Gorongosa carri Naskrecki & Guta 2019, sp. n.

Gorongosa carri sp. n.

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:506813

(Figs. 12 A–J, 49G–I)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: E3523F7E-3E9E-4085-9E65-DCEE46474D81

Type locality. Mozambique: Sofala, GNP, Mt. Gorongosa, southern slope (-18.462417, 34.053139), 1236 m, 18– 20.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki—male holotype (MCZ)

General. General characteristics as described above.

Stridulatory file. Stridulatory file weakly bent, 0.8 mm long, 0.045 mm wide, with 50 teeth (Fig. 12D).

Coloration. Coloration light green in type species; eyes uniformly colored, brown; antennae with indistinct dark annulation; abdominal terga with posterior margins darker, creating annular pattern; ovipositor light green with its apex brown (Figs. 12A, B, H).

Bioacoustics. The call of G. carri is entirely ultrasonic and pure tone. It consists of a long train of syllables, sometimes paired, produced at the rate of 6–15/s; mean syllable duration is 0.0407 (SD=0.00786, n=100), with a distinct and narrow frequency peak at 39.3–43.9 kHz (Figs. 49 G–I). This species is one of the only two known katydids in Gorongosa with the call that is entirely ultrasonic (the second one is Phaneroptera parva Ragge, 1956).

Distribution and natural history. This new species is currently known only from Mt. Gorongosa and is likely endemic to that area. Considering the current high rate of deforestation and the loss of natural habitat on the mountain (Stalmans, pers. comm.) G. carri should be considered threatened. In fact, a large section of the forested area at the elevation ca. 1200 m, where most specimens of this species had been collected, was deforested in 2013 and its original habitat no longer exists. It is likely that a population of this species is present in other, still forested parts of Mt. Gorongosa, yet no other individuals of G. carri have been seen since 2012.

G. carri was found at the elevation above 1200 m on the slopes of Mt. Gorongosa, in the understory of humid, shady forest dominated by tall trees Newtonia buchananii and with understory that includes Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker-Gawl and several fern species.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Mr. Gregory Carr whose dedication to restoration, conservation, and human development in Mozambique has made Gorongosa National Park one of the greatest conservation success stories on the African continent.

Measurements (3 males, 1 female). body: male 11–12 (11.3.6), female 17; pronotum: male 5–5.5 (5.2.3), female 5; tegmen: male 3; hind femur: male 9–10.5 (9.81.1), female 10.1; ovipositor: 7.5 mm.

Material examined (4 specimens). Mozambique: Sofala, Gorongosa Dist., GNP, Mt. Gorongosa, southern slope, elev. 1236 m (-18.462417, 34.053139), 18–20.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 3 males (incl. holotype, 3 paratypes) (MCZ).