Phlesirtes hanangensis Hemp

Hemp, Claudia & Heller, Klaus-Gerhard, 2017, The genus Phlesirtes Bolivar, 1922 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Conocephalinae, Conocephalini; Karniellina), a review of the genus with data on its bioacoustics and the description of new species, Zootaxa 4244 (4), pp. 451-477 : 465

Phlesirtes hanangensis Hemp n. sp.

( Fig. 4 . K, L; Fig. 5 D; Fig. 10 C; Fig. 16 )

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera .speciesfile.org:TaxonName:496066

Holotype male. Tanzania, Mt Hanang , 1900 m grassland at lower border of montane forest, May 2006. Depository MfN.

Paratypes. 1 female, same data as holotype. Depository MfN . 1 male, 1 female, same data as holotype. Depository BMNH .

Additional material examined. 6 males, 5 females, same data as holotype. Collection C. Hemp.

Description. Male Colour pattern. Brown with little green. Abdomen brown-black with broad black lateral fasciae. Legs. Fore and mid tibiae with two rows of each 6 spines ventrally, being the only species to present in the genus with 6 spines (usually 5). Spines of hind tibia black tipped. Abdomen. Space between processes of 10th abdominal tergite almost rectangular ( Fig. 4 K). Outer branch of cercus almost ending where inner branch starts; slender, little curved ( Fig. 4 L).

Female. Colour pattern as in male but more brown. Ovipositor typical for genus ( Fig. 10 C). Subgenital plate shield-like as in Fig. 5 D.

Measurements male (mm) (N=7). Length of body 8.0 –10.0 (mean: 9.1), length of pronotum 4.2–4.7 (mean: 4.4), length of anterior femur 2.3–2.5 (mean: 2.4), length of posterior femur 9.7–11.3 (mean: 10.1), visible part of elytra from above 0.4–0.6 (mean: 0.5).

Measurements female (mm) (N=5). Length of body 12.2–13.0 (mean: 12.5), length of pronotum 3.5–3.8 (mean: 3.7), length of anterior femur 2.5–2.7 (mean: 2.6), length of posterior femur 11.2–13.0 (mean: 12.0), ovipositor 10.4–12.5 (mean: 11.3).

Diagnosis. P. hanangensis n. sp. is the only member of the genus to present having two rows of each 6 spines on fore and mid tibiae. It is easily recognized by the shape of the male cerci: the outer branch is almost reduced, ending blunt and the inner one slender and little curved. Also P. gladiolus n. sp. has male cerci with a very short outer branch and an inner branch starting almost where the outer branch ends but has two rows of each 5 spines on fore and mid tibiae and a different shaped gap formed between the processes of the 10th abdominal tergite.

Habitat and distribution. Only known from the montane zone of Mt Hanang, north-western Tanzania. It occurs in grasslands and in grassy patches along hedges at the lower border of the montane forest.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Detail images of last abdominal tergites and cerci of male Phlesirtes species. A, B. P. brachiatus C, D. P. chyuluensis n. sp. E, F. P. elgonensis n. sp. G, H. P. githunguri n. sp. I, J. P. gladiolus n. sp. K, L. P. hanangensis n. sp.

FIGURE 5. Subgenital plates of female Phlesirtes species A – N and O. Lateral view on ovipositor of P. gladiolus n. sp. A. P. chyuluensis n. sp. B. P. elgonensis n. sp. C. P. gladiolus n. sp. D. P. hanangensis n. sp. E. P. keniensis n. sp. F. P. kinangopa n. sp. G. P. laikipiaensis n. sp. H. P. limuru n. sp. I. P. melanocercus n. sp. J. P. merumontanus, northern Kilimanjaro K. P. ngongensis n. sp. L. P. ngorongoroensis n. sp. M. P. nou n. sp. N. P. timboroa n. sp.

FIGURE 10. Habitus of Phlesirtes species. A, B. Female (A) and male (B) of P. limuru n. sp. from the Kikuyu Escarpment near Limuru at the lower slopes of the Aberdare Range C. Female P. hanangensis n. sp. from the montane zone of Mt Hanang in western Tanzania D. Male P. keniensis n. sp., Chogoria Route southern slopes of Mt Kenya E. Male P. kinangopa n. ssp. from the upper montane zone of the Aberdare Range in Kenya.

FIGURE 16. Distribution of Phlesirtes species in East Africa with major mountains and mountain ranges indicated.