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Massa, Bruno (2021): Erratum: on the correct name of Scolocerca thomasi Massa, 2021 (Orthoptera Tettigoniidae, Phaneropterinae) from Côte d'Ivoire. Zootaxa 4963 (2): 400-400, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4963.2.11

The present paper has two aims: 1) to present the results of the study of selected species of Orthoptera Tettigoniidae collected in the Guinean forests of West Africa and in the important hotspot of Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (Central African Republic); 2) to carry out a check-list of six subfamilies of Tettigoniidae (Pseudophyllinae, Conocephalinae, Hexacentrinae, Phaneropterinae, Mecopodinae and Hetrodinae) living in Central-West tropical Africa, in particular in two main tropical forests, in the subregion of upper Guinea, and in the subregion Nigeria-Cameroon plus the biodiversity hotspots of Central African Republic and Gabon. Many new records are reported and the following new species are described: Plangia astylata n. sp. from Central African Republic and Gabon, Plangia chopardi n. sp. from Côte d’Ivoire, and Catoptropteryx lineata n. sp. from Liberia. In addition the male of Plangia karschi Chopard, 1954 is described and some taxonomical notes on the recently described Arantia marginata Massa, 2021 are discussed. The new name Pseudorhynchus raggei is proposed for Pseudorhynchus robustus Ragge, 1969, junior primary homonym of Pseudorhynchus robustus Willemse, 1953. Then, the author lists all the Tettigoniidae of the above listed subfamilies presently known in central-west tropical Africa (Guinean forests). This wide tropical area holds important biodiversity hotspots that the author highlights through the study of katydids. Many groups of species tend to isolate and speciate probably more than other groups of insects. Overall, the total number amounts to 332 species, of which 242 live in Cameroon-Nigeria subregion plus Central African Republic and Gabon, 216 in the Upper Guinea subregion. The occurrence of endemic taxa is 35.9 and 40.3%, respectively; this resulted a very high percentage compared to that known for plants and animals in the area. Starting from the list of Tettigoniidae three remarkable biodiversity hotspots were examined, Dzanga-Ndoki National Park (Central African Republic), Mt. Tonkoui and Taï National Park (both in Côte d’Ivoire); overall they hold 134, 81 and 88 species, respectively. It seems that in tropical Africa there is a specific richness gradient with an East-West impoverishment, but also a possible increase of endemism occurrence. However, presently this richness suffers a high decline risk, due to deforestation and environmental degradation, in turn dependent on the inequality between human populations, wars and political instability in some tropical areas., This research received support from the Synthesys Project, which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Programme at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid (CSIC) (2013: ES-TAF-2438), the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin (2014: DE-TAF-4109), the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna (2016: AT-TAF-5324), the National Museum, Prague (2016: CZ-TAF-5559) and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Bruxelles (2017: BE-TAF-6319).

The genus Prionotropis Fieber, 1853 is revised. It is distributed in scattered areas of the Mediterranean region from Turkey in the East to Spain in the West. Overall, seven species are listed, namely P. maculinervis (Stål, 1878) (Turkey; P. urfensis Ramme, 1933 is here considered its synonym), P. willemsorum n. sp. (Greece, Epirus; previously considered P. appula), P. appula (O.G. Costa, 1836) (South Italy), P. hystrix (Germar, 1817) (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Croatia, North-East Italy; P. hystrix sontiaca is here synonymized), P. rhodanica Uvarov, 1923 resurrected status (France, Crau, Rhone delta; here considered a valid species), P. azami Uvarov, 1923 n. status (France, Var region; here considered a valid species), and P. flexuosa (Serville, 1838) (Spain; the ssp. pereezi Bolívar, 1921 and sulphurans Bolívar, 1921 are here considered its synonyms). A key to species is presented., B. Massa benefited from the Synthesys Project (http://www.synthesys.info/) which is financed by the European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Programme at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid (CSIC).

The new genus Pseudoplangia is described for Plangia laminifera Karsch, 1896. Its general aspect is similar to that of the genus Plangia Stål, 1873, but it differs remarkably in the vertex width, in the shape of eyes, that are oval and elongate, in the length of mid femora, that are shorter than pronotum length, in the shape of fore and mid legs that are very much laterally compressed, and in the presence of broad-based spines on the hind tibiae.

At least 95 species of Pamphagidae belonging to 17 genera are known in North Africa. Taxonomic status is fairly known, with some exception, mainly due to scarcity of available specimens of some genera in museums and collections. In this paper, the author proposes a new key to genera and reports the annotated list of all the known species, based on specimens examined in different European museums. Concerning the subfamily Thrinchinae, he proposes to consider only the following species of the genus Tmethis: T. cisti, T. harterti new status, T. maroccanus and T. pulchripennis. He also considers Neotmethis bidentatus synonym of T. harterti, and the three newly described species of the genus Tuarega as synonyms of T. insignis. In addition, he proposes to remove Batrachotettix elephas from the synonyms of T. insignis, because its description consents to establish that it belongs to a South African Porthetinae, not to a Thrinchinae. With regard to the subfamily Pamphaginae, the author recognizes the presence in North Africa of three tribes, until now containing 90 species: Finotiini, Pamphagini and Euryparyphini; Amigus is definitively considered a valid genus within the tribe Pamphagini, with the only species A. nigroadspersus. Additionally, he proposes a new key to species of the genus Paracinipe. He considers Paracinipe theryi as a valid species; previously it has been listed as subspecies of P. dolichocera. He also establishes that Acinipe calabra of Italy is the same taxon living in North Africa. Further, he describes Euryparyphes rungsi new species from Middle Atlas, and Paraeumigus lopezi new species from West Morocco, and synonymizes Eunapiodes granosus rungsi with E. atlantis. Finally, he reports biometric data of the genera Tmethis, Paracinipe, Paraeumigus and Eunapiodes., This research received support from the Synthesys Project (http://www.synthesys.info/) which is financed by European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP7 “Capacities” Programme at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid (CSIC).

A new species, Dryocosmus destefanii Cerasa & Melika n. sp. associated with a Cerris section oak, Quercus suber L., is described from Italy. Description, diagnosis, host associations and biology for the new species and an illustrated identification key to the Western Palaearctic Dryocosmus species are given. The description is supported by morphological and molecular data.