Sphagniana Zeuner, 1941

Massa, Bruno & Fontana, Paolo, 2011, Supraspecific taxonomy of Palaearctic Platycleidini with unarmed prosternum: a morphological approach (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae, Tettigoniinae), Zootaxa 2837, pp. 1-47 : 14-15

13) Sphagniana Zeuner, 1941 ( Figs. 25 , 57 , 98 , 111)

Characters. Tegmina are generally abbreviated, but rarely macropterous individuals are found. Head just larger than long, ratio maximum width/length of head (from vertex to clipeus): 1.2-1.3. Pronotum depressed, widened and enlarged in the metazona, with lateral lobes bent down at a sharp angle (mainly in males), median keel obliterated; hind femora comparatively short and weak; Ƥ subgenital plate very small, wider than long; ovipositor slender, long and regularly curved near the base; hind femora/pronotum length 3: 2.4-2.5, Ƥ: 2.6-3.0; 3 X th tergite enlarged, incised in the middle and with two very expanded lobes completely covering cerci; cerci just flattened in the inner spine portion. Colour of lateral lobes of the pronotum is black bordered with a white stripe.

Remarks. It is evidently separated from all here considered taxa by its characteristic male processes covering cerci, its pronotum shape and relative short femora. These characters consents definitely to separate it from Metrioptera , by some authors considered its synonym. It has been listed by Rentz & Colless (1990) within the subgenera of Metrioptera , but Eades et al. (2010) consider it a valid genus. We examined only S. sphagnorum , thus we are not able to establish if the other two species reported within this genus have the same characteristics or they should be classified in another way. We only observe that S. ussuriana shows a different pronotum and ovipositor pattern. Previously, Ramme (1951) wrote that the classification of Sphagniana and Alticolana was not clear and their species appeared much heterogeneous, some of them probably belonging to other genera.

Distribution. It is the only taxon, among those here considered, covering E Asia and N America. Number of species known (after Eades et al. 2010): 3: 1) monticola (Kim et Kim, 2001) ; 2) sphagnorum (Walker, 1869) (type species); 3) ussuriana (Uvarov, 1926) .

Figures

FIGURES 25 – 32. Lateral view of the pronotum of other 8 species of Platycleidini (Sphagniana, Eobiana, Vichetia, Metrioptera, Bicolorana, Roeseliana, Zeuneriana, Broughtonia).

FIGURES 48 – 63. Lateral view of the ovipositor of 16 species of Platycleidini (Platycleis, Sardoplatycleis, Sepiana, Metrioptera, Roeseliana, Bicolorana, Chizuella, Eobiana, Modestana, Sphagniana, Amedegnatiana, Alticolana, Parnassiana, Squamiana, Eumetrioptera).

FIGURES 94 – 101. Subgenital plate of the female of other 8 species of Platycleidini (Sepiana, Parnassiana, Amedegnatiana, Modestana, Sphagniana, Squamiana, Uludaghia).