A Field Guide to the Bushcrickets, Wetas and Raspy Crickets of Tanzania and Kenya by Claudia Hemp, with contributions from: Andreas Hemp; Klaus-Gerhard Heller. Please see the publisher’s page for more information: Schweizerbart Science Publishing. To order, contact mail@schweizerbart.de – the price is 54.90 Euro, but only 27.45 Euro for Orthopterists’ Society members. Shipping costs aren’t included in these prices.
From the back cover synopsis: “This field guide covers northern to central Tanzania, southern Kenya, and parts of central Kenya. Most species are illustrated by live specimens; generally, adult males and females are depicted, along with selected nymphal stages. For species-rich genera, morphological details are provided, together with keys to genera and species as well as distribution maps for most taxa. The enclosed DVD features the songs of 185 species.
More than 270 bushcricket species are treated, including raspy crickets (7 genera) and wetas (2 genera). The majority of the species shown are from the family Tettigoniidae, particularly from the subfamily Conocephalinae (including the tribes Agraeciini, Conocephalini, and Copiphorini): in addition, the subfamilies Hetrodinae, Hexacentrinae, Meconematinae, Saginae, and Mecopodinae are represented as well. The subfamily Phaneropterinae is the most diverse in the area, with six genera in the tribe Acrometopini, plus representatives of the tribes Amblycoryphini, Catoptropterigini, Ducetiini, Holochlorini, Odonturini, Otiaphysini, Pardalotini, Phaneropterini, Terpnistrini, and Tylopsidini. Genera of ungrouped Phaneropterinae in the area include Ectomoptera, Eulioptera, Euryastes, Lunidia, Materuana, Meruterrana, Oxyecous, Pseudopreussia, Sentia, and Tropidonotacris. The subfamily Pseudophyllinae is also present with six genera (Acauloplax, Cymatomera, Cymatomerella, Pseudotomias, Stenampyx, and Zabalius).”
Review by David Hunter, President, Orthopterists’ Society: “This book provides a most comprehensive coverage of the bushcrickets of eastern Africa. An introduction presenting important characters used in the comprehensive identification keys is followed by over 1000 photographs, where each species is amply illustrated. The photographs are extremely comprehensive demonstrating the enormous diversity of bushcrickets in the region and includes photographs of what each species looks like as well as special characteristics for identification, along with information on songs and maps of distribution. Information on habitats, often localized for many species, and conservation status are particularly important in the face of climate change and human population pressures in the region. A beautiful well-presented work which, at the low price (27.50 Euro) being offered to members of the Orthopterists’ Society because of our financial support for the book, deserves pride-of-place on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in Orthoptera. To order: contact mail@schweizerbart.de