Cymatomerella spilophora (Walker, 1870)

Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, Zootaxa 4682 (1), pp. 1-119 : 55-58

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:430B98EF-BFCB-4608-A562-DEFA9539C8B2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5629513

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D8878E-FC47-D902-CCFE-51B9FC653243

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Cymatomerella spilophora (Walker, 1870)
status

 

Cymatomerella spilophora (Walker, 1870)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:4402

( Figs. 24 View FIGURE 24 F–J, 57G–L)

Diagnostic remarks. This cryptically grey-brown katydid can be recognized by the cuticle of the legs and thorax covered with dense dark dots ( Fig. 24J View FIGURE 24 ), flattened femora with broad lobes on their ventral margins, and aposematically colored, yellow- and black-banded abdomen ( Fig. 24I View FIGURE 24 ). From Cymatomer denticollis it differs in the lack of two distinct lobes on the dorsal edge of mesothoracic femora ( Fig. 24G View FIGURE 24 ), distinctly more curved ovipositor, and the abdominal sterna without the aposematic red coloration ( Fig. 24H View FIGURE 24 ).

Bioacoustics. Males of C. spilophora produce two types of calls, which they sometimes combine. Early in the evening (and sometimes during the day) the call is usually in the form of short, 2– 2.6 s bursts of syllables at the rate of 9–10 syllables/s; mean syllable duration is 0.05413 s (SD=0.005331, n=38); the peak frequency of the call is 8.7–10.8 kHz ( Figs. 57 View FIGURE 57 G–I). Later at night the call often turns into a long, uninterrupted train of single syllables, produced at the rate of 2–3 syllables/s, with each syllable 0.1511 s long (SD=0.01996, n=28) ( Fig. 57 View FIGURE 57 J–L).

Distribution and natural history. C. spilophora occurs across East and southern Africa, having been recorded from Tanzania ( Sjöstedt 1913), Mozambique ( Chopard 1935), Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa (specimens in Material examined). Like Cymatomera denticollis , it is associated with open woodlands and these two species often occur sympatrically. C. spilophora also exhibits a similar defensive behavior, fanning its wings and displaying an aposematically colored abdomen if disturbed.

Measurements (1 male, 3 females). body w/wings: male 57, female 64; body w/o wings: male 45, female 39; pronotum: male 9, female 9–10 (9.5.7); tegmen: male 46, female 49–50 (49.5.7); hind femur: male 20, female 23; ovipositor: 20 mm.

