Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Ephippigerinae

Italian Journal of Zoology, September 2008; 75(3): 311–317

New and little known species of genus Steropleurus Bolivar 1878, from Libya (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Ephippigerinae)

P. FONTANA1 & B. MASSA2* 1

Dipartimento Agronomia Ambientale e Produzioni Vegetali (Entomologia), Universita` di Padova, Italy, and 2Dipartimento SEMFIMIZO (Entomologia, Acarologia, Zoologia), Universita` di Palermo, Italy (Received 27 February 2007; accepted 31 October 2007)

Abstract The authors update the knowledge of genus Steropleurus in Libya, reporting new records of S. innocentii innocentii and S. filenorum, and describing a new species, S. ientilei, from Cyrenaica.

Keywords: taxonomy, distribution, new species, Libya

Introduction Very few records of Ephippigerinae are known for Libya; Giglio-Tos (1923) listed Ephippigerida nigromarginata (Lucas, 1849) and Steropleurus lucasi Brunner, 1882; the latter has also been reported by Salfi (1927), Kruger (1929), Jannone (1938) and Beccari and Gerini (1983), while Zanon (1924) recorded Uromenus confusus (Finot, 1896) [5 U. brevicollis (Fischer, 1853)] and La Greca (1969) S. innocentii Finot & Bonnet, 1885. Chopard (1943) listed seven species in North Africa, of which only S. lucasi in Cyrenaica, very probably on the basis of previous authors. More recently, Nadig (1995) still recorded for Libya S. lucasi, but not S. innocentii; while Massa (1998), on the basis of the specimens quoted by previous authors (preserved in Italian Museums) and newly collected material, excluded the presence in Libya of S. lucasi, E. nigromarginata and U. brevicollis, possibly misidentified with other species, and recorded only two taxa for this country, that is S. innocentii innocentii and S. filenorum Massa, 1998, a well-characterized species found in Cyrenaica. Thus, among Ephippigerinae species, Steropleurus is the only representative of Libyan Orthopteran fauna, and Libya may be considered as the eastern limit of distribution of this genus. We had the chance to gather a good series of specimens

of gen. Steropleurus collected in Libya and preserved in various museums and in our own collections; we report here the results of their study, which allow us to enhance the Libyan species number.

Material and methods This work is based on the study of specimens from the following institutions and private collections: Dipartimento Entomologia e Zoologia Agraria University of Naples, Portici (coll. Jannone) (DEZAP); Istituto Agronomico Oltremare, Florence (IAOF); Museúm National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris (MNHN); Museo Civico Storia Naturale, Genua (MSNG); Museo Zoologia University of Rome (coll. M. Salfi) (MZUR); British Museum Natural History, London (BMNH); Natural History Museum, Vienna (NHMV); Coll. B. Massa, University of Palermo (CM); Coll. Paolo Fontana, Isola Vicentina (CF). Photographs of intere-mounted specimens were taken using a Nikon D70 digital camera with a Sigma 105 mm macro lens and stereoscope photo were taken with a Nikon Coolpix 4500 digital camera, mounted on a Stereomicroscope Optech EMX-210-2. Measurements on mounted specimens were taken using a digital calliper (preciseness 0.01 mm).

*Correspondence: Bruno Massa, Dipartimento SEMFIMIZO (Entomologia, Acarologia, Zoologia), Universita` di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, I-90128 Palermo, Italy. Email: [email protected] ISSN 1125-0003 print/ISSN 1748-5851 online # 2008 Unione Zoologica Italiana DOI: 10.1080/11250000802092027

