Lamarckiana nasuta (Saussure, 1887)

Massa, Bruno, 2020, Remarks on some interesting African Pamphagidae and Acrididae (Insecta Orthoptera: Acridoidea), Zootaxa 4751 (1), pp. 29-54 : 46-47

Lamarckiana nasuta (Saussure, 1887) (Figs. 50, 52)

Material examined: 14 specimens. South Africa, Natal III.1975 (1♂, 1♀) ( ZMUH) ; South Africa, Transvaal prov. , Barberton III.1929 (3♂, 1♀) ; South Africa, Windhoek VI .1930 (4♂); Zimbabwe, Matopo Hills IV.1929 (2♀) ( MZUR) ; South Africa, Gravelotte 2.II.1996, T . La Mantia (2♂) ( BMPC) .

Remarks. Differences between L. nasuta and L. bolivariana (see specimens listed above and below and Figs. 50-53) are very small; according to Dirsh (1958) L. nasuta (type: female; type locality: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) is very near to L. bolivariana (type: male; type locality: Maputo, Mozambique), from which it differs by a more strongly serrated metazona of the pronotum and toothed ventral margin of the hind femur. The photo of the holotype female of L. nasuta (Fig. 52) was compared with one female of L. bolivariana collected in the type locality (Maputo; Fig. 53) and it was possible to confirm the different shape of the pronotum above mentioned; in addition the female of L. nasuta has small pointed tubercles on the hind margin of the abdominal tergites, not present in L. bolivariana (Figs. 52-53). Also in the males [holotype of L. bolivariana (Fig. 51) compared to a male of L. nasuta (Fig. 50) from the type locality, Natal] allowed to confirm the differences of the pronotal shape, while the teeth of the ventral margin of the hind femora are very similar. However, the validity of both species is confirmed here.

The distribution of the two species overlaps (but there are not records of L. nasuta from Zambia) and they may be found in the same locality; indeed Dirsh (1958) reported specimens of L. bolivariana from Barberton ( South Africa), and here specimens of L. nasuta are listed from the same locality.

FIGS. 49-53. Lamarckiana . 49) Lateral view of L. cucullata male from Namibia; 50) Lateral view of L. nasuta male from South Africa; 51) Lateral view of the holotype male of L. bolivariana (photo by P. Schwendinger, Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, Genève); 52) Lateral view of the holotype female of L. nasuta (photo by H. Bruckner, Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna); 53) Lateral view of L. bolivariana female from Maputo ( Mozambique).