Material examined (56 specimens). Tanzania: Lukuledi , (-10.56, 38.8)— 1 female (holotype of Cymatomera cornuta Sjöstedt, 1913 ) ( NHRS) ; East Africa [probably Tanzania]— 1 female (holotype) ( BMNH) ; Mozambique: Cabo Delgado, Macomia, Quirimbas N.P., Muanona , elev. 124 m (-12.15117, 40.19542), 24–25.i.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki, H. Farooq, B. Nassongole— 2 females, 3 males ( MCZ) GoogleMaps ; Manica, Sussundenga, Nhahomba Ranger Station, Mussapa , elev. 606 m (-19.585799, 33.084969), 26.xi.–2.xii.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki & M. Tomás— 1 female ( EOWL) GoogleMaps ; Sofala, Beira , (-19.8436111, 34.8388889), 22.vi.1973, coll. H.D. Brown— 1 female ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; Cheringoma, Coutada 12, Chironde camp, elev . 156 m (-18.32780, 35.35799), 25.iii.–4.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki, J. Guyton & M. Castene— 1 female; Coutada 12, rd. to Mungari, elev. 164 m (-18.32796, 35.35772), 2.iv.2017, coll. M. Castene— 1 female; Gorongosa , GNP, Chitengo-Vinho road, (-18.992, 34.3526), 14.iii.2015, coll. R. Guta— 1 female GoogleMaps ; GNP, Wilson Laboratory , (-18.977761, 34.35115), 15–30.xi.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male GoogleMaps ; GNP, Picada 1, nr. big pan, elev . 20 m (-18.95101, 34.37322), 20.xii.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 1 male; Gorongosa Dist., Boa Maria , (-19.02261, 34.18074), 13.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male ( EOWL) GoogleMaps ; Center for Environmental Conservation , elev. 119 m (-18.95472, 34.1775), 19–21.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo— 1 female ( UEMM) GoogleMaps ; Claud’s Waterfall campsite ( Site 3), elev. 94 m (-19.03011, 34.67592), 1–6.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki (Site 3)— 1 female ( MCZ) GoogleMaps ; Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo , (-18.97775, 34.351333), 19.iii.–2.iv.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 2 females ( EOWL) GoogleMaps ; GNP, Chitengo , elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 17.iii.–5.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 4 females GoogleMaps ; same locality, 17–31.iii.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females GoogleMaps ; same locality, 30.i.–13.ii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 1 male ( MCZ) GoogleMaps ; Gorongosa Distr., Chitengo , (-18.981944, 34.351222), 13–31.i.2015, coll. R. Guta— 2 females GoogleMaps ; same locality, 2–28.ii.2015, coll. R. Guta— 1 female, 2 males GoogleMaps ; GRP, E.O. Wilson Lab Chitengo , (-18.9783, 34.3514), 9.ii.–4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 4 females ( EOWL) GoogleMaps ; Tete, Cahora Bassa, Brig. Eng. (1972–74), (-15.5666667, 32.8333333), ii.1974, coll. M.C. Ferreira & G.V. Ferreira— 1 male GoogleMaps ; Cahora Bassa, Mutarara , (-17.4, 35.1), 8.ii.1974, coll. M.C. Ferreira & G.V. Ferreira— 1 female ; Cahora Bassa, Songo, Dzunhe , (-15.59, 32.76), iv.1974, coll. M.C. Ferreira & G.V. Ferreira— 1 male ( UEMM) ; Zambezi [?Mozambique]— 1 male (syntype of Cymatomera brancsiki Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1895 ) ( NMW) ; Republic of South Africa: Malamda (? Mala-mda ), (-24.8166667, 31.5666667), 28.xii.1987, coll. M.V. Drimmelen— 1 female GoogleMaps ; Mpumalanga, Manoutsa Park, Strijdoms Tunnel , (-24.45072, 30.60702), 29.v.1976, coll. M.E. Kieser— 1 female ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; Nelspruit , (-25.4666667, 30.9666667), ii.1954 — 1 female ( TMSA) GoogleMaps ; Singeta Game Lodge, Sabi Sand , (-24.805, 31.42611), 15.iv.1998, coll. C. Godley— 1 female ( SANC) GoogleMaps ; Transvaal, Ngwenya Lodge , (-25.41667, 31.86667), iv.1996, coll. G. Bronner— 1 male ( TMSA) GoogleMaps ; Pietersburg Dist., Griffin Mine , (-23.9, 29.383333), i.1915, coll. H.G. Breyer— 1 female ( TMSA) ; Zambia: Mutambara [Northern Rhodesia], Feb.1921, coll. J.M. Springer— 1 male ( ANSP) ; Zimbabwe: Birchenough Bridge , (-19.9666667, 32.3333333), i.1938, coll. G. van Son— 1 male GoogleMaps ; Umtali , 1906, coll. Campbell— 1 female ( ANSP) ; Umtali District , (-18.9666667, 32.6666667), 8.i.1932, coll. P.A. Sheppard— 1 female ( TMSA) GoogleMaps ; Mashonaland, Umtali , (-18.9666667, 32.6666667) -., coll. A. Bodong— 1 female GoogleMaps ; same locality- 1 male ( SAMC) ; same locality, xii.1917, coll. Brauns— 1 female ( TMSA) .

NHRS

Swedish Museum of Natural History, Entomology Collections

MCZ

Museum of Comparative Zoology

SANC

Agricultural Research Council-Plant Protection Research Institute

NMW

Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien

TMSA

Transvaal Museum

ANSP

Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

SAMC

Iziko Museums of Cape Town

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