Platygryllus Explained

Platygryllus is a genus of crickets in the subfamily Gryllinae.^{[1] [2]} Records of species distribution (probably incomplete) include Africa, southern Europe and in Asia: India, Java and the Philippines.

Mating behaviour

Males of this genus transfer sperm to the female via a spermatophore which is externally attached to a females ovipositor. Male P. supplicans guard females after spermatophore transfer to prevent the female from removing his spermatophore prematurely.^[3] The females of P. primiformis use premature spermatophore removal as a form of cryptic female choice leaving larger males' spermatophores attached for significantly longer than smaller males.^{[4] [5]}

Species

The Orthoptera Species File includes:

1. Platygryllus arambourgi (Chopard, 1938)
2. Platygryllus atratulus (Walker, 1869)
3. Platygryllus atritus Otte & Cade, 1984
4. Platygryllus capensis Otte & Cade, 1984
5. Platygryllus cockbilli (Chopard, 1954)
6. Platygryllus congolensis Gorochov, 1984
7. Platygryllus ignobilis (Walker, 1869)
8. Platygryllus longus (Gorochov, 1988)
9. Platygryllus maurus (Afzelius & Brannius, 1804)
10. Platygryllus melanocephalus (Serville, 1838)
11. Platygryllus nefandus (Kirby, 1906)
12. Platygryllus olsufievi (Gorochov, 1988)
13. Platygryllus orlovskajae (Gorochov, 1988)
14. Platygryllus ovum (Gorochov, 1988)
15. Platygryllus primiformis Otte & Cade, 1984
16. Platygryllus quadristrigatus (Saussure, 1877) - type species (as Gryllus quadristrigatus Saussure)
17. Platygryllus satunini (Gorochov, 1988)
18. Platygryllus serengeticus Otte & Cade, 1984
19. Platygryllus subalatus (Chopard, 1951)
20. Platygryllus sudanus (Gorochov, 1988)
21. Platygryllus xanthocercus François & Defaut, 2018

Notes and References

1. Chopard (1961)[1960] Eos 37(3): 276.
2. Otte, D. and W. Cade. (1984). African Crickets (Gryllidae). 4. The genus Platygryllus from Eastern and Southern Africa (Gryllinae, Gryllini). Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 136 45-66.
3. Sakaluk, S. K. (1991). Post-copulatory mate guarding in decorated crickets. Animal Behaviour 41 207-16.
4. Parker, D. (2009). Pre- and post-copulatory mate choice in Platygryllus primiformis: Cryptic female choice and sexual conflict. Bioscience Horizons 2 164-71.
5. Bateman, P. W. (1998). Assortative mating by both sexes in the cricket Platygryllus primiformis (Orthoptera : Gryllidae; Gryllinae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society 124 63-68.