Phaneroptera sparsa Stal 1857

Phaneroptera sparsa Stål, 1857

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:8151

(Figs. 25 A–C, 51J–L)

Diagnostic remarks. A small, green, rather nondescript katydid with hind wings that clearly surpass the tegmina

(Fig. 25C). Species of the genus Phaneroptera Serville, 1831 can be distinguished from the similar looking species of Eulioptera Ragge, 1956 by the tegmen being opaque, while in the latter genus the fields between veins are translucent. P. sparsa differs from other species of the genus in the shape of the male cerci (Fig. 25B) and the characteristics of the call.

Bioacoustics. The call of P. sparsa consists of short, 2–3 syllable, 0.26– 0.28 s long echemes; mean syllable duration is extremely short at 0.00433 s (SD=0.001406, n=34); the peak frequency of the call is 27.1–33.9 kHz, albeit the lower frequencies of the call are audible from a very short distance (Figs. 51 J–L).

Distribution and natural history. P. sparsa is one of the most widely distributed and ubiquitous katydids in Africa, having been recorded from most countries of the continent as well as Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula (Ragge 1956a). It occurs in a wide range of habitats and elevations, from lowland savannas and woodlands to montane meadows to urban environments. It feeds primarily on flowers and other plant parts.

Measurements (3 males, 3 females). body w/wings: male 27–29 (281), female 24–31 (28.33.8); body w/o wings: male 1–14 (9.77.5), female 11–14 (131.7); pronotum: male 4, female 3–4 (3.7.6); tegmen: male 16–17 (16.7.6), female 14–19 (17.32.9); hind femur: male 16–17 (16.7.6), female 15–19 (172); ovipositor: 5 mm.

Material examined (191 specimens). Mozambique: Manica, Sussundenga, Nhahomba Ranger Station, Mussapa, elev. 606 m (-19.585799, 33.084969), 26.xi.–2.xii.2018, coll. P. Naskrecki & M. Tomás— 1 female; Sofala, Coutada 12, Nyago hunting camp, elev. 70 m (-18.660767, 35.455603), 8–16.iv.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki & J. Guyton— 1 female, 1 male; Cheringoma, Coutada 12, Chironde camp, elev. 156 m (-18.32780, 35.35799), 25.iii.–4.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki, J. Guyton & M. Castene— 2 females, 1 male (EOWL); nr. Codzo (Khodzue), cave and nearby, elev. 216 m (-18.564, 34.872222), 8–9.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females, 1 nymph female (MCZ); same locality, 14–25.iv.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females; Gorongosa, Chitengo, E.O. Wilson Laboratory, elev. 42 m (-18.97775, 34.35130), 15–31.xii.2016, coll. R. Guta— 1 female; same locality, 1–15.x.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (EOWL); GNP, Bela Vista ranger outpost, elev. 26 m (-18.69470, 34.20853), 5–12.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 male; GNP, Bunga Inselberg, Camp 1, nr. Bunga ranger outpost, elev. 75 m (- 18.59989, 34.33686), 21.iv.–5.v.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females (EOWL, MCZ); GNP, Chitengo-Vinho road, (-18.992, 34.3526), 6–7.iv.2014, coll. M. Stalmans— 1 female; GNP, Chitengo, Wilson Laboratory, elev. 48 m (- 18.977722, 34.351333), 9.xii.2017, coll. N. Vicente— 1 female; GNP, Wilson Laboratory, (-18.977761, 34.35115), 15–30.xi.2016, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; GNP, Floodplain, (-18.91989, 34.38098), 27.vi.2015, coll. J. Guy-ton— 1 female; GNP, on Picada 2, elev. 44 m (-18.963833, 34.382306), 12.ii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta (226)— 1 female (EOWL); Gorongosa Dist., Archway Gorge, campsite, elev. 63 m (-18.95336, 34.61089), 22– 29.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females (MCZ); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 38 m (-18.978808, 34.352606), 5–9.v.2014, coll. R. Guta— 1 female; same locality, 20–30.v.2014, coll. R. Guta— 2 females (EOWL); Claud’s Waterfall campsite, elev. 94 m (-19.03011, 34.67592), 1–6.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 3 males (MCZ); Wilson Laboratory, GNP, Chitengo, (-18.97775, 34.351333), 27–30.v.2014, coll. M. Stalmans— 1 female; same locality, 21.vii.–8.viii.2015, coll. B. Woo— 1 female; same locality, 19–28.ii.2017, coll. P. Naskrecki— 2 females (EOWL); GNP, Community Education Center, elev. 129 m (-18.953639, 34.177111), 18–22.vi.2014, coll. G. Daniel, I. Nganhane & R. Guta— 1 female (UEMM); same locality, 30.vii.–3.viii.2015, coll. Bioinformatics Workshop Partici-pants— 1 male (EOWL); GNP, Chitengo, elev. 29 m (-18.98194, 34.35122), 9.v.–29.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 10 females, 5 males (MCZ); same locality, 17.iii.–5.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females, 1 male; same locality, 17–31.iii.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (EOWL, MCZ); same locality, 6–31.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 2 males; GNP, eastern part, bottom of a limestone gorge, elev. 93 m (-18.68906, 34.75306), 15.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; GNP, fever tree forest, elev. 22 m (-18.90442, 34.40408), 10.v.–25.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female, 1 nymph; GNP, nr. Chitengo, humid forest along road to sanctuary, elev. 29 m (-18.99122, 34.32811), 16–23.v.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 11 females, 7 males; miombo, elev. 112 m (-19.03658, 34.67897), 1–6.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; Nhagutua, elev. 221 m (-18.64339, 34.81425), 10–15.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; same locality, 16–20.iv.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female; Nhagutua, bottom of the gorge, elev. 133 m (-18.63239, 34.80725), 11–14.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 1 female (MCZ); GNP, along Pungue Rd, nr. Vinho Rd., elev. 25 m (-18.99675, 34.365806), 11–16.vi.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 1 male; GNP, Urema Road, elev. 25 m (-19.009417, 34.423639), 15.vi.2014, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 1 male; Sofala Prov., CEC_GRP, elev. 114–134 m (-18.953767, 34.178283), 30.vii.–3.viii.2015, coll. Bioinformatics Workshop Partici-pants— 1 female; Gorongosa Distr., GRP, E.O. Wilson Lab Chitengo, (-18.9783, 34.3514), 9.ii.–4.iii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki & R. Guta— 1 female (EOWL).