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Results and discussion Steropleurus innocentii innocentii Finot & Bonnet, 1885 (Table I, Figures 5, 6, 9) Examined material. Libya, Tripolitania, Gasr Garabulli 16.IV.37 (1 „, 1 R) (DEZAP), IV.1937 (1 R) (IAOF); Uadi es Zemam Bu Ghoem-Hom (2 nymphs) (MSNG); Sidi Benour, 40 km E of Tripoli 25.V.52, K. M. Guichard (1 „, 2 RR); Nalut VI.57, K. M. Guichard (1 R); Libya, Cyrenaica, Brega III.57, K. M. Guichard (1 „, 1 R nymphs) (BMNH); (Tunisia, Djerba NW 3.VII.1897, Vosseler (1 R); Tunis, Bonnet (1 „) (NHMV). Other subspecies examined: Steropleurus innocentii lobatus Saussure, 1898: Algeria, Ain Sefra, Brunner (1 „, 1 R); Mecheria, Brunner (1 „) (NHMV). Diagnostic characters. Well-characterized for the shape of male cerci, styli and titillators; ovipositor in lateral view provided by two evident teeth. Description. Pronotum a little longer than wide, larger at centre, anteriorly wrinkled, much wrinkled between the two transversal sulci, grained in metazona, presenting sometimes the bottom of single concavities black coloured. Typical sulcus on the centre, right, wide, subdivided anteriorly into some irregular sulci reaching the border of lobes. Anterior sulcus curved, deeply impressed, placed on the anterior fourth, often preceded by another transversal sulcus. Median longitudinal keel clear only next to the posterior border. Metazona sharply raised after the transversal sulcus, then a little inflected, becoming more and more roof-shaped. Anterior and posterior borders a little incised, the latter sometimes with black spots. Lateral lobes subtriangular, upper border just angular, not reaching anterior corner, edged, a little wrinkled, inferior border right, posterior corner obtuse. Tegmina very short, just visible in the female, yellowish with small dark areas, a little rounded, falt on the borders, provided with small black areas. Hind femurs just shorter than three times pronotum length. Male 10th urotergite short, concave, with a dark spot next to the base; epiproct small, triangular, longitudinally grooved, sometimes a little down-curved. Male cerci

long, cylindrical, with an inner curved tooth provided with a black tip, placed on the centre; then, they become conical, a little upwards and outwards curved, ending with a small dark spine. Male subgenital plate shorter than cerci, with posterior border incised and long and subcylindrical styli. Female cerci fine, reaching the epiproct apex. Female subgenital plate subrectangular, incised and rounded off on the posterior border. Ovipositor upcurved in the apical half, pointed, c. three times pronotum length. Measurements recorded by Nadig (1995) lie more or less within the range observed by us, with the exception of pronotum length (males: 5.6–8.0; females: 6.5–8.0), clearly lower than that detected by us. Colour. S. innocentii is characterized by a black coloration on the head back. Distribution. It covers North Africa from Morocco to Tripolitania (Finot 1896; La Greca 1969; Nadig 1995; Massa 1998). Phenology. Spring–summer (April–July). Discussion. La Greca (1969) was the first to record this species from Libya (Tripolitania: Uadi el-Beda and Uadi Sofeggin); Massa (1998) re-identified as S. innocentii specimens collected at Gasr Garabulli and recorded by Jannone (1938) as S. lucasi. Steropleurus filenorum Massa, 1998 (Table II, Figures 3, 4, 8) Examined material. Libya, Cyrenaica, Merg VI.1928 (1 „ holotypus, 1 R allotypus); Bengasi 1920 (1 „, 3 RR paratypi) (MZUR); Barce VI (1928?) (1 R paratypus) (IAOF); Derna 1920 (1 „, 1 R nymphs) (MZUR); El Abiar V.39 (1 R paratypus) (MSNG); El Abiar 27.IV.54, K. M. Guichard (1 „); Bersis 2.III.58, K. M. Guichard (1 R) (CF); El Abiar 2.IV.58, K. M. Guichard (1 „); Bersis 2.III.58, K. M. Guichard (1 R) (CM); El Abiar 2.IV.58, K. M. Guichard (3 „„); El Abiar 27.IV.54, K. M. Guichard (2 RR); Bersis 2.III.58, K. M. Guichard (1 „, 3 RR); Benina Plain 27.III.58, K. M. Guichard (1 R nymph); Libya, Tripolitania, Bir Ziozan VI.57, K. M. Guichard (1 R) (BMNH).

