Klaus- Heller

ABSTRACT The flightless Agraeciini genus Afroanthracites, a genus restricted to East Africa, is reviewed and two new species are described. Exemplary for the genus Afroanthracites the ecological niche of A. montium from Mt Kilimanjaro is defined. A. montium occupies habitats in humid and perhumid conditions and thus shows a broad altitudinal range (1250-2700 m). Concerning the acoustic communication it is remarkable that within the micropterous genus a trend to low carrier frequencies is observed combined with the evolution of larger stridulatory organs (mirror; resonating part of tegmen). This trend starts with species using the same ultrasonic frequencies as a brachypterous outgroup and ends with species presenting clearly audible songs. Cytogenetic data are given for five Afroanthracites and one Afroagraecia species. Differences in chromosome numbers: Afroanthracites 2n = 29 and Afroagraecia 2n = 27 as well as a number of major rDNA clusters (one and two, respectively) are probably useful markers to separate both genera. It is discussed whether the African species evolved from a species with a presumably derived karyotype (e.g., 27 or 29 chromosomes) or if the proposed reduction of chromosome number occurred independently in Africa, Asia and Australia. The data set suggests that the African Agraeciini are of monophyletic origin, with a common ancestor of Afroagraecia and Afroanthracites in Africa. The Afroanthracites species can be divided into three groups on base of their morphology and colour pattern. Species of adjacent areas are morphologically sister groups. The most derived forms as seen in their morphology and acoustics are found in the West Usambara Mountains, part of the geologically old Eastern Arc Mountains.

During mating, male bush-crickets transfer a complex spermatophore to the female. The spermatophore is comprised of a large nuptial gift which the female consumes while the sperm from the ejaculate-containing ampulla are transferred into her. Two main functions of the nuptial gift have been proposed; the ejaculate protection hypothesis has evolved in a sexual selection context and predicts that the time to consume the gift is no longer than necessary to allow for full ejaculate transfer. The parental investment hypothesis maintains that gift nutrients increase the fitness or quantity of offspring and hence the gift is likely to be larger than is necessary for complete sperm transfer. With an aim to better understanding the primary function of nuptial gifts, we examine sperm transfer data from field populations of five Poecilimon bush-cricket taxa with varying spermatophore sizes. In the species with the largest spermatophore, the gift was four times larger than necessary to allow fo...

During mating, male insects of certain species transfer a costly nuptial gift, a large spermatophore, which is eaten by the female as sperm transfer into her. The spermatophore components (the sperm-free spermatophylax and the sperm ampulla) vary greatly in size between species, and have a direct influence on male fitness. Studies of the relationship between spermatophore size variation and male

In this paper we deal with a not well known orthopteran species described from Croatia—Krauss' bush-cricket, Platycleis kraussi Padewieth, 1900 with unknown type series. After systematic field studies the species was found only three kilometres from Padewieth's locus typicus, in Francikovac near Senj (Croatia). It was found to be the same as Bicolorana kuntzeni (Ramme, 1931), thus B. kuntzeni (Ramme, 1931) syn. nov. became a synonym of Bicolorana kraussi (Padewieth, 1900) comb. nov. which is moved into genus Bicolorana Zeuner, 1941. Since the type was lost a neotype of B. kraussi is designated and deposited in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, the Netherlands). Historical review of this species' taxonomy is given. An improved description is presented showing some variability of certain morphological characters. The morphology, morphometrics and bioacoustic data of the species are compared with those of the closely related B. bi-color (Philippi, 1830) and Modestana modesta (Fieber, 1853). Vichetia helleri syn. nov. is regarded a synonym of Bicol-orana bicolor. The literature and new distribution data are gathered and presented.

... ELżBIETA WARCHAŁOWSKA-ŚLIWA1, ANNA MARYAēSKA-NADACHOWSKA1, BEATA GRZYWACZ1, TATJANA KARAMYSHEVA2, ARNE W. LEHMANN3, GERLIND UC ... have NORs, for example, in spiders (Král et al., 2006), grasshoppers (Cabrero & Camacho, 2008), bugs ...

Cytotaxonomic analysis of 20 species and subspecies of the genus Poecilimon using C-banding pattern, chiasma frequency, and morphometric characteristics of the chromosomes were described. Using a cladistic analysis the chromosome data provided a basis to produce a phylogenetic tree which was compared with a tree based on morphological characters and DNA sequence data. There are important differences in the grouping of data sets to species obtained on the basis of morphology/DNA analyses and that based on chromosomes. The explanation of the differences between C-banding patterns and taxonomic proximity is probably that the C-banding pattern changes quickly as the result of the high degree of variation of constitutive heterochromatin.

In many animals, males [MM] possess traits that increase their attractiveness to females [FF]. Their signals, however, can also increase conspicuousness to predators. In the bushcricket Poecilimon thessalicus Brunner von Wattenwyl 1891, MM are attacked by the parasitoid ormiine fly Therobia leonidei (Mesnil 1965) that locate them through their calls. MM, parasitized by the fly in a field experiment, attracted more conspecific FF in a previous phonotactic experiment than unparasitized MM. This result suggests that calling behaviour, which increases a M’s probability of attracting a F, also increases his risk of attracting parasitoids. This supports the idea that sexual selection favours male adaptations that lead to high reproductive success even at the cost of increased predation.

