Oecanthus lineolatus Saussure

Oecanthus lineolatus Saussure, 1897: 254. Type locality: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. A male labeled as syntype in Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève.

Male (Fig. 3). Differs from O. pallidus n. sp. by body color, being slightly darker as pale-green, pale-green head with yellow eyes (Fig. 6, 8); femur III translucent/pale-green variegated (Fig. 10); file teeth number 47±2.2 (42–51, n = 18); hindwings non caudate; metanotal gland scutum with two pairs of bristles Fig. 16, tb; posterior median lobe of scutum as Fig. 16, pml; no bristles on scutum and scutellun at scutoscutellar suture (Fig. 16, ss); scutellun as Fig. 16, St; supra-anal and subgenital plates as Fig. 17, 19, respectively; main lobe of pseudepiphallus lenticularshaped, projecting posteriorly (Fig. 27).

Male body measurements (in mm, n = 32). Body length 12.4±1.3 (10.4–15.1); head width: 1.7±0.05 (1.6–1.8); inter ocelli width: 0.7±0.1 (0.5–0.8); pronotum length 2.2±0.1 (2.02–2.5); pronotum width: 2±0.1 (1.8–2.2); hind femur length: 7.8±0.3 (7.4–8.4); hind tibia length–8.3±0.3 (7.7–8.9); tegmen length 12.1±0.3 (11.4–12.6, n = 15). Male phallic sclerites (Fig. 21–25; 27–30). Similar to O. pallidus n. sp., differing in main body of pseudepiphallus.

Calling song (Fig. 32, 34). 20.ii.2011, 21h; 16°C; field recorded; dominant frequency 2570 Hz; chirp duration 0.88 s; chirp period 2.91 s; pulses per chirp 34; pulse rate 39; chirp rate 20.4. Individuals data, and relationship between frequency/pulse-rate and pulse-rate/temperature showed in Tab. 1, Figs. 35–36, respectively.

Note: calling song of O. lineolatus and O. pallidus n. sp. showed intraspecific and individual variation in the chirp structure, including amplitude differences in the first pulse and/or failures along the chirp; some were highlighted in Figs. 33, a, b, c; 34, a, b, c).

Female (Fig. 4). Similar in color to male, slightly larger in size; ovipositor rather robust, tipped with black (Fig. 38); subgenital and supra-anal plates as Fig. 41–42, respectively; body measurements (in mm, n = 10): body length 11.9±1.2 (10.1–13.3); head width 1.7±0.1 (1.5–1.8); inter ocelli width 0.7±0.04 (0.6–0.8); pronotum length 2.1±0.1 (1.9–2.2); pronotum width 1.8±0.1 (1.6–2.1); hind femur length 7.7±0.2 (7.4–8.2); hind tibia length 8.4±0.3 (7.7–8.9); ovipositor length 5±0.2 (4.7–5.2).

Specimens examined. 36 males and 10 females, municipality of São Lourenço do Sul, district of São João da Reserva, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil 31º17’39.43’’S, 52º09’02.76’’W, 13/ii/2011. A.S. Neutzling leg.

Voucher specimes. 26 males and five females will be kept at collection of the Departamento de Zoologia e Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel) and, 10 males and five females at Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP).

Habitat and behavior of O. pallidus n. sp. and O. lineolatus. Both species were found in the boundary between tobacco plantation and native shrubs (Fig. 43), preferably dwelling plants of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and erva-lanceta (Solidago chilensis); hiding immobile during day among the tobacco sprouting leaves and S. chilensis abaxial leaf surface; they were active at night, performing an omnivorous diet, including tobacco leaves, aphids and pollen, latter sometimes was accessed by chewing a hole in the corolla settled at anther position (Fig. 44); they also showed preference for inflorescence, fruits, as well as aphids from leaves of S. chilensis; males began their calling song at dusk, peaking between 21h to 1h, and reducing activity towards at dawn; preferentially folded tobacco leaves were used as calling song perch (Fig. 45); males also clewed an oval-shaped hole in the center of leaf setting the forewings against its edges to stridulate (Fig. 46); other species of trees and shrubs were also used as perch to stridulate.