Table I. Measurements [mm] of dried specimens (mean¡SD, min–max) of S. innocentii collected in Libya, Tunisia and Algeria.

Males (n56) Females (n57)

Total length

Postfemora length

Pronotum length

Ovipositor length

29.0¡2.95 (26.4–32.2) 26.9¡2.7 (23.9–29.2)

22.7¡1.2 (22.0–24.1) 21.8¡1.7 (20.2–23.6)

8.8¡0.8 (7.9–9.4) 8.2¡1.0 (7.0–9.0)

24.0¡5.2 (20.4–30.0)

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Figures 1–9. 1. Steropleurus ientilei n. sp., left male cercus from dorsal view (holotype); 2. Steropleurus ientilei n. sp., left lateral view of ovipositor basal portion (allotype); 3. Steropleurus filenorum, left male cercus from dorsal view (Libya, Cyrenaica, El Abiar, 2.IV.58); 4. S. filenorum, lateral view of ovipositor basal portion (Libya, Cyrenaica, Abiar 27.IV.54); 5. Steropleurus innocentii, left male cercus from dorsal view (Libya, Tripolitania, Sidi Benour, 40 km E of Tripoli 25.V.52); 6. S. innocentii, lateral view of ovipositor basal portion (same specimen); 7. Steropleurus ientilei n. sp., titillators dorsal view (holotype); 8. Steropleurus filenorum, titillators dorsal view (Libya, Cyrenaica, El Abiar, 2.IV.58); 9. Steropleurus innocentii, titillator dorsal view (same specimen).

Table II. Measurements [mm] of dried specimens (mean¡SD, min–max) of S. filenorum.

Males (n59) Females (n514)

Total length

Postfemora length

Pronotum length

Ovipositor length

28.4¡2.0 (27.2–30.7) 26.7¡2.4 (25.1–29.5)

21.0¡2.2 (19.5–23.5) 21.9¡1.7 (20.0–23.4)

8.4¡1.0 (7.7–9.6) 7.5¡0.8 (6.8–8.3)

20.9¡1.2 (20.1–22.3)

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Diagnostic characters. Easily identifiable thanks to black spots on pronotum, cerci shape, male titillators (very characteristic for the gen. Steropleurus) and ovipositor shape. Description. „ Head with a small tubercle between antennae, longitudinally grooved in the middle. Pronotum evidently saddle shaped, bearing a first sulcus in the falling area of prozona, and a second one between the prozona and metazona; longitudinal sides keels just raised in the metazona. Two small longitudinal side keels radiate, respectively, backwards and forwards from anterior and posterior pronotum borders. Tegmina bearing evident venation on a darkish background, just protruding behind pronotum. Fore tibiae with 2 spines on the outer upper border, 6 on the outer lower one and 5 on the inner one; medium tibiae bearing 3–4 spines on the inner upper border, 6 on the outer lower one and 6 on the inner upper one; hind tibiae with 14–16 spines on the inner upper border, 12–13 on the outer upper one, 4–5 + 1 apical on the outer lower one and 4 + 1 apical on the inner lower one. 10th urotergite with concave back border in the middle, supra-anal plate exceeding inner tooth of cerci, which are thick with attenuated apex and inner tooth placed in the middle and forwards-directed. Subgenital plate with apical concavity V-shaped, as deep as or deeper than styli length. Titillators short, thick and

provided by many spines, very atypical for the genus Steropleurus. R Tegmina smaller than in the male. 10th urotergite characterized by long and extended cerci, exceeding the epiproct. 7th sternite bearing a small swelling. Subgenital plate widely incised backwards. Ovipositor not much longer with a stout base (on lateral view), just upwards curved. Colour. Pronotum is characterized by an evident dark spot in the middle; another small dark spot is present on the evident concavity in the middle of anterior and posterior pronotum borders. Distribution. Cyrenaica and Tripolitania (Libya). Phenology. Late spring (May–June). Discussion. Massa (1998) considered as belonging to this species specimens recorded as S. lucasi from Merg, Tecnis and Tolmetta by Giglio-Tos (1923), from Bardia by Salfi (1927) and Kruger (1929) and from Barce by Beccari and Gerini (1983) and as U. confusus from Bengasi, loc. Berka by Zanon (1924). Known distribution previously covered only Cyrenaica (Massa 1998), but one specimen preserved at BMNH was collected in Tripolitania on a locality (Bir Ziozan) that we were not able to find on atlases. Steropleurus ientilei n. sp. (Table III, Figures 1, 2, 7, 10, 11–20)

Table III. Measurements [mm] of dried specimens (mean¡SD, min–max) of S. ientilei n. sp.

