A Field Guide to the Bushcrickets, Wetas and Raspy Crickets of Tanzania and Kenya

About this book

Language: English

This field guide covers northern to central Tanzania, southern Kenya and parts of central Kenya. Most species are illustrated by live specimens; generally, adult males and females are depicted, along with selected nymphal stages. For species-rich genera, morphological details are provided, together with keys to genera and species as well as distribution maps for most taxa. The enclosed DVD features the songs of 185 species.

More than 270 bushcricket species are treated, including raspy crickets (7 genera) and wetas (2 genera). The majority of the species shown are from the family Tettigoniidae, particularly from the subfamily Conocephalinae (including the tribes Agraeciini, Conocephalini and Copiphorini); in addition, the subfamilies Hetrodinae, Hexacentrinae, Meconematinae, Saginae, and Mecopodinae are represented as well. The subfamily Phaneropterinae is the most diverse in the area, with six genera in the tribe Acrometopini, plus representatives of the tribes Amblycoryphini, Catoptropterigini, Ducetiini, Holochlorini, Odonturini, Otiaphysini, Pardalotini, Phaneropterini, Terpnistrini and Tylopsidini. Genera of ungrouped Phaneropterinae in the area include Ectomoptera, Eulioptera, Euryastes, Lunidia, Materuana, Meruterrana, Oxyecous, Pseudopreussia, Sentia and Tropidonotacris. The subfamily Pseudophyllinae is also present with six genera (Acauloplax, Cymatomera, Cymatomerella, Pseudotomias, Stenampyx and Zabalius).
 

Contents

Foreword 7
Introduction 8

Bushcrickets, Wetas and Raspy Crickets of Tanzania and Kenya 8
Insect Anatomy 8
Bioacoustics by Klaus-Gerhard Heller 9
History of Orthoptera Research in East Africa 11
Biodiversity, Bioindication, and Conservation 12

Climate and Vegetation by Andreas Hemp 13
Species List of the Bushcrickets, Wetas and Raspy Crickets of Tanzania and Kenya 18

