Copiphora rhinoceros Pictet, 1888

Common name: Rhinoceros spear bearer Figs. 5 A-F, 36G, 43B-C, Map 5

1888 Pictet, Mem. Soc. Geneve 30 (6): 48; type locality: Nicaragua; type depository: Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Geneva

Diagnostic description.— Body large, with broad wings, in both sexes extending well beyond apex of abdomen (Fig. 5 A). Fastigium of vertex forming large, sharply pointed horn, straight or somewhat curved, 5-5.5 times as long as eye diameter (Fig. 5 B); basal, dorsal part of fastigium granulose (Fig. 5 C). Face convex; genal carinae of head well developed, granulose. Pronotum smooth, shiny; metazona slightly raised; both anterior and posterior margins straight; lateral lobe of pronotum 1.8 times longer than high. Male stridulatory file weakly curved, 3.8 mm long, 345 μm wide, with 219 very closely spaced, wide, lamelliform teeth (Fig. 43 B-C); mirror approximately rectangular but with sides somewhat convex; small, parallel vein next to AA1 present.

Ventral spines of femora large, triangular, usually contrastingly white; all genicular lobes armed with long, sharp spines. Male cercus thick, blunt, and strongly incurved, thicker at apex than at base; ventral, subapical spine of cercus short and invisible from above (Figs. 5 E- F). Female cercus simple, elongately conical, somewhat curved. Male subgenital plate narrowed toward apex, apex with shallow incision; styli short, about 1.2 times as long as wide. Female subgenital plate approximately triangular but apical portion more narrowed than its basal part, and with small apical incision. Ovipositor very long, straight, more than twice as long as hind femur (ratio ovipositor/hind femur 2.3-2.5) (Fig. 5).

Coloration.— General coloration bright green. Fastigium of vertex bright yellow, sometimes with black tip; face bright green, clypeus, labrum and outer parts of mandibles yellow; inner parts of mandibles black (Fig. 36 G). Pronotum green, with diffuse yellow band at posterior edge of metazona. Tegmina green, densely mottled with regularly arranged pale brown dots; posterior margin of tegmina purple-red, resulting in a conspicuous dorsal stripe when wings are folded; male stridulatory file usually bright white. Legs green, with white femoral spines; often tarsi bright green with black metatarsus. Abdominal terga green, sterna yellow.

Measurements.— Table 4.

Bioacoustics and biology.— The call of C. rhinoceros is one of the dominant night calls in many lowland wet forests of Costa Rica. In fact, it is one of the very few species of Central American forest Tettigoniidae that have a nearly continuous, loud, and easily perceptible call. It was described in great detail by Morris (1980), therefore I give only a brief description here. The call consists of a rapid succession of short buzzes, each lasting about 0.5 to 10 s (Fig. 54 F). The buzz is composed of paired, clearly defined pulses (“phonatomes” of Morris and Walker 1976). The first, minor, pulse in each pair has a low amplitude and lasts only 14-25 ms. This pulse is followed by a longer, 25-41 ms, and much louder major pulse. The paired pulses are produced at the rate of 16/s at 26 °C (14/s at 24°C) (Fig. 54 G).

The call is high Q, with most energy concentrated around 9.5 kHz. Morris (1980) measured the energy peak at 8.7 kHz, and detected first and second harmonics at 17.4 kHz and 26.1 kHz, respectively.

In addition to the airborne sound during their calling activity males of C. rhinoceros produce short bouts of rapid tremulations. Females respond with similar tremulations but of lower intensity and regularity. The bouts of males last about 2.5 s and consist of about 5 tremulations (Morris measured the rate of tremulations at 3.1 tremulations per bout).

Females of this species have been observed laying eggs in fronds of the palm Calyptrogyne ghiesberghiana. Eggs are creamy-white, elongate, about 8.7 mm long, with one end distinctly more narrowed (Fig. 38 A). The chorion of the eggs has a characteristic, reticulate pattern.

Distribution.— C. rhinoceros is known from Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. In Costa Rica it has not yet been recorded from the Península de Nicoya (Map 5).

