Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique
Author
Naskrecki, Piotr
Author
Guta, Ricardo
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-10-04
4682
1
1
119
journal article
25307
10.11646/zootaxa.4682.1.1
3981e1e7-9d35-4f45-857c-da0bca835157
1175-5326
3472787
430B98EF-BFCB-4608-A562-DEFA9539C8B2
Conocephalus (Anisoptera) iris
(Serville, 1838)
http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid:
Orthoptera
.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:17232
(
Figs. 7A, B
,
45
D–F)
Diagnostic remarks.
Among
Gorongosa
katydids this species is easily recognizable by the unique shape of the male cercus, armed with two unequal, widely spaced inner teeth (
Fig. 7A
), the bright yellow-orange coloration of the apical half of the abdomen, and the black markings in the cells of the tegminal median field; females can be distinguished from other species of
Conocephalus
in Gorongosa by the relatively long ovipositor, which is at least as long or longer than the hind femur. Only brachypterous form of this species has been recorded from the region (
Fig. 7B
).
Distribution and natural history.
A widely distributed species, recorded from
Kenya
(
Chopard & Kevan 1954
),
Tanzania
(
Hemp 2013a
),
South Africa
,
Zimbabwe
(
Chopard 1955a
),
Gabon
,
Mauritius
,
Madagascar
(
Saussure 1899
),
Republic of the Congo
, and
Uganda
(specimens examined at ANSP). This is the first record of this species from
Mozambique
, where in addition to
Gorongosa
it has been collected in
Cabo Delgado
, and it is likely to be distributed throughout the entire country.
In
Gorongosa
adults of
C. iris
can be found from January to early June and disappear during the dry season. This species is distributed throughout the entire region and is associated mostly with low elevation, humid, at least partially shaded habitats, such as the understory of tall miombo forest. They feed on grass flowers and seeds, caterpillars, and other soft-bodied insects.
Bioacoustics.
C. iris
males call primarily at night; the call consists of a long, uninterrupted buzz, audible to the human ear, with most of its energy at approximately 17 kHz; frequently the first few second of the call is in the form of short series of individual syllables (
Figs. 45
D–F).
Measurements (
3 males
,
3 females
).
body w/o wings: male 14–15 (14.3.6), female 15–20 (182.6); pronotum: male 3–4 (3.7.6), female 5; tegmen: male 4, female 4–5 (4.7.6); hind femur: male 14, female 17–19 (18.31.2); ovipositor: 18–19 (18.7.6) mm.
Material examined
(
21 specimens
).
Mozambique
:
Sofala
,
Coutada
12,
Inhamitanga Forest
, elev.
210 m
(
- 18.238350
,
35.330155
),
16.iii.2018
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
& N. Vicente—
1 male
;
Cheringoma
,
Coutada
12,
Chironde
camp, elev.
156 m
(
-18.32780
,
35.35799
),
2.iii.2017
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 male
;
same locality,
25.iii.–4.iv.2017
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
,
J. Guyton
& M. Castene—
1 male
;
nr.
Codzo
(
Khodzue
), cave and nearby, elev.
216 m
(
-18.564
,
34.872222
),
14–25.iv.2017
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 female
,
1 male
;
Cheringoma
,
Coutada
12,
Camp
2, 7km north of
Pawue Village
, (
-18.43151
,
035.35499
),
17.iii.2018
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 male
;
GNP, between
Bunga
and
Chiuata Inselbergs
, elev.
31 m
(
-18.588611
,
34.337222
),
2.iii.2015
, coll.
P. Naskrecki
& R. Guta—
2 females
,
2 males
;
GNP,
Bunga
Inselberg,
Camp
1, nr.
Bunga
ranger outpost, elev.
75 m
(
-18.59989
,
34.33686
),
21.iv.–5.v.2015
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
2 females
,
1 male
;
Gorongosa
Dist.
,
Claud’s Waterfall
campsite, elev.
94 m
(
-19.03011
,
34.67592
),
1– 6.v.2013
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
2 males
;
GNP,
Picada
1, elev.
28 m
(
-18.969
,
34.3615
),
2.ii.2014
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 male
;
Nhagutua
, elev.
221 m
(
-18.64339
,
34.81425
),
16–20.iv.2013
, coll. P. Naskrecki—
1 female
; GNP, sand forest, elev.
28 m
(
-18.961472
,
34.342861
),
17.ii.2015
, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta (230)—
2 males
;
GNP,
Chitengo
, elev.
38 m
(
-18.973333
,
34.351033
),
18.iii.2015
, coll. R. Guta—
1 female
,
1 male
(
EOWL
)
.