Ovonotus abreuae Naskrecki & Guta 2019, sp. n.

Ovonotus abreuae sp. n.

http://lsid.speciesfile.org/urn:lsid: Orthoptera.speciesfile.org:TaxonName:506825

(Figs. 3A, 5A, 14 A–E, 15A–K, 49D–F)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 24604215-850E-4DD0-AFD6-71E4104B4443

Type locality. Mozambique: Sofala, GNP, Mt. Gorongosa, southern slope (-18.462417, 34.053139), 1236 m, 18– 20.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki—male holotype (MCZ)

Differential diagnosis. Similar to O. incisus in its general appearance but different in the morphology of the male 10 th tergite, cerci, titillator, and subgenital plate (Figs. 15 A–I), the female 10 th tergite and subgenital plate (Fig. 14C), and bioacoustic characteristics (Figs. 49 D–F).

General. General characteristics as described above.

Stridulatory file. Stridulatory file 2.8 mm long, 0.18 mm wide, with 83 teeth (Fig. 15J).

Abdomen. Male 10th tergite with two broadly triangular posterior lobes separated by shallow widely triangular incision (Fig. 15A); female 10th tergite with shallow widely triangular emargination. Cercus short, strongly flattened dorso-ventrally, less than twice as long as wide, straight when seen from side; with blunt inner tooth at base and small, blunt subapical tooth (Figs. 15E, F). Phallus with well developed, strongly sclerotized, unpaired titillator; titillator with robust basal plate, thick stem that narrows towards apex, and apical part almost as wide as basal plate and shaped like robust trident when seen from above (Fig. 15H); dorsal portion of apex flattened into sharp triangle (Fig. 15G). Subgenital plate with posterior part strongly elongated, diverging into two narrow incurved lobes and with minute sharp protrusion between them (Fig. 15B); dorsal part of subgenital plate with two small, vertical lobes at base of apical lobes (Fig. 15I); styli minute and stub-like, about as long as wide. Female subgenital plate with posterior emargination narrower than posterior lateral lobes (Fig. 14C).

Coloration. Coloration variable, light green to olive to brown, frequently with small dark dots on metazona of pronotum; occiput only slightly darker than rest of head; lateral lobes of pronotum frequently darker than dorsal part of pronotum, lateral carinae of pronotum marked with contrasting lines (Fig. 14A); legs similar in coloration to rest of body, tarsi pale; ovipositor dark brown, its apex almost black (Figs. 14D, E).

Bioacoustics. The call of O. abreuae consists of a long train of syllables, which are occasionally paired, produced at the rate of 10–12 syllables/sec (at 20°C); mean syllable duration is 0.02985 (SD=0.00344, n=62), with the frequency peak at 13.2–21.8 kHz (Figs. 49 D–F). The call, produced by males only at night, is audible to the human ear from about 1–2 meters.

Distribution and natural history. This new species is currently known only from Mt. Gorongosa and, like Gorongosa carri, is probably endemic to that area. It is also similarly highly threatened by habitat loss. A large section of the forested area at the elevation ca. 1200 m, where most specimens of this species had been collected, was deforested in 2013 and it is not clear if this katydid species is still present on the southern slopes of Mt. Gorongosa. Currently, its only known population survives within the remaining patches of the riverine forest along Rio Murombodzi.

O. abreuae is found in humid, shaded environments dominated by tall trees Newtonia buchananii (Baker) Gilb. & Boutique and with understory that includes extensive stands of Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker-Gawl and D. mannii Baker. These insects are often found within the foliage of these plants although they can also be seen on lower, herbaceous plants on the forest floor. They feed on a variety of plant material, such as flowers and seeds, but are also opportunistically predaceous on small, slow moving insects. Several collected individuals of O. abreuae were parasitized by an unidentified nematode and one individual was a host to a parasitoid fly Glaurocara sp. (Tachinidae). Adults appear at the end of the rainy season in May and can be found until July, while nymphs can be seen throughout the year.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Ms. Alcinda António de Abreu, former Minister of the Environment in Mozambique, whose support was instrumental in including Mt. Gorongosa into Gorongosa National Park.

Measurements (2 males, 2 females). body: male 25.5–28 (26.81.8), female 31–37 (344.2); pronotum: male 12– 13.5 (12.81.1), female 10.5–12 (11.31.1); tegmen: male 6; hind femur: male 15.5–17.5 (16.51.4), female 17.5–18 (17.8.4); ovipositor: 10–13 (11.52.1) mm.

Material examined (23 specimens). Mozambique: Sofala, Gorongosa, GNP, Murombodzi Waterfall, Mt. Gorongosa, elev. 842 m (-18.483361, 34.042944), 21.vii.2015, coll. P. Naskrecki—3 nymphs; Gorongosa, GNP, Mt. Gorongosa, southern slope, elev. 1236 m (-18.462417, 34.053139), 18–20.vi.2012, coll. P. Naskrecki— 3 females, 2 males, 14 nymphs (incl. holotype, 4 paratypes); same locality, 11.v.2013, coll. P. Naskrecki—1 nymph (MCZ).