Pyrgocorypha hamata (Scudder, 1876)

Piotr Naskrecki, 2000, Katydids of Costa Rica / Vol. 1, Systematics and bioacoustics of the cone-head katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae sensu lato)., Philadelphia, PA: The Orthopterists Society at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, : 71

Pyrgocorypha hamata (Scudder, 1876)

Figs. 16 A-E, 46G-H, Map 10

1879 Scudder, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. 20: 87 >> Conocephalus hamatus ; type locality: Guatemala; type depository: Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge

1999 Naskrecki and Otte, Illustr. Cat. Orthop. I (CD ROM) >> holotype illustrated

[syn. n.] Pyrgocorypha inermis = 1898 Saussure and Pictet, Biol. Centr. Amer. Orth. 1: 386, 387; type locality: Costa Rica, San José

[syn. n.] Pyrgocorypha affinis = 1907 Karny, Abh. Zool.- bot. Ges. Wien 4(3): 20; type locality: Mexico

1999 Naskrecki and Otte, Illustr. Cat. Orthop. I (CD ROM) >> syntype illustrated

Diagnostic description.— General characteristics as described above. Fastigium of vertex wide and triangular, about twice as long as diameter of eye and, at its base, about twice as wide as eye diameter; apex with distinct tooth; basal tooth of fastigium prominent; gap between fastigia of vertex and frons deep, about as wide as scapus ( Figs. 16 A-C).

Stridulatory file of male 3.8 mm long, with 95 lamelliform teeth (n=1), teeth on distal (outer) end of file narrower and more densely arranged than on proximal (outer) end; maximum width of file 0.45 mm ( Figs. 46 G- H). Male cercus as in Figs. 16 D-E. Ovipositor slightly bent downward, longer than hind femur (ratio ovipositor/ hind femur 1.09-1.19), usually reaching or surpassing apex of tegmina ( Fig. 16 A).

Coloration.— Body coloration uniformly straw brown or light green, sometimes dorsum of pronotum darker than lateral lobes of pronotum.

Measurements.— Table 11 .

Remarks.— A comparison of the type specimens of Conocephalus hamatus and Pyrgocorypha affinis reveals that they are conspecific. Hebard (1932) noted that P. affinis merely represents a smaller individual of P. hamata but did not officially synonymize the two species. Although I was unable to study the type specimen of Pyrgocorypha inermis , a detailed description and illustration leave no doubt that the specimen described by Saussure and Pictet from San José, Costa Rica, fits within the range of morphological variation of P. hamata . Therefore, I consider both P. affinis and P. inermis junior synonyms of Conocephalus hamatus .

The distribution of this species stretches from northern Mexico to Costa Rica. In Costa Rica it is restricted to the Pacific region of the country, occurring in open, grassy habitats ( Map 10 ).

Little is known about the biology of this species. In Guanacaste it is frequently attracted to lights, which indicates a nocturnal activity. Preston-Mafham (1990) reports that P. hamata has been seen feeding on chafer beetles (Phyllophaga sp.) attracted to lights at night in tropical forest in Chiapas State, Mexico. The call of P. hamata is unknown.

