Revision of the tropical African genus Tetraconcha (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) with the description of ten new species

Only five species of the genus Tetraconcha Karsch, 1890 have been previously known; they inhabit tropical forests of central and western Africa. Generally, specimens belonging to this genus are scarcely represented in museum collections, probably due to the difficulty in finding them, but also for the fragility of their body and legs. During some recent expeditions in the Central African Republic and Ivory Coast it was possible to put together an abundant amount of specimens. This allowed the present author to revise the genus and to find valid characters to distinguish different species. On the whole, ten new species were discovered and the total number now amounts to fifteen species. Interestingly, in the Dzanga-N’Doki National Park (Central African Republic) seven sister species, previously unknown, live together with T. smaragdina; it was possible to separate them by the shape and number of teeth of the stridulatory file under the left tegmen, and later other taxonomical characters were provided. This may be considered a case of evolutionary radiation; that is, Tetraconcha species in the Dzanga-N’Doki National Park evolved traits that primarily linked to sound communication. This radiation very probably occurred randomly, possibly driven by genetic drift.This research received support from the Synthesys Project, which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Programme at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid (CSIC) (2013:ES-TAF-2438),Peer reviewe

New species, records and synonymies of West Palaearctic Pamphaginae (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Pamphagidae).

The author analyses the species of some West Palaearctic genera of Pamphaginae, namely Euryparyphes, Paraeuryparyphes, Glauia, Pseudoglauia, Glauvarovia, Prionosthenus, Lativertex, Ocnerosthenus, establishing the following synonymies: Euryparyphes olcesei (Bolivar 1907) = Euryparyphes bolivari (Stål 1876); Euryparyphes paraflexuosus La Greca 1993 = Euryparyphes flexuosus Uvarov 1927; Glauia durieui rubripes Morales Agacino & Descamps 1968 = Glauia durieui durieui (Bolivar 1878); Prionosthenus lebanicus Dirsh 1950 = Prionosthenus femoralis Werner 1938; Prionosthenus (Lativertex) Koçak & Kemal 2011 = Paranothrotes Mishchenko 1951. Further, the author confirms the synonymies: Euryparyphes vaucherianus (Saussure 1887) = Euryparyphes bolivari (Stål 1876); Euryparyphes kenitranus Werner 1932 = Euryparyphes bolivari (Stål 1876); Euryparyphes stali (Bormans 1879) = Euryparyphes laetus (Bolivar 1907); Euryparyphes septentrionalis Werner 1932 = Euryparyphes laetus (Bolivar 1907). Additionally, the author rises to species level Glauia tricolor Morales Agacino & Descamps 1968 stat. nov., which had described as a subspecies of G. saharae, and describes the new species Prionosthenus descampsi sp. n. and Ocnerosthenus poggii sp. n. Finally, the author proposes a new key to species of Euryparyphes, Parauryparyphes, Glauia, Prionosthenus and Ocnerosthenus.ryphes, Glauia, Pseudoglauia, Glauvarovia, Prionosthenus, Lativertex et Ocnerosthenus. Il établi les synonymies suivantes: Euryparyphes olcesei (Bolivar 1907) = Euryparyphes bolivari (Stål 1876); Euryparyphes paraflexuosus La Greca 1993 = Euryparyphes flexuosus Uvarov 1927; Glauia durieui rubripes Morales Agacino & Descamps 1968 = Glauia durieui durieui (Bolivar 1878); Prionosthenus lebanicus Dirsh 1950 = Prionosthenus femoralis Werner 1938; Prionosthenus (Lativertex) Koçak & Kemal 2011 = Paranothrotes Mishchenko 1951. Il confirme les synonymies: Euryparyphes vaucherianus (Saussure 1887) = Euryparyphes bolivari (Stål 1876) ; Euryparyphes kenitranus Werner 1932 = Euryparyphes bolivari (Stål 1876); Euryparyphes stali (Bormans 1879) = Euryparyphes laetus (Bolivar 1907); Euryparyphes septentrionalis Werner 1932 = Euryparyphes laetus (Bolivar 1907). Enfin, il éleve au niveau d’espèce Glauia tricolor Morales Agacino & Descamps 1968 stat. nov., qui a été décrite comme sous-espèce de G. saharae, et décrit les nouvelles espèces Prionosthenus descampsi sp. n. et Ocnerosthenus poggii sp. n. En conclusion, il propose une nouvelle clé au niveau spécifique pour les genres Euryparyphes, Parauryparyphes, Glauia, Prionosthenus et Ocnerosthenus

New genera, species and records of Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera, Phaneropteridae) from sub-Saharan Africa

