Tomeophera modesta Piza

Fianco, Marcos, 2023, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Guartelá State Park, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil: diversity, bioacoustics and description of five new species, Journal of Natural History 57 (1), pp. 1080-1137 : 1125

Tomeophera modesta Piza

( Figure 17 )

Comments

The specimens of this species emerged from the bulb of Epidendrum delicatum ( Orchidaceae – Figure 17h–i ) collected in March 2021, where it was possible to see and identify the katydid eggs. The eggs were probably laid in February 2021 and remained apparently in diapause until the middle of spring. After hatching from the eggs, the individuals were fed with leaves and fruits of Moraceae and Myrtaceae . The nymphs can be easily recognised by their colour pattern: green with a medial white band surrounded by orange that goes from head to end of the abdomen ( Figure 17a–d ), and a projection of tergite X. Wings and ovipositor were evident in the third instar ( Figure 17b ), and developed to adulthood ( Figure 17e–f ). Unlike other Phaneropterinae , this species has diurnal habits, with males stridulating after midday, ceasing activity just after dusk; and at night, they remain in a behaviour of reflex immobilisation ( Figure 17a, d–f ). In copulation the male transfers a large spermatophyllax and a small spermatophore ( Figure 17g ); the female was observed eating the spermatophyllax ca. 10 minutes after copulation, and remained with the spermatophore for more than two hours.

Examined material

One male and one female, ′ Brasil, Pr , Tibagi , Parque \ Estadual do Guartelá [Guartelá State Park]\ 24.5660°S, 50.2561°W 08–11 .iii .2021 Ovos coletados\em [Eggs collected in] Epidendrum delicatum M. Fianco, D.N. \Barbosa & P.W. Engelking̍ and ′\Emerged 16–20 . x .2021,\became adults 18 .I .2022 ̍.

Figures

Figure 17. Tomeophera modesta biology. (a) First-instar nymph; (b–d) third-, fourth- and fifth-instar nymphs; (e) adult male; (f) adult female; (g) female after copulation, with spermatophore and spermatophyllax attached in her terminalia; (h) an adult individual of Epidendrum delicatum (Orchidaceae) at the site where a female laid her eggs and the individuals emerged; (i) flowers of E. delicatum. Photos (h) and (i) kindly provided by Phillip Watzke Engelking.