Ionuţ Ştefan Iorgu

NOTES ON ORTHOPTERA (INSECTA) ANd THEIR ASSEmblAgES IN THE ROmANIAN CARPATHIANS

Abstract The Carpathian Mountains, particularly the Eastern Carpathians, represent an area with a high diversity and endemism in grasshoppers and bush-crickets. The well-preserved mountain grassland habitats are populated by diverse orthopteran assemblages. During the second half of July 2013, we visited 24 sites in Romanian Carpathians within altitudes ranging from 237 to 1700 m a.s.l. and found 71 Orthoptera species (36 Ensifera and 35 Caelifera). These represent 37.3% of the 190 species known to occur in Romania. Nine Carpathian endemics (Isophya stysi, Pholidoptera frivaldskyi, Pholidoptera transsylvanica, Miramella ebneri, Pseudopodisma transilvanica, Isophya harzi, Isophya nagyi, Isophya sicula, Zubovskya banatica), of which the last four are endemic to Romania and Eastern Carpathians, were recorded. Four environmental characteristics, i.e. habitat type, altitude, mean temperature and precipitation on sampled sites, are used to examine the structure of orthopteran assemblages by using DCA. Also, more detailed information on the occurrence of rare and endemic species is given. Résumé Les Carpates, en particulier les Carpates Orientales, représentent une zone avec une grande diversité et endémisme chez les sauterelles et les grillons. Les habitats de prairie de montagne bien conservés sont peuplés par divers associations d’orthoptères. Au cours de la seconde moitié de Juillet 2013, nous avons visité 24 sites dans les Carpates roumains dans des altitudes variant de 237 à 1700 m et où 71 espèces orthoptères (36 Ensifera et 35 Caelifera) ont été trouvées. Celles-ci représentent 37,3% des 190 espèces connues en Roumanie. Neuf espèces endémiques des Carpates (Isophya stysi, Pholidoptera frivaldskyi, Pholidoptera transsylvanica, Miramella ebneri, Pseudopodisma transilvanica, Isophya harzi, Isophya nagyi, Isophya sicula, Zubovskya banatica) ont été rapportées, dont les quatre dernières sont endémiques de la Roumanie et des Carpates Orientales. Quatre caractéristiques environnementales, à savoir le type d’habitat, l’altitude, la température moyenne et les précipitations sur les sites échantillonnés, sont utilisées pour examiner la structure des associations d’orthoptères en utilisant DCA. Aussi, on donne des informations plus détaillées sur la présence d’espèces rares et endémiques. REZUMAT Munţii Carpaţi, în special Carpaţii Orientali, reprezintă o zonă cu un grad înalt de diversitate şi endemism pentru lăcuste şi cosaşi. Habitatele de fâneţe montane sunt bine conservate şi populate de asociaţii de ortoptere diversificate. În timpul celei de a doua jumătăţi a lunii iulie 2012, am vizitat 24 situri din Carpaţii Româneşti, cu altitudini cuprinse între 237 şi 1700 m și am colectat 71 specii de ortoptere (36 ensifere și 35 caelifere). Acestea reprezintă 37,3% din cele 190 de specii cunoscute din România. Au fost identificate nouă endemisme carpatice (Isophya stysi, Pholidoptera frivaldskyi, Pholidoptera transsylvanica, Miramella ebneri, Pseudopodisma transilvanica, Isophya harzi, Isophya nagyi, Isophya sicula, Zubovskya banatica), dintre care ultimele patru se găsesc numai în România. Structura asociațiilor de ortoptere a fost analizată folosind patru caracteristici de mediu: tipul de habitat, altitudinea, media temperaturilor și precipitațiilor anuale. De asemenea, au fost detaliate informaţiile despre prezența ortopterelor rare și endemice.

A new, morphologically cryptic bush-cricket discovered on the basis of its song in the Carpathian Mountains (Insecta, Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

Abstract A new, morphologically cryptic species of phaneropterine bush-crickets is described from the grasslands of the Romanian Eastern Carpathians. Despite the morphological and acoustic similarities with the recently described Isophya nagyi Szövényi, Puskás & Orci, I. bucovinensis sp. n. is characterized by a peculiar male calling song, with faster syllable repetition rate (160–220 syllables per minute, at 22–27°C) and less complex syllable structure (composed of only two elements instead of three observable in I. nagyi). The morphological description of the new species is supplemented with an oscillographic and spectrographic analysis of the male calling song and male–female pair-forming acoustic duet. An acoustic signal-based identification key is provided for all the presently known species of the Isophya camptoxypha species group, including the new species.

