International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies 2013; 1 (1): 29-33 Some short-horn Grasshoppers Belonging to the ISSN 2347-2677 IJFBS 2013; 1 (1): 29-33 Subfamily Pyrgomorphinae (Pyrgomorphidae: © 2013 AkiNik Publications Orthoptera) from Cameroon Received: 20-9-2013 Accepted: 27-9-2013 SEINO Richard Akwanjoh, DONGMO Tonleu Ingrid, MANJELI Yacouba ABSTRACT This study includes six Pyrgomorphinae species in six genera under the family Pyrgomorphidae. These grasshoppers: Atractomorpha lata (Mochulsky, 1866), Chrotogonus senegalensis (Krauss, 1877), Dictyophorus griseus (I. Bolivar, 1894), Pyrgomorpha vignaudii (Guérin-Méneville, 1849), SEINO Richard Akwanjoh Taphronota thaelephora (Stal, 1873) and Zonocerus variegatus (Linnaeus, 1793) have been Department of the Biological recorded from various localities in the Menoua Division in the West Region of Cameroon. The Sciences, Faculty of Science, The main objective of this study was to explore the short- horn grasshopper species belonging to the University of Bamenda, P.O. Box Subfamily Pyrgomorphinae (Family: Pyrgomorphidae, Order: Orthoptera) from Cameroon along 39, Bambili – Bamenda, with new record, measurement of different body parts and Bio-Ecology. Cameroon Keywords: Extra-Parental Care, Brood-Care Behavior, Burying Beetles DONGMO Tonleu Ingrid Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of 1. Introduction Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang The Pyrgomorphinae is an orthopteran subfamily whose members are aposematically coloured Cameroon with some of them known pest of agricultural importance in Cameroon. The subfamily Pyrgomorphinae from Africa have been severally studied [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Some species have been MANJELI Yacouba studied and described from Cameroon [3, 4, 7, 8]. Most recently, reported sixteen Pyrgomorphinae Department of Animal species have been reported for Cameroon [9]. As little taxonomic work has been done on species Production, FASA, University of in this subfamily found in Cameroon, the present study was conducted to explore the Dschang, P.O. Box 222, Dschang Cameroon Pyrgomorphinae fauna of the Menoua Division in the west Region of Cameroon along with habitat, food preferences and pest status. Six Pyrgomorphinae species in six genera viz., Atractomorpha lata (Mochulsky, 1866), Chrotogonus senegalensis (Krauss, 1877), Dictyophorus griseus (I. Bolivar, 1894), Pyrgomorpha vignaudii (Guérin-Méneville, 1849), Taphronota thaelephora (Stal, 1873) and Zonocerus variegatus (Linnaeus, 1793) were recorded from various localities the Menoua Division in the West Region of Cameroon and are here considered. 2. Materials and Methods Geographically the Menoua Division is situated in the West Region of Cameroon and extends from 5° - 5.5° latitude north and 9.4° to 10.25° longitude east on the map of the world. This division comprises of about 59% high mountains and table lands in the North and West (altitudes range from 1200 to 2200m), while the remaining 41 % is the low fertile plain to the South (altitudes 600m). The high altitude areas (above 1000m) are covered by grassland with Correspondence: sporadic montane forest while low altitude areas (below 1000m) such as Santchou are covered DONGMO Tonleu Ingrid by ever green forest. The meteorological data for the division reveals an annual average rainfall Department of Animal Biology, of 1717.7mm and temperatures range from 25.35 °C to 13.66 °C. It is distributed into six sub- Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P.O. Box 67, Dschang divisions i.e., Dschang, Fongo –Tongo, Santchou, Nkong-Ni, Penka Michel and Fokoue with [9] Cameroon varied vegetation types. The division is characterized by varied types of food and cash crops . Email: [email protected] Tel: + (237) - 74969653 ~ 29 ~ International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies The collected grasshopper specimens were killed in a cyanide Table 2: Measurements (mm) of C. senegalensis bottle, pinned and their body parts set on appropriate setting boards before drying at 60 oC for 48 hours. Photographs of whole insect Female Mean S.D and body parts were taken using a kodack Easy Share C143 digital Body (L) 13.97- 14.00 0.04 camera with a 12 mega pixels lens. These were labeled and 14.02 mounted in collection boxes provided with Naphthalene balls for Pronotum (L) 3.75 - 4.00 3.88 0.18 the safety of the specimens. A revolving stage and a wild binocular Pronotum (W) 2.00 - 2.25 2.38 0.53 microscope (4X x 10X, 10X x 10X, 40X x 10X) were used for Elytra (L) 6.00 - 8.00 7.00 1.41 identifying the specimens up to the specific level. Deviating Elytra (W) 2.50 - 2.75 2.63 0.18 characters of these species, if any, from published descriptions [1, 10, Hind femur (L) 9.00 - 9.25 9.13 0.18 3, 4] , measurements (length of Body, length Antenna, length of Hind femur (W) 2.75 - 3.00 2.88 0.18 Elytra, length of Tibia) of various body parts and their collection Shin bone (L) 7.25- 8.00 7.63 0.53 data, are given in this paper. 