Male (n51) Females (n510)

Total length

Postfemora length

Pronotum length

Ovipositor length

26.1 26.0¡0.9 (25.1–26.9)

19.3 24.7¡0.6 (24.1–25.3)

8.0 8.8¡1.0 (7.7–9.5)

29.1¡1.4 (27.6–30.3)

Figure 10. Steropleurus ientilei n. sp., adult female in its natural habitat. Libya, Cyrenaica, El Kouf (Al Beyda) 2.IX.03; photo by R. Ientile.

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Figures 11–20. Steropleurus ientilei n. sp. (holotype male and allotype female): 11,12. Lateral and dorsal view; 13,14. Male lateral and dorsal view of head and pronotum; 15,16. Female lateral and dorsal view of head and pronotum; 17. Male terminalia in dorsal view; 18. Male subgenital plate in ventral view; 19. Female terminalia in dorsal view; 20. Ovipositor in lateral view.

Examined material and types. Libya, Cyrenaica, Near Barce 26.VII.57, K. M. Guichard (1 „ holotypus, 1 R allotypus, 2 RR paratypi); Berta XII.1938, G. Bullado (1 R paratypus) (BMNH); El Kouf (Al Beyda) 2.IX.03, R. Ientile (2 RR paratypi); Berta XII.1938, G. Bullado (2 RR paratypi); Berta VI.1938, G. Bullado (2 RR paratypi) (CF & CM). Diagnostic characters. Green or ochraceous with one wide median blackish stripe and another two whitish

stripes contiguous with the former, pronotum almost homogeneously rugose, lateral keels on metazona just rised, male cerci small, with inner tooth placed almost in their middle; subgenital plate in male v-emarginated with styli very short, scarcely visible, titillators short, flattened, denticultaed, one third of basal part; ovipositor very long, just upcurved and with basal portion without any modification.

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Description. „ Head smooth, with a very small tubercle between antennae, scarcely protruding, longitudinally grooved in the middle. Pronotum evidently saddle-shaped, metazona just longer than prozona and mesozona together; typical sulcus almost right, scarcely incised, extending downwards on lateral lobes, anterior sulcus widely forwardcurved, lateral keels just evident only in the metazona, central keel scarcely rised in metazona and prozona, replaced in mesozona by a slight groove. Anterior margin straight, posterior widely obtusely emarginated. Lateral lobes with subrecte anterior corner, lower margin almost straight and posterior corner widely rounded. All the pronotum is finely rugose, with some tubercles in the mesozona. Tegmina very small, scarcely projecting from the pronotum. Fore tibiae with 2 spines on the outer upper border, 5 on the outer lower one and 5 on the inner one; medium tibiae bearing 0–1 spines on the inner upper border, 6 on the inner lower, 5 on the outer lower one, and 3 on the upper one; hind tibiae with 14–15 spines on the inner upper border, 14 on the outer upper one, 2–3 + 1 apical on the outer lower one and 2 + 1 apical on the inner lower one. Fore and median femurs unarmed, hind femurs bearing 1 spine on the outer lower border and 3 on the inner lower one. 10th urotergite slightly incised in the middle, epiproct subtriangular, shorter than cerci. Cerci regularly conical, bearing a conical tooth in the middle, just inwards curved, ending with a black tip. Subgenital plate subtrapezoidal, with a wide V-shaped incision; styli scarcely differentiated. Titillators very peculiar, basal portion wide and Sshaped, apical portion very short, flattened and provided with c. 15 teeth. R Tegmina as in the male. Metazona shorter than prozona and mesozona together. 10th urotergite characterized by conical, apically thickened cerci, shorter than the epiproct. Epiproct subtriangular, grooved in the middle. Abdominal sternites indifferentiated. Subgenital plate membranous, trapezoidal or subexagonal. Ovipositor very long and fine, almost straight in the middle portion, scarcely basally expanded, without any callosity or projection, just upwards curved; apex sharply pointed and smooth. Colour. Green or ochraceous (including occiput) with one wide median blackish stripe and another two thinner whitish stripes contiguous with the former; all the stripes vanish backwards. Distribution. Cyrenaica (Libya). Phenology. Summer–autumn (June–December).

