Aphrodes bicincta

Aphrodes bicincta (Schrank, 1776)

Figs. 2–5, 11–20, 29–39

Aphrodes bicincta ferganensis Dubovsky, 1966: 85 –86, syn. n.

Material examined. Russia, Lower Volga Region, Transvolga part of Saratov Area, environs of Dyakovka Village, meadow with Lotus sp. and Trifolium spp., 12. VII. 2004, signals of 3 m # recorded on tape at 29–30 o C (Figs. 29 and 34); Kazakhstan, South-eastern part of Syrdarya Karatau Mtn. Range, Sayasay Gorge (ca. 60 km West of Taraz), 12. VI. 2016, signals of 3 m # recorded on disk at 30–31 o C (Figs. 30 and 35); Kazakhstan, environs of Almaty, from herbaceous Fabaceae, 2. VII. 1994, signals of 4 m # recorded on tape at 31 o C (Figs. 31 and 36); Kyrgyzstan, Lower Naryn River Valley, Kurpsay Gorge 12 km from the mouth (ca. 25 km North-North-East of Tash-Kumyr), 4. VII. 2016, signals of 4 m # recorded on disk at 24 o C (Figs. 32–33 and 37–39). Additional material (no signal recordings). Kyrgyzstan, West Tien Shan, Chatkal Mtn. Range, Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve, walnutfruit forest zone; Tajikistan, Hissar Mtn. Range, Anzob Pass ca. 25 km North of Dushanbe; Tajikistan, Hissar Mtn. Range, Kafiringan River, Ramit (=Romit) Village (ca. 50 km North-east of Dushanbe).

Morphology. Coloration typical for group, longitudinal veins on both sides of claval suture usually less contrasting, than in A. diminuta, sometimes of almost same colour as wing membrane (Figs. 2–4).

In males from Central Asia, Siberia and Russian Far East body length (including tegmina) averages 6.0– 6.8 mm, penis length – 0.93–0.99 mm. According to Bluemel et al. (2014), males from European populations are smaller (body length 4.80–6.12 mm, penis length 0.72–0.87 mm), but in ratio of body length to penis length European and Central-Asiatic populations are indistinguishable (6.16–7.72 in European males, 6.29–6.91 in Central-Asiatic ones).

Penis stem as a rule distinctly bent distad of middle. Ends of the upper spines usually reach bases of lower ones or even extend slightly beyond them (Figs. 11–20).

Male calling signals. Calling signal is a phrase lasting from 10–15 up to about 20 s and more, and consisting of two different parts (Figs. 29 and 31–33): 1) a succession of partially merged pulses with very variable shape and repetition period; 2) more constant pattern consisting of alternating high- and low-amplitude syllables, the latter sometimes almost entirely reduced (Figs. 34–38). Occasionally first part of a phrase is absent and signal includes only syllable succession (Figs. 30 and 35). Male can produce single phrases or sing unceasingly for several minutes so that different parts alternate in a song without gaps. All components of signal have noise frequency spectra (Fig. 39). No distinct differences were revealed between signals of males from European Russia (Figs. 29 and 34) and Central Asia (Figs. 30–33 and 35–38).

Remarks. A separate subspecies, A. bicincta ferganensis Dubovsky, 1966 was described from the mountains of Central Asia. As noted before (Tishechkin, 2013), our attempt to reinvestigate type specimens of taxa described by Dubovskiy was fruitless: we received no response to requests for information from either institution and could not find out even where they are kept. For this reason identification of this form is based on the original description and on investigation of materials from Central Asia. Since the monograph of Dubovskiy (1966) was published in Russian, below we give an English translation of the description.

“Another subspecies of this species, Aphrodes bicinctus [sic!] ferganensis ssp. n. (figs. 19, 2–4 [fig. 19, 3 is reproduced on Fig. 19 in the present paper, on figs. 19, 2 and 4 penis in caudal view and style, respectively, are shown]) differing from the nominotypical form by the details of aedeagus shape occurs in Ferghana Valley. Ferghana subspecies is the typical and numerous representative of the grassland fauna of the foothills and mountains at altitudes from 1000 m above sea level. Numerous in the zone of fruit forests.

In the plains of the valley only single specimens can be found in forest plantations under the dense canopy and sometimes in gardens. Absent in irrigated lands planted with field crops, in adyrs and in arid foothills of the adyr type ” (“adyr” is Asiatic name for arid hills with desert or semidesert vegetation in the midlands).

Actually, both A. bicincta and A. diminuta occur in the zone of walnut-fruit forests of West Tien Shan Mts. For instance, two localities on Chatkal Mtn. Range, Kurpsay Gorge and Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve where the signals of A. bicincta and A. diminuta, respectively, were recorded are situated at ca. 45 km from each other. Moreover, in Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve and in the environs of Almaty (Kazakhstan) A. bicincta was found in the same localities with A. diminuta. As can be seen from the figures in the original description, A. bicincta ferganensis (Fig. 19) closely fits A. bicincta s. str. (Figs. 11–18) and distinctly differs from A. diminuta (Figs. 21–28), which apparently was treated by Dubovskiy (1966) as a nominotypical form. We have not found any differences between A. bicincta from European Russia and Central Asia. Also, specimens of A. bicincta ferganensis from Tien Shan run to A. bicincta in the key in Bluemel et al. (2014). Thus, we see no justification for subdivision of A. bicincta into two subspecies.