3.2.2 Habitat and Bio-Ecology: C. senegalensis was collected 3. Results and Discuission from scattered wild vegetation on the fringes of cultivated farms 3.1 Atractomorpha lata (=A. bedeli) (Mochulsky, 1866); (Fig.1a) and on fields with Bahama grasses. No pest activity has been 3.1.1 Material Examined: 0♂, 6♀, reported in literature for the species. This species is strictly wet This species has been collected for the first time from the Menoua season with adults being found in the field during the months of Division and is a new record of the species in Cameroon. May to September [11]. However, the populations of the C. Measurements (Table 1) indicate the species could be considered a senegalensis were observed to diminish in size with increase in large grasshopper. rainfall. Table 1: Measurements (mm) of A. lata 3.3 Dictyophorus griseus (I. Bolivar, 1894); (Fig.1c) Female Mean S.D 3.3.1 Material Examined 0♂, 5♀, Body (L) 32.99 - 36.03 34.43 1.10 The presence of D. griseus has been reported in several countries Pronotum (L) 5.75 - 6.00 5.83 0.13 of Africa including Cameroon [4, 8]. The species has been collected from several West African countries [14] with a female body length Pronotum (W) 3.75 - 4.00 3.83 0.13 between 45 and 55mm. A mean body length of 48.63±1.25 was Elytra (L) 21.50 - 23.05 2.29 obtained for female individuals during this study. Table 3 presents 26.00 the lengths of body parts of this species which could serve an Elytra (W) 3.25 - 3.50 3.33 0.30 identification purpose. Hind femur (L) 13.00 - 13.25 12.38 0.59 Table 3: Measurements (mm) of D. griseus Hind femur (W) 1.75 - 2.00 1.83 0.13 Female Mean S.D Shin bone (L) 10.75 - 11.00 10.83 0.13 Body (L) 47.89 - 50.07 48.63 1.25 Pronotum (L) 13.75 - 14.25 13.92 0.29 3.1.2 Habitat and Bio-Ecology: The species was found in Pronotum (W) 7.25 - 8.00 7.5 0.43 scattered wild vegetation that included spear grass on the fringes of Elytra (L) 11.25 - 15.00 12.83 1.94 cultivated farms. The species was found in the field throughout the year with wet and dry season populations [11]. In Dschang, Elytra (W) 6.25 -7.00 6.5 0.43 Cameroon where this species was collected it was found feeding on Hind femur (L) 15.75 - 16.00 15.83 0.14 grasses and in particular spear grass. Even though this species has Hind femur (W) 4.00 - 4.25 4.08 0.14 [12, 13] been reported a pest, its pest activity is yet to be recorded in Shin bone (L) 13.75 - 14.00 13.83 0.14 Cameroon. 3.2 Chrotogonus senegalensis (Krauss, 1877); (Fig.1b) 3.3.2 Habitat and Bio–Ecology: The species was collected from 3.2.1 Material Examined 0♂, 14♀, the furrows of farms in which were cultivated crops such as beans, This locality is the new record for this species. This species is also groundnuts and corn however, the species was not observed known from Senegal to Somaliland across the continent [3] and has feeding on any of these plants. Adults could be found in the field been recorded in several West African countries that include the only during the wet season between the months of May to [11] Cameroon [14, 19]. September . Mean Body length (14±0.04) obtained in this study was similar to 3.4 Pyrgomorpha vignaudii (Guérin-Méneville, 1849); (Fig. 1d) 14 – 25mm reported for the species [14]. This study presents 3.4.1 Material Examined 0♂, 5♀, additional information on the lengths of other body parts (Table 2) The genus Pyrgomorpha is well known in several African countries, Cameroon inclusive. The species P. vignaudii has been [3,8] reported among the Cameroonian grasshopper fauna . Females [14] have been shown to measure between 24 - 37 mm . During this ~ 30 ~ International Journal of Fauna and Biological Studies study, females examined had a mean length of 32.02±0.01. Lengths The presence of this species has been reported in the Centre and of other body parts are shown in Table 4. west regions of Cameroon [15,11]. Previous measurements were non-existent. During this study, the species was observed to have a Table 4: Measurements (mm) of P. vignaudii body length ranging from 37 -38mm in males and 40 – 50mm in females. Measurements of other body parts are shown in Table 5. Female Mean S.D Body (L) 32.03 - 32.05 32.04 0.01 3.5.2 Habitat and Bio -Ecology: This species is common to Pronotum (L) 5.75 - 6.00 5.88 0.18 savanna regions of Cameroon that include the North West and Pronotum (W) 3.00 - 3.25 3.13 0.18 West regions.