Isophya longicaudata longicaudata Ramme, 1951

Dragan P. Chobanov, Beata Grzywacz, Ionuţ Ş. Iorgu, Battal Cιplak, Maya B. Ilieva & Elżbieta Warchałowska-Śliwa, 2013, Review of the Balkan Isophya (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) with particular emphasis on the Isophya modesta group and remarks on the systematics of the genus based on morphological and acoustic data, Zootaxa 3658 (1), pp. 1-81 : 31-32

Isophya longicaudata longicaudata Ramme, 1951

( Figs 14, 15 , 43, 68 , 92 , 117 , 154 , 160 , 192 )

Isophya longicaudata Ramme : Ramme 1951 (sp.n.).

Isophya modesta longicaudata Ramme : Kis 1960 (stat.n.). Isophya longicaudata longicaudata Ramme : Chobanov 2009a.

Morphological description: see the references above; Bey-Bienko 1954 (as I. longicaudata ); Harz 1969 (as I. modesta longicaudata ); Peshev 1985 (as I. modesta longicaudata ). Bioacoustics: Chobanov 2009a. Karyotype: Warchałowska-Śliwa et al. 2008 (as I. modesta longicaudata ).

Diagnosis: see references above. The nominate subspecies is characterised by longer and thicker CuP vein and longer ovipositior (compare Peshev 1985) and characteristic song.

Bioacoustics: We studied specimens from two remote regions.

In the specimens from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (Bolata Bay) at 28-30°C the syllables lasted 850–1100 ms and had 61–76 impulses, arranged in two parts ( Fig. 160 ): first (main) part of dense impulses, produced by fast closing of tegmina—130–170 ms with 32–46 impulses and impulse period of 2–10 ms; second (additional) part of loose impulses, produced by slower closing of tegmina—500–1000 ms with 16–43 impulses and impulse period of 7–217 ms (see Chobanov 2009a).

The specimens from the inland Dobrogea (Balik-Pchelnik Villages, Suha Reka Valley, NE Bulgaria) at 24– 27°C showed similar to the described song structure, while specimens from the neighbouring territory of Romania (Bäneasa, Suha Reka Valley, SE Romania) showed slight transition to the song of I. modesta : first part—136–146 ms with 21–24 impulses and impulse period of 5–10 ms; second part—1060–1330 ms with 23– 26 impulses and impulse period of 9–178 ms; both parts were clearly separated by intervals of 44–239 ms and thus the total length of the syllable was 1300–1450 ms. A very interesting song is produced by individuals in Central Dobrogea (Cheile Dobrogei, Romania), with clear transition to the acoustic signals of I. modesta : opening hemisyllable—72–81 ms with 20–27 impulses, impulse period 2–7 ms and a longer closing hemisyllable—270–305 ms with 27–33 impulses, impulse period 4–38 ms. The two hemisyllables are divided by a 75–109 ms time interval.

Distribution ( Fig. 192 ) and phenology: This subspecies inhabits the Bulgarian Black Sea coast as south as the Veleka River Valley in Bulgaria and as north as Dobrogea in Romania, penetrating in the eastern part of the South Danubian Plain. Inhabits high mesophyte and xeromesophyte grass associations nearby forests and scrub in the lowlands. Nymphs—(III–)IV–V, imago—V–VII(–VIII).

Isophya modesta (Frivaldszky, 1867)

Odontura modesta Frivaldszky : Frivaldszky 1867 (sp.n.). Isophya rossica Bey-Bienko : Bey-Bienko 1954 (sp.n.). Isophya modesta (Frivaldszky) : Kis 1960 (stat.rev.; partim). Isophya modesta modesta (Frivaldszky) : Kis 1960.

Isophya modesta intermedia Kis : Kis 1960.

Isophya modesta rossica Bey-Bienko : Orci and Heller 2004 (stat.n.).

Morphological description: see the references above; Harz 1969 (partim); Heller et al. 2004. Bioacoustics: Orci and Heller 2004; Heller et al. 2004.

