Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, 1838

Hugel, Sylvain, 2009, Gryllacrididae and Tettigoniidae (Insecta, Orthoptera, Ensifera) from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, Zoosystema 31 (3), pp. 525-576 : 552-553

Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, 1838 ( Figs 11A ; 15B, C )

Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, 1838: 690 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Gracilis Java. MB [manuscript]; probably type of Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, 1838 det. S. Ingrisch 2001 [printed]; DORSA, ATphagraS01 [printed], ♀ syntype ( MLUH). Not examined. — Gracilis Java. MB [manuscript] ; probably type of Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, 1838 det. S. Ingrisch 2001 [printed]; DORSA, ATphagraS01 [printed], ♂ syntype ( MLUH). Not examined .

TYPE LOCALITY. — Tropical Asia, Malesia, Java.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Vanuatu. (1 ♂, 2 ♀♀), Sanma Province, Espiritu Santo Isl., Luganville, site du CTRAV, 15°27’00”S, 167°12’26”E, 10 m alt., zone herbacée, nuit, Exped. Santo 2006, 12.X.2006, coll. T. Robillard, 1 ♀ (SH-046) (MNHN-ENSIF2198). — Same locality, sur graminées 80 cm de haut, Exped. Santo 2006, 29.X.2006, coll. S. Hugel, 1 ♀ (SH-047) (MNHN-ENSIF2199). — Same locality, sur graminées 80 cm de haut, enregistré, Exped.Santo 2006, 29.X.2006, coll.S. Hugel, ♂ (SH-048) (MNHN-ENSIF2200).

DISTRIBUTION. — Phaneroptera gracilis is widely distributed in the World tropical areas ( Ragge 1956). To our knowledge, this species is recorded for the first time in Vanuatu. Th is observation constitutes the eastern most locality of the species.

HABITAT AND LIFE HISTORY TRAITS. — Phaneroptera gracilis has only been found in a man made opened area, with only tall grasses (entirely lacking ligneous plants).

DESCRIPTION COMPLEMENT

Stridulatory file:With 88 lamellar teeth; with usual “S” shape in the genus: 44 wide and widely spaced proximal teeth, 44 small and shortly spaced distal teeth ( Fig. 11A ).

CALLING SONG ( FIG. 15B, C )

One male has been recorded and IR filmed in the field (SH-048, MNHN-ENSIF2200). At 28°C, the call of this species consists of irregular widely spaced (90 s) echemes.Individual echemes last 0.9- 1.6 s and consists of 12-17 syllables. Th e calling frequency first harmonic peaks in the ultrasound range (c. 22 kHz; many Lebinthus sp. and Conocephalus sp. songs are covering the recording, preventing a more precise analysis).

Figures

FIG. 11. — A-E, SEM pictures of stridulatory files; F-H, right femur III in side views;A, Phaneroptera gracilis Burmeister, 1838; B, H, Conocephalus upoluensis (Karny,1907);C, G, C. semivittatus vittatus (Redtenbacher, 1891); D, F, C. oceanicus (Le Guillou, 1841);E, Pseudorhynchus lessonii Serville,1838.Scale bars:A-E, 100 μm; F-H, 10 mm.

FIG. 15.— Calling songs:A, Ityocephala francoisi Bolívar,1903 specimen MNHN-ENSIF2188,20H30,21°C,2 m high,Cardiodactylus sp. (Eneopterinae cricket) and Salomona redtenbacheri Brongniart,1897 are singing around (grey); B, C, Phaneroptera gracilis (Burmeister, 1838),the specimen MNHN-ENSIF2200 has been IR filmed in order to distinguish its call (black) from the other calls (Conocephalus sp.and crickets,in grey) 0H30,20°C; D, Furnia insularis (Stål, 1876),the specimen MNHN-ENSIF2311 has been IR filmed in order to distinguish its calls (arrows) from the background calls (Cardiodactylus sp. and Salomona redtenbacheri, see Fig. 20) 20H00, 21°C, 3 m from the specimen; E, Pseudorhynchus lessonii Serville, 1838, specimen MNHN-ENSIF2282, 19H40, 22°C. All songs recorded in situ.