Cophogryllus Saussure, 1877

Gorochov, Andrej V. & Mostovski, Mike B., 2008, Apterous crickets of the tribe Gryllini from South Africa and Namibia (Orthoptera: Gryllidae), African Invertebrates 49 (1), pp. 109-109 : 117

Genus Cophogryllus Saussure, 1877

Type species: Cophogryllus delalandi Saussure, 1877 (probably only Western Cape) .

Remarks: The genus is similar and probably most closely related to Kurtguentheria , but clearly differs from the latter in the structure of male genitalia (see remarks on Kurtguentheria above). The structure of the body in different species of Cophogryllus is more uniform with regard to body size and ovipositor length (the ovipositor is significantly longer than the hind femur in all species with known females) than in Kurtguentheria . However, the male genitalia in Cophogryllus are somewhat more variable than in the latter genus: the first ectoparameres in one of species are provided with an additional articulated process ( Figs 15–17 : p); the lateral apodemes of the endoparameres can be distinctly developed ( Fig. 25 ) or strongly reduced ( Figs 20, 22 ); there are also great differences in the position of the rami ( Figs 20, 22 , 25 ) and the shape of some other structures. Coloration in Cophogryllus is more-or-less spotted, varying from moderately light to rather dark.

Species included: Type species ( Figs 21, 22 ); C. brevicauda (Karny, 1910) ( Namibia: Kamaggas) ( Figs 18–20 ); C. maculatus Chopard, 1955 [possibly only Western Cape; the assignment of a female from “Natal” to this species ( Chopard, 1955) is problematical] ( Figs 15–17 ); C. pietersburgi sp. n. ( Figs 23–25 ); possibly C. zoutpansbergi Otte, 1987 (Limpopo Prov.: Soutpansberg) ( Figs 26–28 ). The inclusion of the latter species in the genus is questionable, as its ectoparameres have been inadequately studied, and the structure of the endoparameres is unknown. Some other African species, included in this genus by Chopard (1967), are only described for females ( C. boromensis Brancsik, 1897 from the region of Zambezi R.; C. fulvus Chopard, 1927 from Tanzania; C. kivuensis Chopard, 1951 from the environs of Kivu L.). Their generic position can only be clarified after a study of additional material.

Figures

Figs 15–22. Cophogryllus, _: (15–17) C. maculatus (17, after Otte 1987), genitalia dorsally (15), their distal half ventrally (16) and laterally (17); (18–20) C. brevicauda (after Gorochov 1996), genitalia dorsally (18), ventrally (19) and laterally (20); (21, 22) C. delalandi (21, after Chopard 1955; 22, after Randell 1964), distal half of genitalia dorsally (21), genitalia laterally (22). Abbreviations: (a) apodeme of spermatophore sac, (p) additional articulated process of first ectoparamere, (pa) proximal apodeme of endoparameres; others as in Figs 1–5.

Figs 23–31. Cophogryllus and Acophogryllus, _: (23–25) C. pietersburgi sp. n., genitalia dorsally (23), ventrally (24) and laterally (25); (26–28) C.? zoutpansbergi (after Otte 1987), distal part of genitalia dorsally (26) and ventrally (27), genitalia laterally (28); (29–31) A. schultzei (after Gorochov 1996), genitalia dorsally (29), ventrally (30) and laterally (31).Abbreviations: (ec) ectoparamere; others as in Figs 1–5 and 15–22.