Tibicina maldesi Boulard 1981

Tibicina maldesi Boulard, 1981.

Material examined. Algeria (see Boulard, 1981): holotype Ô and one paratype ♀, massif du Djurdjura, forêt d’Aït Ouabane, 1700 m, 13-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec.; two paratypes Ô, massif du Djurdjura, Tikjda, 1300 m, 14-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec.; one paratype Ô, Kebouche near Akfraou, 1000 m, 26-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec.; two paratypes Ô, Nador near Guelma, 29-VI-1979, J.-M. Maldès rec. Morocco: two Ô collected from the same locality with their calling song recorded, north of Ouirgane, at the edge of the road P2022, road of Amizmiz, 31.20050 / -08.06580, 880 m above sea level, 22-V-2008, J.-M. Pillet † rec.; one Ô and one ♀ at Jbel Bou Keltoum, Oujda, 34.37010 / -2.08187, 1675 m above sea level, 04-VII-2012, A. François, C. Galkowski & M. Sbai rec.

Morphology and measurement (Figs. 2A,B,C – 3). Specimens captured from Morocco have been compared with the types from Algeria deposited at the MNHN. They do not show any particular differences. Morphological features, in particular genitalia shape and body length, are similar to the results given by Boulard (1981): 27 mm for the body length versus 26 to 27 mm in this study. T. maldesi is a Tibicina species blackish and brownish with relatively long slender wings, the basal half of the forewings greenish yellowish, their half apical blackish brownish (Fig. 2A). The tymbal of this species shows a series of seven sclerotized ribs running anterior to the tymbal plate. Six short ribs alternate with the seven long ribs (Fig. 3). Male genitalia (Figs. 2B,C) with a pygopher curved without dorsal expansion but slightly V-shaped; uncus curved with apex slightly angular. Aedeagus elongated, deeply curved and trilobed at the distal end; the two lateral lobes small, curved and rounded at their apex with numerous conjunctival claws (Fig. 2C: ↑); median lobe carrying the gonopore, vesica curved and inflated with apex elongated.

Exuviae. See Boulard (1981).

Sound behavior (Table 1; Figs. 12A,B,C,D,E,F – 13A,B,C,D). Two males were recorded by Jérôme Sueur (JS, MNHN) then captured by JMP †. Another male was recorded by JS without have been caught. Males mainly produce their calling song in the canopy. Density of calling males was very low, males usually 100 to 150 m apart. When males emit their calling song, they raised their abdomen and lift up their wings from their body without decoupling them from the mesonotum. Males produce sustained calling songs lasting up to ten minutes: CD = 811.4 ± 81.1 s (719.9–874.5; 3), see Table 1. Calling songs were composed of a very long sustained train of groups of pulses with a slow increase in amplitude at the beginning (Fig. 12C). Groups of pulses duration (GPD) is notably constant: 8.3 ± 0.4 ms (7.6–9.0; 301). Groups of pulse period (GPP) is 10.4 ± 0.7 ms (9.0–12.3; 377) and groups of pulses are produced a rate (NGP) of 104.6 ± 1.7 s- 1 (100–108; 316). Pulses-groups (Table 1: NP per syllable) are made up of 8- 10 pulses, typically 8 pulses per syllables, i.e. 4 pulses per tymbal (Figs. 13C,D). In the frequency domain (Table 1; Fig. 12A), power spectra are characterized by frequencies of maximum amplitude (MF) having a mean of 9134 ± 590 Hz (7644–10293; 140) with three frequency peaks: a peak of the carrier frequency band (F2*) at 9058 ± 345 Hz (8699–9388; 3) with two lateral frequency bands, F1 at about 8384 ± 436 Hz (7881–8656; 3) and F3 at about 10142 ± 186 Hz (10034–10357; 3).

Distribution and habitat (Fig. 14B: black dot). T. maldesi is only known in two countries from the Maghreb area: four localities in Algeria and currently only two localities in Morocco. In Algeria, this species is present in the Mediterranean domain: SH3 stage, xeric subhumid class, temperate sub-class from 1000 m to 1700 m above sea level. In Morocco, T. maldesi is also present in the SH3 stage to the limit of SH3 - SA3 stage, xeric semi-arid class, temperate sub-class, from 880 m to 1675 m above sea level. Physical structures of the vegetation inhabited by T. maldesi are scrub and open wood: habitat classes 3, 5, 7 and 8. The males produce their calling song preferably perched high in the trees but sometimes also in junipers and low holm oaks.