Revision of the tusked bush-crickets (Tettigonioidea: Pseudophyllinae: Dicranostomus) with description of the hitherto unknown sexes

By

Heller, Klaus-Gerhard
Helb, Matthias

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021-6-3

Original Publication

Journal of orthoptera research : JOR

Volume

30

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

87--94

Subjects

Eucocconotini , mandible , Peru , South America , taxonomy , weapon

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Philadelphia, Penn Orthopterists' Society 1992-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/jor.30.62170

 

Abstract

The genus Dicranostomus belongs to the very few Orthoptera with elongated mandibular processes, here called tusks. However, it is also one of the least studied genera from whose two species only one female and two males have been known so far. We present additional material from both species and sexes that confirms that the males have the relatively longest (2–2.8 times pronotal length) tusks of all Orthoptera. Surprisingly, the females of both species differ in this character: females of D. monoceros have tusks and those of D. nitidus do not. Based on a comparison with other species, we hypothesize that the species use holes that males can defend and use to monopolize the females.