A review of the Balkan representatives of the genus Psorodonotus was made with the aim of revealing the relationships between taxa and their systematic arrangement. For this purpose we used morphological (qualitative and quantitavive), acoustic (amplitude- temporal song parameters) and molecular (mtDNA COI gene sequence) data. The analyses and comparisons with other taxa of Psorodonotus support the distinction of three species occurring on the Balkan Peninsula: P. fieberi, P. illyricus and P. macedonicus. Analysis of the COI sequences suggested the following relationships: outgroups + (P. illyricus + (P. fieberi + (P. macedonicus + P. caucasicus))). All available information on the distribution of the Balkan taxa was synthesized and mapped.

ABSTRACT Chromosomes of six European species (one with two subspecies) of Orthoptera belonging to the tribes Ephippigerini and Bradyporini were analyzed using C-banding, Ag-NOR, DAPI (AT-rich)/CMA3 (GC-rich) staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using the 18S rDNA and (TTAGG)n telomeric probes with the aim to better understand chromosomal organization and evolutionary relationships between genera and subgenera within and across both tribes. The evolution of karyotypes was studied in terms of changes in chromosome number (2n) and morphology (FN, the fundamental number – i.e. the number of chromosome arms including the X chromosome). The ancestral 2n = 31 was reduced to 2n = 29 (FN = 31) and 27 (FN = 31) by one or two Robertsonian fusions in the Ephippigerini. Whereas in the Bradyporini 2n = 27 (FN = 32) as a result of two Robertsonian translocations and a pericentric inversion in the X chromosome. The quantity of heterochromatin in GC-rich regions distinguished the karyotypes of Ephippigerini (only a single CG-rich band on one autosome pair) from those of Bradyporini (CG-rich bands on all chromosomes). FISH using the 18S rDNA probe localized 1–3 rDNA clusters to autosomes and/or to the X chromosome in all species examined. The rDNA loci coincided with active NORs as determined by Ag-NOR staining. A comparison of the location of the single NOR/rDNA in two species of the genus Steropleurus (Ephippigerini) suggests that the reduced chromosome number in S. pseudolus results from a Robertsonian fusion between two pairs of autosomes, one of them carrying the NOR/rDNA as in S. stalii (and also in E. ephippiger). Whereas the karyotypes of three species of the genus Bradyporus, though showing the same chromosome number and morphology, differed in the number and distribution of NORs/rDNA sites [one autosomal in B. (B.) dasypus versus three in B. macrogaster and B. (C.) oniscus, two of them X-linked]. Trends in karyotype diversification of the taxa based on the present data and previous research are discussed. In some individuals belonging to the species Bradyporus (B.) dasypus and B. (C.) m. macrogaster B chromosomes (Bs) were detected: acrocentric (the smallest elements in the complement) and submetacentric (similar to medium-sized autosomes), respectively.

Cytotaxonomic analysis of 20 species and subspecies of the genus Poecilimon using C-banding pattern, chiasma frequency, and morphometric characteristics of the chromosomes were described. Using a cladistic analysis the chromosome data provided a basis to produce a phylogenetic tree which was compared with a tree based on morphological characters and DNA sequence data. There are important differences in the grouping of data sets to species obtained on the basis of morphology/DNA analyses and that based on chromosomes. The explanation of the differences between C-banding patterns and taxonomic proximity is probably that the C-banding pattern changes quickly as the result of the high degree of variation of constitutive heterochromatin.

The female of Tropidonotacris grandis is described and information on distribution, habitat, song, chromosomes and nymphal development of this species given. The populations of northern Tanzania all occur in deciduous dry forest, a habitat highly endangered by destruction and therefore T. grandis must be regarded at least as a vulnerable species according to the IUCN red list. 

A new Philoscirtus species, P. viridulus n. sp. from forests of the West Usambara Mountains is described and the genus revised. Both species of the genus are known from few localities only. Their habitats are under pressure due to an increasing human population in the East and West Usambara Mountains. Both taxa should be included thus in the IUCN red list of globally threatened taxa to attract more attention to the importance of small forest patches. The biogeographical distribution of species from West Usambaran forests is discussed indicating on one hand that there must have been isolating mechanisms within the West Usambara Mountains and that part of the observed biodiversity in flightless Orthoptera is due to speciation processes not older than approximately 2 million years. 

... ELżBIETA WARCHAŁOWSKA-ŚLIWA1, ANNA MARYAēSKA-NADACHOWSKA1, BEATA GRZYWACZ1, TATJANA KARAMYSHEVA2, ARNE W. LEHMANN3, GERLIND UC ... have NORs, for example, in spiders (Král et al., 2006), grasshoppers (Cabrero & Camacho, 2008), bugs ...

Key words. Orthoptera, Odontura, karyotype evolution, neo-XY, neo-X1X2Y, FISH
Abstract. Chromosomes of the males of five species of Odontura, belonging to the subgenera Odontura and Odonturella, were analyzed.
Intensive evolution of the karyotype was recorded, both in terms of changes in the numbers of chromosomes (from 2n = 31 to
27) and the sex chromosome system (from X0 to neo-XY and X0 to neo-X1X2Y). Karyotype evolution was accompanied by tandem
autosome fusions and interspecific autosomal and sex chromosome differentiation involving changes in the locations of nucleolar
organizer regions, NORs, which were revealed by silver impregnation and confirmed by FISH using an 18S rDNA probe. O. (Odonturella)
aspericauda is a polytypic species with X0 and neo-X1X2Y sex determination. The latter system is not common in tettigoniids.
It possibly originated by a translocation of a distal segment of the original X chromosome onto a medium sized autosome,
resulting in a shortened neo-X1 and a metacentric neo-Y. The remaining autosome homologue became the neo-X2 chromosome. This
shift from X0 to neo-X1X2Y is supported by the length of the X chromosome and location of the NOR/rDNA.