Island mysteries in the spotlight: Barbitistes kaltenbachi and Rhacocleis buchichii, the only bush-cricket species endemic to Croatia (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

By

Felix, Rob
Heller, Klaus-Gerhard
Odé, Baudewijn
Rebrina, Fran
Skejo, Josip

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2020

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

936

Pages

25--60

Subjects

Adriatic , Barbitistini , bioacoustics , Biokovo , Dalmatia , duet , Ecology , Endangered , flightless , Hvar , IUCN Red List , Platycleidini , systematics , Vis Island , vulnerable

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.936.51599

 

Abstract

Hvar Saw Bush-cricketBarbitistes kaltenbachiHarz, 1965 (Phaneropterinae: Barbitistini) and Lesina Bush-cricketRhacocleis buchichiiBrunner von Wattenwyl in Herman 1874 (Tettigoniinae: Platycleidini) are flightless orthopterans restricted to a narrow area in the Mediterranean part of Croatia, both originally described from Hvar Island. In this study, all available information on these two interesting species is presented: data on morphology, bioacoustics, distribution, habitat, and a key to identification of the species belonging to generaBarbitistesandRhacocleisin Croatia. The songs of bothB. kaltenbachiandR. buchichiiare described here for the first time, with the former one being the second known example of a synchronising and presumably duetting species. Both species were reassessed according to the IUCN Red List criteria, whereB. kaltenbachishould be considered an endangered species, whileR. buchichiiis suggested to be downgraded to a less threatened category. Biogeography and evolution of the species are briefly discussed.