Platycleis (Montana) medvedevi ( Miram, 1927 )

Ünal, Mustafa, 2025, Taxonomic notes on Phaneropterinae and Tettigoniinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from the Palaearctic Region, Zootaxa 5687 (1), pp. 1-77 : 37-38

Platycleis (Montana) medvedevi ( Miram, 1927)

Material examined. Russia: Orenburg, 7. 1927, 1 male (leg. Vorontzovsky) ( MfN) .

Remarks. This species was first described by Miram in 1927 as Metrioptera medvedevi , based on specimens from Askania-Nova, Kherson, located north of Crimea. Zeuner, in 1941, tentatively included it in the genus Montana , which has remained its classification to date (OSF). When the author first observed this species, the striking resemblance to the Anatolian endemic and monotypic genus Sureyaella Uvarov , established in 1934, was quite surprising.

A study of the morphological similarities between the two reveals several noteworthy characteristics. Both species exhibit similar body sizes, ranging from 12 to 14 mm, and their pronota measure 3 to 3.5 mm. Tegmina are slightly longer in P. medvedevi (2.7 female– 3 male) (2 mm in both sexes in S. bella ). Hind femora slightly longer in P. medvedevi (13.1 male–14.5 female) (11 male – 12 female in S. bella ).

Both species show similarities in the structure of the pronotum, tegmina, and male genital regions, including the cercus, last tergite, and subgenital plates. Even the titillators, the structure of the ovipositor, and the female subgenital plate display significant similarities like two congeners in Decticini . However, a key distinguishing feature is that P. medvedevi has four ventral spurs on its hind tibia, while Sureyaella bella has only two. This difference is critical in separating groups within the Decticini . For this reason, P. medvedevi has not been reclassified into the genus Sureyaella Uvarov.

The measurements of the original descriptions have also been compared along with the studied material and the other characters ( Uvarov 1934: 53; Miram 1927: 166). The titillators can be compared in Harz (1969: 257, Fig. 780) and Ünal (2006: 201, Fig. 60 ).

Subgenus Tessellana Zeuner, 1941

Figures

FIGURES 55–81. 55–64 Poecilimon allegro sp. nov., 55 male subgenital plate; 56 male left cercus,dorsal view; 57 tips of male cerci, posterior view; 58 female habitus, lateral view; 59 ditto, dorsal view; 60 ditto, dorso-lateral view; 61 female headand pronotum, dorsal view; 62 ditto, lateral view; 63 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 64 ovipositor. 65 Fieber, under Poecilimon concinnus. 66 corresponding of Brunner von Wattenwyl (NMW), under Poecilimon concinnus. 67–80 Poecilimon luwi Ünal, sp. nov., 67 male fastigium of vertex and scapes; 68 male habitus, lateral view; 69 ditto, dorsal view; 70 male head, pronotum and tegmina, lateral view; 71 ditto, dorsal view; 72 male end of abdomen, dorsal view; 73 male left cercus; 74 male subgenital plate, ventral view; 75 female habitus, lateral view; 76 ditto, dorsal view; 77 female head and pronotum, lateral view; 78 ditto, dorsal view; 79 female subgenital plate, ventral view; 80 ovipositor. 81 Poecilimon helleri zeybek sp. nov., male habitus, lateral view.