Moncheca pretiosa (Walker, 1869)

Piotr Naskrecki, 2000, Katydids of Costa Rica / Vol. 1, Systematics and bioacoustics of the cone-head katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae sensu lato)., Philadelphia, PA: The Orthopterists Society at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, : 104-105

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.270035
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6280417
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/634387D1-A341-FFA2-1560-FDDBFE473F93
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Moncheca pretiosa (Walker, 1869)
status

Treatment

Moncheca pretiosa (Walker, 1869) View in CoL

Figs. 26 View FIG. 26 D-G, 47E, Map 12 View MAPS 7 - 12

1869 Walker, Cat. Derm. Salt. Brit. Mus. 2: 289; type locality: Honduras; type depository: The Natural History Museum, London >> holotype female

1906 Kirby, Syn. Cat. Orth. 2: 233 >> Exocephala , as syn. of E. bisulca

1912 Karny, in Wytsman, Gen. Ins. 139: 16 >> Moncheca View in CoL , as syn. of M. bisulca

1999 Naskrecki and Otte, Illustr. Cat. Orthop. I (CD ROM) >> holotype illustrated

Diagnostic description.— General characteristics as described above. Stridulatory file of male almost perfectly straight, 1.8 mm long, with 86 narrow and relatively thick teeth, maximum width of file 84 μm ( Fig. 47 View FIG. 47 E); teeth of file uniform in thickness, evenly spaced and smoothly narrowing towards proximal end. Mirror of stridulatory apparatus with vein AA 1 only slightly oblique. Male cercus straight, cylindrical, with small, apical, hook-like tooth ( Fig. 26 View FIG. 26 G); male 10th tergite with large, dark patch but its posterior margin always lightly colored; posterior margin of tergite with wide incision ( Fig. 26 View FIG. 26 F). Ovipositor longer than hind femur (ratio ovipositor/hind femur 1.21-1.37), perfectly straight.

Coloration.— Body coloration of live individuals dark turquoise green, turning light green in preserved specimens. Face shiny black; clypeus and labrum crimson red; pronotum olive green, with narrow, white band in prozona and wide one in metazona ( Figs. 26 View FIG. 26 D-E). Costal field of tegmina yellow to pink (crimson underneath), remainder of tegmina dark olive green with yellow venation. Abdomen turquoise; sometimes lower valvula of ovipositor yellow.

Measurements.— Table 19 View TABLE 19 .

Bioacoustics.— Song unknown; see discussion under M. elegans .

Distribution.— This species occurs from southern Mexico, through Guatemala, Honduras, Belize to southern Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula) ( Map 12 View MAPS 7 - 12 ). It is possible that this species also occurs in Panama but all specimens collected south of Costa Rica (ANSP collection), and identified by M. Hebard as M. pretiosa , belong to M. elegans .

Material examined.— COSTA RICA: Limón Prov., Suerre, Atlantic Side, 20 July 1923 (coll. A. Alfaro) - 1 female ( ANSP); Puntarenas Prov., Albergue, Cerro de Oro, ACOSA, elev. 270 m, 14 - 18 March 1995 (coll. A. Picado) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); Estac. Agujas, elev. 300 m, 15 - 22 April 1996 (coll. A. Azofeifa) - 1 female ( INBio); Estac. Agujas, Sendero Zamia, Río Agujas, elev. 300 m, 9 - 28 March 1996 (coll. A. Azofeifa) - 2 females ( INBio); Estac. Carara, R.B. Carara, elev. 200 m, 15 March 1990 (coll. R. Zuniga) - 1 male ( INBio); Fila Cerro de Oro, elev. 260 m, 14 - 19 March 1995 (coll. F. Alvarado) - 1 female ( INBio); Fila Guerra, Península de Osa, elev. 1 - 100 m, 15 March 1991 (coll. J. Quesada) - 1 female ( INBio); Penisula de Osa, Rancho Quemado , elev. 200 m, 15 April 1992 (coll. D. Brenes) - 1 male ( INBio); HONDURAS: 1 female (lectotype) ( BMNH); GUATEMALA: Piedras Negras, 1 April - 30 June 1937 (coll. T. Proskouriakoff) - 1 male ( ANSP); Piedras Negras, Petén, 1 April - 30 June 1936 (coll. L. Satterthwaite Jr.) - 1 male ( ANSP); MEXICO: South Mexico, - 1 female ( ANSP).