Aiolopus strepens (Latreille, 1804)

Usmani, Mohammad Kamil, 2008, A new species of the genus Aiolopus Fieber (Oedipodinae: Acrididae) from Libya, Insecta Mundi 2008 (41), pp. 1-14 : 7-9

Aiolopus strepens (Latreille, 1804)

( Fig. 4 )

Acrydium strepens Latreille, 1804: 154 .

Gryllus prasinus Thunberg, 1815: 239 ( Hollis 1968: 327) .

Acridium vittatum Brulle, 1840: 78 ( Finot 1895: 422) .

Aiolopus strepens (Latreille, 1804) ; Fieber 1853: 100.

Aiolopus strepens (Latreille, 1804) ; Hollis 1968: 327.

Description. Male: Size medium; integument moderately rugose; antennae 22-24 segmented, shorter than head and pronotum together; fastigium of vertex pentagonal, slightly concave, hardly longer than wide; fastigial foveolae trapezoidal, very shallow; frontal ridge flat or convex, sparsely punctured, gradually narrowing upwards; eyes ellipsoid, almost twice as long as wide; pronotum subtectiform, rather flat, prozona not constricted medially; metazona less than twice as long as prozona, posterior margin narrowly obtuse-angular; mesosternal interspace rectangular, slightly broader than long; tegmina relatively short and broad, exceeding apex of hind femur; hind wings hyaline, smoked towards apex; hind femur broad, less than three and a half times as long as wide; hind tibia as long as hind femur, with 10 outer and 11 inner spines, inner apical spurs slightly more than one and a half times as long as outer half; arolium about half length of claw.

Genitalia. Supra-anal plate elongate-angular, lateral margins curved in the middle, apex obtusely conical; cercus broad, with broadly rounded apex ( Fig. 4G ). Subgenital plate ( Fig. 4H ) short, sub- with apex bluntly rounded. Epiphallus ( Fig. 4E ), bridge narrow and undivided; ancorae broad and curved with slightly blunt tips; in the form of lobes; lateral plates and their anterior projections prominent and well developed, posterior projections elongate-angular. Aedeagus ( Fig. 4F ), apical valve curved upward, much narrower and shorter than basal valve, apex pointed.

General coloration. Uniformly brown or green to uniformly green; pronotum usually unicolorous, disc brown but sometimes with median longitudinal stripes which may extend upto vertex; tegmina with pale basal transverse fascia which extends either as far as medial vein or as far as first vannal vein; hind wings hyaline, base often green bluish, darkened apically; hind femur brown with testaceous spots, blackish at upper surface, reddish on inner surface; hind tibia red with light brown condyle, with basal onefourth ochraceous or pinkish, apical three-fourths red, separated by a narrow, incomplete black band.

Female. Similar to male but larger and more robust, frequently green.

Genitalia: Supra-anal plate short, wide, as long as wide, apex obtusely-conical; cercus broad, about twice as long as wide, with obtuse apex ( Fig. 4A ). Subgenital plate ( Fig. 4B ), posterior margin wavy, slightly convex in middle, setose marginally, Jannone’s organs streaked; egg-guide uniformly broad, two and a half times as long as wide. Spermatheca ( Fig. 4C ), apical diverticulum short, not developed, preapical diverticulum broad and sac-like. Ovipositor ( Fig. 4D ), valves elongate, moderately robust, acute, curved and slightly shorter than lateral apodeme; dorsal valve moderately broad, three times as long as wide, apical tip elongate-narrow and pointed, external edge tuberculate, dorsal condyle much prominent; ventral valve with slope moderately concave, apical tip long, curved and pointed, mesial tooth distinct, basal sclerite narrow and punctate, setose apically; mesial valve with apical tip blunt.

Variation. Measurements (length in mm): Body, male 17.7-23.7, female 22.7-32.0; pronotum, male 3.9- 5.0, female 4.5-7.0; tegmina, male 16.7-23.6, female 19.6-30.9; hind femur, male 11.3-14.8; female 13.4- 19.2.

