Tylopsis continua Walker, 1869

Naskrecki, Piotr & Guta, Ricardo, 2019, Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) of Gorongosa National Park and Central Mozambique, Zootaxa 4682 (1), pp. 1-119 : 68-70

Tylopsis continua Walker, 1869

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:7766

( Figs. 25J, K )

Diagnostic remarks. Members of the genus Tylopsis are easily identifiable by their slender, long-legged appearance, elongate, oval eyes, and closed tympana on the front tibia. T. continua is a highly polymorphic species, with color morphs that range from bright green ( Fig. 25K ) to pale yellow to brown; some individuals may have bright white ventral side of the abdomen and other white markings. Regardless of the overall coloration, most individuals have a dark brown band that extends from the top of the head down to the tip of the tegmina. The cerci are evenly incurved and have slightly flattened and dilated apices ( Fig. 25J ).

Bioacoustics. The call of T. continua has not been recorded in the Mozambican population but in the population from the Western Cape Province of South Africa the call consists of series of very short, click-like syllables produced at the rate of 7 syllables/s (at 20°C).

Distribution and natural history. T. continua is known from most of southern Africa, including Mozambique ( Ragge 1964), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( Massa 2015). This species is often very abundant in dry savanna habitats and in Gorongosa adults can be seen throughout the year. They feed mostly on grasses but may also eat aphids and caterpillars ( Picker et al. 2005).

Measurements (3 males, 3 females). body w/wings: male 40–43 (41.31.5), female 39–44 (412.6); body w/o wings: male 21, female 20–21 (20.3.6); pronotum: male 4–5 (4.7.6), female 5; tegmen: male 30, female 27–31 (28.72.1); hind femur: male 27, female 26–28 (271); ovipositor: 4–8 (6.32.1) mm.

Material examined (28 specimens). Mozambique: Sofala, Cheringoma, Nhagutua , road to ranger station, elev. 269 m (-18.68283, 34.81786), 19.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male ( EOWL, MCZ) ; nr. Codzo ( Khodzue ), cave and nearby, elev. 216 m (-18.564, 34.872222), 14–25.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male ; Gorongosa , GNP, Bela Vista ranger outpost, elev. 26 m (-18.69470, 34.20853), 5–12.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female ; GNP, between Bunga and Chiuata Inselbergs , elev. 31 m (-18.588611, 34.337222), 2.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 1 female, 1 male ; GNP, Murombodzi Waterfall, nr. Mt. Gorongosa , elev. 842 m (-18.483361, 34.042944), 21–22.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males ( EOWL, MCZ) ; Gorongosa Dist., Center for Environmental Conservation , elev. 119 m (-18.95472, 34.1775), 19–21.ii.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Castigo— 2 females, 1 male ( EOWL) ; Claud’s Waterfall campsite, elev. 94 m (-19.03011, 34.67592), 1–6.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male ( MCZ) ; Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo , (-18.97775, 34.351333), 19.iii.–2.iv.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 2 males ( EOWL, UEMM) ; same locality, 1–31.viii.2014, coll. R. Guta— 1 female ( UEMM) ; same locality, 22–25.x.2016, coll. M. Castene— 1 female ( EOWL) ; GNP, Chitengo , elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 9.v.– 29.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females, 3 males ; same locality, 6–31.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female ; GNP, eastern part, bottom of a limestone gorge, elev. 93 m (-18.68906, 34.75306), 15.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male; GNP, eastern part, rim of a limestone gorge, Nhanfisse River , elev. 225 m (-18.67972, 34.77033), 15.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male ( MCZ) ; Sofala prov, Gorongosa District, Cec to Civeta Post , elev. 96 m (- 18.940333, 34.193472), 29–30.ix.2015, coll. I. Nganhane & R. Guta— 1 male ( EOWL) .

Figures

FIGURE 25. Mozambican Phaneropterinae: A. Phaneroptera sparsa, base of male tegmina, dorsal view; B. ditto, male cerci; C. ditto, male, lateral view; D. P. nigropunctata, base of male tegmina, dorsal view; E. ditto, male cerci; F. ditto, male, lateral view; G. P. parva, base of male tegmina, dorsal view; H. ditto, male cerci; I. ditto, female, lateral view; J. Tylopsis continua, male cerci; K. ditto, male, lateral view; L. Tylopsis bilineolata, male cerci; M. ditto, male, lateral view.