Distinctive male–female acoustic duetting supports the specific status of Isophya fatrensis, a West-Carpathian endemic bush-cricket (Insecta: Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae)

Abstract The present study provides the first detailed sound-analysis-based description of the male calling song and male–female duet of Isophya fatrensis Chládek, an endemic bush-cricket species known from Veľká Fatra, Kremnické vrchy, Nízke Tatry and Poľana Mountains in Slovak Western Carpathians. The male calling song consists of a long sequence of syllable groups, each composed of 2–10 syllables. Intersyllable interval tends to decrease within each syllable group. In response to the male calling song, females emit short acoustic replies during the intervals between the syllable-groups of the male song. Results of a generalized linear regression model calculated between male syllable duration and the relative timing of female response suggest that the beginning of the last syllable of the male syllable groups function as a marker for female response timing. The oscillographic pattern of male song is superficially similar to that of I. harzi, but the timing of female response is sharply different in the two species. These results confirm the validity of the specific status of Isophya fatrensis and can aid reliable identification of specimens.

First Record of the Bush-Cricket Isophya Harzi (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae) Outside its Locus Typicus

Abstract During the period 2008-2012, the bush-cricket Isophya harzi Kis, 1960 has been the subject of several collecting trips in Cozia Mountains, where it was believed to be endemic, in order to study its acoustic behaviour. However, on a recent trip to Piatra Craiului Mountains, to study its Orthoptera fauna, I. harzi was surprisingly found in clearings and mountain steppe slopes covered with tall subalpine vegetation from Northern and Western areas. Bioacoustic analysis and some ecological notes are presented in the paper. Résumé La sauterelle Isophya harzi Kis, 1960 a été l’objet de plusieurs voyages de collecte dans les Montagnes de Cozia, pendant 2008-2012, afin d’étudier son comportement acoustique. Lors d’une etude récente sur la faune des Orthoptères des montagnes Piatra Craiului, I. harzi a été trouvée avec surprise dans les clairières et sur les pentes couvertes de steppes subalpines dans les régions nord et ouest de la montagne. L’analyse bioacoustique et quelques notes écologiques sont présentées. Rezumat Cosaşul Isophya harzi Kis, 1960 a fost subiectul mai multor excursii de colectare în Munţii Cozia, în perioada 2008-2012, pentru a-i studia comportamentul acustic. În timpul unui studiu recent în Munţii Piatra Craiului, I. harzi a fost găsită în mod surprinzător în poienile şi zonele cu vegetaţie subalpină de pe stâncăriile abrupte din nordul şi vestul masivului. În lucrare sunt prezentate analiza bioacusticii şi câteva date ecologice.

Geographic Distribution of Isophya pienensis in the Romanian Carpathians (Insecta: Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Abstract Isophya pienensis Mařan, 1952 is a mesophytic bush-cricket occurring in Romania, western Ukraine, southeastern Poland, Slovakia, northeastern Hungary and a few isolated localities in the Czech Republic and Austria (Chobanov et al., 2016). Species distribution in the Romanian Eastern Carpathians and Apuseni Mountains is reviewed, based on literature and personal data.