The results of the study of many specimens preserved in different European museums are reported. The tribe Terpnistrini Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 is resurrected. The distribution of the following species is enhanced: Pardalotaasymmetrica Karsch, 1896, Diogenadenticulata Chopard, 1954, Diogenafausta (Burmeister, 1838), Plangiopsisadeps Karsch, 1896, Poreuomenasanghensis Massa, 2013 and Tylopsiscontinua (Walker, 1869). Further, for their peculiar characteristics, two African representatives of the American genus Symmetropleura Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 are included in two new genera: Symmetrokarschiaafricana (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878), comb. n. and Symmetroraggeadirempta (Karsch, 1889), comb. n. A new genus and species from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angustithoraxspiniger gen. n., sp. n., and a new genus and species from Tanzania, Arostratumoblitum gen. n., sp. n. are described. Finally Melidiaclaudiae sp. n. and Atlasacrisbrevipennis sp. n. are described and compared with related species.This research received support from the Synthesys Project, which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Programme at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid (CSIC) (2013)Peer reviewe

Taxonomy and distribution of some katydids (Orthoptera Tettigoniidae) from tropical Africa

Received 21 March 2015 | Accepted 31 August 2015 | Published 30 September 2015Results of the study of specimens collected in tropical Africa and preserved in different European collections and museums are reported and extensively illustrated. The following three new species are described: Horatosphaga aethiopica sp. n., Dapanera occulta sp. n. and Cestromoecha laeglae sp. n. In addition, new diagnostic characters or distributional data for Ruspolia differens (Serville, 1838), Thyridorhoptrum senegalense Krauss, 1877, Horatosphaga leggei (Kirby, 1909), Horatosphaga linearis (Rehn, 1910), Preussia lobatipes Karsch, 1890 and Dapanera eidmanni Ebner, 1943 are reported. Finally, Symmetropleura plana (Walker, 1869) is proposed to be transferred to the genus Symmetrokarschia Massa, 2015, Conocephalus carbonarius (Redtenbacher, 1891) to the genus Thyridorhoptrum Rehn & Hebard, 1915; the genus Gonatoxia Karsch, 1889 is proposed to be synonymized with Dapanera Karsch, 1889.This research received support from the Synthesys Project, which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Programme at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid (CSIC) (2013) and at the Naturkundemuseum of Berlin (2014).Peer reviewe

On some interesting African katydids (Orthoptera Tettigoniidae)

Results of the study of specimens collected in Africa and preserved in different European collections and museums are reported and extensively illustrated. The tribe Preussiini Karsch, 1890 is resurrected for the genera Preussia Karsch, 1890, Enochletica Karsch, 1896 and Weissenbornia Karsch, 1888. The following three new species are described: Eurycorypha ndokiensis n. sp., Eurycorypha feai n. sp. and Eurycorypha kenyensis n. sp. Rhacocleis dernensis Salfi, 1926 is confirmed in its original genus, Conocephalus algerinorum Massa, 1999 is moved into the subgenus Anisoptera. In addition, new diagnostic characters or distributional data for Horatosphaga crosskeyi Ragge, 1960, Horatosphaga somali (Schulthess-Schindler, 1898), Ducetia crosskeyi Ragge, 1961, Ducetia fuscopunctata Chopard, 1954, Tropidonotacris amabilis Ragge, 1957, Tropidonotacris carinata Chopard, 1954, Pardalota asymmetrica Karsch, 1896, Eurycorypha stylata Stål, 1873, Eurycorypha velicauda Karsch, 1893, Eurycorypha kevani Chopard, 1954 and Oxygonatium huxleyi Ragge, 1980 are reported

A new genus of Phaneropterinae (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Tettigoniidae) from Central Africa.

The new genus Pseudoplangia is described for Plangia laminifera Karsch, 1896. Its general aspect is similar to that of the genus Plangia Stål, 1873, but it differs remarkably in the vertex width, in the shape of eyes, that are oval and elongate, in the length of mid femora, that are shorter than pronotum length, in the shape of fore and mid legs that are very much laterally compressed, and in the presence of broad-based spines on the hind tibiae

Two new African and Madagascan species of the genus Holochlora (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae)

Two new species, Holochlora mauritiana and H. ingrischi from the island of Mauritius and Zimbabwe, respectively, are described. Along with a third species, H. biloba Stål, 1874 from Madagascar, they are the sole African representatives of the mostly Oriental genus Holochlora Stål, 1873, including ca. 60 taxa distributed from India to China. Preliminary hypotheses on biogeographical and evolutionary origin of Afro-Madagascan Holochlora species are shortly discussed