Material examined. Material deposited in Zoology Museum, Sebha University , Brack , Libya: Al Shati Region: Ashkidah, 2 female, on alfalfa, 21.xi.1992 ; Agar , 1 female, on wild grass, 29.x.1992 ; Brack H.I. T., 1 female, on cotton, 24.xi.1992 ; Mahruqah , 1 female, on alfalfa, 2.xii.1992 ; Qardah , 1 female, on barley, 15.xii.1992 ; Ququm , 2 male, 3 female, on alfalfa, 1 female, on millet, 29.x.1993 ; Tamzawah , 1 female,on alfalfa, 4.xi.1992 ; Tarut , 1 male, 7 female, on alfalfa, 6.xii.1992 ; Zahra , 2 female, on grass, 15.xii.1992 ; Zalwaz , 2 male, on alfalfa, 15.v.1993 . Ghat Region: Al Barkat , 2 male, 3 female, on millet, 19.vii.1995 ; Ghat, 3 male, 4 female, on grass/grape, 18.vii.1993 . Murzuk region: Al Qatrun , 4 male, on vegetable, 15.v.1993 ; Al Sbitat , 1 male, 1 female, on bean, 23.vi.1993 ; Bani-Hilal , 1 female, on alfalfa, 17.vi.1993 ; Edlem , 3 female, on vegetable, 27.vi.1993 ; Majdul , 1male, on vegetable, 15.v.1993 ; Makhaten , 2 male, 1 female, on grass & dry millet, 27.vi.1993 ; Marhaba , 5 male, 2 female, on alfalafa, 11.xii.1993 ; Misquwin , 2 male, 1 female, on grass, 8.i.1994 ; Murzuq, 23 male, 14 female, on water melon, 5.v.1993 ; Tsawah , 4 male, 1 female, on grass, 11.xii.1993 ; Zuwaylah , 3 male, 2 female, on alfalfa & grass, 8.i.1994 ; Haj- Hujeil , 2 male, 2 female, on alfalfa, 27.iv.1993 . Sebha Region: Al Zighan , 2 male, 5 female, on cotton and wild grass, 18.v.1994 ; Ghodwa , 2 male, 1 female, on wild grass, 13.iv.1993 ; Samnu , 2 male, 3 female, on millet, 18.v.1994 ; Sebha, 3 male, 8 female, on alfalfa/grass, 18.vi.1995 ; Tamanhent , 2 male, 3 female, on alfalfa/barley, 18.v.1994 . Wadi Haya Region: Al Abyad , 11 male, 9 female, on grass/vegetable, 2.xi.1992 ; Al Garaya , 3 male, 10 female, on barley and wild grass 7.xi.1992 ; Al Hamarah , 3 female, on alfalfa, 2.xi.1992 ; Khalayf , 4 male, 11 female, on groundnut, 16.xi.1992 ; Ben Hareth , 3 male, 6 female, on grape & onion, 16.xi.1992 ; Bint Bayyah , 1 female, on carrot, 16.xi.1992 ; Gragara , 2 female, on onion, 27.xi.1992 ; Tkerkibah , 1 male, 2 female, on groundnut, 7.xii.1992 ; Jarmah, 2 male, 4 female, on vegetable, 15.xi.92; Al Breek , 1 female, on wild grass, 15.xii.92; Arragabah, 1 male, 3 female, on barley, 15.xi.1992 ; Awbari , 2 male, 2 female, on alfalfa/barley, 30.i.1993 ; Al Hatiyah , 1 female, on broad bean, 15.ii.1993 .

Material from Libya preserved in Italian Museums listed by Massa (1998): Gatrun XII.32, LC (0/1); Brach IX.32, LC (0/1); Murzuk 16.VIII.33, EZ (0/1); Ubari X. 32, LC(1/0); Um el Araneb XII.32, LC (0/1); Buema VI . 31 (0/1); Bengasi, EF (0/1) ( MSNG); Bengasi 27.VIII.23, GK (0/1); Derna 15.VII.24, GK (0/1) ( MZUR) .

Libyan localities. CYRENAICA: Ain Mara, Barca, Bardia, Bengasi, Cufra, Derna, Gialo, Marada, Marmarica, Merg, Tolmetta, Wadi Derna, Wadi Kuf. TRIPOLITANIA: Ain Zara, Endschilla (Engila), Mellaha, Tripoli. FEZZAN: Al Abyad, Al Barkat, Al Breek, Al Garaya, Al Hamarah, Al Hatiyah, Al Qatrun, Al Sbitat, Al Zighan, Agar, Arragabah, Ashkidah, Awbari, Bani Hilal, Ben Hareth, Brak, Gragara, Haj Hujeil, Jarmah, Khalayf, Mahruqah, Majdul, Makhten, Marhaba, Misquwin, Murzuq, Qardah, Ququm, Samnu, Sebha, Tamanhant, Tamzawah, Tarut, Tkerkibah, Traghan, Tsawah, Zahra, Zalwaz, Zuwaylah .

Distribution: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy (Sardinia, Sicily), Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Pakistan, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain (Canary Is., Madeira), Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, the former Yugoslavia (COPR 1982).

Remarks. The range of this species covers most of the Mediterranean region and it is distributed widely in Libya and in the neighboring North African countries, and Europe. It was previously recorded from Libya by Werner (1908), Ghigi (1913), Giglio-Tos (1923), Salfi (1925, 1927a, b, 1935a, b) and Hollis (1968). It is reported from Fezzan by Salfi (1935a) and Ajaili et al. (1989).

Figures

Figure 4. Aiolopus strepens (Latreille). A) Female supra-anal plate and cerci. B) Female subgenital plate. C) Spermatheca. D) Ovipositor. E) Epiphallus. F) Aedeagus. G) Male supra-anal plate and cerci. H) Male subgenital plate