Typophyllum mortuifolium Walker 1870

Braun, Holger, 2015, Little walking leaves from southeast Ecuador: biology and taxonomy of Typophyllum species (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Pterochrozinae), Zootaxa 4012 (1), pp. 1-32 : 22-23

Typophyllum mortuifolium Walker 1870

( Figs. 17 , 18 )

Typophyllum lunatum Pictet 1888 (syn. in Xiberras & Ducaud 2014b)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:5471

T. mortuifolium: Walker 1870: 466 ( T. mortuifolia ), Kirby 1906: 350 ( Mimetica mortuifolia ), Vignon 1925a: 277, Vignon 1931 ( T. mortuifolia ): 143, Beier 1960: 369, Leroy 1985: 1063 ( T. mortuifolia ), Morris et al. 1989: 233, Xiberras & Ducaud 2014b: 228; T. lunatum: Pictet 1888: 27 , Vignon 1925a: 279, Braun 2008: 220, and other references.

Examined specimens: female cbt006s01, Reserva Biológica San Francisco, 1810 m, 8 May 1999 (sitting on a fern leaf); female cbt006s02, Alto Nangaritza, 1300–1430 m, 9 April 2009 (collected as subadult), both leg. H. Braun; photo of male from Maralí, 820 m (May 2012, A. González); three specimens borrowed from University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: male from Ecuadorian Amazon: Pompeya, island at Napo Jivino river junction (Provincia de Orellana), May 1925, leg. L.E. Peña; male and female from central Peru: Dept. Huánuco, Tinga María, 650 m, 7 April 1963, leg. T.H. Hubbell & L.E. Peña (photos of additional UMMZ specimens in OSF).

Description. The only remaining member of fourth group according to Vignon (1925a), characterized by radial vein of tegmina slightly curving downward from base to tip (or forward when spread). In both sexes the tegmina have a shallow distal emargination at the lower margin. Females often bear a ring of transparent patches in the costal area ( Fig. 18 ). In the smaller males the dorsal (anal) margin is much more curved than in females (photos in OSF). The speculum is translucent. In the only female specimen found as adult in the investigation area, the large distal spine of the fore femur is lobiform and almost perpendicular ( Fig. 17 A,C), which seems to be an abnormal state. Usually it is more spiniform and directed ventrally like the other spines. The prosternum is spineless, meso- and metasterum bear small spines.

Coloration. Light green, legs sometimes light brown, tegminal margin at distal emargination as well as margin of transparent windows in tegmina brownish.

Measurements. Tegmen length in males 20–25 mm and in females 34–39 mm, hind femora in males 14–16 mm and in females 19–26 mm.

Acoustic behaviour. Producing squeaky chirps in the audio range, which can be repeated over several minutes without pause ( Morris et al. 1989). Individual chirps consist of two sustained sinusoidal pulses, and the spectrum shows a very narrow peak at 9.4 kHz (op. cit.).

Mating behaviour. Also performing precopulatory riding of the smaller male on the female, sitting sidewise on one tegmen, as in the other species ( Nickle & Castner 1995c, photo by R. Oelman).

Distribution. Andean foothills and Amazon region of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and northern Brazil. Based on acoustic records very common in the Ecuadorian Amazon ( Morris et al. 1989).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Typophyllum mortuifolium: female, A. habitus (tegmen length 36.5 mm); B. left tegmen; C. right fore femur in dorso-lateral and dorsal view; D. right middle femur, lateral view (cbt 006 s 01).

FIGURE 18. Typophyllum mortuifolium: female, lateral view (cbt 006 s 01).