The Sertão Leaf Katydid – a new genus of Pterochrozinae Walker, 1870 (Insecta, Orthoptera) from the Caatinga in Northeastern Brazil
Abstract
Pterochrozinae are katydids endemic to the Neotropics, commonly known as peacock or leaf katydids. Several areas in the Neotropical are poorly sampled for leaf katydids, and there are few experts working with this group. Most of Pterochrozinae diversity occurs in rainforests, while only a single genus occurs in the savannic Cerrado, and no Pterochrozinae is known for the Caatinga, a semi-arid biome. Here, we present a new Pterochrozinae genus and species, Metallacantha aculeata Engelking, Ghirotto, Fianco, Sobral, Silva-Neto & Mendes gen. and sp. nov., from the Caatinga. The new genus can be distinguished from all other Pterochrozinae by its robust body, enlarged legs, large and flat hind tibial spines, and extremely shortened hind wings. We describe the new genus and species based on three adult females, three adult males, and one nymph from different areas in the Southern Sertanejo Depression of the Caatinga biome, Brazil, also presenting notes on its biology, acoustics, and behavior. Furthermore, we present discussions on the relationship of some Pterochrozinae genera.
References
Beier M. 1962. Neue neotropische Pseudophyllinen (Orthoptera-Tettigon.). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 65: 81–116.
Braun H. 2011. A brief revision of brachypterous Phaneropterinae of the tropical Andes (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Odonturini). Zootaxa 2991: 35–43. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2991.1.5
Braun H. 2015. Little walking leaves from southeast Ecuador: biology and taxonomy of Typophyllum species (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Pterochrozinae). Zootaxa 4012 (1): 1–32. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4012.1.1
Brunner von Wattenwyl C. 1895. Monographie der Pseudophylliden. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 45: 1–282.
Chamorro-Rengifo J. & Lopes-Andrade C. 2014. The phallus in Tettigoniidae (Insecta: Orthoptera: Ensifera): revision of morphology and terminology, and discussion on its taxonomic importance and evolution. Zootaxa 3815 (2): 151–199. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3815.2.1
Cigliano M.M., Braun H., Eades D.C. & Otte D. 2024. Orthoptera Species File. Version 5.0/5.0. Available from: https://Orthoptera.SpeciesFile.org [accessed 01 September 2024].
Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2014. Bioacoustics research program – Raven Pro: interactive sound analysis software (version 1.5). The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca (NY). Available from https://www.ravensoundsoftware.com [accessed 10 Sep. 2024]
Desutter-Grandcolas L., Jacquelin L., Hugel S., Boistel R., Garrouste R., Henrotay M., Warren B.H., Chintauan-Marquier I.C., Nel P., Grandcolas P. & Nel A. 2017. 3-D imaging reveals four extraordinary cases of convergent evolution of acoustic communication in crickets and allies (Insecta). Scientific Reports 7 (1): 7099. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06840-6
Dias I.R., Chamorro-Rengifo J. & Solé M. 2017. Is it a bird, is it a frog or a bush cricket ? On an enigmatic nocturnal calling song recorded at different locations in southern Bahia, Brazil. Spixiana 40: 189–192.
Enderlein G. 1917. Orthopterologica 1. Neue neotropische Pseudophyllinen. Zoologischer Anzeiger 49: 17–20.
Fianco M., Szinwelski N. & Faria L.R.R. 2022. Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from the Iguaçu National Park, Brazil. Zootaxa 5136: 1–72. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5136.1.1
Fianco M. 2023. Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Guartelá State Park, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil: diversity, bioacoustics and description of five new species. Journal of Natural History 57: 1080–1137. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2231579
Grzywacz B., Lehmann A.W., Chobanov D.P. & Lehmann G.U.C. 2018. Multiple origin of flightlessness in Phaneropterinae bushcrickets and redefinition of the tribus Odonturini (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea: Phaneropteridae). Organisms Diversity & Evolution 18: 327–339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-018-0370-x
Gwynne D.T. 2001. Katydids and Bush-Crickets: Reproductive Behavior and Evolution of the Tettigoniidae. Cornell University Press, USA.
Ingrisch S., Riede K., & Beccaloni G. 2016. The pink katydids of Sabah (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Eulophophyllum) with description of two new species. Journal of Orthoptera Research 25 (2): 67–74. https://doi.org/10.1665/034.025.0205
Kirby W.F. 1906. Orthoptera Saltatoria. Part I. (Achetidae et Phasgonuridae). In a Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera (Orthoptera Saltatoria, Locustidae vel Acridiidae). British Museum (Natural History), London. Vol. 2.
Krauss H.A. 1902. Die Namen der ältesten Dermapteren- (Orthopteren-) Gattungen und ihre Verwendung für Familien- und Unterfamilien-Benennungen auf Grund der jetzigen Nomenclaturregeln. Zoologischer Anzeiger 25: 530–543.