Diagnosis: The body shape and colouration is similar to that of I. longicaudata— the general colour may be dark green or greyish-green with whitish lateral opalescence. Male tegmina are equal or longer than pronotum, the disc is dark green or yellowish with brown stridulatory area. The disc of tegmina is less bulged than that of I. plevnensis and I. longicaudata . CuP has the colour of the disc of tegmina or is lighter; it is shorter and thinner than that of I. longicaudata , about 2/3–3/4 of the width of metazone. The stridulatory file is 3.1–3.65 mm long with 95– 143 teeth, similar to that of I. plevnensis , shorter and with fewer teeth than that of I. longicaudata . The song has single syllables that, due to an interruption in the stridulatory movement, are divided into two parts separated by an interval of 4–9 seconds, thus the syllable is the longest known within genus Isophya . Considering each of the parts separately, they are in amplitude and time pattern similar to those in the song of I. l. longicaudata (compare Figs 160 and 161 ). The first part lasts 120–240 ms (Т=19–27°C) and has 16–46 impulses, the second—200–2500 ms with 8–44 impulses. As a result of the “splitting” of the syllable (observed for I. m. modesta by Orci and Heller 2004) the females can produce two responses to one syllable of the male—after the first syllable part (main impulse series) and after the second one (terminal impulse series).

The species is known with two subspecies distributed in the southeastern part of Central Europe, the Carpathian basin and Southern Ukraine to the southeastern parts of European Russia.

Figures

FIGURE 192. Distribution of I. bureschi, I. andreevae, I. tosevski, I. clara, I. miksici, I. plevnensis, I. longicaudata adamovici, I. l. longicaudata, and I. modesta on the Balkan Peninsula.

FIGURES 1 – 18. General appearance of some Balkan Isophya. 1, 2 — I. hospodar (1 — male, 2 — female); 3 — I. thracica (male); 4, 5 — I. rectipennis (4 — male, 5 — female); 6, 7 — I. pavelii (6 — male, 7 — female); 8, 9 — I. bureschi (8 — male, 9 — female); 10, 11 — I. andreevae (10 — male, 11 — female); 12, 13 — I. plevnensis (12 — male, 13 — female); 14, 15 — I. m. modesta (= intermedia) (14 — male, 15 — female); 16 — I. l. longicaudata (male); 17 — I. rhodopensis leonorae (male); 18 — I. rh. petkovi (male) (Figures 6 – 11, 17, 18 — photo M. Langourov).

FIGURES 56 – 79. Morphology of female head, pronotum and tegmina of the Balkan Isophya and I. yaraligozi (localities as in Figs 31 – 55 unless specifically given): 56 — I. hospodar; 57 — I. rectipennis; 58 — I. pavelii (paratype of I. rammei Peshev); 59 — I. thracica; 60 — I. bureschi; 61 — I. yaraligozi; 62 — I. tosevski; 63 — I. andreevae (paratype); 64 — I. clara; 65 — I. miksici (paratype); 66 — I. plevnensis (paratype); 67 — I. longicaudata adamovici (paratype, BG: Sliven, 1000 m, NMNHS); 68 — I. l. longicaudata; 69 — I. rhodopensis leonorae (BG: “ Alibotush, 1500 m ”, 13.07. 1959, NMNHS); 70 — I. rh. rhodopensis (as in Fig. 46 but 17.07.1956); 71 — I. rh. petkovi; 72 — I. modestior; 73 — I. dobrogensis; 74 — I. zubowskii; 75 — I. aff. camptoxypha (MK: Bistra Mt., 2.08. 2004, CC); 76 — I. gulae (paratype, BG: Dolna Topchiya, 10.07. 1974, NMNHS); 77 — I. obtusa (BG: Vezhen Peak, 15.07. 1969, NMNHS); 78 — I. amplipennis (TR: “ Turkey | 1960 | Sureya Bey ”, NHM); 79 — I. speciosa (BG: Sakar Mt., 14.06. 1952, NMNHS). Scale (if present; black line right of the specimen) = 10 mm.

