Taurotettix (Callistrophia) modesta ( Mityaev, 1971 )

Tishechkin, Dmitri Yu., 2021, Review of the genus Taurotettix Haupt, 1929 (Homoptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae: Cicadulini): morphology, acoustic signals, and geographical variability, Zootaxa 5082 (2), pp. 191-199 : 192-197

Taurotettix (Callistrophia) modesta ( Mityaev, 1971)

Figs. 4–7 , 18–27 , 43–48, 58–62

Description. In Southern European Russia yellow or greenish yellow. Forewings usually with darkened apex, with or without hardly distinguishable brownish longitudinal stripes that widen apically ( Figs. 4–5 ). Specimens from Kazakhstan similar to European ones ( Fig. 6 ) or with wide brown longitudinal stripes on forewings ( Fig. 7 ).

Aedeagal shaft with slight curve laterally, sometimes, almost straight medially, apical lobe hook-like ( Figs. 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 ). Style with rounded apophysis ( Figs. 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 ).

Body length (including tegmina): ♂, 4.2–5.4 mm; ♀, 5.4–6.2 mm.

Hosts. Collected from Elytrigia sp. in Samara Oblast, European Russia and from Elymus sp. and other grasses in Kazakhstan. In steppes and deserts usually dwells in meadows on the shores of lakes and on riverbanks.

Calling signal. Signals of males from the following localities were investigated.

1. East of Saratov Oblast , environs of Ozinki Town on border with Kazakhstan, meadow on bank of pond in steppe, 2. VII. 2004, signals of three males recorded at 24–27 oC .

2. Southeastern Kazakhstan, Urzharskiy Region, 27 km south of Taskesken, Elymus sp. and other grasses on riverbank, 25. VI. 2019, signals of four males recorded at 25–30 oC .

Calling signal has a duration of about 5–15 s and is a succession of syllables with elaborate and variable temporal pattern ( Figs. 43–48 ). Usually, a syllable begins with one or two high-amplitude rather prolonged pulses, followed by a low-amplitude fragment; then a high-amplitude prolonged pulse, as in the beginning, 3–6 short pulses and another prolonged pulse follow ( Fig. 60 ). Occasionally, several additional pulses precede the main part of a syllable ( Figs. 58–59 ). Due to frequency filtering in the substrate, the structure of syllables sometimes becomes indistinct ( Figs. 61–62 ). Syllable repetition period ranges from 0.5 up to 1– 1.5 s.

Distribution. South-east of European Russia to the north-west as far as Samara, Kazakhstan.

Remarks. Described from Kazakhstan ( Mityaev, 1971); previously reported from southeastern part of European Russia as Callistrophia elegans ( Emelyanov, 1964) .

Figures

FIGURES 1–15. Taurotettix spp., subgenital plates (1–2) and lateral view (3–15). 1, 3―T. (T.) beckeri, 4–7―T. (C.) modesta, 2, 8–11―T. (C.) elegans elegans, 12–15―T. (C.) elegans subornata. 3–8, 10–12, 14–15―males, 9, 13―females. Localities are given under the figures for taxa distributed in multiple regions.

FIGURES 16–39. Taurotettix spp., male genitalia. 16–17―T. (T.) beckeri, 18–27―T. (C.) modesta, 28–33―T. (C.) elegans elegans, 34–39―T. (C.) elegans subornata. 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38―penis, lateral view, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39―style, dorsal view. Localities are given under the figures for taxa distributed in multiple regions.

FIGURES 40–53. Taurotettix spp., male calling signal oscillograms, general view at low speed. 40–42―T. (T.) beckeri, 43– 48―T. (C.) modesta, 49–53―T. (C.) elegans elegans. Faster oscillograms of the parts of signals indicated as “54–69” are given under the same numbers. Scale mark at the bottom is the same for all oscillograms.

FIGURES 54–69. Taurotettix spp., male calling signal oscillograms, parts of signals at high speed. 54–57―T. (T.) beckeri, 58–62―T. (C.) modesta, 63–69―T. (C.) elegans elegans. Scale mark at the bottom is the same for all oscillograms.