A heated debate on whether a new species should be described without a physical specimen, i.e., by designating a photographed specimen to serve as a holotype, has been ongoing for a long time. ...Herewith, without nomenclatural actions, a new species of the Batrachidein pygmy grasshoppers belonging to the genus Scaria Bolívar, 1887 is identified from the Andean rainforest in Peru. This species is clearly different from all its congeners by morphology and coloration. Two individuals of this peculiar species are known only from the photographs found on iNaturalist. The species has not been observed since 2008 when the photographs were taken. A short historical overview of the topic is given, illustrating the pros and cons of photograph-based species description. The concepts of names, holotypes, research effort, and conservation are discussed and related to the problem at hand. The current state of the taxonomic community’s beliefs regarding this issue is reflected by the authors’ three unsuccessful attempts to name this new species.
Only two leaf-like pygmy grasshopper species and specimens are known from Madagascar: the Leatherback Pygmy Grasshopper (
Devriese, 1991) -which has a relatively low median carina of the pronotum; ...and the Malagasy Litterhopper (
), herein described - which has a high median carina.
is known from the rainforests around Tampolo, Manakambahiny, and Mahavelona (Foulpointe). The new taxon,
is known only from the Belanono forest. Both species inhabit northeastern Madagascar. The new species could be rare or not-easy-to-spot in the rainforest leaf litter, where it most probably lives. A new tribe, Valalyllini
, is described for the two mentioned genera because its members are different from the Caribbean leaf-like Choriphyllini Cadena-Castañeda & Silva, 2019, from the African leaf-like Xerophyllini Günther, 1979, and from the Asian leaf-like Cladonotini Bolívar, 1887. A tabular key to the tribes of Cladonotinae with leaf-like representatives is provided, together with photographs of type specimens of both species belonging to the newly described tribe. The holotype of the new species belongs to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Orthoptera collection, Paris.
One of the two Scelimena Serville, 1838 species described from Peninsular Malaysia, Scelimena gombakensis Muhammad, Tan & Skejo, 2018 occupies a wide distributional range across the country, contrary ...to the range described in the original description of the species. Extended research has shown that the species occurs in many localities in Peninsular Malaysia, which is interesting given that such findings are uncommon in the study of Tetrigidae. This paper provides new distribution localities, some ecological and physiological notes, and photographs of living specimens of Scelimena gombakensis. Other species synonymized here include Scelimena razalii Mahmood, Idris, & Salmah, 2007 syn. nov. of species Falconius dubius Günther, 1938.
Spiky pygmy devils (Tetrigidae: Discotettiginae) are, because of the spiky pronotal projections and widened subapical antennal segments, among the most unique pygmy grasshoppers in Southeast (SE) ...Asia. The taxonomy of the group was unclear in the past, so this study brings a taxonomic and biographical review of the genus Discotettix Costa, 1864. New terminology of the pronotal projections is proposed for Scelimeninae. All valid species hitherto included in the genus are redescribed; a new genus is established for Discotettix shelfordi Hancock, 1907, Disconius Skejo, Pushkar et Tumbrinck gen. n., so a new combination is established for the species (Disconius shelfordi comb. n.). New synonymy is established: Discotettix selysi Bolívar, 1887 = Discotettix selangori Mahmood, Idris et Salmah, 2007 syn. n. Three new species are described and a key to Discotettix species is provided. The genus now includes seven species (1) Discotettix aruanus Skejo, Pushkar et Tumbrinck sp. n. from Aru; (2) D. belzebuth (Serville, 1838) from Borneo; (3) D. doriae Bolívar, 1898 stat. resurr. from the Mentawai islands; (4) D. kirscheyi Skejo, Pushkar, Tumbrinck et Tan sp. n. from Northeast (NE) Borneo; (5) D. scabridus (Stål, 1877) endemic to Mindanao and Samar; (6) D. selysi Bolívar, 1887 from Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia; (7) D. sumatrensis Skejo, Pushkar et Tumbrinck sp. n. endemic to southern Sumatra. Moreover, Discotettix is again subdivided into two subgenera: Mnesarchus Stål, 1877 stat. resurr. (D. scabridus) and nominotypical one (other species). Widened antennal segments are the only character common to all Discotettiginae genera, but this trait does not have great taxonomic importance, as it is homoplastic, meaning that it appeared in distant Tetrigidae groups independently. Discotettix is herewith transferred to the subfamily Scelimeninae and accordingly, the subfamily Discotettiginae Hancock, 1907 syn. n. becomes a junior synonym of the subfamily Scelimeninae Bolívar, 1887. The tribe Discotettigini stat. resurr., on the other hand, gathers corticolous genera of the Scelimeninae (Austrohancockia Günther, 1938, Bidentatettix Zheng, 1992, Disconius gen. n. Discotettix, Eufalconius Günther, 1938, Gibbotettix Zheng, 1992, Paragavialidium Zheng, 1994, Gavialidium Saussure, 1862, and Tegotettix Hancock, 1913), while the tribe Scelimenini becomes restricted to amphibious taxa. All taxa are described and amply depicted with both museum specimens and in situ photographs. An identification key is provided. The morphology and function of widened antennae in Discotettigini are discussed.