FIGURES 80 – 104. Male abdominal terminalia of the Balkan Isophya and I. yaraligozi (localities as in Figs 31 – 55): 80 — I. hospodar; 81 — I. rectipennis; 82 — I. pavelii; 83 — I. thracica; 84 — I. bureschi; 85 — I. yaraligozi; 86 — I. tosevski; 87 — I. andreevae; 88 — I. clara; 89 — I. miksici; 90 — I. plevnensis; 91 — I. longicaudata adamovici; 92 — I. l. longicaudata; 93 — I. m. modesta (= intermedia); 94 — I. rhodopensis leonorae; 95 — I. rh. rhodopensis; 96 — I. rh. petkovi; 97 — I. modestior; 98 — I. dobrogensis; 99 — I. zubowskii; 100 — I. aff. camptoxypha; 101 — I. gulae; 102 — I. obtusa; 103 — I. amplipennis; 104 — I. speciosa. Scale (if present) = 2 mm.

FIGURES 105 – 129. Female abdominal terminalia of the Balkan Isophya and I. yaraligozi (localities as in Figs 31 – 55 unless specifically given); figures of the whole ovipositor are followed by enlarged figure of the ovipositor base: 105 — I. hospodar (BG: Dolni Glavanak, 25.04. 2005, CC); 106 — I. rectipennis (BG: Byala Vill., 27.06. 2002, CC); 107 — I. pavelii (BG: Chernogorovo, 29.05. 2006, CC); 108 — I. thracica; 109 — I. bureschi (BG: Bansko, 8.08. 2006, CC); 110 — I. yaraligozi; 111 — I. tosevski; 112 — I. andreevae (BG: Kresnensko Hanche, 19.04. 2006, CC); 113 — I. clara; 114 — I. miksici (BG: Gorski Dom Lodge, 24.06. 2006, CC); 115 — I. plevnensis (BG: Levishte, 14.07. 2009, CC); 116 — I. longicaudata adamovici (BG: Karandila, 24.06. 2008, CC); 117 — I. l. longicaudata (BG: Sofia University Botanical garden, 26.06. – 1.07.2004, CC); 118 — I. m. modesta (= intermedia); 119 — I. rhodopensis leonorae (BG: Livade, 9.08. 2006, CC); 120 — I. rh. rhodopensis (BG: Bachkovo, 600 m, 23.05. 2004, CC); 121 — I. rh. petkovi (BG: Gluhite Kamani, 23.06. 2008, CC); 122 — I. modestior (BG: Bankya, 24.05. 2006, CC); 123 — I. dobrogensis; 124 — I. zubowskii; 125 — I. aff. camptoxypha (data as in Fig. 75); 126 — I. gulae; 127 — I. obtusa (BG: Ravnets Ridge, 14.07. 2009, CC); 128 — I. amplipennis (as in Fig. 78); 129 — I. speciosa (BG: Bankya, 24.05. 2006, CC). Indications on Fig. 127 show, respectively: G—gonangulum; L—lamella; P—lateral pit between lamella and gonangulum. Scale (if present) = 5 mm.

FIGURES 150 – 155. SEM of taxonomically important structures of Isophya: 150, 151 — I. miksici (150 — BG: Gorski Dom Lodge; 151 — BG: Iskar); 152 — I. plevnensis (152 A—BG: Chernelka Canyon; 152 B, C—BG: Apriltsi); 153 — I. longicaudata adamovici (BG: Karandila Locality); 154 — I. longicaudata longicaudata (BG: Bolata Valley); 155 — I. m. modesta (= intermedia) (RO: Babadag). A—male stridulatory file (scale 1 mm); B—ventro-apical view of apex of male cerci (152 B deformed) (scale 100 μm); C—female stridulatory apparatus (scale 500 μm).

FIGURES 156 – 161. Male calling song at two different speeds (air temperature at recording shown; time scale below): 156 — I. miksici (BG: Gorski Dom Lodge); 157 — I. plevnensis (BG: Apriltsi); 158, 159 — I. longicaudata adamovici (BG: Karandila Locality, two males); 160 — I. longicaudata longicaudata (BG: Bolata Valley); 161 — I. modesta modesta (RO: Babadag). Break-signs in Fig. 161 B indicate the missing silent interval of the syllable shown in Fig. 161 A.