Oncodopus zonatus Brongniart, 1897

Ünal, Mustafa & Beccaloni, George W., 2017, Revision of the Madagascan genera Oncodopus Brongniart and Colossopus Saussure (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae; Euconchophorini), with description of Malagasopus gen. nov., Zootaxa 4341 (2) : 196-199

Oncodopus zonatus Brongniart, 1897

( Figs. 1, 4, 7 , 10–19 , 110 , 112 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:15096

Oncodopus zonatus: Brongniart 1897: 207 ; Saussure 1899: 626; Kirby 1906: 270; Karny 1912: 39; Chopard 1948: 125; Otte 1997: 32; Ünal & Beccaloni 2008: 35.

Type locality. Madagascar, Mozondeva (Morondava). Lectotype male, here designated, in alcohol ( MNHN).

Redescription. Male: Body size quite variable ( Tab. 2 ). Fastigium of vertex ( Figs. 1 , 10, 11 ) forming a simple short horn, spiniform; almost conical, upper surface flattened with a wide furrow, 2.2 times longer than diameter of eye, its basal part broader than antennal scape. Fastigium of frons ( Fig. 11 ) with a short spiniform slightly downcurved tooth. Pronotum ( Figs. 10, 11 ) large, anterior margin narrow and convex, widened in middle, posterior margin with a distinct median incision; 3.7 times longer than its height, and only 1.1 times longer than its width. Prothoracic auditory spiracle large, partially concealed under pronotum. Opening of mesothoracic auricle large and elliptical; ventral lobe distinct. Fore coxa with an elongate spine, projected forward dorsally. Fore femur ( Fig. 10 ) very muscular, short and broad; with a large inner spine on anterio-lateral margin; inner margin with 5–7 strong spines ventrally. Fore tibia ( Fig. 10 ) with very strong, curved 4 inner spines ventrally; its outer side with smaller 4– 5 spines. Prosternum with 2 long, U-shaped spines. Mid femur with 2–5 outer spines ventrally. Hind femur with 4– 8 ventral spines on outer side. Mid and hind tibia bear ventral spines. Hind tibia without apical spur dorsally ( Fig. 7 ). Tegmina ( Figs. 10–12 ) fully concealed under pronotum, their apex visible in some specimens, reaching to half of metanotum. Abdomen ( Fig. 12 ) large, mostly oval, anterior and posterior parts narrow, mid part broad. Last tergite ( Fig. 13 ) short and broad, posterior margin convex with a small median notch. Cercus ( Fig. 14 ) with a short, incurved apical tooth, inner arm very long with a distinct tooth at apex. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 15 ) simple, with a very short styli.

Female: As male. Hind margin of pronotum ( Fig. 16 ) with a strong and broadly rounded incision. Tegmina ( Fig. 17 ) strongly reduced, small scale like laterally, not reaching halfway down of mesonotum. Cercus simple, basal half cylindrical, apical half conical. Subgenital plate ( Fig. 19 ) almost triangular with a distinct median carina, its posterior margin with a small median notch. Ovipositor ( Fig. 18 ) slender, slightly upcurved, almost 1.2–1.3 times longer than hind femur.

Colour (dry specimens). Body milky brown with distinct transverse dark bands in typical form. Head dark except fastigium of vertex, eyes and posterior margin of occiput. Anterior margin of pronotum with a narrow dark band; posterior part, (mainly of the metazona) dark, remaining part milky brown. Fore tibia light brown with indistinct longitudinal dark stripes. Apical half of femora dark. Abdominal tergites with distinct dark band on posterior margin. Male subgenital plate and cercus milky brown. Ovipositor reddish brown in apical part.

Diagnosis. This species appears to be most closely related to O. janetae sp. nov. based on the structure of head, last tergite of male, female subgenital plate, the variable body size. But this species differs from it by the structure of pronotum, male cercus (with long inner arm) and colouration (body and pronotum with transverse dark bands) in typical form. It is also near to O. brongniarti sp. nov. based on its colouration (with distinct transverse bands) and male cercus with long inner arm. However, the male cercus is different to that of brongniarti (apical arm distinctly pointed with a tooth), as is the male last tergite with a wide median incision on posterior margin.

