Lunidia viridis Hemp, 2010

Hemp, Claudia, 2017, Review of the genus Lunidia Hemp (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) and the description of a new species from the Uluguru Mountains of Tanzania, East Africa, Journal of Orthoptera Research 26 (2), pp. 85-89 : 85-86

Lunidia viridis Hemp, 2010

Remarks.

- Since its description, further populations of this species were found in northern Tanzania. Thus L. viridis is a common inhabitant of montane forests on Mt Meru at around 1700 m. Adults were exclusively found in November and December (2013, 2014 and 2015). It also occurs in montane forest on the North Pare Mountains at elevations of 1750-1800 m at the lower border of the forests on Mt Kindoroko. Also, here it was only collected in November and December. On the South Pare Mountains, a small population was detected on the isolated mountains Umari at the western end of the South Pare Mountains and here also at elevations of 1700-1800 m in December 2017. Lutindi forest at the southern end of the West Usambara Mountains also harbors a population of L. viridis but here in submontane elevations at about 1250 m. The song could not yet be recorded for this population and further studies have to be conducted to verify species status, although morphologically specimens caught in this area agree with specimens from Mt Kilimanjaro. Also Mazumbai Forest Reserve, West Usambara Mountains, harbors L. viridis in montane elevations at about 1600-1700 m, but the male cerci are stouter suggesting that this population is isolated. The song recorded is typical for L. viridis though. Thus L. viridis occurs in montane forests throughout northern Tanzania (Fig. 5).

Biology.

- In addition to feeding on leaves, L. viridis also feeds on dead insects, also attacking individuals of its own species when caged together. L. viridis hatches with the onset of the short rains from October onwards. Adults are usually found from November/December to March/April. This same pattern was seen in all known populations of northern Tanzania. Thus L. viridis produces only one generation per year.