Bioacoustics of Pterinoxylus spinulosus

Comments: Redtenbacher (1908: 428) decribed P. spinulosus based on a ♂ in the collection of NHMW and a ♂ nymph in the NHMUK collection both from Valle del Chiriquí in NE-Panama and provided an illustration of the NHMW specimen (Plate 20, Figure 3 ) which has been designated as the lectotype by Conle, Hennemann & Gutiérrez (2011: 64) . The ♂ penultimate instar nymph ( paralectotype ) in NHMUK is not the same species but represents P. perarmatus ( Redtenbacher, 1908 ) . This is evident by the large pair of cephalic lobes and strongly spinose mesonotum. Rehn (1957) presented a very detailed description of the ♀ based on three examples from the Canal Zone of Panama in ANSP and provided notes on the stridulation observed in ♀♀ . The ♀ and egg from Reventazon, Costa Rica in ZMUH referred to as P. difformipes Serville, 1838 by Zompro (1997: 180) are clearly misidentified and represent P. spinulosus ( Fig. 17D ). The ♀ from Balboa (now part of Panama City), which laid the two eggs in NHMUK that served for the description here presented, is not traced. Clark–Sellick (1998: 221, fig. 30h, i) briefly described and figured the internal micropylar plate of the egg. LT, ♂ Panama [NHMW] ♀♀ Canal Zone, Panama [ANSP] ♀ Reventazon, C.R. [ZMUH] ♀ Cachi, C.R. [NHMUK] ♀ Colombia [NHMUK] ♂♂ Belize [coll. OC] Body (incl. sg. pl.): – 137.0–172.0 162.0 163.0 189.0 – Body: 104.8 – 148.0 149.0 169.0 96.0–103.1 Pronotum: 4.4 8.0–9.5 8.3 8.3 10.7 4.7–5.0 Mesonotum: 22.5 29.0–39.5 33.2 32.6 37.2 19.3–19.8 Metanotum: 5.3 – – – – Median segment: 8.3 – – – – Subgenital plate: – 25.5–28.5 28.0 – – – Tegmina: 9.0 12.5–15.0 13.0 13.2 15.2 9.2–9.5 Alae: 46.0 18.5–20.5 19.5 24.0 27.0 39.5–44.5 Profemora: 20.8 22.5–25.0 23.5 24.3 27.7 19.5–20.4 Mesofemora: 14.0 16.5–19.5 17.0 17.5 21.3 12.8–14.3 Metafemora: 19.8 22.0–25.5 22.5 24.5 29.1 18.6–20.4 Protibiae: 19.4 – – 21.5 27.5 19.1–19.2 Mesotibiae: 12.2 – – 16.5 18.7 11.9 Metatibiae: 13.1 16.5–19.0 – 18.3 21.0 12.4–13.2 Antennae: > 32.0 – > 37.0 42.0 54.0 41.6–44.3 After a storm in 2016 Jan Meerman ( Belize ) collected a ♀ on the area of his butterfly farm “Green Hills” near Belmopan, Belize . The specimen was found on a fallen over tree of Coccoloba belizensis (Polygonaceae) and kept alive for some time in captivity. Since leaves of this tree were frequently eaten it is very like to be a host plant of P. spinulosus in Belize . Eggs were sent to Bruno Kneubühler ( Zürich , Switzerland ), who first successfully reared this species in captivity. It has proven not difficult to culture and accepts Salal ( Gaultheria shallon , Ericaceae ) and bramble ( Rubus spp. , Rosaceae ) as alternative food plants. Eggs take some 4–6 months to hatch at average temperatures of 20°C and nymphs are fairly slow growing.