Ligges U., Krey S., Mersmann O. & Schnackenberg S. 2013. tuneR – analysis of music. https://doi.org/10.32614/CRAN.package.tuneR
Mugleston J., Naegle M., Song H., Bybee S.M., Ingley S., Suvorov A. & Whiting M.F. 2016. Reinventing the leaf: multiple origins of leaf-like wings in katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). Invertebrate Systematics 30: 335–352. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS15055
Mugleston J.D., Naegle M., Song H. & Whiting M.F. 2018. A comprehensive phylogeny of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera: Ensifera) reveals extensive ecomorph convergence and widespread taxonomic incongruence. Insect Systematics and Diversity 2 (4): 5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.07.014
Olivier G.A. 1789. Encyclopédie méthodique. Histoire naturelle. Entomologie, ou Histoire naturelle des Crustacés, des Arachnides et des Insectes. Tome 4. Chez Panckoucke, Imprimeur-Libraire, Paris.
Ragge D.R. & Reynolds W.J. 1998. The Songs of the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Western Europe. Harley Books, Colchester.
RStudio Team 2015. RStudio: integrated development for R. Boston (MA): RStudio, Inc. Available from https://posit.co [accessed 10 Sep. 2024]
Pictet A. 1888. Locustides nouveaux ou peu connus du Musée de Genève. Mémoires de la Société de Physique et d’Histoire naturelle de Genève 30 (6): 1–84.
Roff D.A. 1998. The evolution of flightlessness in insects. Ecological Society of America 60: 389–421. https://doi.org/10.2307/1943013
Saussure H. & Pictet A. 1898. Insecta Orthoptera (Orthoptera Genuina). Fam. Locustidae. Biologia Centrali-Americana 1: 345–456.
Serville J.G.A. 1831. Revue méthodique des insectes de l’ordre des Orthoptères. Annales des Sciences naturelles 22: 134–167.
Serville J.G.A. 1838. Histoire naturelle des Insectes. Orthoptères. Librairie encyclopédique de Roret, Paris.
Shorthouse D.P. 2010. SimpleMappr, an online tool to produce publication-quality point maps. Available from https://www.simplemappr.net [accessed 25 Jan. 2020].
Stål C. 1874. Recensio Orthopterorum. Revue critique des Orthoptères Décrits par Linné, De Geer et Thunberg. P.A. Norstedt & Söner, Stockholm.
Sueur J., Aubin T. & Simonis C. 2008. Seewave, a free modular tool for sound analysis and synthesis. Bioacoustics 18 (2): 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/09524622.2008.9753600
Vignon P. 1923. Troisième note sur les pterochrozae du Muséum national de Paris. Genre pseudotanusia nov. gen. Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle 29: 570–576.
Vignon P. 1926. Espèces nouvelles dans les genres Typophyllum et Cycloptera Serville. Genre Roxelana (ptérochrozées). Paraptérochrozées, nouveau sous-groupe. Paracycloptera, nouveau genre. Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle 32: 171–178.
Walker F. 1870. Catalogue of the Specimens of Dermaptera saltatoria in the Collection of the British Museum. J.E. Gray, London. Beier M. 1962. Neue neotropische Pseudophyllinen (Orthoptera-Tettigon.). Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien 65: 81–116.
Braun H. 2011. A brief revision of brachypterous Phaneropterinae of the tropical Andes (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Odonturini). Zootaxa 2991: 35–43. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2991.1.5
Braun H. 2015. Little walking leaves from southeast Ecuador: biology and taxonomy of Typophyllum species (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae, Pterochrozinae). Zootaxa 4012 (1): 1–32. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4012.1.1
Brunner von Wattenwyl C. 1895. Monographie der Pseudophylliden. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien 45: 1–282.
Chamorro-Rengifo J. & Lopes-Andrade C. 2014. The phallus in Tettigoniidae (Insecta: Orthoptera: Ensifera): revision of morphology and terminology, and discussion on its taxonomic importance and evolution. Zootaxa 3815 (2): 151–199. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3815.2.1
Cigliano M.M., Braun H., Eades D.C. & Otte D. 2024. Orthoptera Species File. Version 5.0/5.0. Available from: https://Orthoptera.SpeciesFile.org [accessed 01 September 2024].
Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2014. Bioacoustics research program – Raven Pro: interactive sound analysis software (version 1.5). The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca (NY). Available from https://www.ravensoundsoftware.com [accessed 10 Sep. 2024]
Desutter-Grandcolas L., Jacquelin L., Hugel S., Boistel R., Garrouste R., Henrotay M., Warren B.H., Chintauan-Marquier I.C., Nel P., Grandcolas P. & Nel A. 2017. 3-D imaging reveals four extraordinary cases of convergent evolution of acoustic communication in crickets and allies (Insecta). Scientific Reports 7 (1): 7099. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-06840-6
Dias I.R., Chamorro-Rengifo J. & Solé M. 2017. Is it a bird, is it a frog or a bush cricket ? On an enigmatic nocturnal calling song recorded at different locations in southern Bahia, Brazil. Spixiana 40: 189–192.
Enderlein G. 1917. Orthopterologica 1. Neue neotropische Pseudophyllinen. Zoologischer Anzeiger 49: 17–20.