Material examined. Madagascar, Mozondeva ( Morondava ), 1891, 2 male nymphs (Lecto- and paralectotype), (leg. M. Grandidier et M. Doulliot), in alcohol ; Madagascar , 1867, 2 male nymphs (leg. M. Grandidier) ; Madagascar (S.O.), Forets du Fiher [en]ana, 1905, 1 male (leg. F. Geay); Prov. de Tulear, Bas Fiher [en]ana, 4 males, 8 females (leg. F. Geay); Madagask. , 1 female (leg. M. Grandidier) ; Madagascar, Ikongo , 1902, 1 male (leg. M. Grandidier) ; Madagascar Sud, Akiliazivo , 25.11.1963, 2 males, 1 female (leg. D. Wintrebert) (all in MNHN) . Madagascar, Morondava , February 2004, 1 male, in dead tree ; Madagascar, Toliara Province, Zombitse-Vohibasia National Park , (-22.60, 44.81) [22 ° 36'0'' S, 44 ° 48'36'' E], 17.11.2004, Coll. G.W. Beccaloni, 1 male, 1 female, in forest near park headquarters, under bark of dead tree ; Madagascar, Toliara Prov., c. 20 km North of Belo Sur Tsiribihina (on main road north), 19 ° 30'08.72" S, 44 ° 30'25.17" E, 15.11.2007, Coll. G.W. Beccaloni, 3 males, 2 females, under bark of dead tree (all in NHMUK) . SW Madagascar, Tulear , March 1904, 1 male (leg. S. Voltzkow) ( ZMB) . Madagascar, Toliara Prov., Lake Ranobe , elev. 30 m, 23 ° 00'629" S, 43 ° 336' E, 2–10 May 2003, 1 male nymph (leg. Frontier, Wilderness), grassland, transitional spiny-tamarind forest ; Toliara Prov., Fiheranana [ Fiherenana ], elev. 65 m, 23 ° 13'351" S, 43 ° 52'853" E, 5–7 August 2003, 1 male nymph (leg. Frontier & Wilderness), leaf litter extraction degraded riparian forest close to water (all in CAS) .

Measurements (mm). Lectotype (male) is a nymph. See Table 2 for the range of measurement of the adults.

Distribution. S.W. of Madagascar ( Fig. 110 ). Toliara Province: Morondava, Toliara, Ikongo, Akiliazivo, Zombitse-Vohibasia N.P., Belo Sur Tsiribihina, Fiherenana, Lake Ranobe.

Habitat. This species is known to occur in spiny forest and dry deciduous forest habitats as well as in riparian forest. Individuals have been found resting under the bark of dead trees and one nymph was extracted from leaf litter.

Phenology. Adults of this species have been found between November and March, and nymphs in May and August.

Remarks. The body size is highly variable in this species (see Table 2 ). Piotr Naskrecki (pers. commun., 2005) believes that the largest males may be 'satellite males'. This variation in size amongst the adults of a species is also seen in some of the other species of Oncodopus (see Table 2 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Fastigium of vertex from above. 1 Oncodopus zonatus, 2 Malagasopus desutterae, 3 Colossopus grandidieri. Figs. 4 – 6. apical half of left fore femur, inner view. 4 Oncodopus zonatus, 5 Malagasopus desutterae, 6 Colossopus redtenbacheri. Figs. 7 – 9. apical part of left hind tibia from above. 7 Oncodopus zonatus, 8 Malagasopus desutterae, 9 Colossopus grandidieri. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 19. Oncodopus zonatus. Male: 10 forelegs, head and pronotum, dorsal view, 11 head and pronotum, lateral view, 12 habitus, dorso-lateral view, 13 last abdominal tergite, 14 cercus, 15 subgenital plate. Female: 16 forelegs, head and pronotum, dorsal view, 17 head and pronotum, lateral view, 18 habitus, dorso-lateral view, 19 subgenital plate. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 109 – 111. Maps. 109 map of Madagascar, 110 distributions of Oncodopus spp., 111 distributions of Malagasopus spp. and Colossopus spp.

FIGURES 112 – 119. Living specimens. 112 Oncodopus zonatus, adult male, natural resting posture, Zombitse – Vohibasia National Park, Toliara Province. 17.11. 2004. © G. W. Beccaloni, 113 Oncodopus janetae, adult female, Mangatsiaka parcel, Andohahela National Park, Toliara Province. 30.11. 2004. © S. Stammers, 114 Oncodopus brongniarti, adult female, near village of Mangily, Toliara Province. 11.11. 2004. © G. W. Beccaloni, 115 Oncodopus brongniarti, threat display of adult female, near village of Mangily, Toliara Province. 30.12. 2015. © M. Bader, 116 Oncodopus brongniarti, adult pair, natural resting postures, Belo Sur Mer, Toliara Province. 22.11. 2007. © J. Beccaloni, 117 Oncodopus saussurei, adult female, beside R. N. 7 south of Ambohimahasoa, Fianarantsoa Province. 13.11. 2004. © S. Stammers, 118 Malagasopus desutterae, male nymph, 80 km north of Tulear, near village of Ankililoaka, Toliara Province. 6.2008 © O. Pronk, 119 Colossopus grandidieri, eggs: newly laid eggs lower right; older (swollen) eggs upper left. Captive stock. © G. J. N. González.