A generic and suprageneric classificatin of the Morabinae (Orthoptera : Eumastacidae), with description of the type species and a bibliography of the subfamily

Abstract

A generic classification of the Morabinae is proposed on the basis of characters of the external morphology, male genitalia, and karyotype, and with the aid of numerical taxonomic analyses employing eight different strategies. These gave widely divergent phenograms and the classification adopted is therefore in part intuitive; this has permitted consideration of characters that could not be used in the numerical analyses because they are applicable to too small a fraction of the species.

The following 40 genera (36 of them new) are recognized and, with their type species (in brackets: 33 new), described and illustrated: Achuraba (brisbanensis), Achurimima (interioris), Alatiplica (spatulifera), Aliena (arida), Amangu (pugio), Aruntina (alacris), Baruca (macdonnellorum), Bundinja (carpentaria), Callimunga (isa Rehn), Callita (augathellae), Callitala Sjöst. (major Sjöst.), Capsigera (foliosa), Carnawonella (suctor), Chinnicka (rectangularis), Crois (pinguis), Culmacris (orientalis), Filoraba (phallica), Flindersella (acuticercus), Furculifera (gracilifurca), Georgina (syllophica), Hastella (obtusipinnis), Heide (corindiensis), Keyacris Rehn (interpres Rehn), Malleolopha (falcilophus), Micromeeka (minuta), Moraba Walk. (serricornis Walk.), Morifala (hasta), Namatiira (aliciae), Nanihospita (acaudata), Prorifera (spanner), Proscopiomima (consobrina Rehn), Sicula bacilior), Spectriforma (bifurcata), Stiletta (nitida), Swanea (carbolineata Rehn), Vandiemenella (pichirichi), Warramaba (picta), Warramunga Rehn (desertorum Rehn), Whiteacris (attenuata). A key to the genera is given.

The phenetic relationships of the genera are examined with the aid ot a numerical analysis using the genera as the OTU's and deriving their attributes from those of their component species. With some intuitive adjustment a tribal classification is arrived at, embracing five polythetic tribes best defined extensionally.

The zoogeography and phylogeny of the subfamily are examined in relation to physiographic relief and Cretaceous and Tertiary marine and freshwater incursions.

A bibliography of the Morabinae is included.