First record of subfamily Mecopodinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Bihar along with description of Indian species

Abstract

The present study was based on the specimens of Mecopodinae during the course of a survey from (01/03/2015 to 30/03/2015) from various agricultural areas of different regions of Bihar. Four male specimens were collected from different localities and identified as a species Mecopoda elongata elongata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), was newly recorded from Bihar, India. The description was based on both conventional morphological and genitalic characters. The identifying features of the species were body very large, brown in color, tibial tympana opened on both the sides, stridulatory file having 98 teeth arranged in lamelliform manner under the side of left tegmen, male subgenital plate developed conically from region of bifurcation with short styli and hind femur & tibiae very long and large. A morphological description, as well as detailed illustrations of this species is presented. Distribution and morphometrically data is also provided.