Abstract. Studies on the phylogeny of the genus Saga (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae): chromosomic data. Combining the fi rst cytogenetic analysis of four European Saga species, and the re-assessment of the karyotype of Saga pedo (Pallas 1771), with published data and the results of investigations in the fi eld, a phylogeny of the species included is proposed. The most ancestral karyotypes seem to be those of Saga ornata Burmeister 1839 and Saga cappadocica Werner 1903, with all autosomes being acrocentrics. The merge of two pairs of their chromosomes resulted in the karyotypes of Saga natoliae Serville 1839 and Saga hellenica Kaltenbach 1967, including one pair of large submetacentrics. These two karyotypes differ by a pericentric inversion on these large chromosomes, that probably took place in S. natoliae. Saga campbelli Uvarov 1921 and Saga rammei Kaltenbach 1965, got an additional chromosomic merge and therefore include two pairs of large submetacentrics. The karyotype of S. rammei has an additional distinctive feature in its heterochromatin. The karyotype of S. pedo is tetraploid, probably the result of juxtaposition of two diploid genomes as a result of hybridisation. The distinctive feature in heterochromatin of S. rammei is found on S. pedo into two distinct chromosomes. Although one could expect quadruplets or doublets of chromosomes, a wide diversity of single chromosomes was noted. This demonstrates that a high rate of chromosomal restructuring has modifi ed the karyotype of S. pedo, after its transition to tetraploidy. These accumulated restructuring, resulting in a high heterozygocity, can be explained by the lack of meiotic barrier for this parthenogenetic species. During our recent research in the fi eld in the south of Balkans, an area with a possible intergradation between Saga pedo and some bisexual closely related species was discovered . The chromosome analysis of specimens from this area will be a main subject for the continuation of our research.

Abstract. Karyotypes of the polyploid parthenogenetic species Saga pedo from four localities in France and the Republic of Macedonia were constructed and compared. All these karyotypes consist of 70 chromosomes, which is more than twice that in other species of the genus. The chromosomes differ from each other, making the matching of homologues difficult. Karyotypes of French specimens are similar, except for differences in the heterochromatin. Compared to that of the Macedonian specimens those from French specimens differ by the shortening of a single chromosome. The difficulty experienced in identifying tetrads and even pairs of chromosomes indicates that either many chromosome rearrangements have occurred since the polyploidisation event(s) or that the addition of quite different genomes is the cause. On the other hand, that the karyotypes are similar indicates a common origin of both the Macedonian and French populations. Thus, most chromosome changes preceded the separation from their common ancestor. Both the DNA content and chromosome analyses suggest that the S. pedo karyotype is pentaploid and not tetraploid as previously proposed. This odd ploidy number rules out the hypothesis that it could only have originated by endoreduplication. It is more likely that it originated by the association of five copies of the 14,X haploid karyotype, which exists in the gametes of the closely related species, S. campbelli and S. rammei (male / female 2n = 27, X / 28, XX). Fertilization of a parthenogenetic 56, XXXX female by a 14, X spermatozoa could have resulted in the last increase in ploidy.

The aim of this study is to conduct a detailed taxonomic revision of the Poecilimon (Poecilimon) zonatus species-group (Orthoptera: Phaneropterinae) using both morphology and bioacoustics. Two new species (Poecilimon (Poecilimon) salmani, P. (P) azizsancar) and one new subspecies (P. (P) zonatus datca) are described. Based on the data, we conclude that the species complex can be separated into two subgroups (P. tauricola and P. zonatus). Within the P. zonatus subgroup, song structures indicate P. variicercis as basal branch since producing two syllable types is possibly a derived character. From both, from bioacoustics and morphology, it is concluded that the relationships between species of the group are as follows: P. tauricola subgroup (P. tauricola + P. azizsancar) + P. zonatus subgroup (P. variicercis + (P. varicornis + (P. zonatus zonatus+P. zonatus datca)) + (P. salmani+P. vodnensis)))). Except for two species (P. vodnensis and P. varicornis), the other species of the group are all distributed in Anatolia. P. vodnensis is known only from Macedonia, whereas, P. varicornis has been recorded only from Syria and Lebanon. We assume that the group originated from an Anatolian ancestral stock and expanded its distribution to the Balkans through Taurus Way and Dardanelles. Other ancestral populations may have also spread in the north-south directions through the appropriate steppe corridors in the Anatolian Diagonal Mountains and in its vicinity.

Tettigonia balcanica, sp. n., discovered in the mountainous regions of the Central, Western and North Balkan Peninsula, is described in this paper. This species has many similarities with T. silana and T. cantans. However, it differs by the song and some morphological characters. Its range differs from that of T. cantans, with which it has been confused so far, but the border between their ranges has yet to be specified.

Analysis of literature data, data from entomological collections in the Museum of Natural History (SKO), Nikola Nezlobinski Museum in Struga (NNS), the Scientific Tobacco Institute in Prilep (STP) and the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Food in Skopje (FASF) and our research,showed that the family Sphingidae is well investigated in the Republic of North Macedonia, and represented by 25 species, or 62.5% of the European fauna. The subfamily Macroglossinae is represented by 10 genera and 17 species, the subfamily Smerinthinae is represented by 4 genera and 4 species and the subfamily Sphinginae is represented by 4 genera and 4 species. Three species are reported for the first time for the fauna of North Macedonia: