Poecilimon (Poecilimon) variicercis Miram, 1938

Sevgili, Hasan, Şirin, Deniz, Heller, Klaus-Gerhard & Lemonnier-Darcemont, Michèle, 2018, Review of the Poecilimon (Poecilimon) zonatus species group and description of new species from Turkey with data on bioacoustics and morphology (Orthoptera: Phaneropterinae), Zootaxa 4417 (1), pp. 1-62 : 32-33

Poecilimon (Poecilimon) variicercis Miram, 1938

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:460690

Poecilimon variicercis Miram 1938: 350 ; Bey-Bienko 1954: 290 [English version]; Salman 1978: 17; Ünal 2010: 141.

Type location: Turkey, Erzurum / Ardahan, Oltu

Holotype: Male

Previous records: Turkey, Erzurum: Oltu, Olur (= Olor ), 19.07.1910, 2♂♂ (including type) , 2♀♀ (coll. P. Nesterov); Olur, Pancuret (= Panjuret), 18.07.1910, 1♂ f. unicolor (coll. P. Nesterov) (Bei-Bienko, 1954); Erzurum (?): Gözeler, Ovacık, 14.07.1984, 1♂, 1♀ (coll. H. Özbek) ( Ünal 2010) (In Erzurum, such a location has not been detected. Therefore, if this locality is Ovacık town of Tunceli province, the population collected here may be refer to P. z. zonatus ).

Examined materials: Turkey, Erzurum: Pasinler, 16.07.1967, 1♂ (coll. N. Şişli, HUZOM); Şenkaya , around İnceçay village (old name: Puncheret ), N 40°46'.56'', E 042°18'.53'', 1931 m, 27.06.2016, 6♂♂, 13♀♀ (coll. H. Sevgili & D. Şirin) ; Oltu - Göle road, 10 km after fork to Şenkaya province , N 40°37'.19'', E 042°21'.19'', 1475 m, 5♀♀, 27.06.2016 (coll. H. Sevgili & D. Şirin) ; Şenkaya, around Uğurlu village, N 40°44'.44'', E 042°16'.47'', 1430 m, 27.06.2016, 11♀♀ (coll. H. Sevgili & D. Şirin) (all specimens deposited in alcohol, ODÜZOOL); Kars- Erzurum: Sarıkamış, Zivin (Süngütaşı) village , 21.07.1953, 2♂♂ (det. T. Karabağ, 1963).

Male: Fastigium robust and wider than half of the antennal scape or as wide as it, with distinct dorsal groove; fastigium with parallel sides or slightly convergent to frontward ( Figs. 22D , 29O–P ). Prozona of pronotum slightly narrowed to mesozona, in some specimens metazona slightly widened ( Fig. 22J–K ). Metazona of pronotum in profile distinctly elevated and slightly convex, posterior margin clearly concave. Tegmina with black longitudinal band, barely shorter than pronotum, not extending to hind margin of first abdominal tergum, apex rounded ( Fig. 2J–K ).

Epiproct with concave post margin, appear as two lobes ( Fig. 24A–E ). Male cerci thin, tapering from distal to proximal, in apical third arched inward, with variable denticulation, apex of cerci with black apical denticle and 2–6 denticles situated on the apical margin ( Fig. 24A–E ). Subgenital plate shorter than cerci, slightly tapering backwards with rounded edge, posterior margin of subgenital plate with shallow triangular or rounded incision ( Fig. 10E–G ).

Stridulatory file: The general shape and length of stridulatory file are similar to P. z. zonatus , P. vodnensis , P. salmani and P. z. datca , but the file differs from those species in tooth shape ( Figs. 17E–G ). Looking at SEM photographs taken at larger magnifications, the structure of the teeth is clearly different from other species of the species-group ( Fig. 18E–F ).

Bioacoustics: The calling songs of the males were recorded at night at 26°C in laboratory from four different populations. The song pattern consists of “click”-like syllables that quite different from other species of the group and composed of two groups of syllables with the first consisting of major syllables and a second of minor syllables ( Fig. 30 ). Males begin to produce the calling song with macrosyllables which has high amplitude and later minor syllables with low amplitude follow the first group. The syllables were repeated quite regular intervals within each groups. But, the durations of these two groups were not in a particular order. The minor syllables have decrescendo type impulses with more impulses ( Fig. 36 ). For other bioacoustics details see Table 4 and Figs. 36 .

Female: Fastigium with parallel sides, as wide as half of scapus or slightly narrower, faintly depressed and sulcate dorsally ( Fig. 29P ). Pronotum dorsally cylindrical, slightly narrowed in mesozona, metazona slightly widened compared with prozona and raised in profile with distinct concave hind margin ( Fig. 22I ). Tegmina visible and fully overlapping dorsally, but not reaching the first abdominal tergit ( Fig. 22I ). In Şenkaya population, the tegmina of females are shorter than in Olur and Oltu populations. Female cerci thin, slightly extending to hind margin of epiproct, gradually tapering backwards and slightly curved inward ( Fig. 27D ). Subgenital plate triangular with distinct median protuberance ( Fig. 12C ). Ovipositor, gonagulum and lamella as in Fig. 12C , 28E–F .

Coloration: See Fig. 48 .

Remarks: This species was described from Olur, the Northern part of Erzurum provinces ( Turkey) by Miram (1938). Bei-Bienko (1954) studied a male of this species which was collected by P. Nesterov from Panzhuret, north of Oltu, Erzurum. We found out that Panzhuret was now known as the “Pancirot” by local people around Olur and Şenkaya and that the current official name is “İnceçay” in Şenkaya town of Erzurum. In the field studies, we observed the crowded populations of P. variicercis in both the villages of both İnceçay and Uğurlu.

The great similarity of P. variicercis and P. z. zonatus has been known, but there has not been any detailed study on P. variicercis . The main differences between these species are found in the shape of pronotum and cerci in both sexes. Compared to P. z. zonatus , pronotum is narrower laterally in males, and the posterior margin of pronotum in P. variicercis is more concave than in P. z. zonatus . In general, the male cercus is similar to P. z. zonatus ; it differs from more twisted to backwards at distal part and as having different location and number of denticles at cercal apex. Cerci of female are thinner at distal part and longer than that of P. z. zonatus . There is not enough morphological difference in the shape of male subgenital plate to distinguish these two species. The caudal part and incision of its margin of subgenital plate are slightly narrower in P. variicercis . This important taxonomical character seems to be quite variable for this population. Fastigium of female in P. variicercis is slightly wider and more flattened at the front than that of P. z. z. zonatus . Some exceptions, however, should be noted, because the pronotum is elevated in metazona and being distinctly concave in the posterior margin, and the wing appears to be more freely structured and longer in the females than in other species of the group. Although the subgenital plate does not differ much from other species in the females, it has morphological similarities with P. z. datca . On the other hand, it differs from P. z. zonatus and P. salmani by having a distinct median protuberance, whereas in other species of the group the subgenital plate is more triangular. The morphology formed by lamella and gonangulum of females differs from that of P. z. zonatus .

This species of the zonatus group calls continuously with a faster syllable repetition rate than other species of the group. A male calling song contains two groups of syllables with the first consisting of macrosyllables and the second one of microsyllables not found in any other species of PZG.

This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List (2017–3). The distribution of the P. variicercis is restricted and its habitats are under the threat of the antropogenic effects, such as over-use of pesticides in agriculture and grazing. This species should be considered with a Endangered (B1ab(i, iv)) status on the basis of the extent of occurrence criteries of IUCN.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Habitat of Poecilimon azizsancar sp.n. (TR: Erzurum, Uzundere, above Çamlıyamaç village).

FIGURE 10. Subgenital plate of the males. A, P.tauricola; B–C, P. azizsancar sp. n.; E–G, P. variicercis; H–I, P. salmani sp. n.; J–N, P.z. zonatus; O, P.z. datca ssp. n.

FIGURE 12. Subgenital plate, gonangulum and lamella from below. A–B, P. salmani sp. n. (Dalyan); C, P. variicercis (Olur, İnceçay), D, P. zonatus datca ssp. n. (Datça), E–G, P. zonatus zonatus, H, P. tauricola (Bolkar Mts.), I, P. azizsancar sp. n. (Uzundere, Dikyar).

FIGURE 17. Stridulatory file on underside of left tegmen of males. A–C, P. zonatus zonatus (A–B, Erzincan; C, Malatya); D, P. zonatus datca; E–J, P. variicercis (E–G, Erzurum, Şenkaya; H, Erzurum, İnceçay (type locality); I, Erzurum, Uğurlu; J, Erzurum, between Olur–Oltu).

FIGURE 18. Medial teeth of stridulatory file at higher magnification. A–D, P. zonatus zonatus (A, Erzincan; B, Konya, Taşkent; C, Ermenek; D, Konya, Bozkır); E–F, P. variicercis (E, Erzurum, İnceçay (type locality); F, Erzurum, Şenkaya); G, P. zonatus datca ssp. n.; H, P.salmani sp. n.; I–J, P.vodnensis; K–L, P.salmani.

FIGURE 22. Dorsal view of pronotum. A–B, P. salmani sp. n. (male); C, P. zonatus datca ssp. n. (male); D, P. variicercis (male); E–F, P. salmani sp. n. (female); G, P. zonatus datca (male); I, P. variicercis (female); J–K, P. varicornis (male and female, not in scale).

FIGURE 24. Dorsal view of male cerci. A–E. P. varicercis (D–E, İnceçay); F–H, P. salmani sp. n.

FIGURE 28. Ovipositor shapes of PZG. A–D, P. z. zonatus (A, Erzincan; B, Malatya; C, Ermenek; D, Konya); E–F, P. variicercis; G, P.z. datcassp.n.; H, P.salmani, sp. n..

FIGURE 29. Dorsal view of fastigium vertices. A–B, P. tauricola (male, female); C–E, P. azizsancar sp. n. (C, E female, D, male); F–J, P. z. zonatus (F, K, female; G–J, male); L–M, P. salmani sp. n. (L, male; M, female); N, P. zonatus datca ssp. n. (female); O–P, P. variicercis(male, female).

FIGURE 30. Structure of male calling songs of P. salmani sp. n., P.zonatus datca ssp. n. and P.variicercis.

FIGURE 36. The oscillograms and spectral view of the male calling songs of P. variicercis.

FIGURE 48. Male and female habitus of Poecilimon variicercis from between Oltu-Olur (Erzurum). A–B, D, males; C, female; E, male and female.

FIGURE27. Cerci and epiproct of female.A, B,P.z. zonatus (A, Ermenek; B, Malatya); C, P.salmani sp.n.; D, P.variicercis.