Material examined.— COSTA RICA: Lower Río Reventazon, Castila Farm, 24 July 1936 (coll. C.W. Dodge) - 1 female (ANSP); (no more details), 15 July 1934 - 1 nymph (USNM); Pozo Azul, (coll. C.F. Underwood) - 1 female (ANSP); Alajuela Prov., Estac. San Ramón Oeste, elev. 620 m, 19 April 1994 (coll. F. Quesada) - 4 males, 3 nymphs (INBio); Río San Lorencito, elev. 800 m, 18 July 1997 (coll. I.A. Chacón) - 1 female (INBio); Sect. San Ramón de Dos Rios, 1.5 km NO Hda. Nueva Zelandia, elev. 620 m, 12 - 21 July 1996 (coll. F.A. Quesada) - 1 female (INBio); Zona Protectora de Arenal, Pocosol, 10 - 16 February 1994 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 2 nymphs (PN collection); Cartago Prov., Caché, 16 October 1916 (coll. Lankester) - 1 male, 1 female (ANSP); 2 mi SE Turrialba (grounds of Inst. Interamer. de Sci. Agricolas), 29 - 30 September 1961 (coll. Hubbell, Cantrall, Cohn) - 4 males, 1 female (UMMZ); same locality, 1 - 3 October 1961 (coll. Hubbell, Cantrall, Cohn) - 4 males, 2 females (UMMZ); Juan Vinas, 15 March 1920 (coll. L. Bruner) - 1 male (ANSP); near Tuis, elev. 910 m, 16 - 22 July 1993 (coll. S. Keller) - 1 female (EMUS); Peralta, 15 May 1923 (coll. Lankester) - 1 male (ANSP); Turrialba, 6 June 1951 (coll. O.L. Cartwright) - 1 male (USNM); same locality, 21 July 1957 (coll. A. Starrett) - 1 male (UMMZ); Turrialba, Agr. Sta., 10 February 1966 (coll. H.R. Roberts) - 1 male (ANSP); Turrialba, CATIE, 26 - 29 June 1986 (coll. W. Hanson, G. Bohart) - (EMUS); Turrialba (near bdlgs. of IAPI), 15 February 1966 (coll. M. Crosby) - 1 female (UMMZ); Guanacaste Prov., 15 June 1903 (coll. C.F. Underwood) - 2 males (ANSP); 3 km SE R. Naranjo, 15 - 22 October 1991 (coll. F.D. Parker) - 1 male (EMUS); same locality, 1 November 1991 (coll. F.D. Parker) - 1 male (EMUS); same locality, 10 - 23 January 1992 (coll. F.D. Parker) - 1 female (EMUS); Estac. Cacao, Lado SO Vol. Cacao, P.N. Guanacaste, elev. 1000 - 1400 m, 4 May 1993 (coll. D.H. Janzen) - 1 male (INBio); Estac. Pitilla, 9 km S. Santa Cecilia, elev. 700 m, 15 June 1994 (coll. C. Moraga) - 1 female (INBio); same locality, 1 - 31 August 1997 (coll. C. Moraga and P. Rios) - 1 female (INBio); Estac. Pitilla, 9 km S Santa Cecilia, elev. 700 m, 15 October 1992 (coll. C. Moraga) - 1 male (INBio); Heredia Prov., Carillo, 15 August 1903 (coll. C.F. Underwood) - 1 male, 1 female (ANSP); Estac. Magsasay, P. N. Braulio Carillo, elev. 200 m, 15 June 1991 (coll. A. Fernández) - 1 male (INBio); La Selva, 1 July - 31 August 1991 (coll. J. Doubles) - 1 female, 1 nymph (UMMZ); Los Arbolitos, Sarapiquí, elev. 10 - 30 m, 27 March 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male, 1 female (INBio); Puerto Viejo, La Selva Biological Station, elev. 50 - 150 m, 10° 26' N, 84° 1' W, 31 July 1969 - 1 female (USNM); same locality, 24 - 30 August 1988 (coll. W.J. Hanson) - 1 male (EMUS); same locality, 17 - 22 February 1994 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 male, 2 females (PN collection); same locality, 15 March 1994 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 4 females (PN collection); same locality, 