Phaneroptera sparsa Stål, 1857

Hemp, Claudia, 2013, Annotated list of Ensifera (Orthoptera) and further records on Caelifera (Orthoptera) of Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Zootaxa 3613 (4), pp. 301-342 : 330

Phaneroptera sparsa Stål, 1857

( Fig. 13 D–E)

Distribution. Arabian Peninsula, Canary Isl., Palestine, Socotra, Morocco, Western Sahara and most of Africa south of the 15°N line of latitude (Ragge 1956, 1980).

Described as P. tetrasticta from Mt Kilimanjaro by Gerstaecker (1869). Recorded from Kilimanjaro by Sjöstedt (1909) and by Kevan (1955) as P. nana .

Ecology and biology. Adults in January, March, September, October (Sjöstedt 1909). Nymphal development on moist grasslands in the submontane zone and ruderal areas within banana-coffee plantations. In savanna habitats nymphs are mostly seen during the long rains and in swampy areas or wetlands.

Habitat. Plantation belt (Sjöstedt 1909). Hemp C. 2005. Very common species on Mt Kilimanjaro from the colline to montane zone in grasslands, bushland, plantations and along forest edges.

Altitudinal range at Mt Kilimanjaro: frequent at 1300 m (Sjöstedt 1909); 900–1000– 1700–1900 m.

Records: 133

Figures

FIGURE 13. Phaneropterinae species of Kilimanjaro A – B. Male (A) and female (B) Melidia laminata Chopard, eastern slopes, tree savanna, Chala area, 1000 m C. Male Plangia graminea (Serville), southern slopes, plantation belt, 1430 m D – E. Phaneroptera sparsa (Stål), southern slopes, female (D) plantation belt 1430 m and male (E), bush in savanna grassland, colline zone eastern slopes F. Male Diogena denticulata Chopard on Acacia sp., eastern slopes, tree savanna, Chala area G. Female Terpnistria zebrata (Serville), on Acacia sp., southern slopes, plantation belt 1430 m H. Female Tylopsis dispar Sjöstedt, eastern slopes, savanna grassland, 1100 m, imitating bract leaves of Cyperus niveus I. Male Tylopsis rubrescens Kirby, savanna grassland, eastern slopes, 1000 m.