The Balkan Psorodonotus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae): Testing the existing taxa confirmed presence of three distinct species

Abstract

abstract. A review of the Balkan representatives of the genus Psorodonotus was made with the aim of revealing the relationships between taxa and their systematic arrangement. For this purpose we used morphological (qualitative and quantitavive), acoustic (amplitude-temporal song parameters) and molecular (mtDnA CoI gene sequence) data. The analyses and comparisons with other taxa of Psorodonotus support the distinction of three species occurring on the Balkan Peninsula: P. fieberi, P. illyricus and P. macedonicus. Analysis of the CoI sequences suggested the following relationships: outgroups + (P. illyricus + (P. fieberi + (P. macedonicus + P. caucasicus))). All available information on the distribution of the Balkan taxa was synthesized and mapped.

Phylogeography and taxonomy of the Psorodonotus caucasicus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) group: independent double invasion of the Balkans from the Caucasus

“…However, the intraspecies genetic structuring of species other than P. ebneri began after the MPT (800 ka) or after the initiation of intense glaciation periods of late Pleistocene. Contrary to general wisdom that the last four glacial cycles drove speciation within Anatolian lineages, the radiation patterns of the PCG and other mountanious Anatolio‐Balkan lineages suggest the occurrence of radiation during an earlier period (Gündüz et al , ; Ahmadzadeh et al , ; Sağlam et al , ; Kaya et al , , ; Çıplak et al , ; Chobanov et al , ). The SDMs for the PCG support this hypothesis, too.…”

“…The remaining five species, P. caucasicus , P. macedonicus , P. fieberi , P. illyricus and P. ebneri, are well supported by almost all delimitation tests. Results for the three Balkan species that were initially considered subspecies (Heller, ) but later moved to species status (Kaya et al , ) were more striking. Contrary to earlier taxonomic proposals, the phylogenetic tree suggests P. macedonicus as sister group to Anatolian P. ebneri .…”

“…The nuclear internal transcribed spacers including 5.8S rDNA in between (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2; ITS hereafter) was amplified using universal primers ITS5/ITS4 (White et al , ). Twenty two COI sequences of Psorodonotus previously uploaded to GenBank (Kaya et al , ; Kaya & Çıplak, 2016) were downloaded and used in the analyses. Sequences of unique haplotypes per marker were deposited in GenBank (see accession numbers in File S1).…”

“…Adequate phylogeographic analyses and robust statements require a taxonomic rectification of the group. Currently eight species are listed in the PCG (Ünal, ; Taylan et al , 2014; Eades et al , ; Kaya et al , 2015b); (i) P. caucasicus (Fischer de Waldheim); (ii) P. ebneri Karabağ; (iii) P. anatolicus Karabağ ( P. caucasicus anatolicus according to Stolyarov, ); (iv) P. salmani Ünal; (v) P. suphani Taylan & Sirin; (vi) P. macedonicus Ramme; (vii) P. fieberi (Frivaldsky) and (viii) P. illyricus Ebner. The first five species are known from Anatolia/Caucasus and the last three from the Balkans.…”

The unexpected finding of Parapholidoptera castaneoviridis in south-eastern Romania (Insecta, Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae)

“…Çiplak et al 2007, Chobanov and Heller 2010, Chobanov et al 2013, Chobanov 2014, Kaya et al 2015, Iorgu et al 2016). The finding of the only Balkan Parapholidoptera species in Romania is just another example of how exhaustive field work in a previously poorly studied area could produce unexpected results, providing a better understanding of the currently interrupted distribution area of a formerly wider spread species.…”