Phylogenetic systematics and evolution of Agnotecous in New Caledonia (Orthoptera: Grylloidea, Eneopteridae)

Abstract

Abstract. Within a framework for historical analysis of Eneopterinae biogeography the New Caledonian endemic cricket genus Agnotecous Saussure, 1878 is revised: the eight already known species are diagnosed and six new species described, A. azurensis Desutter‐Grandcolas sp.n., A. chopardi Desutter‐Grandcolas sp.n., A. clarus Desutter‐Grandcolas sp.n., A. doensis Desutter‐Grandcolas sp.n., A. meridionalis Desutter‐Grandcolas sp.n. and A. occidentalis Desutter‐Grandcolas sp.n. Four species groups are characterized by male genitalic structures. Identification keys are provided for both males and females. A cladistic analysis was performed using fifty‐eight morphological characters. The two resultant topologies, which differ only in topology of three apical species, support the monophyly of Agnotecous and that of the four species groups. Preliminary hypotheses of Eneopterinae historical biogeography are derived from phylogenetic and distributional data.

Biodiversity Sampling Using a Global Acoustic Approach: Contrasting Sites with Microendemics in New Caledonia

“…Numerous insect and bird species endemic to New Caledonia can produce sound but the Agnotecous cricket genus was the single microendemic species producing song in the phylogenetic studies (see Table S1). Agnotecous species are known to produce sound above 9 kHz with a dominant frequency between 12 and 19 kHz, well above the 7 kHz threshold mentioned above [44]–[45]. The global acoustic method seems unable to detect the differences potentially due to the Agnotecous species as the distance value between sites was flat at this frequency range.…”

Secondary Sympatry Caused by Range Expansion Informs on the Dynamics of Microendemism in a Biodiversity Hotspot

“…The material examined in previous taxonomic studies of the genus was taken into account [29], [49], [50], [51], [52], [53], [54]. Species were recorded from a total of 52 localities for all the species (mean = 3.5; Table S4).…”

Panbiogeography of New Caledonia, south‐west Pacific: basal angiosperms on basement terranes, ultramafic endemics inherited from volcanic island arcs and old taxa endemic to young islands

“…The cricket genus Agnotecous is endemic to Grande Terre and has 14 species there (Desutter‐Grandcolas & Robillard, 2005). Its sister is Lebinthus , not known on Grande Terre but on the Loyalty Islands, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and through to Southeast Asia.…”

“…The sister of these two genera is Cardiodactylus , again, not on Grande Terre but on the Loyalty Islands and with a similar overall range to that of Lebinthus (T. Robillard, personal communication 18 October 2007). Desutter‐Grandcolas & Robillard (2005) suggested that the distributions of these groups represent different episodes of colonization, with Agnotecous representing the oldest and the two other genera subsequently colonizing the Loyalty Islands after their recent emergence. This interpretation follows Murienne et al.…”