Tibicina maldesi Boulard, 1981

Puissant, Stephane & Gurcel, Kevin, 2023, The genus Tibicina Kolenati, 1857 in Morocco (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Tibicininae): taxonomic assessment from integrative research, Zootaxa 5330 (4), pp. 535-560 : 550-553

Tibicina maldesi Boulard, 1981 .

Material examined. Algeria (see Boulard, 1981): holotype Ô and one paratype ♀, massif du Djurdjura, forêt d’Aït Ouabane , 1700 m, 13-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec. ; two paratypes Ô, massif du Djurdjura, Tikjda , 1300 m, 14-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec. ; one paratype Ô, Kebouche near Akfraou , 1000 m, 26-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec. ; two paratypes Ô, Nador near Guelma, 29-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec. Morocco: two Ô collected from the same locality with their calling song recorded, north of Ouirgane, at the edge of the road P2022, road of Amizmiz , 31.20050 / -08.06580, 880 m above sea level, 22-V-2008 , J.-M. Pillet † rec.; one Ô and one ♀ at Jbel Bou Keltoum, Oujda , 34.37010 / -2.08187, 1675 m above sea level, 04-VII-2012, A. François, C. Galkowski & M. Sbai rec.

Morphology and measurement ( Figs. 2A,B,C – 3 ). Specimens captured from Morocco have been compared with the types from Algeria deposited at the MNHN. They do not show any particular differences. Morphological features, in particular genitalia shape and body length, are similar to the results given by Boulard (1981): 27 mm for the body length versus 26 to 27 mm in this study. T. maldesi is a Tibicina species blackish and brownish with relatively long slender wings, the basal half of the forewings greenish yellowish, their half apical blackish brownish ( Fig. 2A ). The tymbal of this species shows a series of seven sclerotized ribs running anterior to the tymbal plate. Six short ribs alternate with the seven long ribs ( Fig. 3 ). Male genitalia ( Figs. 2B,C ) with a pygopher curved without dorsal expansion but slightly V-shaped; uncus curved with apex slightly angular. Aedeagus elongated, deeply curved and trilobed at the distal end; the two lateral lobes small, curved and rounded at their apex with numerous conjunctival claws ( Fig. 2C : ↑); median lobe carrying the gonopore, vesica curved and inflated with apex elongated.

Exuviae. See Boulard (1981).

Sound behavior ( Table 1 ; Figs. 12A,B,C,D,E,F – 13A,B,C,D ). Two males were recorded by Jérôme Sueur ( JS, MNHN) then captured by JMP †. Another male was recorded by JS without have been caught. Males mainly produce their calling song in the canopy. Density of calling males was very low, males usually 100 to 150 m apart. When males emit their calling song, they raised their abdomen and lift up their wings from their body without decoupling them from the mesonotum. Males produce sustained calling songs lasting up to ten minutes: CD = 811.4 ± 81.1 s (719.9–874.5; 3), see Table 1 . Calling songs were composed of a very long sustained train of groups of pulses with a slow increase in amplitude at the beginning ( Fig. 12C ). Groups of pulses duration ( GPD) is notably constant: 8.3 ± 0.4 ms (7.6–9.0; 301). Groups of pulse period ( GPP) is 10.4 ± 0.7 ms (9.0–12.3; 377) and groups of pulses are produced a rate ( NGP) of 104.6 ± 1.7 s- 1 (100–108; 316). Pulses-groups ( Table 1 : NP per syllable) are made up of 8- 10 pulses, typically 8 pulses per syllables, i.e. 4 pulses per tymbal ( Figs. 13C,D ). In the frequency domain ( Table 1 ; Fig. 12A ), power spectra are characterized by frequencies of maximum amplitude ( MF) having a mean of 9134 ± 590 Hz (7644–10293; 140) with three frequency peaks: a peak of the carrier frequency band (F2*) at 9058 ± 345 Hz (8699–9388; 3) with two lateral frequency bands, F1 at about 8384 ± 436 Hz (7881–8656; 3) and F3 at about 10142 ± 186 Hz (10034–10357; 3).

Distribution and habitat ( Fig. 14B : black dot). T. maldesi is only known in two countries from the Maghreb area: four localities in Algeria and currently only two localities in Morocco. In Algeria, this species is present in the Mediterranean domain: SH3 stage, xeric subhumid class, temperate sub-class from 1000 m to 1700 m above sea level. In Morocco, T. maldesi is also present in the SH3 stage to the limit of SH3 - SA3 stage, xeric semi-arid class, temperate sub-class, from 880 m to 1675 m above sea level. Physical structures of the vegetation inhabited by T. maldesi are scrub and open wood: habitat classes 3, 5, 7 and 8. The males produce their calling song preferably perched high in the trees but sometimes also in junipers and low holm oaks.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Tibicina maldesi Boulard, 1981, male, Morocco. A, habitus, dorsal view. B, lateral view of pygofer, uncus curved with apex slightly angular, vesica of median lobe curved and inflated with apex elongated. C, distal end of aedeagus deeply curved and trilobed, the two lateral lobes small, curved and rounded at their apex with numerous conjunctival claws (↑).

FIGURE 3. Right tymbal of T. maldesi. Series of six short ribs (SR) alternate with seven long ribs (LR). Tymbal plate (TP).

FIGURE 12. Calling song recording of T. maldesi with a digitization at 44.1 kHz sampling frequency. A, spectra (frequency vs. absolute amplitude). B, spectrogram and C, oscillogram (from top to bottom) of the end of one sequence followed by the start of a second sequence having an increasing progressive amplitude. D, oscillogram of a part of A showing groups of pulses (slow amplitude modulation). E, detailed spectrogram and F, oscillogram of a part of D showing a train of groups of pulses in detail. Number of males analyzed: N = 3; Number of measurements for sampling: n = 140. For abbreviations and spectrum abbreviations, see Fig. 9.

FIGURE 13. Tymbal activity of T. maldesi. A, seven groups of pulses taken in the full signal (slow amplitude modulation). B, detailed oscillogram of a part of A showing two groups of pulses with their pulses structure (fast amplitude modulation). C, the same two groups of pulses of B with their number of pulses per cymbal visualized under the function “Envelope (analytic signal)”. D, the same two groups of pulses with their number of pulses per cymbal visualized under the function “Envelope”. GP: group of pulses (= syllable); ipsi–contra: sub-groups of pulses of the first tymbal (ipsi) followed by the second tymbal (contra) of asynchronous activity; LR: long ribs of the tymbal.

FIGURE 14. A, distribution map of T. q. quadrisignata (green and red dot) and T. q. pilleti Puissant ssp. n. (blue dot). B, distribution map of T. maldesi (black dot) and T. q. pilleti Puissant ssp. n. (blue dot). LC: locus typicus; RC: site of the recordings. Red dot represent stations that need to be confirmed (see explanation in text).