Terpnistria zebrata Serville 1838

Terpnistria zebrata (Serville, 1838)

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:11295

(Figs. 37 A–H, 52A–C)

Diagnostic remarks. An easily recognizable katydid, characterized by contrastingly light venation of the tegmina (Fig. 37H), white accents on the pronotum and abdominal terga, large spines on the ventral margins of hind femora, and a prominent crest on the metazona of pronotum. The male cerci are simple, weakly incurved and armed with a small apical spine (Figs. 37D, E). The stridulatory file has 43–47 teeth (Fig. 37C). Females in the population in central Mozambique have the ovipositor nearly 5 times shorter than the hind femur (Fig. 37G), albeit there appears to be a significant variation in the length of the ovipositor in this species.

Bioacoustics. The call of T. zebrata is a series of single syllables, produced at the rate of 3 syllables/s; mean syllable duration is 0.0411 s (SD=0.00975, n=39); the peak frequency of the call is 11.1–12.8 kHz (Figs. 52 A–C). The call is audible from a few meters.

Distribution and natural history. T. zebrata is distributed widely in southern and East Africa, south of latitude 4°S (Ragge 1980). It is found in Acacia woodland, where it feeds on a number of small-leaved trees of the family Fabaceae. Females lay eggs singly on the surface of tree bark, relatively low to the ground. Similar to females of Arantia, following the deposition of an egg the female covers it with pre-chewed bits of bark.

Measurements (3 males, 7 females). body w/wings: male 46–46.5 (46.2.3), female 45–51.4 (48.82); body w/o wings: male 25–26 (25.3.6), female 26–31 (29.31.8); pronotum: male 4–5.5 (4.8.8), female 5–5.5 (5.2.3); tegmen: male 34–35 (34.5.5), female 34.5–37.5 (36.61.1); hind femur: male 21–23.5 (22.21.3), female 22–23.9 (22.9.6); ovipositor: 5–6 (5.5.4) mm.

Material examined (35 specimens). Mozambique: Manica, Sussundenga, Moribane Forest, Ndzou Camp, elev. 593 m (-19.734695, 33.336130), 2–8.xii.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki & M. Tomás— 1 female, 1 male; 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 male; Gorongosa, Chitengo, elev. 31 m (-18.97817, 34.35159), 20.xi.2017, coll. Entomology Class 2017— 1 female); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 38 m (-18.981067, 34.351983), 11–31.x.2014, coll. R. Guta— 1 female, 1 male; GNP, Chitengo, (-18.97786, 34.35123), 15.vi.2015, coll. Jen Guyton— 1 female; GNP, Bela Vista Outpost, (-18.69480, 34.20733), 10.v.2015, coll. R. Guta & T. Massad— 1 female (EOWL); GNP, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 12–20.iv.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male (MCZ); same locality, 1–10.xi.2018, coll. Entomology Class 2018— 1 female; GNP, Chitengo, New Camp, (-18.97729, 34.34425), 1–10.xi.2018, coll. Entomology Class 2018— 1 male; GNP, Chitengo, Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (-18.977722, 34.351333), 5.iv.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki & N. Vicente— 1 male; same locality, 6.iv.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male; GNP, Wilson Laboratory, (-18.977761, 34.35115), 15–30.xi.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male; Gorongosa Dist., GNP, Chitengo, elev. 38 m (-18.978808, 34.352606), 5–9.v.2014, coll. R. Guta— 1 female, 1 male; Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo, (-18.97775, 34.351333), 19.iii.–2.iv.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 1 female (EOWL); same locality, 20–23.iii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (UEMM); same locality, 1–30.ix.2014, coll. R. Guta & T. Massad— 1 female; same locality, 19–28.ii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; same locality, 15.viii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; GNP, Chitengo, elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122)— 1 female (EOWL); same locality, 9.v.–29.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females, 2 males; same locality, 6–31.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (MCZ); GNP, nr. Nhascuvo outpost, (-19.062639, 34.232194), 24–28.vi.2014, coll. G. Daniel, I. Nganhane & R. Guta— 1 female; 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 female; Gorongosa Distr., GRP, E.O. Wilson Lab Chitengo, (-18.9783, 34.3514), 14.vii.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 male; same locality, 10.vi.2015, coll. J. Guyton— 1 male; same locality, 26–31.iii.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 males (EOWL).