Bioacoustics of Poecilimon zonatus

Remarks: The nominate species was originally described by Bolivar (1899) from Binboğa Mountains ( Kahramanmaraş , Turkey ). P. z. zonatus reveals a fragmented distribution in the North-South direction at high altitudes of the mountains of Anatolian diagonal and relatively high plateaus of northern part of Taurus mountains in the East-West direction. The additional faunistic records of P. z. zonatus were documented by Çıplak et al. (1996), Karabağ (1958) , Mol et al. (2016) , Ramme (1931) , Sevgili et al. (2012b) , Uvarov (1917) , and Ünal (2010) . Ramme (1951) identified the specimens collected by Dr. O. Schwarz from the Sandras mountain ( Muğla ) as P. zonatus . In this research, the samples studied by Ramme were not studied. However, it should be noted that this small population from the Datça Peninsula near the seashore and the populations outside the P. salmani that spread around the Muğla province may belong to the newly described subspecies. The new subspecies is distinguished from P. salmani , which is known to inhabit the areas of Fethiye and Dalyan and is described as a new species in this study by the differences of the shape of the apical part of male cerci, the shape of gonangulum and lamella in female and colour pattern of tergites in both sexes. The syllable pattern of the calling song is quite similar to that of the macrosyllables of P. variicercis , but the whole song pattern of P. variicercis shows significant differences from this species (see Figs. 36–37 ). The new subspecies was found together with some orthopterans such as Poecilimon (P.) sanctipauli , P. (H.). hamatus, Eupholidoptera sp. and Orchamus yersini davisi from type locality. This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List (2017–3). The distribution of the P. zonatus datca is highly restricted and its habitats are under the threat by anthropogenic effects, such as stubble fire, over-use of pesticides in agriculture, touristic activities and grazing. For these reasons, the species should be considered with a Critically Endangered (B1ab(i, iii)) status on the basis of the extent of occurrence criteries of IUCN.

Description: Male ( holotype ): Fastigium as wide as half of the antennal scapus, slightly narrowed frontward and faintly depressed dorsally. Pronotum slightly wider in metazona than prozona, slightly depressed at mesozona laterally; disc of pronotum with a straight frontal margin and faintly concave caudal margin ( Fig. 22G ). Pronotum slightly raised backward in profile ( Fig. 47 ). Tegmina with black longutidunal band, slightly rounded at caudal parts and extends beyond middle of first abdominal tergite. Cu2 of left tegmen roundly projecting at right margin ( Fig. 22G , 47A–B ). Hindfemur without spines. Epiproct transversely enlarged. Cerci gradually narrowing distalwards, distal 1/3–1/4 obtusely incurved and slightly tapered apically; there are two rows of denticles distally, preapical row includes 1, subapical row includes 5–6 denticles ( Fig. 23I –J ). Subgenital plate wide at proximal part, obtusely narrowed at caudal part, with slightly sinuate and almost straight caudal margin ( Fig. 10O ). Stridulatory file: Male stridulatory file is similar to P. z. zonatus in general structure, but is distinguished by low number of teeth which are sparsely arranged and relatively larger than in P. z. zonatus ( Fig. 17D ; Table 3 ). Tooth morphology is clearly different from other species of the group ( Fig. 18G ). Bioacoustics: The calling song is similar to that of P. vodnensis . In the calling songs of the only two males we have studied, the “click”-like syllable are presented in small groups which were repeated in large, irregular intervals ( Fig. 30 ). The syllables lasted about 9.4 ms and were composed of about 3–4 impulses ( Fig. 37 ). The peak frequency of the song had a maximum at about 28 kHz (see for details Table 4 , Fig. 37 ). Female: Pronotum laterally wider than in male, metazona slightly wider than prozona, strongly depressed ( Fig. 47C ). Tegmina short, slightly extending beyond posterior margin of the pronotum, fully overlapping dorsally. Subgenital plate triangular ( Fig. 12D ). Ovipositor, gonangulum and lamella as in Figs. 12D , 28G .

