Plangia satiscaerulea Hemp, 2015

Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, Zootaxa 4682 (1), pp. 1-119 : 101

Plangia satiscaerulea Hemp, 2015

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:470445

( Figs. 44 A–E, 53J–L)

Diagnostic remarks. Similar to P. graminea but the male cerci strongly bent inwards in the apical half and not narrowly tapered ( Fig. 44A ). Males frequently have a dark brown spot on the stridulatory area of the left tegmen ( Fig. 44C ). Both green and yellow forms of this species are known, the latter sometimes with brown, irregular spots on the dorsal (posterior) half of the tegmina ( Fig. 44B ).

Bioacoustics. The call of P. satiscaerulea is very similar to that of P. graminea and consists of 2–3 syllabic echemes produced every 6–9s; mean syllable duration is 0.043 s (SD=0.0113, n=19); the peak frequency of the call is 9.3–12.3 kHz ( Figs. 53 J–L). The call is audible from a distance of a few meters.

Distribution and natural history. P. satiscaerulea was recently described from Tanzania but this species appears to have a much wider distribution. In Mozambique it has so far been only recorded in Gorongosa , where adults can be found throughout the year.

Females have a wide, relatively long ovipositor with a broadly rounded apex ( Fig. 44D ), adapted to laying eggs between the layers of the leaf epidermis ( Fig. 44E ).

Measurements (3 males, 2 females). body w/wings: male 43.3–43.8 (43.5.3), female 44.2–44.8 (44.5.4); body w/o wings: male 21.4–23.8 (22.21.4), female 27.2–29.7 (28.51.8); pronotum: male 6.5–6.6 (6.5.1), female 6.8–7 (6.9.1); tegmen: male 33.5–35.4 (34.51), female 37–38.4 (37.71); hind femur: male 14.9–17.1 (15.91.1), female 16.8–17.4 (17.1.4); ovipositor: 6.8–7.6 (7.2.6) mm.

Material examined (7 specimens). Mozambique: Sofala, Cheringoma, Coutada 12, Chironde camp, elev. 156 m (-18.32780, 35.35799), 25.iii.–4.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki, J. Guyton & M. Castene— 1 female ; Gorongosa , GNP, Chitengo, Wilson Laboratory , elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 1–15.v.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki & N. Vicente— 1 male ( EOWL) ; Gorongosa Dist., Center for Environmental Conservation , elev. 119 m (-18.95472, 34.1775), 16.iii.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki—1 nymph ; GNP, Chitengo , elev. 38 m (-18.982867, 34.35185), 1–18.ix.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male ( MCZ) ; Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo , (-18.97775, 34.351333), 1–30.ix.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Massad— 1 male ; same locality, 21.vii.–8.viii.2015, coll. B. Woo— 1 male ; same locality, 19–28.ii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female ( EOWL) .

Figures

FIGURE 44. Mozambican Plangia spp.: A. Plangia satiscaerulea, male abdominal apex, dorsal view; B. ditto, male lateral; C. ditto, male head and pronotum, dorsal view; D. ditto, ovipositor; E; ditto, eggs; F. Plangia graminea, male abdominal apex, dorsal view; G. ditto, male lateral; H. ditto, male head and pronotum, dorsal view; I. ditto, ovipositor; J; ditto, eggs; K. ditto, 2nd instar; L. ditto, penultimate instar.

FIGURE 53. Oscillograms and power spectra of Mozambican Phaneropterinae: A–C. Melidia brunneri; D–F. Catoptropteryx aurita; G–I. Plangia graminea; J–L. P. satiscaerulea.