Gymnobothrus levipes abbreviatus (Chopard, 1921), stat. n. et

Popov †, George B., Fishpool, Lincoln D. C. & Rowell, C. Hugh F., 2019, A review of the Acridinae s. str. (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Acrididae) of eastern Africa with taxonomic changes and description of new taxa, Journal of Orthoptera Research 28 (2), pp. 37-105 : 76-78

Gymnobothrus levipes abbreviatus (Chopard, 1921), stat. n. et comb. n. Figs 265-271

Phloeobida abbreviata Chopard, 1921: 48-50, figs 28, 29

Phloeochopardia abbreviata (Dirsh, 1958)

Gymnobothroides keniensis Johnston, 1937 syn. n.

Material.

-KENYA: (as Brit. E. Africa), Nairobi, 1 male, 1 female types of Phloeobida abbreviata Chopard 1921 (MNHN). 1 male, 3 females, types of Gymnobothroides keniensis Mt. Kenya, (above 8,000', 2440 m) (NHMUK); Brit. E. Africa, 1 male, Karati Kikuya; 1 female, Ngalano, (Gregory Coll. 94-94), both bearing Ramme, det. " Chortoicetes levipes "; Kijabe section, Kikuyu Escarpment, 8200' (2500 m), VI; Nairobi, Sigiri For. Res. Stn., Limuru rd 5350', XI; E.A.A.F.R.O" Muguga, 14 mi. N. Nairobi, 6800' (2070 m), V. Limuru, VI; Nairobi, Balmoral/Ngong rd. 01°17'S 36°45'E, 5500' (1675 m); Nara Moru 00°9'S 37°02'E, 6000' (1830 m), III; 49 kms. N.W. Nairobi, hillside forest path, VI; 1°23'N 36°38'E, grass/bush/shrubs, IV; S. side of Mt. Kenya, Ragati For. Res. XII; Limuru, VI; Nakuru rd., Kenya Nat. Agric. Inst. relict forest, I; Kitibo Coffee Est., Makuyu 00°53'S, 37°17'E, 1550 m, IV; 48 km E Makutano, 5600' (1705 m) Ficus forest, IX; homotypes P. abbreviata Chopard, Karen-Ngong rd, forest, II; homotypes of G. keniensis Johnston; Thika rd. 38°41'E 00°44 'S, 8400' (2560 m) grassland and degraded forest; Ngong hills, 8000' (2440 m), V; Mfunguni hill, Tulia, Kitui, 01°12'S, 38°02'E, Combretum - Commiphora - Acacia woodland; Ol Donyo Sapuk, nr. mt. summit, 7040', 01°08'S, 37°15'E, V, cleared bush; Chyulu hills, 38 kms E. of Makutano 4900' (1495 m), forest on old lava mountain, savanna/woodland mosaic, IX; Karen, XI; Ngong hills, 7000' (2135 m), XI; between Nairobi and Limuru, VIII; Karura forest, VII; Mt. Kenya, VIII–X; Kabete, nr. Nairobi, IV.

Description.

-Synonymy and recognition as above. Size small; see measurements in Table 9; of medium build; integument rugulose, shiny. Antennae short, incrassate, flattened and often weakly expanded basally, barely as long as head and pronotum in male, distinctly shorter and more slender in female. Frontal ridge narrow, sulcate, narrowed at junction with fastigium, divergent below ocellus. Fastigium of vertex moderately concave, elongate-parabolic in male, rounded in female, margins low but distinct; medial carinula distinct sometimes continuing onto occiput, transverse sulcus very weak; fastigial rim narrow. Foveolae weak, often as disjunct scattered pits of varying size, occasionally coalescing into an elongate shallow depression, usually open towards antennal socket. Pronotum somewhat constricted in middle, expanding caudad; typical sulcus strong, others weak or obsolete; medial carina broad, occasionally very narrowly divided lengthways, especially in females; lateral carinae strong, roundly converging towards first sulcus, broadly diverging thereafter, but incurving and weakening or disappearing towards the rear of metazona (latter a little more than half length of prozona, its hind margin broadly emarginate (Figs 268, 269)). Tegmina scale-like, convex, with raised callose veins, about as long as, or very slightly longer than, pronotum; width little more than half their length (Fig. 265). External and internal genital structures typical for group, without marked distinctive features. Hind femora of moderate build, length-width ratio about 4. General coloration striped and marbled in cryptic shades of browns and greys, usually paler dorsally with a more or less marked broad lateral dark fascia extending from antennal socket across genae, upper half of lateral pronotal lobes to pleurae and on to sides of abdomen, where pigmentation often becomes more intense; underside pale ochraceous-yellow, more brightly so in males; femora brownish-rusty-brown above, paler below, with lower area orange-yellow; hind tibiae brownish, with inner face darker.

Discussion.

-Color pattern and morphology seem to vary with habitat terrain, as follows: Chyulu hills with forest on old lava, savanna/woodland mosaic (very rugose and exceptionally dark, frontal ridge broad, sulcate, foveolae narrow, crescentic, antennae rather long and dilated at base); Ol Donyo Sapuk, near mountain summit, cleared bush (frontal ridge deeply sulcate, foveolae large, strong); Nakuru Rd. relict forest (strongly rugose and pitted; frontal ridge moderately sulcate, with wavy margins, foveolae weak, coloration brown-stramineous to blackish-brown); 49 km. NW Nairobi, hillside, forest path (occiput, disc of pronotum and anal area of tegmina with greenish pigmentation); Naro Moru (more robust, distinct temporal foveolae and straighter pronotal carinae; brighter coloration; larger (male 13-14 mm) and generally paler, more brightly colored specimens; frontal ridge less sulcate); Ki kuyu Escarpment - small, dark specimens (close match of types of keniensis Johnston and abbreviata Chopard).

The two specimens in the NHMUK det. ' Chortoicetes levipes Karsch’ by Ramme, in very poor condition, both from KENYA, are misidentifications; they closely resemble the types of Gymnobothroides keniensis Johnston, 1937 (NHMUK), which themselves are junior synonyms of Phloeochopardia abbreviata (Dirsh, 1958) (= Phloeobida abbreviata Chopard, 1921, types (MNHN) examined).

There is some geographical and ecological variation; as a rule, specimens from altitudes above about 7000' (2135 m) tend to be smaller and darker with a more rugulose and sculptured integument than those from lower altitudes. Some of the latter, particularly from southern Kenya towards Tanzanian border, exhibit clinal changes towards G. l. levipes , (e.g. in their larger size and longer, more slender antennae).

Distribution.

-KENYA.