Melidia claudiae Massa, 2015

Massa, Bruno, 2022, New and less known Orthoptera from biodiversity hotspots of Mozambique and Zambia (Tettigoniidae; Acrididae), Fragmenta entomologica 54 (1), pp. 27-44 : 35

Melidia claudiae Massa, 2015

Material examined. Zambia: Redcliff Zambezi Lodge , Luangwa 15°38’34.2”S 30°16’32.9”E Actinic Light Trap 11-17.III.2019, V . Dérozier, M. Imakando, W. Miles, L. Mulvaney (9♂, 1♀) ( ANHRT, 1♂ in BMPC) .

Measurements (in mm). Males. Body length: 14.9- 17.5; length of pronotum: 3.2-3.5; height of pronotum: 2.7-2.9; length of tegmina: 21.9-22.8; width of tegmina: 3.5-4.0; length of hind femora: 16.4-17.1. Females. Body length: 16.9; length of pronotum: 3.2; height of pronotum: 2.7; length of tegmina: 26.3; width of tegmina: 4.0; length of hind femora: 19.6; length of ovipositor: 5.0.

Remarks. M. claudiae ( Figs 10c, 10d , 11b, 11g, 11l ) was described from Democratic Republic of Congo from two males ( Massa 2015); further measurements of this species taken at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences have been reported by Massa (2017); the new series from Zambia allowed a new comparison with M. brunneri and with the new species below described.

Figures

Fig. 10 – a, habitus and b, stridulatory file of Melidia brunneri Stål, 1876; c, habitus and d, stridulatory file of Melidia claudiae Massa, 2015; e, habitus and f, stridulatory file of Melidia pif n. sp.

Fig. 11 – Dorso-lateral view of cerci and subgenital plate of a, Melidia brunneri, b, M. claudiae, c, M. pif n. sp.; d, dorsal view of cerci of M. pif n. sp.; ventral view of the male subgenital plate of e, M. brunneri, f, M. claudiae, g, M. pif n. sp.; ventral view of the female subgenital plate of h, M. brunneri, i, M. claudiae (l), l, M. pif n. sp.