Journal ArticleBush-crickets with very special ears and songs – review of the East African Phaneropterinae genus Dioncomena Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878, with notes on its biogeography and the description of new speciesHemp, Claudia; Montealegre-Z, Fernando; Woodrow, Charlie; Heller, Klaus-Gerhard<p>This study focuses on the genus<italic>Dioncomena</italic>and its acoustics, particularly the unique songs produced by male<italic>Dioncomena</italic>that consist of several distinct elements in a fixed sequence, culminating in a coda that typically elicits a response from a receptive female. We also examine the inflated pronotal lobes, which we term prebullae, that are prominently developed in some<italic>Dioncomena</italic>species but not in others. We discuss the role of prebullae in the context of acoustic communication in<italic>Dioncomena</italic>and other related Phaneropterini genera that have similar lateral pronotal lobes. We found that prebullae size is correlated with habitat distribution, with larger prebullae occurring in isolated species while aggregation-prone species have smaller or less pronounced prebullae. Using micro-computer tomography we show sexual dimorphism in the 3D geometry of the acoustic tracheae, being larger in the male. Interestingly, the tracheae are coupled by a septum, like in field crickets, which suggests potential cross talk.</p> <p>We define three groups of<italic>Dioncomena</italic>based on altitude preferences, ecology, color patterns, and songs: the<italic>jagoi</italic>-,<italic>tanneri</italic>-, and<italic>ornata</italic>-groups. We describe the songs of several species, including newly identified species such as<italic>D. flavoviridis</italic><bold>sp. nov.</bold>,<italic>D. magombera</italic><bold>sp. nov.</bold>,<italic>D. ngurumontana</italic><bold>sp. nov.</bold>,<italic>D. sanje</italic><bold>sp. nov.</bold>,<italic>D. tanneri</italic>,<italic>D. versicolor</italic><bold>sp. nov.</bold>, and<italic>D. zernyi</italic>. We also provide information on the nymphs, development time, and mating behavior of various species reared in the laboratory, shedding light on their phenology and adaptations to their habitats.</p>Pensoft2023-07-1010475322Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift702221 to 2591435-1951https://doi.org/10.3897/dez.70.1008041937815National Science Foundation