Remarks: P. zonatus can be distinguished from other closely related species P. varicornis , P. variicercis and P. varicornis by the following combination of characters: laterally widened pronotum in both sexes; in general, compared with P. variicercis male cerci less curved inward at distal part; when compared with P. salmani , apex of male cerci not blunt in P. zonatus , P. varicornis and P. variicercis ; subgenital plate of male less narrowed than other species at distal part; female cerci slightly thicker at apex ( Fig. 27 ). Of these species of the group, P. z. zonatus shows some similarities to the new species P. salmani in male calling song. It can be acoustically separated from P. salmani by having a longer syllable period and less syllables per minute. Additionaly, syllables of P. salmani contain more impulses, and depending on this, the duration of the syllable is longer. The morphology (pronotum, male and female cerci, male stridulatory file, subgenital plate of both sexes and ovipositor) and some bioacoustics characters of P. z. zonatus are quite different from both P. tauricola and P. azizsancar sp. n .. The abdominal dorsal colour pattern was used as a taxonomic character by Ramme (1933) . However, this pattern is very variable between populations and sexes even in the same population. We observed a clear colour pattern differentiation on abdomen between P. salmani and P. z. datca (see Fig. 46 , 48 ). P. z. zonatus has the widest distribution between the species of the group. It was found together with some tettigoniids; P. (P.) sanctipauli and Gampsocleis recticauda from Beydağlar ( Antalya ), Isophya major , Parapholidoptera yoruka , Eupholidoptera sp., Saga rhodiensis from Ermenek, Isophya cf. schneideri, Parapholidoptera sp. from Gezit Mountain ( Osmaniye ), I. cf. schneideri, Bradyporus (Callimenus) latipes from Pütürge ( Malatya ), I. cf. schneideri, Tettigonia caudata from Munzur Mountains ( Erzincan ), probably with I. cf. schneideri and Poecilimon syriacus from Kahramanmaraş . This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List (2017–3). P. zonatus zonatus has a very wide distribution along the Anatolian Diagonal. This species should be considered with a Least Concern status on the basis of the extent of occurrence criteries of IUCN.

Male: Fastigium narrow, nearly half as wide as antennal scape with parallel or slightly convergent sides and dorsally with shallow groove ( Fig. 29G–J ). Pronotum short, posteriorly not narrowed, laterally widened, anterior margin of the pronotum straight, but posterior margin slightly excised, and laterally almost straight prozona, slightly elevated at metazona ( Fig. 21A–G ). Tegmina shorter than pronotum, not protruding beyond of first abdominal tergite ( Fig. 21A–G ). Male cerci ( Fig. 23A–H ) proximally massive, gradually tapering towards the apex. Apical part of cerci curved almost in a right angle with longitudinal axis of base. Apex not pointed, ending 4–5 small denticles at bottom edge, 2–3 denticles inner part. Subgenital plate of male wide at base, apically narrowed ( Fig. 10J–N ). Apical margin of subgenital plate of male is variable from slightly sinuate to almost straight. Stridulatory file: Stridulatory files of males from eight localities are downcurved at apical part and bear 54–74 fine teeth ( Fig. 17A–C ; Table 3 ). The general morphology of the file is similar to that of P. zonatus datca ssp. n. , P. variicercis , P. vodnensis and P. salmani sp. n. It differs from these species by having a higher number and a different shape of teeth ( Fig. 17 ; Table 3 ). In P. zonatus teeth are arranged closer to each other than in other species. Length of the biggest tooth of the file is highly variable with an average of 103 µm. Bioacoustics: The male calling song consists of faint “click”-like syllables repeated at very variable periods ( Figs. 19 , 20 , 31 ). Each syllable is a closing hemisyllable, varying between 7–16 ms ( Table 4 ). Each syllable was composed of 3–10 initial impulses of low amplitude and 5–12 impulses with higher amplitude and mean number of impulses per syllable was about 9.7 ( Fig. 35 ). The peak frequencies of the song had their maximum between 37 and 53 kHz. Female: Fastigium verticis as in male, but it differs slightly in Malatya population with parallel edges, wider than half of scapus and an indistinct sulcus above ( Fig. 29F, K ). Disk of pronotum laterally widened, frontal margin almost straight, caudal margin slightly concave or straight; pronotum with dorsal margin in profile silightly concave in mesozona ( Fig. 21H–L ). Tegmina clearly shorter than half of the pronotal length or sometimes fully concealed, but overlapping dorsally ( Fig. 21H–L ). Subgenital plate small and triangular, weakly projected on caudal margin ( Fig. 12E–G ). Ovipositor, gonangulum and lamella as in Figs. 12 , 28A–D . Coloration : Although the overall body color is darker, the coloration tends to vary geographically most in those color patterns that vary individually most within a population ( Fig. 42–46 ).

Remarks. The nominate species of the group has been reported in several studies (for review data see Sevgili et al. (2018) and Kaya (2018) . Sevgili et al. (2018) presented detailed morphological and acoustic data about this species, supplied with rich illustrative material. However, all data in Sevgili et al. (2018) become controversial as opposed to the phylogenetic tree and taxonomy presented here, as these data are combined from several populations, many of which are currently excluded from P. zonatus , such as P. isozonatus , P. anisozonatus , P. parazonatus and P. datca (see below). Thus, the morphological and bioacoustics descriptions, and related illustrative material by Sevgili et al. (2018) , should be considered with caution. In principle, the morphological description by Sevgili et al. (2018) is still applicable to P. zonatus , as these taxa differ from each other by minor differences. Thus, illustrations for the populations currently identified as P. zonatus (see following paragraph and Fig. 1 ) should be considered as descriptive material of the species.