Rastafaria abessinica Ramme, 1931

Popov †, George B., Fishpool, Lincoln D. C. & Rowell, C. Hugh F., 2019, A review of the Acridinae s. str. (Orthoptera: Acridoidea: Acrididae) of eastern Africa with taxonomic changes and description of new taxa, Journal of Orthoptera Research 28 (2), pp. 37-105 : 69-70

Rastafaria abessinica Ramme, 1931 Figs 158-162, 164-165

Rastafaria abessinica Ramme, 1931: 931-2, 5 figs.

Gymnobothroides hypsophilia Jago, 1968 ( Bouvy 1982).

Material.

-ETHIOPIA: Kefa prov. W. of Jimma (Bellela forest), 2075 m; 16 km N.E. of Jimma (Badabuna forest); Walaga prov. 4 km N.E. of Nkemte; 6.4 km W. of Ghimbi; between Bambesi and Asosa; between Mendi and Bambesi; 33.6 km W. of Mendi; Shewa prov. 13.4 km W. of Hager Hiwot; Guder-Nkemte rd. W. of Mendi. UGANDA: Bugisu, Mt. Elgon, above Bumasifwa, Bumagabula (34°27'E 01°09'N), 2400 m. KENYA: Kericho (NHMUK).

Description.

-As in generic key and description. A distinctive species recognizable especially from structure of its head and pronotum and its striking coloration. Structural and color variation is considerable not only between samples from different localities, but also in material from same locality, notably in a very long series of G. hypsophilia from Mt. Elgon. Among these, the range of color variation is truly remarkable; in males general coloration is olivaceous green to green with black antennae with or without a lateral black stripe variously developed and coupled with fine dark speckling; underside of abdomen yellowish apically. Hind femora with knees black, remainder yellow and lower inner and outer areas more or less suffused with bright pink pigmentation. Hind tibiae dull greyish blue. Females exhibit an even greater range of color variation, some are even brighter green than males, with a rich suffusion of crimson on lower inner and outer areas of hind femur, while others are of predominantly brown pigmentation with a well-marked broad dark lateral stripe. Brown variants are more usual in Ethiopian populations, which also exhibit considerable differences from Ugandan ones, notably in shape of frontal ridge and pronotal disc. The single male specimen from Kericho, Kenya, is close to Ugandan series.

Distribution.

-ETHIOPIA, UGANDA, and KENYA; habitats at medium to high altitude.