallel along their entire length. Hind wing as long as tegmen.

Abdomen. — Cercus long and slender, bent inwards, unarmed, apex tapered (fig. 1G); 10th tergite enlarged, bulbous and strongly sclerotized; supraanal plate strongly sclerotized and fused with 10th tergite (fig. 1F). Subgenital plate elongate, narrowly trapezoidal; with small, triangular apical incision. Styli thickened apically, distinctly divergent apically (fig. 1H). Female subgenital plate widely triangular, with small, triangular apical incision; posterior lobes acute (fig. 1I).

Ovipositor. — Ovipositor slightly curved, dorsal edge of upper valvula convex in middle, apex pointed; ovipositor shorter than hind femur, apex with upper valvula minutely dentate, lower valvula smooth.

Coloration. — Coloration uniformly light brown; antennae concolorous; eyes with median, horizontal, lighter band; face without darker markings; occiput without markings; pronotum without markings; tegmen without distinct markings; hind wing slightly fumose; femora brown, with green knees, all tibiae green (figs. 13C–D); abdominal sterna without markings; subgenital plate without markings.

Measurements (4 males, 4 females). — body w/wings: male 35–36 (35.3±.5), female 38–45 (42.3±3.1); body w/o wings: male 31–33 (31.8±1), female 28–34 (31.6±2.8); pronotum: male 5–6.5 (6±.7), female 6–7 (6.8±.5); tegmen: male 21–27 (25.1±2.8), female 25–28 (26.3±1.3); hind femur: male 17–18 (17.6±.5), female 17.5–21 (19.2±1.8); ovipositor: 15–17 (16.4±.9) mm.

Material examined. — Ghana: Eastern Region, Ajenjua Bepo Forest Reserve, elev. 300–320 m (6°22'2.3''N, 1°1'58''W), 26–30.viii.2006, leg. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and M. Bakowski (Camp 1)— 2 females, 1 male ( MCZ); Mamang Forest Reserve, elev. 130 m (6°15'1.4''N, 1°2'25.4''W), 30.viii–5.ix.2006, leg. P. Naskrecki, V. Awotwe-Pratt and M. Bakowski (Camp 2)— 1 female, 1 male ( MCZ); Atewa Range, Asiakwa (South), elev. 690 m (6°15'44.3''N, 0°33'18.8''W), 11–16.vi.2006, leg. P. Naskrecki (Camp 2)— 1 female, 2 males ( ANSP); Togo: Misahöhe, (6°57'N, 0°35'0''E), 6/7/1894 — 1 male (holotype) ( ZMHB).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Cymatomera chopardi nom. nov., male: A. head and pronotum, lateral view; B. ditto, dorsal view; C. cerci and subgenital plate, dorsal view; D. subgenital plate, ventral view; E. stridulatory file; Mormotus (?) erecticstylus (Karsch): F. apex of male abdomen, lateral view; G. male cerci, posterior view; H. male subgenital plate; I. female subgenital plate.