A new genus of the tribe Ephippigerini, Dinarippiger Skejo, Kasalo, Fontana et Tvrtković gen. nov., is described based on the characters of occiput coloration, tegmina coloration, cerci and pronotum ...shape. The new genus is morphologically intermediate between the genera Ephippiger Berthold, 1827 and Uromenus Bolívar, 1878, and presently includes only Dalmatian Saddle Bush Cricket, Dinarippiger discoidalis (Fieber, 1853) comb. nov., hitherto known as Ephippiger discoidalis Fieber, 1853. The species inhabits NE Italy (mainly Carso Triestino), SW Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro, i.e., islands and karst habitats along the eastern Adriatic coast, with isolated findings in Albania and Italy. Its prominent variation in size and coloration has already produced many synonyms (= limbata Fischer, 1853, = limbata var. major Krauss, 1879, = limbata var. minor Krauss, 1879, = selenophora Fieber, 1853, = sphacophila Krauss, 1879), which may suggest that what is currently regarded as a single species could represent a complex of distinct species with restricted distributions. This study also presents an annotated distribution map and a bioacoustic analysis of D. discoidalis comb. nov. Further research, especially adopting molecular methods, is necessary to assess possible cryptic diversity within the genus Dinarippiger gen. nov. and elucidate its evolutionary history.
 Only two leaf-like pygmy grasshopper species and specimens are known from Madagascar: the Leatherback Pygmy Grasshopper (Lepocranus fuscus Devriese, 1991) -which has a relatively low median ...carina of the pronotum; and the Malagasy Litterhopper (Valalyllum folium gen. et. sp. nov. ), herein described - which has a high median carina. Lepocranus fuscus is known from the rainforests around Tampolo, Manakambahiny, and Mahavelona (Foulpointe). The new taxon, Valalyllum folium gen. et. sp. nov. is known only from the Belanono forest. Both species inhabit northeastern Madagascar. The new species could be rare or not-easy-to-spot in the rainforest leaf litter, where it most probably lives. A new tribe, Valalyllinitrib. nov. , is described for the two mentioned genera because its members are different from the Caribbean leaf-like Choriphyllini Cadena-Castañeda & Silva, 2019, from the African leaf-like Xerophyllini Günther, 1979, and from the Asian leaf-like Cladonotini Bolívar, 1887. A tabular key to the tribes of Cladonotinae with leaf-like representatives is provided, together with photographs of type specimens of both species belonging to the newly described tribe. The holotype of the new species belongs to the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Orthoptera collection, Paris. Keywords: Gondwana, identification traits, mimicry, new genus, new species, new tribe, phylogenetic position, rainforest, taxonomy, Valalyllini
Until now, Saga pedo (Pallas, 1771) was known to occur in Croatia only in the Mediterranean biogeographical region and on the southern slopes of the Dinaric Alps in the Alpine region. Here we give ...the first record of the species' presence deep inside what is officially called the Alpine region and in the Peripannonian area in the Continental region of the country. Along with all known specimens and observation records, our results represent the updated distribution of S. pedo in Croatia. Some notes on ecology, field observations, and discussion about habitat preferences are also given.
The Transsylvanian wingless groundhopper, Tetrix transsylvanica (Bazyluk et Kis, 1960) is a flightless pygmy grasshopper (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae) known only from a few fragmented localities and thus ...considered an endangered (EN) species in the IUCN Red List. The species consists of two subspecies, the nominal T. t. transsylvanica inhabiting the southern Carpathians in Romania, and T. transsylvanica hypsocorypha Skejo, 2014, until now known from a single locality in Slovenia (Mt Boč) and a single locality in Croatia where it was caught last time in the 1940s in Hrvatsko Zagorje (Gornja Pačetina, Trnovec). It is possible that the two subspecies represent separate species. The species has been considered extinct in Croatia. In this paper, we report the discovery of several subpopulations in Croatia, the largest one being at Siljevec on Ivanščica mountain. In addition, small subpopulations are reported on three other mountains (Strahinjčica, Medvednica and Zelinska gora), and two of them are suspected to be under threat of extinction: the subpopulation on the peak of Medvednica, Sljeme, and the subpopulation on Strahinjčica. The latter was discovered in a proximity of a quarry. The species is a (Pleistocene) relic and may be the only groundhopper endemic to Central Europe. Herewith, we appeal for its inclusion in the Ordinance on Strictly Protected Species of the Republic of Croatia, and for T. transsylvanica to be proposed as a candidate for the list of species protected through the Habitats Directive.
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