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Red-legged grasshopper
Arcyptera tornosi

Photo
Roy Kleukers

First sound guide for Spain (Catalunya)

Roy Kleukers - 10 October 2010
/ Photo:

This publication is available since last August. The CD is contained in a well-designed small booklet in Catalan language. It presents many of the singing species of the Catalan Orthoptera and 5 species of Cicada.
The booklet describes in short sound production and song terminology. Songs of all species are described and illustrated by oscillograms. A photo of the species and symbols indicating habitat preference, song volume and daily singing period complete the species descriptions.
Most species have been recorded in the field, resulting in natural sounding recordings, including audio context, however, without losing the focus of the recording. Most species with a wider repertoire (including e.g. a specific courtship song) are represented by several recordings and for many species also recordings at different ambient temperatures are available. This helps to recognize the species under all circumstances.

I found a few errors listening to the CD. Two fragments did not seem to be correctly named. One recording of Nemobius sylvestris (the second part of track 27) seems to contain the song of Eumodicogryllus bordigalensis . Track 30 is supposed to be an unknown species of possibly Pteronemobius , but to me seems to be a clear but somewhat aberrant Oecanthus song. Finally, some recordings show artifacts (glitches) due to computerized noise reduction, but this might only be heard by trained ears.

The CD finishes with 5 fine examples of choruses of singing Orthoptera. Good material to practice any evolved knowledge of singing insects, but also nice material to underline the uniqueness of the singing Orthoptera of Europe. Valuable also if you don’t read the Catalan language!



Carbonell, R. & E. Matheu 2010. Guia Sonora dels insects de Catalunya. Grills, saltamartins i cigales. (564 pp. with Audio-CD). Alosa, sons de lan natura, Barcelona. ISBN 978-84-937946-0-6

To be ordered for € 18,00 at http://www.alosa.com.es/cataleg/cataleg.asp?seccio=2&categoria=15