Phisis holdhausi Karny, 1926

Hugel, Sylvain, 2009, Gryllacrididae and Tettigoniidae (Insecta, Orthoptera, Ensifera) from Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, Zoosystema 31 (3), pp. 525-576 : 571-572

Phisis holdhausi Karny, 1926

( Figs 21A, C ; 22 )

Phisis holdhausi Karny, 1926: 174 .

TYPE MATERIAL. — Type lost ( Jin & Kevan 1992), type data: Neue Hebrides ex coll. Staudinger. — Neotype data ( Jin & Kevan 1992): New Hebrides, Espiritu Santo, 21-31. VIII.[19]58 [printed]; Borys Malkin, collector, Bishop Museum [printed]; ♂ ( BPBM). Not examined. — Neallotype data ( Jin & Kevan 1992): IDEM, ♀ ( BPBM). Not examined.

TYPE LOCALITY. — Southwestern Pacific, Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Vanuatu. (8 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀), Sanma Province, Espiritu Santo Isl., Luganville, site du CTRAV, 15°27’00”S, 167°12’26”E, 2 m alt., forêt côtière sur sable, Exped. Santo 2006, 28.X.2006, coll. S. Hugel, 1 ♂ (SH-141) (MNHN-ENSIF2293). — Same locality and date, sur Terminalia en arrière de plage, coll. S. Hugel, 1 ♂ (SH-142) (MNHN-ENSIF2294). — Same locality and date, enregistré, coll. S. Hugel, 1 ♂ (SH-144) (MNHN-ENSIF2296). — Luganville, site du CTRAV, 15°27’00”S, 167°12’26”E, 2 m alt., forêt côtière sur sable, arbre en arrière de plage, Exped. Santo 2006, 29.X.2006, coll. S. Hugel, 2 ♂♂ (SH-137, SH-140), 1 ♀ (SH-145) (MNHN-ENSIF2289, 2292, 2297). — Same locality and date, sur Terminalia en arrière de plage, enregistré, coll. S. Hugel, 1 ♂ (SH-139) (MNHN-ENSIF2291). — Same locality and date, coll. S. Hugel, 1 ♀ (SH-146) (MNHN-ENSIF2298).

Champagne Beach, sur Terminalia en arrière de plage, jour, Exped.Santo 2006, 28.X.2006, coll.S. Hugel, 2♂♂ (SH-143, SH-138) (MNHN-ENSIF2295, 2290).

Peavot, 14°59’37”S, 166°47’04”E, 38 m alt., forêt secondaire, ancien jardin, nuit, Exped. Santo 2006, 25.X.2006, coll. S. Hugel, 2 ♀♀ (SH-147, SH-148) (MNHN-ENSIF2299, 2300).

DISTRIBUTION. — Probably the most widespread Phisidini . Widely distributed in the Polynesian/Melanesian area.

HABITAT AND LIFE HISTORY TRAITS. — This species occurs in anthropized areas near and/or on the shore, rarely in slightly more elevated areas. Specimens stay on foliage of large leaves-bearing trees (Terminalia catappa, Barringtonia sp. , etc.) and shrubs (Hibiscu s sp., etc.). Often several specimens can be observed on the same plant.

DESCRIPTION COMPLEMENT

Stridulatory file with 64 lamellar teeth and few spinules on both sides of the file ( Fig. 21C ).

CALLING SONG ( FIG. 22 )

Males call during night. Often, several males are irregularly alternating their call. Th e call of P. holdhausi consists of echemes of irregular length lasting 856.7 ± 981.4 ms (min: 3.0; max: 4504.9), irregularly separated by 7.494 ± 22.235 s (min: 0.038; max: 98.026) long pauses.Within echemes, the syllable rate is 39.2 ± 1.5 s (min: 35.6; max: 42.4). Th e principal frequencies of the call are 23-26 kHz.

Figures

FIG. 21.— Phisis Stål,1861 species from Espiritu Santo:A, C, P.holdhausi Karny,1926; B, D, P.pseudopallida Jin & Kevan,1992;A, B, male terminalia in dorsal view; C, D, SEM pictures of stridulatory files. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIG. 22. — Calling of Phisis holdhausi Karny, 1926: A, specimen MNHN-ENSIF2296 recorded in situ; 21°C, 22H00 (Lebinthus sp. [Eneopterinae crickets] specimens are singing on the ground all around);B, C, specimen MNHN-ENSIF2291 (other specimen responding, not collected) in situ, 21°C, 22H00.