Material examined.— COSTA RICA: Guanacaste Prov., 3 k NW of Nacaome, P.N. Barra Honda, elev. 100 m, 13 - 30 November 1992 (coll. M. Reyes) - 1 female ( INBio); Cerro El Hacha, 12 km SE Las Cruz, elev. 300 m, 15 November 1986 - 1 female ( INBio); Estac. Cacao, SW slope of Volcán Cacao, P.N. Guanacaste, elev. 1000 - 1400 m, 15 June 1990 (coll. II curso Parataxon) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 1 December 1989 (coll. R. Blanco and C. Chávez) - 6 males, 12 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 March 1990 (coll. GNP Biodiv. Survey) - 1 female ( INBio); Estac. Mengo, SW side Volcán Cacao, elev. 1100 m, 15 February 1989 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 2 females ( INBio); Estac. Las Pailas, P.N. Rincón de la Vieja, elev. 800 m, 23 April 1993 (coll. K. Taylor) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 26 May 1994 (coll. D. García) - 1 male ( INBio); Estac. Maritza, W slope of Volcán Orosí, elev. 600 m, 15 May 1990 (coll. R. Blanco) - 1 female ( INBio); Estac. Maritza, W side of Volcán Orosí, elev. 600 m, 15 June 1988 (coll. Janzen and Hallwachs) - 11 females ( INBio); Estac. Murciélago, 8 km SO de Cuajinquil, 18 September 1993 (coll. F. Quesada) - 1 male ( INBio); Estac. Palo Verde, P.N. Palo Verde, elev. 10 m, 21 April 1992 (coll. A. Gutiérrez) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 21 April 1992 (coll. M. Ortiz) - 1 male ( INBio); Estac. Pitilla, 9 km S. Santa Cecilia, P.N. Guanacaste, elev. 700 m, 3 June 1993 (coll. C. Moraga) - 2 males, 2 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 May 1990 (coll. II curso Parataxon.) - 2 males, 3 females ( INBio); same locality,, 21 April 1989 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 May 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 3 males, 2 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 June 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 November 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 December 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 2 males ( INBio); same locality, 15 January 1989 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 male, 4 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 May 1989 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 2 males, 3 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 March 1990 (coll. P. Rios, C. Moraga and R. Blanco) - 1 male ( INBio); Estación Santa Rosa, P.N. Santa Rosa, elev. 300 m, 15 February 1992 (coll. III Curso Parataxon.) - 1 female ( INBio); Finca Jenny, 30 km N Liberia, P.N. Guanacaste, elev. 300 m, 15 December 1991 (coll. F. Araya) - 2 males, 4 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 January 1992 (coll. F.Araya) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 26 January 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); same locality, elev. 240 m, 15 January 1994 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 February 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 April 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 14 May 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 October 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 2 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 November 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 2 males, 3 females ( INBio); same locality, 1 - 30 June 1997 (coll. F. Araya) - 4 males, 4 females ( INBio); same locality, 1 - 31 July 1997 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male ( INBio); same locality, 15 October 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 November 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 2 males, 2 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 December 1988 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 male ( INBio); same locality, 11 July 1992 (coll. F. Araya) - 6 females ( INBio); same locality, 15 February 1992 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male, 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 11 June 1992 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male, 2 females ( INBio); Los Almendros, P.N. Guanacaste, 3 November 1993 (coll. K. Martínez) - 1 male ( INBio); P.N. Barra Honda, elev. 100 m, 15 February 1992 (coll. M. Reyes) - 2 males ( INBio); Palo Verde N. P., Palo Verde Biological Station, 5 February 1994 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 male, 2 females ( PN collection); Playa Blanca, Sector Murciélago, Guanacaste N. P., 15 June 1990 (coll. R. Blanco) - 2 males ( INBio); R. Gongora, P.N. Guanacaste, elev. 600 m, 15 June 1992 (coll. III Curso Parataxon.) - 1 female ( INBio); Río San Lorenzo, Tierras Morenas, Z.P. Tenorio, elev. 1050 m, 15 May 1991 (coll. C. Alvarado) - 1 male ( INBio); Tierras Morenas, Bajo Los Cartagos, R Sn Lorenzo, Zona Prot. Tenorio, A.C. Arenal, elev. 1050 m, 15 January 1991 (coll. C. Alvarado) - 1 female ( INBio); Vicinity Estac. Murciélago, 8 km SW Cuajiniquil, elev. 100 m, 15 June 1989 (coll. GNP Biodiversity Survey) - 1 female ( INBio); Puntarenas Prov., Estac. Quebrada Bonita, R.B. Carara, elev. 50 m, 15 May 1992 (coll. J. Saborio) - 1 female ( INBio); same locality, 15 April 1993 (coll. J. Saborio) - 1 male ( INBio); same locality, 15 January 1994 (coll. J. Saborio) - 1 male ( INBio); Sector Altamira, 1 km SO de Cerro Biolley, A.C. Amistad, elev. 1150 - 1400 m, 1 - 31 December 1994 (coll. J.F. Quesada) - 1 male ( INBio); GUATEMALA: (coll. Van Patte) - 1 female (holotype) ( MCZC); MEXICO: no other data – 1 female (holotype of Pyrgocorypha affinis Karny ) ( NHMV).

Figures

FIG. 16. Pyrgocorypha hamata. A. female - habitus, B. female face, C. female head and pronotum, dorsal view, D. apex of male abdomen, posterior view, E. male cerci, dorsal view.

FIG. 46. Stridulatory files of Costa Rican species of Conocephalinae s. l. A. Bucrates capitatus, B. ditto, enlarged fragment, C. Bucrates clausus, enlarged fragment, D. ditto, entire file, E. Pyrgocorypha rogersi, entire file, F. ditto, enlarged fragment, G. Pyrgocorypha hamata, enlarged fragment, H. ditto, entire file.

MAPS 7 - 12. Distribution of species of Conocephalinae s. l. in Costa Rica. 7. Neoconocephalus affinis, N. triops, 8. Neoconocephalus punctipes, N. cf. spiza, 9. Bucrates capitatus, B. clausus, Metacaputus brenesi, 10. Pyrgocorypha rogersi, P. hamata, 11. Caulopsis cuspidata, C. microprora, 12. Moncheca elegans, M. pretiosa, Vestria punctata.