Phlesirtes chyuluensis, Hemp, Claudia & Heller, Klaus-Gerhard, 2017

Hemp, Claudia & Heller, Klaus-Gerhard, 2017, The genus Phlesirtes Bolivar, 1922 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae, Conocephalini; Karniellina), a review of the genus with data on its bioacoustics and the description of new species, Zootaxa 4244 (4), pp. 451-477 : 458-459

Phlesirtes chyuluensis n. sp. Hemp

( Fig. 4 C, D; Fig. 5 A; Fig. 16 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:496060

Holotype male. Kenya, Chyulu Hills , grassland, 1900 m, January 2004. Depository MfN.

Paratypes. All same data as holotype. 1 female: Depository MfN . 1 male, 1 female. Depository EDNMK. 1 male, 1 female. Depository BMNH.

Additional paratype material. 6 females, 1 female nymph; all Kenya, Chyulu Hills, same data as holotype. Collection C. Hemp.

Description. Male. Typical colour pattern as given above in Diagnosis for Phlesirtes . Abdomen. Last abdominal tergite with the two processes leaving an angular space between them ( Fig. 4 C). Cerci differentiated into two branches, outer one blunt and short, inner one curved inwardly, very long and slender, about 2–3 times as long as outer one ( Fig. 4 D).

Female. As in male. Ovipositor typical for genus. Subgenital plate as in Fig. 5 A.

Measurements male (mm) (N=3). Length of body 11.0, length of pronotum 4.5–5.0, length of anterior femur 2.5, length of posterior femur 9.7–10.2, visible part of elytra from above 0.2–0.5.

Measurements female (mm) (N=8). Length of body 12.5–14.2 (mean: 3.4), length of pronotum 4.1–4.5 (mean: 4.3), length of anterior femur 2.4–2.7 (mean: 2.5), length of posterior femur 10.6–11.1 (mean: 11.0), ovipositor 11.7–13.3 (mean 12.4).

Diagnosis. P. chyuluensis n. sp. is morphologically and molecularly closely related to P. gladiolus n. sp. Both share an angular incision formed by the lateral processes on the posterior margin of the 10th abdominal tergite and a long and slender inner branch of the male cerci. While P. gladiolus n. sp. has longer and thorn-like processes, these processes are shorter and very thin in P. chyuluensis n. sp. In both species these processes are bent downward while in P. elgonensis n. sp. and P. limuru n. sp. —having also an angular space between the processes- the processes are more straight, almost on one level with the 10th abdominal tergite or only slightly bent downwards. The inner branches of the male cerci are more stout, not as long and slender and curved as in P. chyuluensis n. sp. and P. gladiolus n. sp.

Habitat and distribution. Montane grasslands on the Chyulu Hills 1800–1900 m, probably occurring in grasslands along a wider altitudinal span on the Chyulu Hills.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Detail images of last abdominal tergites and cerci of male Phlesirtes species. A, B. P. brachiatus C, D. P. chyuluensis n. sp. E, F. P. elgonensis n. sp. G, H. P. githunguri n. sp. I, J. P. gladiolus n. sp. K, L. P. hanangensis n. sp.

FIGURE 5. Subgenital plates of female Phlesirtes species A – N and O. Lateral view on ovipositor of P. gladiolus n. sp. A. P. chyuluensis n. sp. B. P. elgonensis n. sp. C. P. gladiolus n. sp. D. P. hanangensis n. sp. E. P. keniensis n. sp. F. P. kinangopa n. sp. G. P. laikipiaensis n. sp. H. P. limuru n. sp. I. P. melanocercus n. sp. J. P. merumontanus, northern Kilimanjaro K. P. ngongensis n. sp. L. P. ngorongoroensis n. sp. M. P. nou n. sp. N. P. timboroa n. sp.

FIGURE 16. Distribution of Phlesirtes species in East Africa with major mountains and mountain ranges indicated.