Fianco M., Szinwelski N. & Faria L.R.R. 2022. Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from the Iguaçu National Park, Brazil. Zootaxa 5136: 1–72. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5136.1.1
Fianco M. 2023. Katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Guartelá State Park, State of Paraná, Southern Brazil: diversity, bioacoustics and description of five new species. Journal of Natural History 57: 1080–1137. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2023.2231579
Grzywacz B., Lehmann A.W., Chobanov D.P. & Lehmann G.U.C. 2018. Multiple origin of flightlessness in Phaneropterinae bushcrickets and redefinition of the tribus Odonturini (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea: Phaneropteridae). Organisms Diversity & Evolution 18: 327–339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-018-0370-x
Gwynne D.T. 2001. Katydids and Bush-Crickets: Reproductive Behavior and Evolution of the Tettigoniidae. Cornell University Press, USA.
Ingrisch S., Riede K., & Beccaloni G. 2016. The pink katydids of Sabah (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Eulophophyllum) with description of two new species. Journal of Orthoptera Research 25 (2): 67–74. https://doi.org/10.1665/034.025.0205
Kirby W.F. 1906. Orthoptera Saltatoria. Part I. (Achetidae et Phasgonuridae). In a Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera (Orthoptera Saltatoria, Locustidae vel Acridiidae). British Museum (Natural History), London. Vol. 2.
Krauss H.A. 1902. Die Namen der ältesten Dermapteren- (Orthopteren-) Gattungen und ihre Verwendung für Familien- und Unterfamilien-Benennungen auf Grund der jetzigen Nomenclaturregeln. Zoologischer Anzeiger 25: 530–543.
Ligges U., Krey S., Mersmann O. & Schnackenberg S. 2013. tuneR – analysis of music. https://doi.org/10.32614/CRAN.package.tuneR
Mugleston J., Naegle M., Song H., Bybee S.M., Ingley S., Suvorov A. & Whiting M.F. 2016. Reinventing the leaf: multiple origins of leaf-like wings in katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae). Invertebrate Systematics 30: 335–352. https://doi.org/10.1071/IS15055
Mugleston J.D., Naegle M., Song H. & Whiting M.F. 2018. A comprehensive phylogeny of Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera: Ensifera) reveals extensive ecomorph convergence and widespread taxonomic incongruence. Insect Systematics and Diversity 2 (4): 5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2013.07.014
Olivier G.A. 1789. Encyclopédie méthodique. Histoire naturelle. Entomologie, ou Histoire naturelle des Crustacés, des Arachnides et des Insectes. Tome 4. Chez Panckoucke, Imprimeur-Libraire, Paris.
Ragge D.R. & Reynolds W.J. 1998. The Songs of the Grasshoppers and Crickets of Western Europe. Harley Books, Colchester.
RStudio Team 2015. RStudio: integrated development for R. Boston (MA): RStudio, Inc.
Available from https://posit.co [accessed 10 Sep. 2024]
Pictet A. 1888. Locustides nouveaux ou peu connus du Musée de Genève. Mémoires de la Société de Physique et d’Histoire naturelle de Genève 30 (6): 1–84.
Roff D.A. 1998. The evolution of flightlessness in insects. Ecological Society of America 60: 389–421. https://doi.org/10.2307/1943013
Saussure H. & Pictet A. 1898. Insecta Orthoptera (Orthoptera Genuina). Fam. Locustidae. Biologia Centrali-Americana 1: 345–456.
Serville J.G.A. 1831. Revue méthodique des insectes de l’ordre des Orthoptères. Annales des Sciences naturelles 22: 134–167.
Serville J.G.A. 1838. Histoire naturelle des Insectes. Orthoptères. Librairie encyclopédique de Roret, Paris.
Shorthouse D.P. 2010. SimpleMappr, an online tool to produce publication-quality point maps. Available from https://www.simplemappr.net [accessed 25 Jan. 2020].
Stål C. 1874. Recensio Orthopterorum. Revue critique des Orthoptères Décrits par Linné, De Geer et Thunberg. P.A. Norstedt & Söner, Stockholm.
Sueur J., Aubin T. & Simonis C. 2008. Seewave, a free modular tool for sound analysis and synthesis. Bioacoustics 18 (2): 213–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/09524622.2008.9753600
Vignon P. 1923. Troisième note sur les pterochrozae du Muséum national de Paris. Genre pseudotanusia nov. gen. Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle 29: 570–576.
Vignon P. 1926. Espèces nouvelles dans les genres Typophyllum et Cycloptera Serville. Genre Roxelana (ptérochrozées). Paraptérochrozées, nouveau sous-groupe. Paracycloptera, nouveau genre. Bulletin du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle 32: 171–178.
Walker F. 1870. Catalogue of the Specimens of Dermaptera saltatoria in the Collection of the British Museum. J.E. Gray, London.
Copyright (c) 2025 Victor M. Ghirotto, Phillip W. Engelking, Marcos Fianco, Samuel M. Martins, Rafael Sobral, Alberto M. da Silva-Neto, Diego M. de Mello Mendes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons Copyright Notices
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are NOT PERMITTED to post their submitted work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on personal websites) prior to publication, as it may lead to nomenclatural issues.
