Isophya modesta subsp. modesta Frivaldszky 1867

Isophya modesta modesta (Frivaldszky, 1867)

(Figs 16, 44, 93, 118, 155, 161, 192)

Odontura modesta Frivaldszky: Frivaldszky 1867 (sp.n.).

Isophya modesta modesta (Frivaldszky): Kis 1960.

Isophya modesta intermedia Kis, syn.n.: Kis 1960 (ssp.n.).

Morphological description: see the references above; Harz 1969; Heller et al. 2004. Bioacoustics: Orci and Heller 2004; Heller et al. 2004.

Synonymy: Kis (1960) described I. modesta intermedia on the basis of slight morphological differences and different colouration of male tegmina recognising it from I. modesta modesta. At the time of this publication I. modesta was known from few localities in Central and Southwestern Romania and little was known on its morphological variation. Investigation of the song of typical I. m. intermedia showed it coincides with that of typical I. m. modesta. The measurements at 23°C were as follows: main part of syllables—56–170 ms with 15–26 impulses and impulse interval of 3–8 ms; second part—640–1340 ms with 25–42 impulses and impulse interval of 4(at the end)–127 ms. Both parts were separated by an interval of about 4–6 seconds and thus the total syllable duration was 5300–7460 ms. These characteristics fit well the measurements at higher temperatures given by Orci and Heller (2004) except the shorter main syllable part. However, regarding the great variability of the temporal song characteristics of I. m. modesta (compare Orci and Heller 2004) we consider I. m. intermedia a junior subjective synonym of I. m. modesta.

Diagnosis: see the data for I. modesta. Recognition from I. modesta rossica— see below.

Distribution (Fig. 192) and phenology: Known from Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Western and Central Ukraine, and possibly occurs also in Moldova. The subspecies prefers lowland and hilly terrains, rarely it was found in the middle mountain belt in mesophyte grass-bush associations. Nymphs—(III–)IV–V, imago—V–VII(– VIII).