Academy of Natural Sciences African Crickets (Gryllidae). 3. On the African Species of Velarifictorus Randell (Gryllinae, Modicogryllini) Author(s): Daniel Otte and William Cade Source: Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Vol. 135 (1983), pp. 241-253 Published by: Academy of Natural Sciences Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4064807 . Accessed: 23/07/2013 17:20 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Academy of Natural Sciences is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 142.66.3.42 on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 17:20:48 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 135: 241-253, 1983. African Crickets (Gryllidae).3. On the African Species of VelarifictorusRandell (Gryllinae, Modicogryllini) DANIEL OTTE Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 19th and the Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 AND WILLIAM CADE Biological Sciences, Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario L25 3AL ABSTRACT. - In Africa the genus Velarifictorus is represented by at least ten species - four of these are new, four are transferred from Scapsipedus, and one is transferred from Gryllopsis. The genus was previously known mainly from Asia. With inclusion of the African species its range now extends to Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, and South Africa. [Africa, crickets, Gryllidae, new species, Modicogryllini, Orthoptera, systematics, Velarifictorus] We report here mainly on the Velarific- genus Scapsipedus, these two genera are not torus species known to us from eastern and closely related; Scapsipedus is a member of southern Africa. Most of the African species the tribe Gryllini. Although the genitalic re- belonging to the genus had already been de- semblance to Australian Aritella is great, scribed but had been put into the wrong Velarifictorus differs from Aritella in body genus. The only species of Velarifictorus color, head banding, and jaw length. which Chopard (1967) lists from Africa is None of the African Velarifictorus is ap- simillimus Chopard 1938. This species and parently capable of flight, leading us to pre- a presumed closely related species, Modi- dict that species ranges will be small relative cogryllus uncinatus Chopard 1938, are to many Modicogryllus and that numerous probably both Modicogryllus species and are species will be discovered in Africa. We have presently under study. Randell (1964) placed not supplied a key to species here because simillimus and another species, Gryllulus we expect many more species to be discov- similis Chopard 1938, under Velarifictorus, ered. The illustrations and distributions can but not uncinatus. be used to distinguish those members of the The genus is a member of the tribe Mo- genus which we have covered. As in other dicogryllini which ranges widely from Af- groups of crickets, it will be essential to re- rica eastwards to Australasia and the Pacific cord the songs if a proper understanding of islands. By the male genitalia it appears to the genus is to be made possible. be most closely related to the large endemic The following species of Velarifictorusare Australian genus Aritella. It is also similar included here: to Modicogryllus but is distinguished from that genus mainly on the basis of the male 1. mosambicus Chopard 1961 (moved from Scapsi- pedus) genitalia and in most possessing (in species) 2. obniger n. sp. an enlarged head or elongate jaws. Although 3. whellani Chopard 1954 (moved from Scapsipedus) Chopard placed three of the species in the 4. lesnei Chopard 1936 (moved from Scapsipedus) 241 This content downloaded from 142.66.3.42 on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 17:20:48 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 242 DANIEL OTTE AND WILLIAM CADE 5. shimba n. sp. 66. South Africa, Natal (KwaZulu), Tugela River at 6. amani n. sp. Middle Drift, 26 iii 1982 7. matuga n. sp. 70. South Africa, Transvaal, 7 km S Kaapmuiden on 8. burri Chopard 1961 (moved from Gryllopsis) R 38, 30 iii 1982 9. nigrithorax Chopard 1961 (moved from Scapsipe- 73. South Africa, Kruger National Park, Skukusa area, dus) l iv 1982 85. Kenya, Matuga, 18 ix 1982 (Velarifictorus simillimus Chopard 1938: 57. 86. Kenya, Shimba hills, west slope, 19 ix 1982 is presently under study and is closely re- 89. Kenya, 15 km NE Lungalunga, Mrima forest, 21 lated to Modicogryllus uncinatus Chopard ix 1982 1938.) 