Gymnogryllus Saussure, 1877

Nyobe, Philene Corinne Aude Um, Ngoute, Charly Oumarou, Richard, Nzoko Fiemapong Armand, Robillard, Tony, Ma, Libin & Kekeunou, Sevilor, 2023, Description of one new species of the genus Gymnogryllus (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Gryllinae) from Cameroon with a key for African species, Zootaxa 5369 (4), pp. 591-596 : 592-595

Genus Gymnogryllus Saussure, 1877

Type species: Gymnogryllus leucostictus Burmeister, 1838 (= Gryllus elegans Guérin-Méneville, 1834 ).

Diagnosis: male pronotum very feebly, if at all, widening in front; anterior and middle tibiae abundantly pubescent; anterior metatarsi long; ovipositor of variable length, never rudimentary ( Vasanth 1993).

Key to African species of Gymnogryllus bsased on males

In this key we do not include Gymnogryllus castaneus Bolivar, 1910 since the only known specimen is a female.

1 Long apical field..................................................................................... 2

- Short apical field...................................................................................... 9

2 Harp with three veins.................................................................................. 3

- Harp with four veins................................................................................... 7

3 Epiphallus with a V-shaped notch and large ectoparameres..................................................... 4

- Epiphallus with a U-shaped and narrow ectoparameres........................... Gymnogryllus lucens (Walker, 1869)

4 Body and lateral lobes of same color...................................................................... 5

- Body and lateral lobes of different color................................................................... 6

5 Body color blackish; lateral lobes of pronotum black........................... Gymnogryllus amani Otte et al., 1988

6 Body color reddish brown; lateral lobes blackish in posterior two-thirds, pale brown in lower anterior quarter................................................................................. Gymnogryllus kareni Otte et al., 1988

7 Mirror divided into two cells............................................. Gymnogryllus caviceps (Karsch, 1893)

- Mirror divided into three cells........................................................................... 8

8 Body color dark reddish brown to black; lateral lobes dark reddish brown or black, lightest in lower anterior quarter.......................................................................... Gymnogryllus compactus (Walker, 1869)

- Body color pale yellowish brown; lateral lobes mostly pale but with dark markings intruding from disc................................................................................... Gymnogryllus joburgensi Otte et al., 1988

9 Harp with two oblique veins........................................................................... 10

- Harp with more than two oblique veins.................................................................. 12

10 Median ocellus obsolete................................................. Gymnogryllus ebneri ( Chopard, 1927)

- Median ocellus not obsolete............................................................................ 11

11 Lateral lobes dark brown in dorsal area, lower margin ivory-colored; a thin pale band intrudes dorsally onto disc along anterior margin; mirror divided.................................................. Gymnogryllus vicinus (Chopard, 1955)

- Lateral lobes completely dark brown; mirror non -divided........ Gymnogryllus bilongi Um Nyobe & Kekeunou sp. nov.

12 Harp with three veins; foretibiae with only an outer tympanum................................................ 13

- Harp with four veins; foretibiae with two tympana.......................................................... 14

13 Pronotum shiny....................................................... Gymnogryllus capensis Otte et al., 1988

- Pronotum very finely rugose, not shiny................................. Gymnogryllus cylindricollis (Bolivar, 1910)

14 Lateral lobes reddish brown; legs all uniformly orange to reddish brown........ Gymnogryllus brevipennis Chopard, 1934