Etymology. It is named after the gifted Sicilian naturalist Renzo Ientile, who provided us with material and photos of this previously unknown species. Discussion. S. ientilei is probably endemic to Cyrenaica, a large calcareous area, very isolated by extended sandy plains from other Libyan regions and characterized by a high endemism rate, both in plants and animals; also Orthoptera include different endemic taxa (Massa 1998, 2004; Fontana & Massa 2003). Conclusions Currently, the genus Steropleurus comprises 37 species and 45 subspecies, whose distribution covers Spain (19 species, 21 subspecies), Morocco (11 species, 15 subspecies), Algeria (4 species, 5 subspecies), Tunisia (4 species, 5 subspecies), Libya (3 species), France (1 species) and Italy (Sardinia, 1 species) (Nadig 1995; Otte 1997; Massa 1998; Gomez et al. 1998; Eades et al. 2006; present paper). The presence of this genus in Sardinia possibly dates back to the Late Miocene, after the eastern closing of the Mediterranean, determining temperature increase and water evaporation; thus, species evolution within the genus may have occurred through the Pliocene and Pleistocene, that is between seven and two million years ago. Nadig (1995) considered the Iberian peninsula as the distribution centre of the genus, but the probable origin of the genus may be North Africa, from which it expanded northwards to Iberian peninsula and Sardinia during Mediterranean evaporation. This should be confirmed by scarce affinity among North African, Iberian and Sardinian species, whose separation is very old. The majority of species within the genus are localized and endemic to small areas, only S. innocentii covers a wide distribution over North Africa, from Morocco to Libya; the possible reason of this is a generally scarce gene flow between populations, characterized by high isolation all over their distribution. Population fluctuations, typical of Ephippigerinae, eventually favoured spreading of genetic changes within small areas. Acknowledgements We are very grateful to R. Ientile who collected and photographed the new Steropleurus and other interesting Orthoptera during a zoological expedition to Cyrenaica arranged by the Dipartimento di Biologia animale dell’Universita` di Catania, within

New and little known Steropleurus from Libya a collaboration between Catania and Tripoli Universities; B. Cecchini (Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare, Florence), R. Poggi (Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genua), F. Terzani, (Museo di Zoologia La Specola, University of Florence), E. Tremblay (Dipartimento di Entomologia e Zoologia Agraria, University of Naples, Portici), A. Vigna Taglianti (Museo di Zoologia, University of Rome), J. Marshall (British Museum of Natural History, London), who consented for us to study material preserved in their museums. This work was supported by the Italian Ministero per l’Universita` e la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica. References Beccari F, Gerini V. 1983. Catalogo della collezione entomologica. Vol. III. Orthoptera, Rhynchota, Diptera, Hymenoptera. Firenze: Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare. Chopard L. 1943. Orthopte´roı¨des de l’Afrique du Nord. Faune de l’Empire Français. I. Paris: Librairie Larose. Eades DC, Otte D, Naskrecki P. 2006. Orthoptera Species File Online. Version 2.2. http://www.osf2.orthoptera.org (accessed 21 November 2006). Finot A. 1896. Faune de l’Algerie et de la Tunisie. Insectes Orthopte`res. Annales Societe´ Entomologique de France 65:513–628. Fontana P, Massa B. 2003. A new species of the Genus Rhacocleis from Libya. Memorie della Societa` entomologica italiana 82:481–492.

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