95. Tanzania, forest E side of South Pare Mountains, Gonja, 26 ix 1982 100. Tanzania, Pugu Hills near Dar-es-Salaam, 28 ix METHODS 1982 102. Tanzania, east Usambara Mountains, Amani, 30 All tape recordings were made with a Na- ix 1982 gra SN tape recorder (8.9 cm/s) and a Sony ECM-50PS electret condenser microphone attached to a parabolic reflector. Tapes were Genus Velarifictorus Randell copied onto 5 inch reels by a Uher 4000 TYPE SPECIES. Velarifictorus micado Saussure 1877, by Report L tape recorder. Sonagraphs of songs original designation. were made with a Kay Elemetrics 7029 A Sonograph. Temperatures were determined DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS (African species). by placing the thermometer as close as pos- Males. Epiphallus with two prominent lat- sible to the place where the cricket was sing- eral lobes (like Modicogryllus) and with low, ing, especially when crickets were singing in wide median lobe (this feature always lack- dense grass, in burrows, or on the ground. ing in Modicogryllus). Head dorso-ventrally Body parts of crickets are named according elongate in most species due to lengthened to the terminology of Otte and Alexander mouth parts; height of head varies from 1.7 1983. to 2.2 times height of pronotum (lateral as- Specimens examined are deposited at: pect). Forewings with two harp veins. Tym- ANSP, Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila- panum on outer face only. Pronotum usu- delphia; BM,British Museum (Natural His- ally wider at anterior end than at posterior tory), London; PM, Museum National end. d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. Females: Forewings always very short, never much longer than pronotum, often considerably shorter, usually triangular in TAPE RECORDING LOCALITIES shape when viewed from above, and often 15. South Africa, Natal (KwaZulu) Hluhluwe Game meeting at midline. Ovipositor variable in Reserve, 10 xi 1980 length. 17. South Africa, Natal (KwaZulu), Tugela River Other Features. Size variable, from small (Middle Drift area), 15 xi 1980 to large crickets. Color: dorsum dark brown 20. South Africa, Natal (KwaZulu), Mkuze Game Reserve, 19 xi 1980 to blackish, venter and legs very pale brown 26. South Africa, Transvaal, Retiefs Kloof, Maga- or ivory. Head: occiput and vertex with 6 liesburg Mountains, 3 iii 1982 longitudinal pale stripes (these may be lack- 27. South Africa, N Cape Province, 73 km E Van- ing or inconspicuous in especially dark in- zylsrus, 4 iii 1982 dividuals). Face with or without white band 28A. South Africa, N Cape Province, 40 km E Van- zylsrus, 4 iii 1982 between the lateral ocelli. Face usually 63. South Africa, Natal (KwaZulu), Hluhluwe Game blackish down to middle of clypeus. Cheeks Reserve, 23 iii 1982 dark brown, but often with a pale area be- This content downloaded from 142.66.3.42 on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 17:20:48 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions AFRICANCRICKIETS: VELARIFICTOR US 243 , FIG. 1. Velarifictorus mosambicus. hind eyes, and often pale on subgenal area. Pronotum: disk medium brown to blackish, usually with pale markings arranged sym- metrically. Lateral lobes usually with a pale area along lower margin, sometimes entirely black. Abdomen: dorsum uniformly brown to black or spotted; venter usually ivory col- ored (blackin nigrithorax).Forewings: more than twice and less than three times as long as pronotum; shorter than hind femora. Mirror present or absent-when well-de- veloped then once divided or undivided. Apical area short. Lateral field always dark- er than dorsal field. Veins of apical area usually pale. Hindwings: usually present, al- ways hidden, narrow and usually shorter than pronotum. Front and middle legs: fem- ora usually ivory (black in nigrithorax) and usually with dark spots and patches and with heavy bristles. Tibiae darker than femora, sometimes banded. Hind femora: usually ivory with distinct dark oblique stripes on outer face and with a dark mark on the inner face near the knee. Hind tibiae 0.62-0.70 times as long as hind femur and with 5-6 inner and 5-7 outer subapical spurs. BIOLOGY. We have knowledge of the hab- its of only five of the nine known species. Their habitats are variable. The two South FIG.2. Velarifictorusshimba paratypemale, local- African species (mosambicus, obniger) live ity 86. This content downloaded from 142.66.3.42 on Tue, 23 Jul 2013 17:20:48 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 244 DANIEL OTTE AND WILLIAM CADE 'F",~~~~~~~~~~ / 9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~p, FIG. 3. Velarifictorusheads: A, mosambicus(male from Tugela R.); B, nigrithorax,C, D, obniger, E, F, wheelani;G, H, lesnei; I, J, K, L, M, shimba; 0, matuga; P, burri. in open, generally dry, thorn tree country tation, either at the edge of forests or in where males tend to sing from soil cracks, forest openings. For example in the Shimba burrows, and from under rocks. Singing Hills males were singing in and at the edges males of these two species were widely of small forest patches but not in the sur- spaced (usually more than 15 meters, and rounding grassy plains.