Family Tettigoniidae 25
      Subfamily Conocephalinae, Meadow and Cone-headed Bushcrickets 25
            Tribe Agraeciini 26
                        Genus Afroagraecia
                        Afroagraecias 26
                        Genus Afroanthracites
                        Afroanthracites 41
                        Genus Dendrobia
                        Tree Summiteers 64
            Tribe Conocephalini
                  Subtribe Conocephalina
                  Meadow Bushcrickets 70
                        Genus Conocephalus
                        Meadow Bushcrickets
                              Subgenera Conocephalus and Anisoptera 71
            Tribe Conocephalini
                  Subtribe Karniellina
                  Meadow Hoppers 75
                        Genus Acanthoscirtes
                        Thorny Meadow Hoppers 77
                        Genus Chortoscirtes
                        Brown Meadow Hoppers 79
                        Genus Fulvoscirtes
                        Orange Meadow Hoppers 82
                        Genus Melanoscirtes
                        Black Meadow Hoppers 88
                        Genus Phlesirtes
                        Montane Meadow Hoppers 92
            Tribe Copiphorini 104
                        Genus Lanista
                        Mimicking Snout Noses 104
                        Genus Pseudorhynchus
                        Mimicking Snout Noses 105
                        Genus Ruspolia
                        Coneheads 107
      Subfamily Hetrodinae
      Armoured Ground Bushcrickets 110
                        Genus Enyaliopsis
                        Armoured Ground Bushcrickets 110
                        Genus Eugasteroides
                        Armoured Ground Bushcrickets 117
                        Genus Gymnoproctus
                        Armoured Ground Bushcrickets 119
                        Genus Spalacomimus
                        Armoured Ground Bushcrickets 123
      Subfamily Hexacentrinae
      Fierce Predatory Bushcrickets 130
                        Genus Aerotegmina
                        Balloons 130
      Subfamily Meconematinae
      Vibrating Bushcrickets 141
                        Genus Afrophisis
                        Spider Bushcrickets 141
                        Genus Amytta
                        Delicate Vibrating Bushcrickets 145
                        Genus Phlugidia
                        Phlugidias 156
      Subfamily Saginae
      Predatory Bushcrickets 163
                        Genus Clonia
                        Clonias 163
      Subfamily group Phaneropteridae 166
      Subfamily Mecopodinae
      Brown Ground or Long-legged Bushcrickets 166
                        Genus Anoedopoda
                        Noisy Brown Ground Bushcrickets 166
                        Genus Apteroscirtus
                        Flightless Brown Ground Bushcrickets 168
                        Genus Gymnoscirtus
                        Nacked Flightless Brown Ground Bushcrickets 172
                        Genus Philoscirtus
                        Rugose Long-legged Bushcrickets 174
      Subfamily Phaneropterinae
      False Bushcrickets 180
            Tribe Acrometopini 180
                        Genus Altihoratosphaga
                        Dotted Bushcrickets 180
                        Genus Horatosphaga
                        Grass Bushcrickets 191
                        Genus Lamecosoma
                        Elongate Grass Bushcrickets 200
                        Genus Peronura
                        Plump Bushcrickets 203
                        Genus Peronurella
                        Fragile Plump Bushcrickets 212
                        Genus Tenerasphaga
                        Fragile Grass Bushcrickets 213
            Tribe Amblycoryphini 219
                        Genus Eurycorypha
                        Ant-mimicking Bushcrickets 219
                        Genus Plangia
                        Plangias 254
            Tribe Catoptropterigini 267
                        Genus Catoptropteryx
                        Orange Spots 267
            Tribe Ducetiini 270
                        Genus Ducetia
                        Pectinated Bushcrickets 270
            Tribe Holochlorini 274
                        Genus Arantia
                        Arantias 274
                        Genus Gonatoxia
                        Yellow Surprise 279
            Tribe Odonturini 289
                        Genus Monticolaria
                        Mountain Walkers 289
                        Genus Odonturoides
                        Odonturoides 295
            Tribe Otiaphysini 299
                        Genus Debrona
                        Debronas 299
            Tribe Pardalotini 303
                        Genus Poecilogramma
                        Poecilogrammas 303
            Tribe Phaneropterini 306
                        Genus Dioncomena
                        Jewels 306
                        Genus Kefalia
                        Kefalias 318
                        Genus Melidia
                        Savanna Bushcrickets 321
                        Genus Parapyrrhicia
                        Glinting Eyes 325
                        Genus Phaneroptera
                        Sickle-bearing Bushcrickets 335
            Tribe Terpnistrini 337
                        Genus Diogena
                        Acacia Bushcrickets 337
                        Genus Gelotopoia
                        Two-coloured Bushcrickets 339
                        Genus Terpnistria
                        Acacia Bushcrickets 340
            Tribe Tylopsidini 342
                        Genus Tylopsis
                        Lily Bushcrickets 342
            Ungrouped Phaneropterinae 346
                        Genus Ectomoptera
                        Cut-aways 346
                        Genus Eulioptera
                        False Sickle-bearing Bushcrickets 349
                        Genus Euryastes
                        Inflated Tree Bushcrickets 357
                        Genus Lunidia
                        Halfmoons 360
                        Genus Materuana
                        Red Eyes 366
                        Genus Oxyecous
                        Flat-Thorns 372
                        Genus Pseudopreussia
                        Yellow Leaves 377
                        Genus Sentia
                        Sentias 380
                        Genus Tropidonotacris
                        Ridgebacks 381
      Subfamily Pseudophyllinae
      False-Leaf Bushcrickets 385
                        Genus Acauloplax
                        Fragile False-Leaves 385
                        Genus Cymatomera
                        Bark Bushcrickets 388
                        Genus Cymatomerella
                        Bark Bushcrickets 393
                        Genus Pseudotomias
                        False-Leaves 398
                        Genus Stenampyx
                        Short Tushies 401
                        Genus Zabalius
                        Zabalius 404

Family Anostostomatidae
Wetas or King Crickets 408

                        Genus Libanasa
                        East African Weta 408
                        Genus Nasidius
                        Big-Face Wetas 412

Family Gryllacrididae
Raspy Crickets 415
                        
                        Genus Afroepacra
                        Afroepacras 415
                        Genus Afroneanias
                        Afroneanias 417
                        Genus Ametroides
                        Flightless Raspy Crickets 418
                        Genus Atychogryllacris
                        Short-winged Raspy Crickets 420
                        Genus Glomeremus
                        Flightless Raspy Crickets 421
                        Genus Stictogryllacris
                        Raspy Crickets 424
                        
Sources and Acknowledgements 429
Glossary 429
Authors Page 430
Literature 431
Photo credits 435
Index 436
List of songs 440

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