Ochrilidia tibialis (Fieber, 1853)

Usmani, Mohammad Kamil, 2008, Studies on Acridoidea (Orthoptera) with some new records from Fezzan, Libya, Zootaxa 1946, pp. 1-41 : 38

48. Ochrilidia tibialis (Fieber, 1853)

Diagnosis: It can be distinguished by its pronotum with prozona slightly longer or equal in length to metazona; antennae very slender, with segments 2-flattened but hardly widened; hind femur with small brown spot on inner side of knees; tibial spines and spurs are crimson.

Habitats: This species is found in grassland. Probably graminivorous and multivorous. Light trap catches in many countries suggest night migration of this species. It has been observed feeding on new sorghum shoots and on cotton.

Material examined: Al Shati Region: Brack fish pond, 1 ♂, on grass, 2.xii.1992 ; Brack , H.I. T., 2 ♀, on grass, 5.xii.1992 ; Qattah , 1 ♂, on alfalfa, 15.xii.1992 ; Qirah , 2 ♂, 3 ♀, on alfalfa, 12.xi.1992 ; Ququm , 2 ♂, 1 ♀, on alfalfa, 29.x.1992 ; 1 ♀, on mint 4.xi.1992; Tamzawah , 1 ♀, on alfalfa, 4.xi.1992 ; 1 ♀, on vine, 4.xi.1992. Ghat Region: Al Awaynat , 3 ♂, 5 ♀, on alfalfa-grass, 20.vii.1995 ; Ghat, 1 ♂, 2 ♀, on vine, 18.vii.1995 . Murzuk region: Agar-Atabah , 5 ♂, on alfalfa and grass, 23.iv.1993 ; Fungul , 1 ♂, 1 ♀, on on alfalfa and grass, 27.iv.1993 ; Marhaba , 1 ♂, 2 ♀, on alfalfa & grass, 11.xii.1993 ; Murzuq, 12 ♂, 10 ♀, on vegetable, 5.v.1993 ; Traghan , 16 ♂, 3 ♀, on barley and grass, 13.iv.1993 ; Eddisah , 1 ♂, 1 ♀, on alfalfa, 27.iv.1993 ; Tsawah , 3 ♂, on grass, 11.xii.1993 . Sebha Region: Al Zighan , 4 ♂, on grass, 18.v.1994 ; Samnu , 4 ♂, 1 ♀, on alfalfa, 18.v.1994 ; Sebha, 5 ♂, 3 ♀, on grass & vine, 8.vi.1995 ; Tamanhant , 5 ♂, 6 ♀, on alfalfa-grass, 1 8.v.1994 .

Localities: Cyrenaica: Barca, Bengasi, Cufra, Gialo, Giarabub, Marmarica, Tolmetta; Tripolitania: Ain Zara, Engila, Tripoli; Fezzan: Agar Atabah, Al Awaynat, Al Zighan, Brak, Ed Disah, Fungul, Ghat, Marhaba, Murzuk, Qattah, Qirah, Ququm, Samnu, Sebha, Tamanhant, Tamzawah, Tibesti, Traghan, Tsawah, Uadi Tenezzufi.

Distribution: Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Mouretania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Libya, Sudan, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Aden, French Somaliland, Ethiopia, Somali Republic, Iran, W. Pakistan.

Remarks: This species is found rarely in this area. Earlier recorded from Libya by Werner (1908), Ghigi (1913), I. Bolivar (1915), Giglio-Tos (1923), Salfi (1925) and Jago (1977).