The Orthoptera (Insecta) from Middle and Lower Prut River Basin

Abstract The ecological preferences and bioacoustics of bush-crickets, crickets and grasshoppers species were studied in middle and lower Prut River basin, a research conducted in 55 localities from Romania and 33 localities in the Republic of Moldova. A total number of 91 species of Orthoptera were collected in the study area: 85 species encountered on the western side of Prut River basin (9 Phaneropteridae, 24 Tettigoniidae, 1 Bradyporidae, 5 Gryllidae, 1 Gryllotalpidae, 1 Tridactylidae, 5 Tetrigidae, 39 Acrididae) and 76 species found on the eastern side (7 Phaneropteridae, 19 Tettigoniidae, 1 Bradyporidae, 5 Gryllidae, 1 Gryllotalpidae, 1 Tridactylidae, 3 Tetrigidae, 39 Acrididae). Four species are recorded for the first time in the Orthoptera fauna of the Republic of Moldova: Barbitistes constrictus (Fabricius), Poecilimon fussii Brunner von Wattenwyl, Metrioptera roeselii fedtschenkoi (Saussure) and Pholidoptera frivaldskyi (Herman). Résumé Les préférences écologiques et bioacoustique des espèces de sauterelles, grillons et criquets ont été étudiés dans le bassin moyen et inférieur du fleuve Prut, une recherche menée dans 55 localités de la Roumanie et de 33 localités dans la République de Moldova. Un total de 91 espèces d’orthoptères a été recueillis dans la zone d’étude: 85 espèces rencontrées sur le côté d’ouest du bassin de la rivière Prut (9 Phaneropteridae, 24 Tettigoniidae, 1 Bradyporidae, 5 Gryllidae, 1 Gryllotalpidae, 1 Tridactylidae, 5 Tetrigidae, 39 Acrididae) et 76 espèces présentes sur la côte orientale (7 Phaneropteridae, 19 Tettigoniidae, 1 Bradyporidae, 5 Gryllidae, 1 Gryllotalpidae, 1 Tridactylidae, 3 Tetrigidae, 39 Acrididae). Quatre espèces sont enregistrées pour la première fois dans la faune d’Orthoptères de la République de Moldova: Barbitistes constrictus (Fabricius), Poecilimon fussii Brunner von Wattenwyl, Metrioptera roeselii fedtschenkoi (Saussure) et Pholidoptera frivaldskyi (Herman). REZUMAT Au fost studiate preferinţele ecologice şi bioacustica speciilor de cosaşi, greieri şi lăcuste din bazinul mijlociu și inferior al Prutului, cercetări efectuate în 55 localităţi din România şi în 33 localităţi din Republica Moldova. Un număr total de 91 specii de ortoptere au fost colectate în zona de studiu: 85 specii au fost întâlnite în partea vestică a râului Prut (9 Phaneropteridae, 24 Tettigoniidae, 1 Bradyporidae, 5 Gryllidae, 1 Gryllotalpidae, 1 Tridactylidae, 5 Tetrigidae, 39 Acrididae) şi 76 specii au fost găsite pe partea estică (7 Phaneropteridae, 19 Tettigoniidae, 1 Bradyporidae, 5 Gryllidae, 1 Gryllotalpidae, 1 Tridactylidae, 3 Tetrigidae, 39 Acrididae). Patru specii sunt semnalate pentru prima data în Republica Moldova: Barbitistes constrictus (Fabricius), Poecilimon fussii Brunner von Wattenwyl, Metrioptera roeselii fedtschenkoi (Saussure) şi Pholidoptera frivaldskyi (Herman).

Song Description of Zubovski’s Bush-Cricket, Isophya Zubowskii (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae)

Abstract The bush-cricket Isophya zubowskii Bey-Bienko, 1954 was surveyed in the period 2002- 2012 in 11 locations from Romania. The calling song, described hereby for the first time, consists of a long series of syllables, each formed by 85-118 impulses and lasting for 236-319 ms in the populations near Iaşi, while the individuals from three other populations in Southern Romania produce shorter syllables, consisting of 74-105 impulses and, lasting for 182-251 ms. Sound frequency ranges in the interval 10-40 kHz, with highest peak at about 18-26 kHz. Based on the description of its calling song, we conclude that Isophya zubowskii belongs to the Isophya kraussii species group. Résumé La sauterelle Isophya zubowskii Bey-Bienko, 1954 a été surveillée pendant 2002-2012 dans 11 différents localités de Roumanie. La stridulation d’Isophya zubowskii, décrite ici pour la première fois, se compose d’une longue série de syllabes, chacune formée par 85-118 impulsions et d’une durée de 236-319 ms dans les populations situées près d’Iaşi, tandis que les individus de trois autres populations du sud de la Roumanie produisent des syllabes plus courtes, composé de 74-105 impulsions, d’une durée de 182-251 ms. La fréquence d’émission sonore est située dans l’intervalle 10-40 kHz, avec la fréquence du maximum d’énergie entre 18-26 kHz. Sur la base de la description de son chant d’appel, nous concluons qu’Isophya zubowskii appartient au groupe d’espèces Isophyakraussii. REZUMAT Cosaşul Isophya zubowskii Bey-Bienko, 1954 a fost cercetat în perioada 2002-2012 din 11 situri situate în România. Stridulaţia cosaşului I. zubowskii, descrisă pentru prima dată în această lucrare, constă într-o serie lungă de silabe, formate din 85-118 impulsuri şi care durează 236-319 ms în populațiile din împrejurimile oraşului Iaşi, în timp ce indivizii din alte 3 populații din sudul României au silabe relativ mai scurte, compuse din 74-105 impulsuri şi durând 182-251 ms. Frecvenţa sunetului se încadrează între 10-40 kHz, cu maximul între 18-26 kHz. În urma descrierii stridulaţiei la această specie, putem afirma că I. zubowskii aparţine grupului Isophya kraussii.