1 - 4 April 1994 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 9 males, 2 females, 3 nymphs (PN collection); same locality, 7 - 10 December 1995 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 female (PN collection); same locality, 8 March 1967 (coll. H.R. and E.H. Roberts et al.) - 1 male (ANSP); Limón Prov., 7 km W Guápiles at Río Toro Amarillo, 19 August 1964 (coll. S.P. Hubbell) - 1 female (UMMZ); Amubri, Talamanca, elev. 70 m, 14 January 1992 (coll. M.M. Chavarría) - 1 male (INBio); Cerro Tortuguero, Tortuguero N. P., elev. 0 - 120 m, 15 June 1990 (coll. M. Barrelier) - 1 male (INBio); Estac. Aquas Frías, elev. 10 - 20 m, 1 - 30 September 1997 (coll. E. Rojas) - 1 female (INBio); Estac. Hitoy-Cerere Res. Biol. Hitoy Cerere, Río Cerere, elev. 100 m, 20 June 1992 (coll. F.A. Quesada) - 1 male (INBio); same locality, elev. 200 m, 16 September 1993 (coll. G. Carballo) - 1 male, 1 nymph (INBio); Estac. Miramar, Res. Biol. Hitoy Cerere, Río Cerere, elev. 500 m, 15 July 1993 (coll. G. Carballo) - 1 female (INBio); Estrella Valley, 100-150 ft., north end of Suretka trail, along Duroy River, elev. 30 - 45 m, 9 September 1927 (coll. J.A.G. Rehn) - 1 male, 1 female, 1 nymph (ANSP); Guápiles, elev. 300 m, 12 September 1927 (coll. J.A.G. Rehn) - 1 male (ANSP); La Emilia, near Guápiles, elev. 300 m, 24 August 1923 - 1 female (ANSP); La Lola (0.5 mi. W Madre de Dios), 2 October 1961 (coll. Hubbell, Cantrall, Cohn) - 1 female (UMMZ); Los Diamantes (1 km E of Guápiles), 26 - 27 January 1967 (coll. I.J. Cantrall) - 1 male, 1 female (UMMZ); Río Sardinas, R.N.F.S. Barra del Colorado, elev. 10 m, 15 September 1992 (coll. F.Araya) - 1 female (INBio); same locality, 24 July 1993 (coll. F. Araya) - 2 males (INBio); same locality, elev. 50 m, 1 - 31 May 1994 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 female (INBio); same locality, elev. 50 m, 20 August 1994 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 male (INBio); same locality, elev. 50 m, 11 September 1994 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 female (INBio); Sardinas, Barra del Colorado, elev. 15 m, 13 - 17 March 1995 (coll. F. Araya) - 1 female (INBio); Siquirres, 3 July 1903 - 1 male (ANSP); Puntarenas Prov., Cañas Gordas (Finca Loma Linda), elev. 1170 m, 7 June 1964 (coll. C.F. Walker and J.M. Savage) - 1 female (UMMZ); Estac. Biol. Las Alturas, Coto Brus, elev. 1500 m, 15 June 1991 (coll. Aguilar, Greeney and Zumbado) - 1 female (INBio); same locality, elev. 1500 m, 21 March 1992 (coll. M.A. Zumbado) - 1 male (INBio); Estac. La Casona, Res. Biol. Monteverde, elev. 1520 m, 15 May 1991 (coll. N. Obando) - 1 female (INBio); Estación Altamira, 1 km S del Cerro Biolley, elev. 1450 m, 28 July - 7 August 1995 (coll. R. Vilalobos) - 1 female (INBio); nr. San Vito de Java, 24 February 1970 (coll. M. Kosztarab) - 1 male (USNM); Valle de Coto Brus, Las Cruces, Wilson Botanical Gardens, elev. 700 - 1000 m, 1 - 6 December 1995 (coll. P. Naskrecki) - 1 male (PN collection); San José Prov., Estac. Santa Elena, Sendero La Fila, elev. 1300 - 1600 m, 11 June 1997 (coll. E. Alfaro) - 1 female (INBio).